Elevators/Lifts – The elevators, or lifts, are extremely tiny. Four slender people of average size might fit in, but they would have to be comfortable being shoulder to shoulder or belly to belly. With my two packs on, I have to back in to the lift.
Lights – When you get off the lift at the hotel, the halls are dark. The lights are on motion sensors so the lights go off when there’s no one in the halls. Great way to save on energy, especially if you have kids who frequently leave all the lights on. The challenge is that the lights don’t stay on for long, so you have to keep moving. Because my door is around a corner from the main hall sensors, when I come out of my room, I have to walk a few feet before the sensor picks me up. Tonight, I nearly run into the wall ahead of me. LOL!
Also, when you enter your room, there is a little power box on the wall. This box contains a switch that controls all the lights, the TV and the air conditioner in the room. When you insert your key card in the box slot, it flips the switch so you can turn the lights, TV and A/C on and off at will. But when you remove the key card as you leave the room, everything is automatically turned off. Another clever idea! However, if there is only one key to the room and two people, you have to strategize when one person goes out; otherwise, you may leave someone in the dark.
Traffic -While not as crazy as Egypt, traffic in Greece can be perceived as a little chaotic. Everyone is in a hurry and the traffic laws don’t seem to apply, or maybe there aren’t any. Since many cars are smaller here than in the U.S., the drivers may seem to find it easier to weave in and out, which they do constantly. It’s not unusual for cars and motor bikes alike to drive between vehicles if they are able. I’ve even see motor bikes drive up on the sidewalk if it gets them where they want to go quicker. There appear to be at least half as many motorcycles and motor scooters as there are cars; maybe more.
Language – I’ve been trying to learn and use some of the basic phrases – please, thank you, yes, no, good morning, excuse me – but they are so different from what I already know. It’s funny, because I frequently find myself wanting to say things in Spanish or Chinese; well, you know; those few words that I know in Spanish and Chinese.
The Greek alphabet has many letters that are different from the American alphabet, which makes reading signs quite challenging. Fortunately, many signs are also in English. While I would never expect the citizens of another country to learn English, I am extremely grateful that so many people do speak or understand at least a little English. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Food – Breakfast, included with the room, consists of hot coffee, hot tea, a very watered down orange drink of some type (Tang?), milk, thick Greek yogurt, two types of jam, white and brown bread (the heavy dense stuff), pound cake, fresh sliced tomatoes, two types of cereal (corn flakes and chocolate rice krispies), thin sliced cheese (maybe Swiss?) and thin sliced sandwich ham. Neither the cheese or sandwich meat have much flavor, but the Greek yogurt is awesome. It is thick and very creamy with a texture half way between American yogurt and cream cheese. Add some fruit and a little honey, and it is ambrosia!
Baked goods are plentiful on the street. KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and McDonald’s are common, as are burgers, fries, sandwiches, etc. One thing that surprises me is that chicken and pork are very common in gyros and other fast food type dishes, with occasional beef. I have yet to find lamb, which I expected to be more common. Go figure!
For the most part, this is a “modern” European country where the food is safe to eat and the tap water is safe to drink and brush with.
The People – The Greeks come across as aloof, but when engaged, they are friendly and willing to help. They also appear to be a very social people. The streets in the area where I’m staying are lined with cafes and restaurants, and people seem to socialize late into the evening.
Familiar faces – Sadly, depending on how you look at it, you need not go far to find reminders of home (America). In addition to KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and McDonald’s, there’s Starbucks, Applebee’s, Hard Rock Cafe, The Gap, TGI Friday’s, etc. Of course, there’s also Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, etc.
Television – Hotel televisions provide limited viewing options in English, of course, but there occasional late night American programs in English with Greek sub-titles. Of course, CNN is almost always available, and Bloomberg’s business report is on periodically. The commercials are mostly in Greek, but sometimes they’re in English with Greek words/logos in the ad and sometimes in Greek with English or American words/logos in the ad.
Signs – Most signs for businesses and advertising are in Greek, but some are just in English, and many are in Greek and English.
Public Transportation – Inter-city transport is a real deal. Athens boasts a modern subway system that is appears clean and safe. I have also taken a tram that is like a small above ground train that makes frequent stops. There are also city buses, of which I have not taken yet.
Transportation is a good value. For three Euros (about $4.50 USD), you can use any public transportation (subway, bus, tram, etc.) as often as you like for 24 hours. 10 Euros (about $15) gives you unlimited transport for 7 days. For 6 Euro (about $9), you can take the subway directly to the airport, which is a savings of more than 35 Euro for a taxi.
When I lived in Washington, DC, you had to insert your card each time you entered and left a subway station, at which time the fare was deducted. Here, you validate your ticket the first time you enter the system and after that, you can leave your ticket in your pocket. There are no turn styles, just the validation boxes that you can freely walk between. Lest you think you can ride without paying, they do random ticket checks, of which I have seen a few. They also check your ticket as you approach the airport, as that is an extra fare.
Water – Bottled water is available almost everywhere from street vendors and merchants, and even in hotel vending machines. Someone told me that, by law, merchants cannot charge more than .50 cents Euro for one of the standard size bottles of water (similar to the U.S.). Perhaps they’re trying to prevent price gouging. ~