Athens and Delphi, Greece

At right: Girls at the ruins of Delphi, north of Athens.





GREECE: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
By Maya
THE GOOD - Greece is truly a lovely, wonderful place to be. The people are kind and always willing to help and 60% of the time it's NOT to sell you something or to take you to their 2nd cousin, twice-removed's store or to spend the night at their uncle's hotel etc. The beaches in Greece are marvelous, with water seemingly made to cool you down after the heat of the day. Though not always soft sand, the water is positively cool and crystal clear. The monasteries placed on the top of sheer cliffs, white washed buildings with blue windows, centuries old columns like at Delphi and the Acropolis, you name it, Greece has it. The food is delicious. Greek salads are truly fantastic in Greece. (The tomatoes are so yummy!) As a vegetarian I tend not to eat animals, but supposedly the fish is delectable. Clothes, shoes and accessories are in abundance in Greece. Most aren't utterly repulsive and the majority are cute. Lastly the ice cream is really yummy. Plus, they have many sweets you haven't heard of before such as sesame cookies or twists, and honey dippers (big crunchy rolls smothered in honey).

But, no person or country is perfect so we proceed onto THE BAD. Unfortunately not only pleasant people go to Greece. Now, I'm not saying that these people are bad at heart, but in my opinion, if you are a man with a really big belly, you should not be wearing a speedo as you will cause "speedo trauma" to the children who see you. Topless bathing is just gross. Also, there should be a law against obnoxious, self-absorbed tour guides, like the one we had at Delphi. It really is easier to walk around by yourself and spend time where you want to and avoid the expensive, repulsive food you're served on tour.

But none of this is as awful as THE UGLY. It is so bloody hot in Greece! With temperatures reaching up to 40+ degrees celsius, it's almost unbearable. Especially because there are large amounts of white everywhere, reflecting the heat right up in your face. Also, Greeks can bare grudges that last for eternity. Don't mention Turks, Turkey, Turkish architecture or Greek made buildings that reside in Turkey unless you want a sharp telling off and/or a piercing stare. Plus, there is no falafel in Greece! Don't go to Greece with the expectation that you're gonna get a great falafel. No, apparently though the falafel and pita sandwich made it across both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans to North America, it hasn't managed to get from Egypt to Greece. What's up with that?

All in all, Greece is truly a wonderful place, just don't go expecting a falafel.
To enjoy more photos of Athens and Delphi, click here.