( continues...) adjustment to come back to a country where people won't play with my kid while I eat or where the local greengrocer doesn't give him a toy every time we stop by to chat.

And hey, Paris Hilton loves visiting here.

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So basically if you slapped a decent freeway in there, put everybody in hydrogen cell cars, built an extensive subway and spent a couple generations repleting the soil, it'd be about 900 times better?

Still, it does sound much cooler than I had thought.

As I've mentioned before, I have very little idea of how people live their lives day to day even in the the major European countries. Of course, traveling there would make a big difference.

::note to self: go to Europe::

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I don't have the same kind of claustrophobia in Athens [link] that I had in NYC, but I was in NYC for only 3 days as a tourist, so YNYCMV.

There was a lot of construction in Athens, the parts I was in, when I was there and that with the massive and nearly violent traffic probably colored my view of the city itself. And I've always lived in open areas, so claustrophobia can come at me early and often.

But being there got me to the ruins not just in the city but all around it and the history and islands around there which were some of my most perfect times. I so want to go back.

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There was a lot of construction in Athens, the parts I was in, when I was there and that with the massive and nearly violent traffic probably colored my view of the city itself.

This is all still true, although since the Olympics the traffic has gotten much better. It's still terrifying, but doable.

The subway (also thanks to the EU and the Olympics) is actually pretty good, and mainly how I get around since driving and parking is difficult.

Here's an example of how Athens is Not Like America: Public parking. When you find a parking lot, usually a place where someone knocked down a building and put up a PARKING sign, you drive in, get out of your car, leave the key in it, get a receipt about 50% of the time, and that's it. You leave your car with complete strangers with no proof, and when you get back, it's there!

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I was there nearly 20 years ago, so I am sure it is different in lots of ways now. Funny that my mental image of the city is scaffolding and dodging traffic. And then the access to so much fascinating history. Man, I really do need to go back.

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I was in Athens for a vacation when I was 17. It was during a water shortage, which I'd never experienced before. flea taught me how to wash dishes with practically no water.

My other chief memory of Athens -- aside from the smog -- is apricots, because I was there in June and where we stayed there was an elderly man with a mania for giving us bags of fresh apricots.

David, have you ever been to Europe? You come across as somebody well-traveled.

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Raq, have you been to the Dora Stratou theater that does folk dancing performances? Definitely worth it if you haven't. That and the ballet at the Acropolis were my best Athens evening outings.

Athens has changed a lot since I was first there, in 1992, and I bet it's changed a fair amount since I was last there in 2001. Things got quite a bit more expensive between 1992 and 1998, and I think the Euro has only made it worse.

I have had some wonderful times in Athens. I hate it in the summer, and I would never drive there if I could possibly avoid it.

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David, have you ever been to Europe? You come across as somebody well-traveled.

I've been across the Atlantic twice. Once to England and Ireland, the second time to London and Paris. So not really well traveled, but not untraveled either.

But it's been a while since I've been over there (15 years?) and I'm sure it's all very changed. I'm curious about the effect of the EU and wondering how the economies work.

What the hell is manufactured in Greece anyway? Do they still make Olivetti typewriters in Italy? Is it all tourism and/or agriculture? I know Oracle's big rival is in Germany, but what are the other leading tech companies? I have no idea really.

Part of this is driven by film-history and watching all the French and Italian films of the sixties. (High art, and popular films.) There's just nothing equivalent nowadays.

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What the hell is manufactured in Greece anyway?

Cement. Aluminum. Canned peaches (OMG the peaches and cherries are TEH YUM!!!1!). The occasional opera diva.

Tons of marble is quarried, but not a lot of it's exported. Greece is trying to compete with Spain and Italy in the international olive oil and balsamic vinegar world.

One thing they don't make here is babies: 1.1 child per family is the average, thus a declining population. There's been a lot of emigration also, to the US and Australia. Of course, there's been a lot of immigration, from Albania and Africa and Bangladesh, but those folks are not particularly integrated.

What Greece contributes to the world economy is shipping. Greece's merchant marine is huge, and Greek-flagged vessels transport much of the world's cargo. Greek shipping magnates are a class unto themselves, though, and not a lot of that trickles down. Greece Actual's main income is from tourism, which has been radically declining, due to the unbelievable prices, a slight fear of domestic terrorism, and the increasing banalization (is that a word?) of the place. You're likely to find a Starbucks and a TGIFridays even on Mykonos or Santorini, and you get charged a bunch for any crockery you break. (Also, to walk in to TGIF's costs about $10 a person. I'm being literal: there's a cover charge at every restaurant that's in addition to $6 sodas, whatever food, and whatever tip).

I haven't been to Dora Stratou, flea, although I've been to a number of folk dancing performances. I took folk dancing lessons with some friends, but only really learned that each village has their own dances and I would never know enough. That, and that any pun I tried to make on "horos" and "horos" (dance and place) fell flat.

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Ahhhh, yes, Greek shipping. I didn't know about the concrete and peaches, though.

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