Athens: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

First: let me apologize for the long delay between posts. Unfortunately, things have not been entirely hassle-free or straightforward in the home-internet-setup-department. Saturday, we're told. SATURDAY.

So. Athens. As part of the visa process in the UAE, I had to leave the country while they processed my visa, and the process couldn't begin until Carl's visa was finished. Hence, having to leave the country right in the middle of the getting-set-up process. We decided to go to Athens because a) we wanted to go to Greece b) it's a relatively easy country to get to from here that c) wouldn't be problematic to enter with a Canadian passport.

The Good:

• The food. I don't know what they put in their tomatoes in Greece (see also: Italy), but I couldn't get enough of them. I ate a greek salad every day I was there. Sometimes twice. To say nothing of the feta! And then there were the kebabs! And the lemon potatoes! (Also, after no-alcohol-zone Abu Dhabi, having a glass of wine at the rooftop bar of our hotel, overlooking the Acropolis, was... really very nice.)
• Delphi/the Islands. Sad as it is to say, one of the nicest things about Athens was... getting out of Athens. Full disclosure: Athens was not my favorite city. But Delphi was amazing, and well worth the excursion. And I did a day trip out to some of the nearby islands, just to get a taste, and it was a lovely experience.
• Acropolis. Let's just throw in a blanket history here. Athens is steeped in history, and it's hard not to marvel at the sheer scope of it. 
• Hammam. (Turkish bath.) I spent an afternoon here, and it was one of the most peaceful, lovely afternoons I've ever spent. And at the end of being boiled, scrubbed, and massaged (no, seriously, it was magical), I was given a plate of the most delicious Turkish Delight I've ever tasted.
• The weather. Sure, it was hot. But you know, after a month in Abu Dhabi, 30C felt reasonable.

The Bad:

• Smoking. Everywhere. EVERY. WHERE. On the street. In every restaurant (and I don't think there's such a thing as a no smoking section.) EVERY. WHERE. For someone with a sensitive respiratory system, Athens is hell. I thought I'd get used to it, but nope. I spent the entire week feeling a bit like someone was punching me repeatedly in the sinuses. With a lit cigarette. Or fifty.
• Signage. We rented a car to drive out to Delphi. Wow. Driving in Greece is madness. Made more mad by the complete lack of signs to point you in the right direction. Oh, maybe you have a map. It doesn't matter. You will NEVER ever see a sign that lets you know which road number you're on. However, you will see ten signs pointing you to random tourist locations. None of those signs will include addresses. Meanwhile, on the roads, everyone will drive with a death wish.

The Ugly:

• Graffiti. Like the smoking, it's everywhere. On every surface. On the rare signs that might tell you where you're going, except you can't read through the black spray-paint. No city I've ever visited has ever been so blanketed in graffiti. I wasn't a fan.
• The economic crisis. The people we met were friendly, although the extremely touristy vibe does make one feel like everyone's out to make a buck somehow, even if it means ripping you off. (Even if they're NOT ripping you off!) But that's not what I mean. I can't put a finger on it, but the country felt depressed, to me. And it was depressing. It seems sad that a country so rich in history and that's existed for so long can be in such dire straits.

All in all, it was a lovely trip. Get out of the city, if you go. Give yourself a couple of days and then see the countryside (then again, this is almost always my advice, no matter where you're going). Eat tomatoes. Eat a lot of tomatoes. And go eat kebabs at Thanasis. They were so good I went two days in a row. And the waiter recognized me. Embarrassing. But worth it!