Ten Things About Athens

It's our last night in Athens. As Holly has pointed out, our blogging is not keeping up with our adventures (that's probably a good sign). But here's a little list of some things we've learned in Athens, in honor of the excellent time we've had here (jet lag and head colds notwithstanding):

1. It's only a pedestrian walkway as long as there are only pedestrians on it. There are several roads in Athens that have been converted (supposedly) into pedestrian-only walkways, around the Acropolis and Syntagma Square. Some motorists, however, appear to have missed the memo, and continue to use these "walkways" quite nonchalantly.
2. Don't store your gunpowder in historically important buildings. Athens has, for much of the last two millennia, been occupied by a succession of foreign powers. The Turks were among this succession, and in 1687, used the Parthenon, among other things, as a place to store gunpowder. Coincidentally enough, the Venetians attacked Athens in 1687, and when they bombarded the Parthenon (which should also be on the list of things not to do), ignited the gunpowder and caused significant irreparable damage to the Parthenon.
3. When something is introduced to you as the best _____ in Athens, season it with a healthy dose of skepticism. Greeks are effusive and expressive, and are sometimes given to hyperbole and mild exaggeration. Case in point, when we were checking in, we were told that our room had "the best balcony in Athens". Turns out the balcony actually looks out at the buildings across the (narrow) street, specifically the neighbors' balconies.
4. Ancient ruins look even better when they're lit up at night. Holly thinks the Acropolis is 2x as cool at night, when it's lit up by floodlights. I'm not sure I agree with the math, but it does look pretty cool. (Hint: For a great date, try dinner at Kuzina - they have tables that look out at the Acropolis. And if you can't get one, just walk around the base of the Acropolis after dinner. The best romantic view in Athens (Point #3 does not apply to this one)).
5. Sidewalks are for parking your motorcycle and mini cars. Pedestrians belong between parked cars and oncoming traffic. The first day and a half we were here, we identified ourselves as tourists by  trying to walk on the sidewalk. Now, we do as the locals do. Shame we forgot our serious reflective gear for running.
6. If you want your creations preserved for future generations to excavate, make them out of clay. We've seen a lifetime's worth of ancient artifacts over the last four days. And the precious metals and jewels always get looted.  But clay? Clay seems like a pretty safe bet. Although, I guess that "plastic" is today's answer.
7. Don't trust the opening hours posted on the website. In three days, we have arrived half an hour after closing, or half an hour before closing, at countless museums and tourist attractions - even after we thought we did due diligence.  At least we've put on a lot of walking miles (make that...kilometers).
8. It is perfectly acceptable to double park your car or taxi on a one lane road, put on the flashers, and run into a nearby shop to buy a coffee/run an errand/chat with a friend/etc. We've also discovered that while it's nice if you can park next to the curb, it's not an absolute rule. Greece also apparently does not have a rule against parking on corners.
9. In museums, bans on cameras and cellphones are advisory, not mandatory. More than once, despite the multitude of signs admonishing visitors that no photography or talking on cellphones was permitted, we witnessed Greek visitors snapping photos or yakking on their phones. Sometimes they'd keep doing it as the guard walked past.
10. Athens is beautiful. Perhaps it's the absence of tourists at this time of the year. Perhaps it's the fact that it's easy to get around, and almost everyone speaks excellent English. There's the good food. The amazing historical sites. The warm and friendly people. We've found ourselves surprised by Athens, and are already talking about the next time we'll be able to return.

And with that, kalinichta for now - tomorrow, onward to Rome!