Athens, Greece

I was in town for about twenty minutes and witnessed two brazen attempts at street theft and full on hawker badgering. Really full on. Pulling and grabbing at people.

I'm pretty sure I was targeted by pickpockets in the first 100 meters from my hotel. They work in teams and when they get caught out it's funny to watch them blame each other.

The homeless situation appears to be pretty bad here.

There are more charity seakers here then I have previously encountered.

The current economic situation in Greece is clearly evident. There are many abandoned shops, businesses and buildings in deterioration

I can't read anything in Greek. For example... μπορείς να με βοηθήσεις. This is 'can you help me?'

This is supposed to be the 'quiet time of year'. Well there are people everywhere. The streets are full. I wander what it's like when it's busy.

FORGET ABOUT ALL THAT!

This is my kind of place!

It has a special something about it.

The people are super friendly. 

I'm already getting free drinks (ouzo haha) and food.

It was night time when I arrived. This is a lazy snap shot of the first thing I saw from the end of my street.

Just by simply walking the streets in order to get lost you see things you wouldn't expect. Like these Pre-Classical/Roman foundations and aquaducts. Oh, they just found them when excavating the site for modern construction. Thought they better keep them.

The weather is great. It's in the Goldilocks zone.

It smells beautiful. It's like the beach mixed with the garden mixed with baby powder.

The Greeks love their music. It's live all over the place. And in many restaurants.

The old time shop owners sell everything and anything. It flows out of the store onto the footpaths and into the street.

Something tells me I'll be in Greece for a while.

And I haven't even been to the good stuff yet.

If you've never been but want to go to Greece, quit your job now and get over here.

If your feeling jealous. You should be!