The wife and I met her sister in Athens for vacation. This was our third trip to Europe and likely my last. Getting too old and broken down for such long trips. I was anxious to see Athens since I have such a strong interest in ancient history and art but this trip turned out to be a mixed bag. I did see many things that I enjoyed seeing in person but there were some real bad aspects to this trip, as well.

Started when we first arrived and we took the subway into the city from the airport. After 15 hours traveling I was beat and not thinking clearly as I put my wallet in my hip pocket after buying a soft drink from a street vendor on our way to the hotel. Took maybe 5 steps and some lowlife picked my pocket and got my wallet. I felt it and spun around but being a fat old man I couldn’t catch him. You think anyone on the street would grab him or trip him? No, the crowd parted like the Red Sea making way for Moses and the scumbag escaped with $1,400 in cash, my credit card and my driver’s license. This just sort of cast a pall on the whole trip for me. I was so pissed off. If I ever get my hands on a thief he’s going to suffer for all the *******s who got away from me. Sad part is he was no more than 25 feet from me as I looked right at him. Would have been an easy shot if I’d only had my gun. Believe me, I would have… and will… shoot any thief if I get the chance.

Not 5 minutes later another creep tried to snatch my duffel bag from atop my wheeled suitcase. But the strap was tied to the handle and it was yanked out of his hand as he tried to split. Jeez, nice place. Two thefts attempts (one successful) within 5 minutes and we hadn’t even reached the hotel, yet.

The credit card company special delivered a replacement in 2 days but that didn’t help much. Only about 2% of businesses in Greece take credit cards. They mostly operate cash only so they can under-report sales and dodge taxes. Sister in law had her ATM card with her and a local bank allowed her to withdraw cash so she floated us a loan. That @#$*%^ who bagged my wallet almost completely ruined the trip.

No drinking fountains, anywhere. You want water? You pay for it.

The Acropolis was great to see except there were a million people there (expected that) and there was scaffolding and cranes all over it for restoration (didn’t see that coming). Some of the buildings were totally covered, and the Parthenon itself looked awful.

The two main museums were great. Saw the Zeus/Poseidon figure (positive ID not possible), one of only 4 Greek bronze statues from the 5th century BC known to exist. Very famous piece and the only one of the 4 I have personally seen. I tell my students these are likely valued at about one billion dollars apiece.

Got a lot of great photos but trip was exhausting (and aggravating due to the theft). Athens is a sewer, BTW. Absolutely the filthiest city I have ever seen. New York, Paris and Rome are all spic and span by comparison. Whole city just smelled bad.

BTW, locals say biggest problem in Greece is that they are overrun with illegal aliens. Albanians, Bulgarians and Turks sneak in and drain the social services dry while affecting a crime wave. Cab driver said it was likely an Albanian who bagged my wallet as they are known as expert pickpockets. We should pay attention to this.

Here are a couple photos.

Sherri and me in front of the Parthenon. Note the crowds and the construction work.





View from the street below. I used PhotoShop to remove a crane that towered above the temple ruins.





View of the city from a very expensive restaurant where we ate one evening. A small green salad was $23.





Me in front of Zeus/Poseidon. Does it look like $1,000,000,000?




As we left the Parthenon exhausted and thirsty we stopped for lemonade at a stand we passed. Everything was pricey but this took the cake. Here’s a photo of an $8 glass of lemonade. We each bought one which tells you how thirsty we were.




Took a cruise to surrounding islands and shot a few photos of old fortifications.





One island had no motor vehicles and I got a shot of wife and her sister riding mules. They smelled awful. No, I mean the MULES!

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No life story has happy end.

Saxon Pig,

I am sorry to hear that your vacation did not go as well as planned. I thank you for posting your fine pictures and the sordid details. Greece has always been a place I wanted to visit, however, after reading about your experience I think I'll pass.

Duke426

Thanks for the pictures.....pretty interesting subject matter for someone who's never been off the continent such as myself.

I have a partner who travels extensively for pleasure. He is quite adept at getting around successfully in foreign countries, but he got pic-pocketed several years back in Italy. I now it probably won't make you feel any better, but I guess it's a pretty common occurence.

Was the $ 8 lemonade any good?

Brian~

Theft can happen in any big city but after Rome, London, Paris and most big American cities this was my first time as a victim. Sat at a table with several other tourists and all reported being ripped off at some time somewhere.

The lemonade was only OK.

I would not recommend Greece unless one has a deep and burning interest in Classical history or art. We do. Had to go there. For general tourism I would choose elsewhere.

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No life story has happy end.

Sounds to me like they need to sell off some of that crusty old stuff and pay their debts! Just joking...sort of.

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Centennial Every Day

Great pictures, amigo, but the trip sounds like it was a nightmare. Looks as if you made the best of it, which is admirable. Thanks for the thread.

Had my wallet picked by an Arab in Paris a few years ago. He was slick, I didn't even feel it go. He began talking to me first and then used some physical distractions, which had me on alert. Wallet there one second, gone the next. I grabbed him by the necktie (he was dressed like a Western businessman) and put him up against the building we were in front of. I demanded my wallet back. He mumbled about it being "over there, on the ground, by the lamp post" in an attempt to distract me again. I put my fist, still clenching his tie, deeper into his adams apple and lifted him up a bit higher against the wall, just in time to see my wallet come tumbling out of his now-dangling pants leg.

I kept expecting a partner to come help him and stab me or something. Pickpockets rarely work alone, they usually immediately pass the booty off to someone else so they won't have it if they get searched. This fellow was alone, however. I guess I looked like too easy a mark to pass up.

I tried to get one of the passersby to call the police. It was a late afternoon, a weekday, a nice section of town, and the sidewalks were packed. Do you think any of those frogs would help me? It was like we were both invisible!

I held him there for what seemed like a long time. When it became apparent no one would help, and Achmed had turned a pretty shade of purple, I decided to let him go. I applied a knee and then a foot to a couple parts of his anatomy and he ran off as quickly as he could get back up.

Like your experience, it really soured what was otherwise a pretty great trip. Paris, in the spring, the Louvre, Notre Dame cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, museums on every corner filled with treasures, and I go on and on about the thieving pickpocket!

I'm glad some of your memories were better!

Thanks for the pictures and saving me a trip!

Sorry to hear about the bad experience. Athens must have changed a lot since I lived in Greece as an on-and-off resident in the late '60s/early '70s. I was mostly in the sticks, but I liked getting to Athens when I could. Of all the big cities I have spent time in, Athens is the one where I felt safest at any hour of the day or night in any section of the city. The closest I came to getting ripped off was when a cab driver tried to shortchange me by playing on the similarity between the five-drachma and 20-drachma coins. But yes, the city center can be expensive. Lots of street vendors make a living by selling a dime's worth of benefit for a dollar's worth of coin.

Please don't let the theft get in the way of the other experiences. The Greek National Museum is one of the best museums in the world. I wish everyone with an interest in ancient history could have a chance to visit it.

The lemonade incident is pretty outrageous, but I think I have paid nearly that much for an advanced coffee at Starbucks. And there wasn't even anything nearby worth looking at!

Welcome back. I doubt I'll get to Greece again. I'll just keep going on the memories of better times there.

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David Wilson

Dr. Pig, whenever I travel to Europe anywhere, I put my passport, ID and money in a money pouch that has a cord to wear around the neck and under my T-shirt and outer shirt. I never take a wallet to Europe. Never had a dime stolen. They are available at Wally-world.

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Dick

We were warned when we visited Italy two years ago. I had a zip closed pocket in the inside of my jacket where I carried my wallet, and cash in a money clip in my front pocket. Passport in a pouch around my neck under my shirt. We are going to Alaska next month, and I bought a 511 vest as a "travel vest". Lots of pockets for wallet, camera, batteries, you name it.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

nice pictures. sorry you got ripped off.

Greece.. come for the antiquities, stay for the riots

I was pickpocketed once traveling through chicago. I was a country bumpkin, and slapped my jacket pocket to make sure a envelope that had some money and checks in a envelope was still there. The next time I checked, it wasnt! I missed my connections and had to stay in a flop house. Think it was christmass of 1963. I truely feel all thiefs of any kind should be exicuted! Sorry for your bad experiance.

We were there in 05 and thought Rome was far dirtier than Athens. I used a debit card and had all important documents inside my pants in a small front pack. ATM's in Europe were easy to find. I did enjoy Hydros Island as much as you. I liked Greece but don't have plans to return, Rome on the other hand held my heart and I will go back someday.

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Front sight and squeeze

Thanks for posting, Sax! The pictures were quite interesting. In the back of my mind, I've always thought that I would like to visit Greece, but your pickpocket experience has pretty much changed my mind. I wouldn't want to help their tanking economy in the way you were forced to.

Still, sure appreciate your travelogue!

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

If GB hadn't cancelled your auction for the single 45 ACP shell you could have brought it home.

Class III

SP, thanks for sharing the photos of your trip and the narrative of your experience. Sad to hear you were robbed.

Don

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Laus Deo! <><

Lookin' at Class III post of your picture..... I'd do a "caption this" post but you'd get mad and I'd get banned!


GF

I have always heard, "Beware of greeks wearing sneakers". Guess I now know what they meant!

Welcome back and thanks for posting; I'll be heading accross the pond in September; always good to be forewarned. -S2