Enviable features

When we were living in Crete, going to Athens was a big deal, involving a 14 hours trip and a lot of expenses. So it was happening once a year and in order to make it worth the fuss, it usually lasted for a whole month. Now that we spend most of our time in Nafplio, a couple of hours away from the capital, frequent visits have become common. But they are all very short in duration, one to three days at the maximum.

Ironic, isn't it?

Now that we are so close, we get to see the big city much less than when we were on a remote island!

The last couple of days we had one more of those short visits. With a lot of appointments, a lot of traffic jam and no free time at all.

Except one hour for a walk, on the morning of the second day!

Nothing too impressive but better than nothing :)

We spend the night at Paleo Faliro, one of the oldest suburbs of Athens. And by saying old I mean both ancient (it was for some time the port of Ancient Athens) as well as one the oldest in modern Athens! Not the neighbourhood that I would choose to live (in the unlikely case of me returning to Athens) but I have to admit that it does have some enviable features!

The first one is the lovely scent of the countless citrus trees that can be found on the streets. And spring is, of course, the season to enjoy it!

Then there are all those old mansions that still stand, glorious and majestic among the blocks of flats that are reaching for the sky. As well as more humble old houses with colourful gardens that give a more friendly vide to the place!

The trees on the sidewalks are also a big asset of the neighbourhood, making walking under them, such a pleasant and enjoyable experience!

And last but by no means least, the seafront, that gives a wonderful extension to anyone who wants to walk there and enjoy the sea breeze!

The highway that I had to cross wasn't my favourite part but it was only one minute of delay, waiting for the traffic light, so I shouldn't complain about that.

And after the tramway tracks, I was right next to the sea, along with a few more lucky ones that could spare some time there! And a few winter swimmers too :)

The heavy traffic on one side, the serenity of the seascape on the other. Two worlds almost touching one another with one narrow strip of grass separating them.

It makes you think what does it really mean, "living in the city". The couple on the bench, gazing the sea on a weekday, are living in the city. And so does the truck driver that is passing behind them, stuck in the traffic, all day long.

Are they experiencing the city life in the same way?

I would say no way.

My shadow was trying to tell me something but I am not sure what it is. Maybe that I should go and sit in that bench, next to me , for a while and forget the errands of the day too :)

I took those pictures with a Redmi Note 12s mobile phone (sorry, I forgot my dslr) and edited them in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic.