Greece Galleries
Here are some photos of things that we encountered repeatedly during our time in Greece.
Cats
Greeks love cats, and they roamed freely everywhere. Some say they bring good luck and ward off evil spirits, and to be sure I never saw a single rat in Greece. In these modern times, I think the people just enjoy having them around. They were definitely more like stray cats than feral cats; though they lived in the streets, they were well-fed and content. They generally ignored us, except for the cat in Paros that boldly staked a claim on Amy’s lap. Even Steve, who doesn't like cats, didn’t mind the Greek cats.
Little Shrines
Miniature churches popped up everywhere, usually on the side of the road. These were roadside shrines called kandylakia. Often, a family would build a little shrine at the spot where a car accident took place, as a memorial to the loved one who died. (It could also be an act of thanksgiving from someone who survived.) Inside there would be an icon or a portrait, along with a floating wick candle and some extra oil. Sometimes there would be a miniature church at the end of a small pathway to a full-sized church, a nice kind of signpost.
Graffiti
Graffiti was rampant, both as artistic expression and political protest. The high rate of unemployment after the financial crisis, and a culture of proclaiming one’s beliefs publicly created an explosion of graffiti across the country. Most of the grafitti looked more like art than vandalism to me, though It was a bit surprising and disappointing to see it on historic structures.
