We’re staying in Plaka, one of the oldest, most touristy neighborhoods in Athens… it’s an AirBnB in a building built not in any century of which I’ve been a part.
Shops on the ground floor, apartments above. We’re on the 4th floor (European 4th… American 5th) and mercifully there’s an elevator.
Elevators, like many things here, are not held to the standard of what a sheltered American would consider baseline.
Beloved likened it to the New Zealand philosophy of “you’re an adult, act like it”. The elevator holds two adults who don’t mind invading each other’s space, or one with suitcases.
Alignment between the elevator and the floor is much like the lines in the road… sort of a guideline, and by no means precise. You step up a good three inches when you get on at the ground floor. When you reach the 4th floor, it stops with a bang a few inches shy of goal, so you gotta lift the suitcases up to get them out.
There’s no door IN the lift – to get on, you pull the door open on that floor. The elevator is like a three sided box. The door slams itself shut, you push a button and off you go, watching the floors/doors slide past, unencumbered by anything so frivolous as a gate or other barrier. If you leaned on the wall, you’d likely do yourself damage but as they say … don’t do that, dumbass.
I seriously doubt the doors lock while the lift is in motion… that kind of engineering seems far too sophisticated… so best not to push on the doors as they glide past… or open the door when you’re waiting and peer in the shaft to see what’s taking so long.
We mercifully have air conditioning in the bedroom. It’s been blistering hot, but the view from the balcony is spectacular.
It’s definitely a plus if you attempt to at least say “thank you” in Greek when interfacing with the locals. I’ve got that down pat. It’s ευχαριστώ or (in the Roman alphabet) “efcharisto”, pronounced “Eff – Harry’s – toe”.
I appreciate HRH the Duke of Sussex’s foot for enabling me to easily remember how to thank people in the land of antiquity. Sorry about the implied obscenity…
Examining Misadventures 
The adventures never slow down with you. But it is fun to follow along vicariously. Just make sure to always check before you walk through that elevator door. Even if it’s a little off-kilter it’s nice to make sure it’s actually there!
LikeLike