She leaped from the head of Zeus, already adult, dressed with her armor.
She is ,above all, the Goddess of the City, the protectress of civilized life.
In poetry she is the incarnation of Wisdom, Reason and Purity.
Subway station, constitution square.
My love and hate which I feel for the city of Athens.
Long ago I loved this city for what it gave to us.
Friendly, helpful people, nice conversations, smiles..
Today the story is:
a city only for cars..
No sidewalks.
No more talks.. only peoply who are in a hurry.
In order to find a parking space, you have to kill someone!
Now, I had this thing with my disability of my foot.
Shortly after my surgery I could not walk quickly around..
Well, enough with this..
But where are the people gone?
The streets are never repaired..
We stumble over holes (for years now).
Everywhere I can see stains from chewing gum.
There are no streets for pedestrians
(at least not in my area)!
The last days I stumpled around and where pleased to reach in the end my car.
Because at that time I felt safe..
Anyway, the climate here is fantastic!!
As you said at least you got good wheather!
ReplyDeleteHahaha,
ReplyDeleteyes, Luis, you got it!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMonika,
ReplyDeleteAs it goes many cities end up like this don't they. It sadness me that another one is headed this way. Make the best out of it, the museums and art galleries etc.
Take care.
~robert
Jasmin,
ReplyDeleteweiss nur nicht, von welcher Ruhe du sprichst..
Wir leben hier in einer Welt von Teufeln!
Monica,
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that it's a similar situation in most larger cities. If I had my choice, I would run for the hills, but the hills don't have the energy and food that the big city can offer.
At any rate, I hope your foot is healing. It seems like a very long time!
Take good care of yourself, my friend,
Brian
Yes, Robert, but I do!
ReplyDeleteI have build a brick wall around my life!
Brian, my dear friend,
ReplyDeletelet's go for the hills!!
I agree..
It is always sad to see and experience the decline of great cities. When I think about it, there really aren't that many cities in the world today that I would call "great"---where you can walk downtown and shop for almost anything,along with wonderful restaurants, museums, theaters, etc.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that seems to be disappearing is friendly people who will actually stop and talk in a friendly manner. I don't like brick walls! :)
Πόσο δίκιο έχεις!
ReplyDeleteΦιλιά πολλά γλυκιά μου
D.Angel
Monika dear - I was in my beloved native NYC these past few days and while I was there an old friend who was also born in Manhattan in the 60s wrote to me from Afghanistan - I asked him if there was any place he wanted me to visit and say hello to for him and he said, yes, but those places only exist in my memory - every time I visit NYC something else is lost or changed for the worse. It is so true!! More and more the city I love can only be found in the old photos I visit in museums, and in the few places like the botanic gardens that are still preserved as sanctuaries. But mostly, I see disrespect and disrepair! But as all have said, this is the sad story of so many great cities...thanks for this post, it speaks a hard truth with courage and heart.
ReplyDeleteYes, Clint...
ReplyDeleteNo brick walls, so right, but!
The good thing is that we have a very nice music
hall (thanks to Melina Mercouri).
D.Angel,
ReplyDeleteκαίρο εχω να τα πώ.
Μα τι να πώ??
Σέ φιλώ..
this is a problem with all the cities .
ReplyDeletethe photos are wonderful .
This is a very big problem, one has to deal with.
ReplyDeleteThe cities and peoples are changing over the time!
Today I heard an old Beatles song in a radio
station "Help". It was like I had called them,
to play it for me.
Thank you for your comments
Gabriella
and Caio
Really looks like a tough warrior from the angle of shot !
ReplyDeleteYes, Wong,
ReplyDeletethe goddess looked from this angle that way.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDie Hektik in den großen Städten dieser Welt wird wohl nie verstummen. Doch trifft es den einzelnen sicher hart, wenn es mal ans Ende geht, denn gelebt hat niemals der, wer sich Hektik und Stress hingibt...
ReplyDeleteSei lieb gegrüßt
Kvelli
Jasmin,
ReplyDeleteich versuche, diesem Trubel aus dem Weg zu gehen.
Ganz zu schweigen, dass ich das Zentrum der Stadt
sowieso vermeide.
Jeden Tag sind Streiks, wo dann nichts mehr
funktioniert.
Gut, dass ich in einer Gegend wohne, die wirklich
voellig ausserhalb liegt.
Gruesse dich herzlich und
ein schoenes Wochenende!
Schoene und gut gemeinte Worte, Kvelli!
ReplyDeleteAber, ohne es zu wollen bist du ploetzlich im
grossen "Dreck".
Danke fuer deinen Kommentar!
Gruesse aus lieb
Monika
Liebe Bitch,
ReplyDeletejetzt bin ich hier bei Dir in Athen. Da meine Kommentarfunktion nicht funktionierte gschieht das erst heute.
Ja Du hast Recht - leider ist die Welt voller Teufel, Unruhe und Ärgernissen.
Wir müssen das beste daraus machen.
Ganz liebe Grüße sendet Dir
Irmi vom Neckarstrand.
It sounds like NYC in the 1975-90.
ReplyDeleteI have lived through it all and cannot believe what NYC looks like now...still something is also lost.
Nur gutes Klima wäre für mich aber auch nicht ausreichend, obwohl ich im Winter am liebsten auswandern würde. Vermutlich ist es mit den öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln auch nicht so gut bestellt, oder?
ReplyDeleteViele Grüße aus dem kalten Kiel
Sabine
Monika.Beautiful woman.You must fill your head with beautiful things!!you must!!
ReplyDeleteI think what happens in athens is terrible..and it happens all over the world..
well..it is good to come and relax at your blog!!I feel the warmth from you..a sincerly good woman
sweet thing ..keep up the good things as you do..you are blessed by angels iam sure of that...wish you a nice weekend..!!!Many love and kisses from your friend in Norway:))
Irmi,
ReplyDeletefreue mich, dass du zu mir gefunden hast.
Du glaubst nicht, wie sehr ich mich ueber Kontakte aus Deutschland freue..
Dieser Post ueber eine Lage, wo sich
die Staedte zum Negativen veraendern, hat
mir etwas Luft zum Atmen gebracht!
Gruesse dich sehr herzlich,
Monika
Dan Gliubizzi,
ReplyDeleteso there is hope?
I mean this mess as Athens is today can change
someday?
Before one decided to drive to the centre of
Athens checked first who is on strike!!
Wish you a nice evening,
Monika
Sabine,
ReplyDeleteso wie ich schreibe, wenn alles, aber auch alle
streiken, dann fallen ja auch die oeffentlichen
Verkehrsmittel aus!
Das Klima hat sich dafuer entschieden, dass ab
heute Winter ist (endlich). Gestern sind alle
noch in Hemdsaermeln gelaufen.
Viele liebe Gruesse nach Kiel,
Monika
Dear friend from Norway, sweet Anita,
ReplyDeletemaybe you are right!
I have to go out and shop sexy lingerie,
so I will come to another point of view :) :)
Sweet hugs,
Monika
Hi sweet Monika,
ReplyDeleteI understand very well all you said. I grow up in a great place but now it is like a cosmopolitan city wich have all this problems.
Now living here, that is such a bucolic place and next to the nature, i feel a little bit safe. But just a little bit, because the "modernity" is fast and dominant.
Keep the calm.
Beautiful shots, my dear!
Kisses!!!
Crissant,
ReplyDeletethank you for your remark: beautiful shots.
Coming from you it means a lot!!
Hugs!!!!
Athena!! Che meraviglia! Bellissime Photo Monika,complimenti!
ReplyDeleteCiao,buona notte!!
Francesco
Ha ! Auf den Punkt gebracht. Schon komisch, dass wir trotzdem hier bleiben, oder ?!
ReplyDeleteEin gutes Wochenende dir.
daily athens
I have to say that every time I am in Athens the last few years it looks worse than the time before (especially the center). But there is one thing that never changes and nothing can touch it: The bright sun and the clear blue sky. The light. And if you concentrate on that, Athina looks always beautiful.
ReplyDeletedu wirst es kaum glauben - ich war noch nie in athen. aber das stressige südländische kann ich mir gut vorstellen. städte mag ich nur in kleinen dosen und das immer weniger. zu viel schmutz, zu viel hektik. aber der süden mit der wärme, das ist natürlich ein anderes lebensgefühl. die monate, wo wir in kälte erstarren, bei angenehmen temperaturen verbringen.
ReplyDeletelg zu dir
ingrid
Francesco,
ReplyDeleteYes from one point the city Athens could be
meraviglia, beautiful..
Thank you for your compliments!
ρομπερτ,
ReplyDeletegut bemerkt.
Aber wenn man sein Leben hier aufgebaut hat.
Nur, vieles muesste geaendert werden.
Wuensche dir auch ein schoenes Wochenende!
Blue Wind,
ReplyDeletecan you concentrate on a blue sky and the bright
sun, while you are in a traffic jam?
Maybe!
Sometimes in these moments I've got the crazy
idea, to lock my car in the middle of the street.
Ingrid,
ReplyDeleteschoen von dir hier zu lesen!
Vielleicht fuehren deine Wege dich ja eines Tages
nach Athen..??
Uebrigens, von plus 25 Grad ist die Temperatur
so gesunken, dass wir heute morgen mit Schneefaellen aufwachten, haha. Komisch!
Herzliche Gruesse,
Monika
Although I share your views, I have to say that I feel only love and passion for this gorgeous city and perhaps sorrow for some of her people and their actions...
ReplyDeleteLiebe Monica,
ReplyDeletedanke für deinen Aus- und Einblick;-)
herzlichst umarmt dich lieb, Rachelako
Phivos,
ReplyDeleteshow me a Bitch who is not bitching :-0000)
Or ask a tourist of his opinion..
Thank you for loving the city.
There has to be a lot of changes to feel
that this is a metropolis!
Meine Rachel,
ReplyDeletees gibt da viele Ja und Aber!!
Umarme dich auch,
Monika
There is a lot of meaning hidden in these two photographs with reference to your choice of subject. It is a problem for a lot of cities, however, it is sad for the more historic one like yours. Have a good sunday as I try to warm my feet on the radiator !!, J
ReplyDeleteWell said, Monika.
ReplyDeleteI love your photos espacially the one with the clock.
Hope you have a great Sunday!
Big hugs!
B xx
J
ReplyDeletethank you for stopping by..
but with all my nagging about this city, the
good climate changed and we saw also a little
bit snow.
Wish you a good coming week!
Monika
Betty,
ReplyDeletethank you my dear.
Have a very nice following week!
Monika
Hi sweet and nice Monica!
ReplyDeleteI was away those days...
such a beautifull post this one, love the history of greece
Thank you, Laura,
ReplyDeletefor coming by!!
The only way to restore Athens to the beauty it used to be 60 years ago, is to tear down all polykatoikies (apartment buildings) and re-built it from scratch. With lots of parks, decent buildings in the neo-classical style that marked the identity of the city. Oh, and to send back to their home towns (and countries) all the extra 4-5 million people...
ReplyDeleteHeliotypon,
ReplyDeleteyou may dream on, but a good one!!