Turn Left at Athens!: A Walk in Athens, continued.........

Sunday, February 27, 2011

A Walk in Athens, continued.........

The band marched off to another venue, and right on it's heels, came this fellow. Isn't he hilarious? You never know what you are going to come across when you are in Athens!

I decided that I was hungry and went in search of a bite to eat. How about Souvlaki Gyro? Here is my favorite place. You just walk up and order it, watch and wait as the cook uses an electric razor type tool to cut off succulent thin slices of Pork, stuff them into a Pita, add all the trimmings, top it off with Tzatziki, and wrap it tightly in a deli-paper. Now you find yourself a spot to sit and enjoy your Souvlaki -Gyro.

Now that I was properly stuffed,I felt that I was in need of some exercise, so I headed up Athinas Street, toward Omonia Platia, and arrived at one of my favorite streets in Athens; Evripidou!

Evripidou is a cacophony of sights, sounds and smells, but mostly, smells! At the top of the street, from Athinas, the little shops are either selling seeds, bulbs, and other garden supplies, or herbs, cures, spices and things I am still not able to identify! Further down the street, about midway, will begin shops selling bottles, corks, ropes and twine and on further, cheap household kitchen items.

Here, an innovative shopkeeper utilizes his truck to display his plants and flowers.

Peppers! Mothballs! Olive Oil Soap! Sausages! Giant Cinnamon Sticks! The colors, the smells, it is so wonderful!

By far, this was the most amazing shop that I saw all day. I have never been in here before, I can't imagine how I have missed it all these years.

It was dim inside, lending a kind of magical mysterious air to everything. The dark aged wooden cases, displaying the spices and herbs were begging to be stroked, I could only think how Vasili would love to see this shop.
There was so much to see, to read, to smell, to wonder at. It will require another day into the city to properly explore this shop of wonders!