We stopped at one last site, a modest stone that served a very important purpose in ancient times. It was the part from which all distances were measured, helping travelers understand the incredible distances they must journey. While we were disappointed that the United States didn't make the cut, I guess that was a little beyond the imaginings of the Romans.
At the airport, we were in for another surprise. What had seemed so quiet on the Sunday afternoon we arrived was now its own bustling marketplace, with overflowing shops, a very active Duty Free section, and people lounging and sleeping on every horizonal surface. As proof that I'm rubbing off on Josh, we arrived at the airport several hours before our flight and made it to our gate while they were still boarding the previous flight. That said, people here cut it CLOSE. We had people running to catch the previous flight up to 10 minutes before we were scheduled to board. There were even a few people who missed that flight.
Another interesting sighting was the "Please use masjid facilities for ablution" sign in the women's bathroom, written beneath a crossed-out picture of a foot. I wonder how architects learn about all the different things that they need to add to buildings to accommodate different cultures. There are so many things that I would never think of adding to add to a building simply because they are not necessary in my personal life. I guess this is why architects and businessmen have so much trouble designing functional hospitals.
A few hours later, as we descended into Athens, I was surprised to see neatly squared-off plots of farm land so close to the airport. I got to enjoy the scenic countryside yet again as we took the metro into the city. Josh and I both found the ride incredibly beautiful and relaxing, although I was very glad that we got on at the first stop and had seats.
Oh, and the gyros here are mind-bogglingly good. I'm not sure what they put in the sauce here, but I think I could eat it with a spoon.
Though, like our first evening in Istanbul, we had but a few hours to form a first impression of the city, here goes:
(1) People park everywhere and anywhere. It is not uncommon to see cars parked both directions on both sides of the street, including tiny one-way streets, or cars forming their own parking median when the road is a bit wider.
(2) The Plaka, a square that is the modern-day equivalent of the old Agora marketplace, is an interesting mix of overwhelming tourism (including people handing out single flowers for sale or bracelets) and local commuter comforts (like a fresh fruit stand just outside the metro). Several of the streets leading to the Plaka are (officially or unofficially) flea markets, and the entire walk there feels like wading through a hoarder's estate sale.
(3) It is very difficult to exchange cash on a Saturday night in Athens, which was shocking because there were exchange shops every 20 feet on the main streets in Istanbul.
(4) In many ways, Athens is Itanbul's cousin; so much history, aggressive restaurant employees, stray dogs passed out everywhere, and a surprisingly new and useful metro system.
Spotted: Happy Pi Day! Since it is 3/14/15, we took this picture as close to 9:26 as we possibly could.
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