Who Let the Dogs Out?

“The crucial differences which distinguish human societies and human beings are not biological.  They are cultural.”

--Ruth Benedict

Stray cats and dogs roam the streets of Athens more than the police do.  And that is saying something!  Any time that you turn a corner, you can see another dog or cat.  I don’t know how the city can support such a population of strays, but they seem to survive.  Walking anywhere near the Acropolis reveals the prevalence of the stray population.  We have been followed to restaurants, down streets, and up the Acropolis by stray dogs. 

The police seem to travel in packs of motorcycles.  They also tend to take breaks and smoke or chat along the side of the road, which is very different from what I am used to.  At the protests, the police do form a line to protect Parliament, but they do not always appear to be on guard.  The police carry huge riot shields constantly, although I have never seen them used and only seen them worn in front of Parliament.  They do, however, keep the streets organized during the protests.  They block Syntagma Square from cars so that the protesters are safe at night.  While they do keep the peace and are always present, the culture surrounding the police is very different.  Cars do not always respond to sirens and flashing lights the same way that drivers at home respond. 

The guards in front of the Parliament are also in front of major government buildings along my walk home from Syntagma.  Wikipedia has just informed me that the guards are members of the Evzones and are called Tsolias.  They wear a crazy uniform, walk in a very regimental way, can not show any facial expressions, and have very specific rules to follow.  I have often wondered how these men are able to stand still for so long.  To me, the job seems incredibly boring, but it must involve an extreme amount of prestige.  All of the guards seem incredibly tall, and the requirements to become a guard must be strict. 

The protests are a very prominent feature of Athens.  I walked by the protests again tonight, and the sheer number of Athenians who are protesting is incredible.  The chanting and enthusiasm is very powerful but also nonviolent.  The number of people in the square is very different from the number of people actively protesting.  As I have mentioned before, it is a very social atmosphere in the square.  I have seen plenty of small children walking around the square with their parents, signifying the safety of the environment.

I have yet to experience the effects of a strike.  There is supposed to be a transportation strike on Wednesday, but most Athenians are able to survive without the use of public transportation.  It is more of an inconvenience than an event that stops the city.  I have been told that the strike on Wednesday has been receiving plenty of coverage by American news, but many Athenians do not seem to regard the strike with much more than annoyance.  The demonstrations and protests associated with Athens have a much more social feel than I was expecting.

Street vendors selling things from henna tattoos and parasols to handbags and sunglasses to jelly balls are also common on the streets of Athens.  During my first few days, I noticed that packs of these salesmen would start to travel as soon as police came to their area.  We walk past these vendors every day we go on an excursion but very rarely do I see them make any transactions.

Many of the pipes in Athens are original pipes from over 2000 years ago.  For this reason (among others), toilet paper is collected in the trash instead of being flushed down the toilet.  Among the things that I miss the most from America: peanut butter, graham crackers, and flushing toilet paper.  While there are plenty of differences between Greece and America, these are some of the most striking differences.