Olympic Visitors Crowd Athens

Athens itself is getting busier and busier. Last night, the Monastiraki area was jammed even as the clock approached midnight. A Greek friend told me he'd never seen it so crowded, even on a weekend.

The good news is that the new public transportation system seems to be easily accommodating the visitors. So far, I've experienced no waits or overcrowded vehicles on my once- or twice-a-day commute to and from Piraeus.

Crowded or not, the energy is fantastic. The sense of being part of a truly international community is incredible, and almost everyone I encounter seems genuinely happy to be here

While you can spot security personnel everywhere if you're intent on looking for them, rather than on enjoying yourself, the truth is that they are very unobtrusive. Some reports have given the impression that Athens is some kind of an armed camp, and nothing could be farther from the truth. Right now, this is undeniably a city of joy and hope. I didn't know how I would feel about spending so much time in Athens, thinking my experiences in less-crowded Crete and the Greek islands might have spoiled me, but I feel I've just rediscovered another aspect of Greece to love.

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