Sean Thomson
Greece
-Olive trees everywhere
- More smokers and a smoggier country in general than Auckland
- Continental food + Continental food prices (cheaper!)
-False "Jamaicans" hocking pieces of string in a simple effort to spread "peace an love"
I feel that Greece is an appropriate place to start, because while the actual Greek alphabet and language is more or less completely foreign to all of us (reminding us we're overseas in a foreign culture), there is a surprisingly considerable number of English speakers, and many outlets used to catering for tourists. (Or scamming, in the case of many eateries, which have different prices on the English menu)
Modern day Athens does not appear very affluent- perhaps it's the rubbish scattered absolutely everywhere, perhaps it's the meat markets with dubious sanitation judging by the smells, perhaps it's the gentlemen imitating Jamaicans trying to be our friends (while a couple got spare change by spinning in circles, arms outstretched, singing Hakuna Matata), perhaps it was the anarchists DJ'ing outside the university of Athens barring entry, perhaps it was that we were propositioned numerous times by a drug dealer, or perhaps it was the erudite establishments down the side street in which our hotel was nestled. For the record, the hotel was actually quite decent.
The saving grace of Greece is definitely the semi-lost relics of past ages. Unfortunately there is very little left. However, that which is left is more or less awe inspiring and impressive, be it from statues,bronzes and friezes to the ruined treasuries at Delphi. The epitome of this may well be represented by the ruins of the once-mighty Parthenon, once overlooking the ancient city of Athens, a 13 metre golden-Ivory statue of Athena glistening in the light of the rising sun, bathed in the rays off a reflection pool, painted friezes on all sides, today, bare, reliant on rusty scaffolding for support, overlooking a smoggy city, running with refuse.
Greece to me represents the lost glory of an ancient era.
