Man in a Modern World

It's hard being a man in the modern world. The roles and expectations keep changing as the world keeps on turning. Sometimes, it's a good thing; other times, I'm not so sure. When you think you've found your place, you've got your groove, something happens that makes you realize that you're out of tune, out of step, maybe out of place with the rest of the world. It's all very confusing at times, makes me wonder whether I've lost my way or if I am being left behind.

I was at a dinner party when my cellphone rang. Ordinarily, I would've turned the thing off, but I had arrived straight from work and forgot to turn it off. I excused myself from the table and headed outside to have a short conversation with a friend, letting her know I'd call her back before heading back inside to rejoin the other guests. I returned to the table, sat down, only to have the host, a friend, ask if everything was all right. I replied that it was. When she asked who it was that called, I said just a friend.

She raised an eyebrow before telling me,"You always leave the room when you talk on your phone. It makes me wonder what secrets you're hiding."

That got the attention of the other guests, the table conversations stopped as they all looked at me. I just smiled, let out a small laugh and said, "It's just courtesy."

I could see the puzzled expressions on the other guests faces, but I didn't elaborate on my answer. The truth was, I didn't know a polite way to tell people that I thought it was rude to answer and talk loudly on a cellphone in the presence of company. A cellphone is just like a regular landline phone. The same rules of courtesy apply: Excuse yourself from company to answer a ringing telephone. A private conversation needs to stay private. Let your caller know that you're in the presence of company and unless it's an emergency or a long distance call, you will get back to them.

Not everyone wants to hear you talking on the telephone, putting out your business. Although, I don't think most people realize that when they speak on their cellphones in public, their conversation is heard by everyone around them. Sometimes, it's just loud and annoying. And I get irritated sometimes when I'm talking to someone and their cellphone keeps ringing, constantly interrupting the conversation. Usually, I excuse myself and move on. Partly, because I don't want to listen in on someone's call; and also, because I think it's a little rude to keep breaking a conversation with a person because of interrupting cellphone calls.

I feel the same way about texting while talking to company. It's just rude. Don't try to text or talk on the phone while in the presence of company. You may think that you're impressive, holding two conversations with different people, multitasking. But it's just rude. The person on the other line or receiving texts may not notice, but the pauses in conversation with company are very noticeable. You may not think so, but trust me, they're awkward and long pauses, and seeing you text or talk on the cellphone gives the impression that: One, you don't care. Two, you're being disrespectful, wasting the other person's time by not giving your full attention or participation in the face to face conversation. I just excuse myself and walk away in such situations. I figured, well, the texting or cellphone call must really be important, so let them focus on that.

I guess I'm old school. Never really thought of myself as such, but it's true, given how I've noticed that things that I thought were common courtesy just aren't so common anymore. I still open doors for women. At work, some of them stare at me blankly, wondering what I'm doing, holding the door open for them. Some just express shock that people still do that. A few have told me that I don't need to do that anymore. But I still do. It's second nature to me.

On the buses and trains, I still offer my seat to the elderly, the injured, the ladies and small children. Although, it's been quite a while since anyone actually took up my offer. Most people just smile and say they're fine and remain standing. Recently, I was on the bus with a friend. It was a holiday schedule, so there were fewer buses running, making for a crowded ride on this bus. An elderly woman and her daughter ended up standing next to our seats. I whispered to my friend that I was going to offer the elderly lady my seat.

My friend suddenly had this horrified look on her face. She narrowed her eyes and whispered fiercely, "Don't!" I was unsure if I had heard her correctly, but she continued, "Don't give her your seat! Why would you do that?"

I was a little surprised by her reaction. I didn't think the old lady looked dangerous. She didn't smell funny or look dirty, so I was confused by my friend's reaction. Was it just an issue of personal space? Did she not want to sit next to a stranger? Honestly, the bus ride was going to be about twenty minutes. I was unsure of what to do. I felt conflicted for a few minutes. Do I give in to my friend's demand, respect her wish? Or do I go ahead with my own intention? In five minutes, I made up my mind. I went ahead and offered my seat to the elderly lady, and in the corner of my eyes I could see my friend stiffening in her seat. She was not happy, but I didn't care.

The truth was, I would've felt terrible for not offering the elderly lady my seat. Even worse, I'd've felt upset at myself for not following my own instincts, doing what I felt was right. I am what I am. So I went ahead and asked the elderly lady to take my seat. She smiled, thanked me, and politely refused. I offered again, but she assured me that she was fine. I repeated the same offer to the elderly lady's daughter, but she also politely refused. I was happy that I offered. I felt better. My friend was quiet for the rest of the bus ride. Later on during lunch, she spoke, saying that she knew that the old lady would refuse my offer, that's why she thought I shouldn't have bothered. I just told her that I was being courteous.

I suppose I'm a relic of a bygone era. Times have changed. What used to be common courtesy is but a faded memory, almost irrelevant in today's fast paced world. It makes me wonder if I too am becoming irrelevant. It's hard to be a man in a modern world. The rules keep changing in the game we keep playing. Are there any winners? I'm not sure. I suppose I have a lot of catching up to do to keep up with this modern world, to find my place and try to fit in. But then again, I'm not sure if I want to catch up; maybe I don't want to.

Profile

Every now and then at work, we go through team building sessions, designed to improve morale and productivity. I'm not sure if it works; people still bitch and complain afterwards, and work conditions don't really improve. But I don't mind going--I'm getting paid to be somewhere else, eating free food, and likely getting some free trinkets, like pens and post its and mugs.

At this particular session, we took an online personality test--I luv those! Pop psychology to be taken with a grain of salt. I consider it good fun. It's a very short test on Jung Personality Types.

Here's the address if you're curious:

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

Now, I remember taking a really longer version in college--pages and pages of the same crap rehashed in so many different ways. It got on my nerves! I also took a similarly long one when I first started work for another company so many years ago. I didn't remember my scores or my personality types. Probably because I don't take these things too seriously. Maybe because I suspect my answers were skewed because I was tired and irritated by answering all those pages of questions, and in the end, I was just rushing through.

But here are my results from today's test:

YOUR TYPE
E	N	F	J
Strength of the preferences %
1	62	12	44

Which means, according to the site:

"ENFJs are the benevolent 'pedagogues' of humanity. They have tremendous charisma by which many are drawn into their nurturant tutelage and/or grand schemes. Many ENFJs have tremendous power to manipulate others with their phenomenal interpersonal skills and unique salesmanship. But it's usually not meant as manipulation -- ENFJs generally believe in their dreams, and see themselves as helpers and enablers, which they usually are.

ENFJs are global learners. They see the big picture. The ENFJs focus is expansive. Some can juggle an amazing number of responsibilities or projects simultaneously...

ENFJs are, by definition, Js, with whom we associate organization and decisiveness...

ENFJs know and appreciate people. Like most NFs, (and Feelers in general), they are apt to neglect themselves and their own needs for the needs of others. They have thinner psychological boundaries than most, and are at risk for being hurt or even abused by less sensitive people. ENFJs often take on more of the burdens of others than they can bear." --http://typelogic.com/enfj.html

I guess this means I'm a people person. I do like people...til they get on my nerves.

Some famous ENFJ types include:

President Abraham Lincoln

President Barack Obama

Oprah Winfrey

Pope John Paul II

So, I guess this means I should either get into politics, build a media empire, or wear stylish robes and a hat to lead the masses. Hmmm, perhaps it's time for a career change.

Take the test, and tell me what's your Personality Type?

Postcards for the 4th of July

Today is Independence Day, the birth of the United States of America. On July 4, 1776, we declared our independence and went to war for our freedom and liberty. We were led by great leaders who had foresight and believed in the ideals of freedom and equality. And out of the long struggle and hardship, a new nation was born, with the ideals of liberty and justice for all.

Many doubted the survival of the new nation. And we've not always lived up to our ideals. A civil war nearly tore the nation apart. But a strong leader gave his life in the struggle to keep the nation whole.



President Lincoln did more than just freeing the slaves and preserving the nation. He fundamentally changed the national identity from "these" United States to "the" United States, one nation, one people, Americans all.

E Pluribus, Unum--Out of many, one. We are a nation of many people, natives and immigrants, come together as one.

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
—Emma Lazarus, 1883, The New Colossus, Statue of Liberty

We've accomplished some great things in cause of liberty and freedom.



Women are guaranteed the same rights as all American citizens.


Hey, just because I dress like a whore doesn't make it okay for you to stare at my ass!

But we've still got some ways to go.

We are faced with the challenges of dealing with our environment.







If you don't pick up your trash, I will cry a single, lonely tear.

And we're still faced with the ongoing struggle for human rights, equality for all Americans.


We're here! We're queer! Get used to it!

But let us take time today to remember our history and all the great things we've accomplished. We still have some ways to go in reaching our ideals, but we'll get there. So long as we believe in our ideals and work towards them, we'll get closer to making them a reality.

So Happy 4th of July, America! Enjoy the festivities and fireworks! Be happy and Be careful.


Whose child is that playing with the dynamite? Good Lord!

Jury Duty: Wheels of Justice

I've been busy lately because I've been called to civic duty. Last week I told you that I had to be at jury duty early Monday morning. I was scheduled to be there at 8 in the morning, but I got to the courthouse at 7 because I wanted good parking; preferably under a shady tree. The trees were at the far end of the parking lot, but given the heatwave and drought we're experiencing, I wanted to come back to a cool car, not a hot one. Of course, this being the gov't, jury duty didn't really start til about 8:30 am. The wheels of justice turn slow.

After the swearing in by the judge, we were randomly chosen into panels. I was the third person to arrive at the courthouse out the 150 people who showed up. However, I was the fourth to the last person to be picked on a panel. I found myself wedge between two Rubenesque women--and given how old and grumpy they were, they were probably original models for Rubens.

The one on the left was reading a Bible, preaching to the man on the other side. I pretended to be engrossed in reading so she wouldn't talk to me about Jesus. The one on the right was talking out loud about her dogs, that she needed to be home because a dog was pregnant--as if somehow her absence would cause the dog to suddenly stop being pregnant. I really didn't want to be stuck on a jury with these people.

I was hoping that since I was among the last few chosen, I'd be sent home. Unfortunately, we were informed that with all the court cases pending, we'd all be needed. Then to make matters worse, after waiting around for hours, we were told that we were on call and had to come back at nine the next day. Sigh.

Before I went home, I stopped at the mobile lab in front of the courthouse and donated blood. Might as well do something nice. I got a T shirt, cookies and juice, candies and a coupon for a free burger.

The next morning, I showed up early again to find good parking; but all the tree spots were taken. Dammit! Our panel had to wait before going up to the courtroom. Once again, I was wedged between the two big women. Bible lady on the left started preaching to the man next to her again, but he got up and went to the restroom. Smart fellow. I pretended to be reading again. But it was hard to ignore Bible lady's side fat pressing into my left arm. I could feel the rolls of body fat under her armpit jiggle against me as she flipped through her Bible.

Meanwhile, Dog lady on the right was going on about her dogs again. She was loud and annoying. I could smell the stench of cigarettes under the heavy perfume she used. Dog lady was bragging that this was one of her many times being called to jury duty, and the last few times, she had been picked. She reasoned that she was going to be picked again. This got Bible lady's interest, and she, too, began to brag that she also got picked a lot. It annoyed the hell out of me how they raised their voices to talk, just so other people could hear them. I was so thankful when the bailiff showed up and took us up to the courtroom.

At the courtroom, the judge and lawyers started to question us, trying to find out who would best serve on the jury. The judge was an old fellow, who started lecturing us on the history of the US judicial system and its roots in the Magna Carta and the French Indian War, the Last of the Mohicans movie, and the court systems of France, Argentina, and the Norman invasion of 1066. It was quite the history lesson and commentary. It was interesting, but I was thinking, Um, what does all this have to do with the case?

When he finally got back to the case, the lawyers took over and started to question us. Now, it was hinted that the case involved alcohol. Of course, this set off some people who were against alcohol, including Bible lady and Dog lady. Then, a few of us were questioned individually, including me! They asked about my job and they thought it was interesting how I had filled out the jury summons.

The judge really liked my answer. On the question of RACE: I put down 'American'! I told them, "Hey, that's what I am, that's who we are. We should be proud of being Americans. And if we go outside our borders and visit other countries, they know us as Americans, not African-American, not Asian-American, nor Hispanic-American. We're just Americans, period."

We were excused, and I was so sure my over the top show of American pride would disqualify me. Jurors who express strong opinions usually don't get picked to serve on a case. Bible lady and Dog lady announced confidently how they were sure they were going to be picked. Bible lady even dared me to bet against her being picked. How strange, I thought, Bible lady is against drinking alcohol, but not against gambling.

And when we came back in, I almost laughed out loud when Dog lady and Bible lady were passed over! The look of disbelief on their faces was too funny! Unfortunately, it was me who got picked to serve! Dammit! I should've lied and said I was against alcohol! Now I had to come back to actually serve on a jury. The wheels of justice just ran me over!

I was not happy to serve on a jury, but I showed up early, ready for the trial. I thought about wearing a tie, but then I didn't want to be mistaken for a defendant. The case took all day. I was happy for our hour and a half lunch break. The arguments were very persuasive on both sides. The witness testimony was compelling, as was the video evidence.

When the closing arguments were over, we went inside the jury room and discussed whether we vote Guilty or Not Guilty. Of course, everyone else formed an opinion in ten minutes. Not me. I was the hold out! I made them fetch evidence and sat there for an hour while I pondered my decision, going over the evidence. I was not going to rush into judgment. This was a serious case, and I needed to be sure that I would vote honestly and fairly. The scales of justice were in my hands. My decision to wait caused the other jurors to rethink their positions, and we started arguing our different views, as well as acted out some of the testimony. It was exciting and intense. Everyone was forced to examine their reasoning and really look at the evidence.

Within two hours, we finally came to an agreement. Did I think the guy did it? Probably. But there wasn't enough evidence. The testimony was compelling, but the video showed something completely different than what the prosecution argued. There just wasn't enough evidence, and since I had reasonable doubt, I voted Not Guilty. After we gave the judge our answer on document, the judge read the verdict, then thanked us, and court was adjourned. The lawyers wanted to ask us some questions afterward, and they were both curious as to why we took so long and requested the evidence. We gave them feedback and then left for home. It was all ready after 6 pm.

It had been a long day, but I have to admit that I was glad that I was able to serve. I took part in the workings of gov't. I had done my part to uphold the law and ensure justice. It was the perfect way to remind myself that democracy works when the people make it work. And I can look forward to celebrating the 4th of July, the birthday of our nation, with great pride, secure in and proud of the knowledge that I have done my part to make our nation stronger and little bit better.

Hitchhiker

When I was younger, I used to hitchhike with some friends. We didn't have a car and public transportation was just unreliable. Of course, back then, it was a small town, no real crime, and people were pretty much friendly, or at least polite. The area was very much isolated, no big cities nearby. I was always grateful for rides from strangers, and when I got my first car, I didn't hesitate to offer a hitchhiker a ride if it was not out of my way.

I didn't mind picking up hitchhikers. I suppose it's because I know what a great feeling it is to finally catch a ride, especially on a hot summer day when everyone else just passes you by. It's such a big relief!

Seeing hitchhikers reminded me of my younger days when I was adventurous; the world seemed like such an exciting place, always something better and amazing on the horizon; I just needed to get there and see it for myself.

I remember my friends and I trying to catch a ride after school. We didn't have a school bus in high school. And the public buses weren't always on time, and very few drove by our school. It was long walk home, made miserable by the bright afternoon sun burning down on us. The black tar road radiated scorching heat, its surface looked like shimmering water on a hot clear day. But it was the horrible humidity that was the worst! Hot, heavy, sweltering air just sucking the energy out of you! Sweat soaking your clothes, dripping off your body, still not enough to cool you down.

Every time we heard a car behind us, we stuck our thumbs out, hoping some kind soul would take pity on us and drop us off at the main road just a few miles up ahead. And it was usually a pick up truck that stopped, much to our joy, and we would all thank our driver, jump in the back and enjoy the wind blowing in our faces, cooling us down for a few miles til we got to the main street. There, you had a better chance at catching the buses, as there were many more that went down that street. But usually, we'd take our bus fare money, buy soda or ice cream, sit under a shady tree and laugh and consumed our sweet, refreshing snacks before walking the rest of the way home.

I remember going to many out of town parties by hitchhiking. Sometimes, we'd head out to a far away beach. It was a lot of fun making new friends and hanging out with new people. Then after the party was over, we'd try to find a ride back into town; or we'd just wait til morning to try to hitch a ride back home. But sometimes on a clear, cool moonlit night, we'd start walking home, hoping to catch a ride from the rare car driving by so late. We talked, we joked, we laughed on the long walk on the lonely, deserted road.



I was so young and full of hope, so naive and trusting. It never occurred to me that something bad might happen. I believed that people were basically good and helpful. In some ways, I still believe that. But that innocence and carefree attitude came to an end when I first drove across state lines and into Texas. I was a few years out of high school, having had a full time job while thinking about what to do with my life. I decided to go to college and Texas was where I thought I ought to go.

After a few days of checking out the campus, meeting some new people, and enjoying the environment, I figured, this was it. This was where I was going to go to college. I was excited when I got in the car and started the two days drive back to the East Coast where I'd stay until school started. It was my first car; it was a very old car. It didn't have any A/C, so I had to drive with the window cracked open. The radio didn't always work, but the tape player did; so I bought a few cassettes to listen to on the long drive, singing along some of my favorite songs and dancing to some of the tunes.

I was on a high, feeling upbeat. Life was good, and I looked forward to the positive, exciting changes I was making in my life. Then as I got near a big city, I saw a sign. It was a strange sign! I didn't know it then, but this sign would change everything.

It was the first sign of that nature that I had ever seen in my life. It had never occurred to me that prisoners would escape and hitchhike!

An hour later, I was driving on a long stretch of interstate, very few cars as far as I could see. I was nearing an intersection, when I saw the familiar the silhouette of a hitchhiker, arm out with the thumb up, hoping for a ride. I automatically started to slow down, ready to pull over to give a fellow hitchhiker a ride. As I got closer to the hitchhiker, his features became clearer; he was an older fellow, scruffy beard, ill fitting clothes, and a dusty bag by his feet.

Suddenly, that sign flashed in my head. I was afraid, imagining the worst. What if this guy was an escaped prisoner? What if he was going to do something awful, like steal my car and go on a crime spree? I panicked, and picked up speed, confused by the sudden fear of hitchhikers that had gripped me. I drove on for a few minutes before I manged to calm myself down. What was wrong with me? I never had a problem picking up hitchhikers before. So why was I frightened now? Damn you, Texas and your road signs!

I started feeling terrible for abandoning the hitchhiker. I was a horrible person. How could I turn my back on someone in need? I was that person once, hoping for a ride to a better place, an escape from the harsh sun. I saw an exit for a nearby town and took it. I saw a gas station and a fast food place. The town was just a few miles further down the smaller road. I figured, I'll just go back to the intersection and pick up that hitchhiker. So, with my fear in check, I turned around and drove back to where I saw the hitchhiker.

He was still there when I returned to the intersection. Once again, I slowed down, ready to pull over and offer the man a ride. But suddenly, that stupid sign flashed in my head again! And once more, I had visions of escaped prisoners and my imagination ran wild with horrible things that could happen to me. I sped up again, for the second time abandoning the hitchhiker! If he wasn't pissed off before, he sure was mad now! I hoped he wasn't some crazy serial killer, and I worried he might've gotten my license plate number and maybe come after me for revenge!

Hours later, I was at a rest stop, thinking about what had happened to me. Why was I suddenly afraid of hitchhikers? Had I really been that naive? I wasn't sure what was going on. But from that day on, every time I saw a hitchhiker, I thought about that stupid sign.

Still, over the years since, I've stopped and picked up a few hitchhikers. A few I ignored. I tell myself that it's an instinct thing. If a hitchhiker gives me an uneasy feeling, then I don't stop. I still feel bad sometimes for passing them up, but I rationalize that it's better safe than sorry. Sometimes I wonder if that means that I'm older now, if I've grown more cynical and less trusting. Sometimes I wonder if it's a sign that I've gotten wiser.

I still get nostalgic for the old days when I was carefree, hanging out with friends, trying to catch a ride to the places we wanted to go. Back then, I used to think that once I got a car, things would be so much better, much more fun. Now I know better. It's the company I keep that makes life enjoyable. It was never about getting a ride; life is about having fun with friends on the journey, no matter what the destination.

Jury Duty

This past month, I've become way too close to the law. I just can't escape its long reach! Today, I checked the mail and found a jury summons. That means, come Monday, I have to get up early and go to the courthouse, to see if they will use me as a juror or not.

Every year and a half or so, I get summoned. I get up early, put on my pressed, business attire, and try to find parking near the courthouse. Then I wait for hours, along with the other jurors, as we are divided and then taken to the courtrooms for jury selection. There, the lawyers and judge decide whether or not they can use you on the jury after a series of questions. If you're lucky, it's all done by noon. But the last time, we didn't finish til 3 pm. It could be worse. I've heard other jurors who were on call for about a week!

Now, I don't mind doing my duty as a citizen, but I've never been chosen to be on a jury--some of my answers make me undesirable to either the defense or the prosecution. So I feel like I've wasted a whole day. They do pay you ten dollars for that first day, but then they make you feel guilty and push you to donate that money to some charity or other--since the gov't officials have all ready wasted money originally slated for charity. And if you're there past noon, you'll definitely want to buy lunch.

What really sucks about this summons is that I'm supposed to be off on Monday! So instead of sleeping in, flipping thru the tv channels in my underwear, then heading out to the beach, I have to get up early and dress appropriately and spend my day off in a gov't building! I've been thinking about finding a good excuse to get out of jury duty. But I don't seem to meet any of the disqualification criteria. Although, for a short while, number (4) seemed promising.

GOVERNMENT CODE SEC. 62.102 TO QUALIFY AS A JUROR YOU MUST:

(1) BE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE;
(2) BE A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES, THE STATE OF TEXAS AND OF NUECES COUNTY; IF YOU CLAIM NONRESIDENT STATUS YOU MAY NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN NUECES COUNTY.
(3) BE QUALIFIED TO VOTE IN NUECES COUNTY (BUT DO NOT NEED TO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE) ;
(4) BE OF SOUND MIND AND GOOD MORAL CHARACTER (IF NOT, MUST BE CERTIFIED BY COURT);
(5) BE ABLE TO READ AND WRITE IN ENGLISH;
(6) HAVE NOT SERVED AS A TRIAL JUROR FOR SIX DAYS DURING THE PRECEDING THREE MONTHS IN A COUNTY COURT OR DURING THE PRECEDING SIX MONTHS IN A DISTRICT COURT;
(7) HAVE NOT BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY;
(8) NOT BE UNDER INDICTMENT OR OTHER LEGAL ACCUSATION OF MISDEMEANOR OR FELONY THEFT OR ANY OTHER FELONY.

How would the court certify that someone doesn't have a sound mind and good moral character? You don't need a court to figure out who's crazy! I'm pretty sure that I can spot the crazies and the insane without any help.

My Big Fat Greek Odyssey: Acropolis

(Click on the pics for bigger view)
I got to spend one more night in Athens before returning home. I was kind of sad that the whole Greek vacation was almost over. Greece is a wonderful country, full of history and life and such friendly people. I was definitely going to miss the incredible landscape, fantastic sites, and the scrumptious food. It's fascinating to see the juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern. Athens is an ancient city and a modern city, full of life. Since I had a day left, I figured it was probably time to buy a ticket to get up close to the Parthenon.

I could see the Parthenon from my hotel balcony. I had been all over the Acropolis and nearby sites the week before. But I had not gone into the area of the Parthenon. I was having more fun exploring all the other sites, including most of the Acropolis, for free. Plus, the Parthenon area always seemed full of tourists and those crowds were unappealing to me. But since I was here, I figured, eh, why not get up close to the Parthenon? I've come all this way to Athens, and it'd be such a shame not to go inside and see the Parthenon up close.

Now, there is an admission fee to get up close to the Parthenon, but that ticket gets you into all the other nearby historical sites in Athens. It's a pretty good deal if want to spend your whole day exploring the ancient ruins all over the Acropolis and nearby. Luckily, it was a cloudy day, and the tourist crowd was smaller than I had seen the week before.

There are tour guides at the entrance, and you can pay them if you want a guided tour. But I hate being stuck in a tour group. Besides the tourists, you'll also see a lot of dogs, just sleeping all over Athens, like it's the most normal thing in the world.


Let sleeping dogs lie.


Damn tourists!













I waited in between tour groups to get some really nice shots from the Parthenon area.












You can see Philopappou Hill in the background, a green oasis in the middle of the urban jungle.



On the other side, you can see the National Garden and the Temple of the Olympian Zeus, Panathinaikon Olympic Stadium in the back. It's incredible to see the ancient buildings among the green trees encircled by the roads and city structures.

And of course, I luved the Erechtheum Porch of the Maidens.



There are several parks by the Acropolis. They're a great place to escape the hustle and chaos of the city. It's nice to just sit and unwind or maybe make out--there were a bunch of couples making out in little secret spots. But it's a sweet spot for a picnic or just to enjoy nature.

The ticket into the Parthenon allowed me to explore other gated sites nearby, like the ancient Agora. There were a lot of ruins and temples and structures in the huge area of the Agora.







I thought I'd have some fun and play Samson, break down the columns! Arrghhh!!!



And after a great day exploring the sites, I stopped at the ancient gymnasium and sit by the statues of Heremes, patron god of travelers, and Eros, god of love. I thought it was the perfect place to sit for a bit and think about all the great things I had seen and experienced in Greece. I am amazed at the history and culture, so many ancient sites and ruins, so many modern structures. The Greeks are a friendly, wonderful people, and I have enjoyed eating their delicious cuisine. It has been a spectacular vacation, and I'm really glad that I took a lot of pictures to capture the experience. Which brings me to my last Greece Travel Tip:

Greece Travel Tip #17

Take lots of pictures everyday, and just have fun! Because sometimes, pictures really are worth a thousand words. And they could be the most precious thing you bring back from your trip. They are your memories of your good time, the great experiences you had, and you can laugh and smile and remember those good times whenever you look at those pictures.