My dad was in his 40's when he started developing allergies and hay fever (bear with me, this is relevant).
I am the wrong side of my mid-30's and fear that, after a sneezing fit of about 10 sneezes in a row, I must be either:
A) allergic to my new kitten (see previous post)
or
B) starting to develop allergies

B is more likely - I live in Athens, a city I dearly love but it's not really renowned for its lack of pollution (the opposite, in fact), so I surmise that this, combined with my age and history in our family might mean I am developing allergies too (I'm so glad for Cobweb the kitten, I didn't want to have to ask him to move out).

I have to get up early again for work tomorrow and whilst I am going to run to the supermarket to buy some tissues, I cave in and also decide to buy the creme caramel's I delibrately didn't buy earlier on in the day (trying to be healthy and bought yogurts instead - but what the hell, I've got allergies and quite like the idea of settling down to the final two episodes of Grey's Anatomy with a creme caramel (or 2).

(Here's where we get to the point):   I dash out the door in my sweats which also double as my PJ's but hey, this is Greece!  You wanna see what other people wear!  I have 's*x hair', sadly not from a recent romp, but from a recent afternoon nap after spending 6 hrs since 8:30 this morning teaching 6 year olds.  I also have a bed crease down one side of my face.

So, I arrive at the supermarket - the Entry doors AREN'T 'ENTERING'!!!!!  WHY???!!
The security guard spies me, does a cutting motion under his chin.  I frantically search for the opening times on the door - ohhhhhhhhh, it's 8:30pm, not 9pm!!!
But, the EXIT doors are opening as someone exits.  I look left, look right and make a dash through them. 
"Kiria!!!!" ("Lady!!!") yells the security man.
"I need Creme Caramel please!" I yell back at him over my shoulder, running to the fridge section.

"She needs creme caramel" he repeats to the nearest checkout lady (in Greek).

I forget about the tissues - hell, I'll use toilet roll tonight if I need to.  I dash back to said checkout lady.
"You have your creme caramel?" she asks (is that a smile on her lips??)
"Nai, thank you" I reply in Greek, panting a wee bit.
It's 2.02 euros.  Me, being SOOOOOOOOOO British give her 3 euros - she laughs and gives me the one euro back - smiling as she puts it in a plastic bag for me.

So, to summarise:

Why I love this country:

1) I can go out looking like I've tumbled out of bed (which I have) and no-one pays the slightest attention
2) I can be let into the supermarket, act like a bit of a banshee and it just seems to be normal for them
3) They package my purchases up for me at the checkout
4) They round down to the nearest euro!!!

So Cobweb is asleep on my knee now - I have to gently remove him to get said creme caramel and settle down to a lovely evening with Patrick Dempsey and Ellen Pompeo...ahhhhhhhhhhh (sh*t, hold on - I can feel a sneeze coming on)...

So I am on my way to work, happily sitting on the trolley.  Unfortunately said trolley has to stop early as there is a demonstration planned for that afternoon (nothing new there then) and the roads are cordoned off.
This means I have a longer walk to work - but it's a sunny May day, in the centre of Athens (not minding the police presence for the impending demo) and I quite like a nice walk, especially as I had downloaded Fleetwood Mac last night and wanted to listen to their "Respect" album.
There I am, walking along, 'plugged in' listening to "Gold Dust Woman" and thinking 'Why do I now only appreciate the talents of Fleetwood Mac?' when a man falls into step alongside me and starts talking (in Greek).
I 'unplug' myself and ask what he's talking about (in Greek, which is a bit silly really as he replies in Greek and obviously I can't understand - still, at least I tried.  He started to shake my hand and told me his name was Costas.
Er, OK - that's nice for you! (He's an old guy in a smart suit).

I reply in English that I can't understand much Greek - sorry.

He looks a bit stunned and says:  "So you're not the lawyer Maria ........?"

"Er, no - I'm not" says I.

"But you look so GREEK!" he exclaims.  "Where are you from, what is your name?"

By now I am getting a bit uncomfortable, so I smile politely, tell him I'm from England & I'm really late for work so I must dash - nice to meet you Costas.

He yells after me "I am a lawyer and you look like Maria ....." like he thinks I'm LYING!

Maybe he thought I was his opposition lawyer in a case and wanted to reach a settlement?????

Who knows?! I certainly don't - this on the same day as the police station debacle - Jeez, they come in three's so I am awaiting the last one with baited breath.

Yes, I know: if you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen.  But this posting I fully believe is worth sharing with everyone - it needs to be known, the hurdles one has to go through living here, EVEN AS AN E.U. CITIZEN!!
So, if you want to spend longer than 90 days in Greece, you have to register.  You go to the (appropriately named?) Aliens Bureau.  You have to take:
1) Your passport
2) 2 (no, 3 - hold on, maybe it's 4) passport sized photos (the point is people don't actually know how many
3) An offer of employment from the place you work - NO!  Not a contract of employment - a letter.
And this letter then needs to be taken to your local police station and they have to look at it to see if it's a genuine letter or not (??!!!)
4) The original rental contract of where you live - not a photocopy, but the original.

Now, after you diligently battle with the above (think climbing Ben Nevis), and it is a battle as the police stations here are really NOT very helpful (sorry, but you're not) - then you have to actually go to the Aliens Bureau (think climbing Mount Everest).

The man on the phone told my Greek friend (who kindly phoned for me) that I needed to get there at 06:20am (?!!!!) as there is a big queue.  There are 2 entrances: 1 for EU (round the 'back'), 1 of 'Foreigners' (yes, in Greece non-E.U. citizens are referred to as 'foreigners').  The queue at the 'foreigners' is significantly longer and I've been told people get there as early as 4am.

Now, they only let in 70 people at a time to 'process'...so when the gates open at 6am, it is apparently like a cattle market - people pushing and shoving (I have even heard tales of people camping out the night there) to get in. 

Once in, it can take anything up until 2pm to actually get your document.  An English friend of mine then told me that they wouldn't give him his documents back until he'd paid them 2 euros "for the photocopying."

I haven't actually been myself to be honest - the horror stories I keep hearing are enough to scare me off.  And these stories are from more than one source, so I have no reason to assume they are mere exaggerations.

Now, the unemployment benefit is another story - I'll try to make time to come to that...

Just another reminder of why we hate Public Servants and Bureaucracy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXWZ3uAEKsw

It was Thursday morning when my mobile rang at 10:30am.
"Oh good!  You're awake!" trills Cordelia, founder of Nine Lives (see previous posts).
I sigh good naturedly inwardly as I was expecting her at 11am with 2 new rescuee's for me, but as I am on a 14 day solid work marathon, I did kinda want to relish any 15 mins extra shut I I could get.
Never mind - I was also looking forward to getting the new arrivals.
"I'll be with you about 10:45" she tells me.
And so, at 10:45 on the dot, I am helping Cordelia into the lift of my building with:
1) a big cage with an older cat - Rosie
2) a tiny carry case (like a puffy handbag!) with a tiny kitten in
3) food
4) litter

I can't upload a photo of Rosie, the older cat yet.  I haven't had the chance to take any pictures.  She shot straight under the settee and hasn't moved since.  I know she's eaten when I'm out as her food has depleted, but apart from that, she just insists on hiding.

Now, Cobweb is a different matter.  He is like a bundle of energy!  See some of the photos - they describe better what words cannot.  In brief:  he was rescued from a car engine after he'd gone there to curl up and sleep.

I'm proud to be a part of your community.

Container Ship trip across the Atlantic Ocean by Beccs Experiences myWanderlust Wanderlust

Temple of Poseidon, Greece

Back to talking about Greece and her issues again - this time from a more positive stance than I've adopted of late.
An article in the Observer Newspaper today states that "Greece is turning to its cultural heritage to attract a better class of visitor and make tourism the engine of the Greek economy" - Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/08/only-tourism-save-greece
1) cheapness, cleanliness and efficiency of public transport (when they're not striking!)
2) friendliness of the Athenians towards tourists
3) the ability to go into a coffee shop and feel comfortable nursing just one frappe for 3 hours and not feel pressured into ordering at least 2 more

However, Rome also had  many positive point too: 
1) the upkeep of her ancient monuments seemed a vast improvement over Greece's efforts (lack of money on Greece's part?)
2) traffic in Rome:  more ordered, smoother running and less aggressive
3) the cops (police) COULD SPEAK ENGLISH!!
OK Greece - you need to pay attention to this:  my previous posts here have eluded to how positively caveman like your police system and police are.  They are, a majority of cops on the street - people who have barely finished high school and put the fear of God into people, including tourists.
This needs to change:  make your cops more tourist friendly...and educate them to speak English so that they can actually help people.
I remember an old teacher colleague of mine telling me a story that, in the Athens 2004 Olympics, her husband (who is a cop) called her from Athens on his mobile and asked her to speak to the 5 Japanese tourists who were trying to ask directions from him, but he couldn't help them because he spoke no English.

There's another thing: the site of the 2004 Olympic Stadium = rather dilapidated, not used for community efforts (except the Badminton Hall which is now a theatre).  This could change:  make the pool areas available for public use (except in Greece, to use a public swimming pool you need a letter from the Dr to prove you have no skin disease).

And yes!  The ferry tickets to the islands!  The article alludes briefly to how expensive these are - let me tell you quite how: My father and I went to Spetses for Easter.  We travelled out on the Thursday before Good Friday. Spetses is an island about 2 hrs away from Athens, but the only way to get there is by Speedcat (see my previous post about these God awful monstrosities).  No 'normal' slow ferry runs there (for some reason).  The Speedcat cost...(drum role)...75 euros return, per person.  I know you might think that sounds cheap, but for a journey that
1) is only really 2 hrs
2) had everyone throwing up into sick bags anyway
in retrospect, it really isn't so cheap, eh??

Greece is soooooo beautiful, people.  She has been my host country for about 3 years now and I wouldn't have fought to find work to stay here if I didn't love her so much.  Stay in Athens about 3 days to see the sights:  Acropolis, Plaka, Syntagma (the Parliament Square and Gardens) but also the less touristy areas of Exharcia (GREAT bars) and Gazi (the old gas district that's been done up with yet more trendy bars, cafes and restaurants).  Then head either inland to Delphi, Meteora or go to the islands.

Here, in images, are some of  my favourite places & sights:

Delphi

Epidaurus - sight of famous amphitheatre and yearly summer festival

Spinalonga - Crete, setting for Victoria Hislop's "The Island"

Tunnel entrance to Spinalonga town

Fisherman who agreed to take me over to Spinalonga

Sunset on a (slightly cloudy) Santorini

Meteora - World Heritage Site and amazing geology

One of the amazing Monasteries built atop the rocks - Meteora

Sunset on Naxos island

One of the many secluded beaches found on Naxos

Naxos

"Mamma Mia" church - Skopelos

Further natural beauty of Skopelos

Paros

Paros

Paros fisherman



Changing of the guard - outside Parliament

Avenue of the Palm Trees - Parliament Gardens, Athens *     Like what you've read here?  Be sure to follow me on Twitter and Facebook

It's like that chicken and egg scenario - which came first?
Greece is renowned for not having trust in anybody or anything.  In fact, for a supposedly 'collective' nation, when the chips are down people really only help themselves or their immediate family - as anywhere else.
And to be honest, I think I've been a little naive in the past, quite happy to think that most people have at least one altruistic bone in their body and want to help others.  Yes, people DO help each other more here in Greece than I've witnessed, say, in the UK - but ultimately, it's all out for yourselves.

Now then, back to the point in hand:  trust.
It's that time of year again when we all need to do our tax returns.  Rest assured, I do not even KNOW how to fiddle a system - I mean, even sticking WITHIN the system is complicated enough, to fiddle it seems even MORE so.  But the sorts of questions one is asked seem a bit strange to me:

"How many square metres is the property you rent?"

Eh?!  What has this got to do with a tax return?  Apparently, according to my (trusty?) accountant - these are all new questions from this year.
OK then - clearly the government here in Greece does not trust its people.  Let's look at why:

1) People fiddling their taxes
2) People disobeying the law in general (small example: still smoking inside cafes/restaurants, not wearing crash helmets on bikes)

But let's wonder WHY people fiddle their taxes shall we?  And also, is it just the 'little people' that fiddle them?  I think not.  We have Dr's and lawyers fiddling all over the place - yet when you hear how much a Dr earns on an IKA salary (IKA is the Greek equiv. of the NHS), it's no WONDER they ask for a 'brown envelope.'
No, it's not just the 'little people' fiddling - not even Dr's and lawyers.  The past three decades for Greece has been, in monetary terms, one of debauchery, hedonistic partying and outright lies. 
The big guys are the ones that are evading their taxes - politicians, ship owners, basically people that can afford to pay Accountants a lot of money to 'creatively account' for them.

I know, I know what you're thinking - you're probably rolling your eyes at this and thinking:
"But that's the way of Capitalism and the way it's always been...the little people pay for the big people's crimes."

You want to be careful of p*ssing the little people off - there are more of them out there and eventually, maybe not soon but eventually, they will come together.

And trust?  Well, our Government wants us to trust, get rid of the "Do as I say, don't do as I do" attitude.  Maybe if you could lead by example instead - your people would start to trust you and you'd have a smoother running society, instead of one marred by mis-trust and occasional violence.

Yes, decisions decisions.   After my Easter debacle (ill on a beautiful Greek island), I had planned a trip to Rome with a friend.  Having never been to Italy before, I was looking forward to the pasta, tiramisu and panacotta yet also frustrated as my sense of taste had disappeared with this cold that was still hanging around.
Oh well, Rome is the Eternal City and there's no way I was going to miss out on this trip - even though the cabin pressure in the aircraft made my head feel like it was going to implode (note to everyone:  really, flying with a cold is NOT a good idea - never mind the other passengers tut tutting and giving you daggers in case you infect them...think of YOUR head and how it feels like an elephant's taken up residence on it - ears desperate to pop but can't quite get there and eyes watering).
Such was the start of the trip for me into the Eternal City.  Oh, another warning:  be careful of these low budget airlines - specifically easyjet.  Easyjet = very good on the Athens to Rome flight ie: allowing my (tiny!) trolley bag into the cabin - also my friend's rather larger trolley bag...hence we could just walk straight through upon arrival at the other side.
And thank God for that!  Another word of warning: Fiumicino airport (FCO).  OMG!!!!  What a DISASTER area!  I spend a lot of time slagging off Greece, but by comparison Athens Venizelos airport is a DREAM: smooth entry/exit processes, baggage area not resembling an African shack airport Arrivals (unlike FCO) and bigger space.
Now - moving on.  We get the train from FCO to the centre of town.  This is where we discover another strange thing about Rome: the underground system.  In most cities at least in Europe (London, Paris, Athens) there is the opportunity to change onto a different line at various stations:


Can you see this example of Athens metro - only 3 main lines (blue, red and green) and various interchange points.  Now, Rome:


Forget the greenish line going out to FCO airport - there are only two lines and ONE INTERCHANGE POINT!!! (Termini).  Can you imagine how busy this Termini station was?!

But I am getting a little ahead of myself here - I haven't been too positive so far about Rome and we are still on the train from the airport. 
I notice how GREEN everything is and upon checking into our hotel (tiny room in an old, old building that is boiling hot) and then going about a city tour (there are various bus companies that operate the hop on/off tours and all seem pretty good), we commented on how much greener in general the city seemed - not just on the ride from FCO airport (which seemed stuck out in farmland), but also around the city).

The hotel was a bit of a laugh: http://www.bandbhotelrome.com/
Now, do not be lulled into a false sense that the rooms are as big as depicted in the picture - they are NOT!  Or at least, ours wasn't.  Still, it was clean, HOT as I mentioned, yet also in a very, very central area.  Oh, you also get charged 2 euros 'city tax' per person per night and have to pay this upon check out.  It never gets pre-charged (even if you book on expedia.com or hotels.com) and don't ask me why they charge it locally - they just do.
I wanted a shower after we'd sort of settled ourselves.  But could I get the hairdryer to work?  Nope.
So, finding a plug that works in the corridor - topped off by the fact I have no shame - off I trot with a towel around me and start to dry my hair in the corridor.  Queue Luca, the nice man from Reception, to open one of the bedroom doors and see me, semi naked in the corridor.
"Is there a problem uh?" he asks. 
Upshot is, he fixes the plug in the room (we just needed an adaptor plug) and marvel at how he seemed more embarrassed when my friend asked what his name was when she thanked him, rather than seeing a semi naked girl in the corridor of his hotel.
I should also point out that he didn't actually say 'eh?' - it is my way of portraying to you that Italians have a really enduring of saying 'eh' or  'uh' at the end of every sentence.
So 'Are you OK?' sounds like:
"Are you OKuh?"

Skipping quickly on - the Colosseum was beautiful and then we get to St Mark's Square and the Vatican.
The QUEUES!!!!!!!!!!  Luckily one of these bus tours includes tickets to go into the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel without the need to queue, otherwise the queue would LITERALLY have taken us about 6 hrs, I am NOT kidding.
The Sistine Chapel was somewhat spoiled by the sheer amount of people and also the 2 guards - Tweedledum and Tweedledee.  They took it in turns...
1 = "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
2 = "No photo"
and visa versa.  Ironically, the only ones making any noise were actually THEM!



He doesn't look a happy chappy One thing I LOVED there was their hot chocolate...none of this watery rubbish - just LOOK at it: This is the proper stuff!  You could stand a spoon up in it.  I think dipping a donut into it might also be a reason to celebrate! Finally - the fountains.  I've never SEEN so many of them!  Again, here is my favourite one (not the Trevi):

 Now the question:  Athens or Rome?
Well, Rome has many, MANY monuments, a lot of greenery and is no doubt a beautiful city - but I have to be a little biased when I say I still think Athens wins.  Here are some reasons why:

• Metro system = easy to use and SO much cleaner/less smelly (but it was raining like mad the day we used Rome's one).
• Friendliness of the locals = despite the enduring 'uh' at the end of each sentence, Rome seemed to be 'tourist weary' and almost bordered on rude to tourists at times.
• Airport = SO much more efficient than FCO.  If I every fly easyjet again, I am flying it one way only out of Athens as the airport staff there are so much more relaxed.  FCO easyjet staff were AWFUL, I mean AWFUL.
• Safety = whilst I didn't feel unsafe in Rome, I could sense that it had more crime.  My friend commented on this as all over even our small hotel were security cameras.

So there you have it peeps - make your own decision as to which city to visit first.