Aeroporto

Well, the wireless in the airport wasn't free, as I'd been led to believe (probably by my imagination). But I shelled out for it since opportunities to use the iBook, and get files on and off of it, are few and far between.

A couple thoughts on Athens and traveling at the conclusion of my first week there:

Athens:

The city is hardly the most pleasant thing to look at. In fact, in most places, it's filthy and it's often difficult to determine which are the ancient ruins and which are more modern. Mary tells me this stems from a flaw in the property tax system, whereby those who allow unused properties to fall into dereliction aren't punished. Rather, they're rewarded with a tax break. I can't say I have any grasp on the technical aspect of the problem, but the results are striking. Buildings, above eye-level, don't appear to have been renovated, or even cleaned, since Zorba was plowing his fields. Caked in the filth of a million sooty scooters, the exteriors of just about every building in town, including those on Ermou, the main fancy street leading away from Syntagma Square, are more than just unappealing. They're often disgusting. Inside, you can find chick boutique outlet stores or hip travel agencies (see: GINIS, where I got my ticket). The outside of most buildings matters very little and in no way represents what you'll find on the inside. GINIS, for example has one dingy, beatup sign hanging high above Ermou. To get to the offices, you have to climb a dark stairway, passing floors that hold only the remains of other failed businesses. Once inside the agency itself, though, it's clean, sleekly decorated and has an edgy futuristic kind of look that is much more impressive than a lot of U.S. institutions of similar caliber. (Note: I HAVE looked into the windows of some travel agencies in L.A., so I didn't just pull that line entirely out of my hinder). A dichotomy that never ceases to amaze me ( ed.- give yourself another week, Bill ).

Another thing about the city, that also goes for me and this one is really really important, in fact it could revolutionize the way the world conceives of cities entirely...oh wait, looks like we're boarding. Guess I'll have to save that one for later. Wish me luck, I'm off to Tunis. I'll post from there, but I can't guarantee anything regular until the 25th when I'm back Athens.