Athens - First impressions

The area around Athens is very hilly and nearby at the outskirts of the city are mountains that reminded us of Colorado Springs and the front range of the Rockies.  We were surprised to find Athens and the surrounding area quite arid and lacking the foliage and color we are accustomed to seeing.  In that way is also resembles Southern California.  It is a large metropolitan area but we have not seen the tall buildings or skyscrapers as you might expect in a large metro area. The buildings around the city center are functional but not particularly distinctive.   As we were touring around early on Sunday, everything was closed.  Graffiti was rampant in some areas, much increased since the global recession, according to our tour guide.  While there are large boulevards, many streets are small around the area near us.  A typical example is below.

For lunch on Sunday we had time to try an outdoor cafe along one of several pedestrian areas near the city center.  Many people were out for the day and it was busy and quite nice.  

Where the city borders the sea, it is quite scenic and looks more like a resort area with nice hotels and many beaches.  Boats are everywhere and of every style along the water. The sea is beautiful and flat with almost no waves and no surf at all.  Our hotel is quite modern and nice, located between the sea and the city center, but nearer the sea.  The area around the hotel seems more like an in-town neighborhood with restaurants, shops, and hotels all around.  We were told we could walk to the water but needed to know the way since the roads are busy and not easily crossed.  We may try that at the end of the trip.

The population of Athens and surrounding area is about 5 million.  Considering the population of all of Greece is about 11 million, nearly half live in Athens!  The city was never designed to be such a huge population center and has been strained for several years with the huge influx of people.  Before the recession people were coming to Athens looking for a better life and better jobs.  Greece was living on borrowed money so it worked for awhile.  But when the economy crashed, those opportunities disappeared.  Unemployment is about 25% today and the Catholic Church feeds about 250,000 people in Athens each day.  Many who came to Athens for opportunities have moved back to the rural areas.  Young couples can't afford their own place to live and have moved back in with a parent.  Families have banned together and are helping each other survive.  Tourism is the main and largest industry now in Greece, and they are very happy to see visitors.  Everyone has been very accommodating.  It's a country in transition and working to pull themselves back up.  From our cab driver to our tour guides, all talk of hope that this year will be better.  None are complaining.  They seem to be adjusting to their new reality, amd willing to work.