Impressions of Athens

We spent quite a bit of time walking the streets of Athens yesterday (getting to the Acropolis, finding dinner in another torential downpour, and just looking around).  Of all the large cities I've visited, Athens is the most unusual.  Rather than getting a clear sense of "good safe neighborhood", "upscale rich neighborhood" or "keep walking out of here" neighborhood, the buildings are a complete mix of attractive and run-down, side by side.  Even in the Plaka district, there were fancy apartment buildings with beautiful marble facades, run down apartments with graffiti all over them, souvenir shops, upscale cafes, and unoccupied store fronts.  Its a bit unsettling because you can't tell if you are in a relatively safe neighborhood or not.  My overall impression resembles that of many others who have written about Athens, other than the ancient sites the city is not very attractive.

These two buildings were just 5 doors apart on the same street in the Plaka.