Cultural Standouts-Greece

Britney Spears “Oops I did it again and Hit me baby one more time” was on the radio multiple times

No flushing toilet paper

Vault toilets

No dryers- clothes lines everywhere

Wild dogs that look like someone’s pet retriever

Wild cats, not like tigers but like fluffy cotton ball cats

You want eggs- get a chicken
Handheld showers
Churches every where

There are tons of little shrines or altars on the sides of every road through the countryside. People were seen pulling over to pray at them.

Scooters, Vespas as a major mode of transportation

Lots of smoking and vaping and ashtrays everywhere

Breakfasts are a big deal, 3 courses to include dessert. This is crepe dessert after a course of pastries and omelettes

Bacon is not 🥓 it’s like a cross between Canadian bacon and BACON

Tipping culture- much different, they don’t expect it, and won’t really take it, you can even insult someone with trying to tip them

You may find that some restaurants are unwilling to serve you just because you are American (we only experienced this is small town, countryside Greece)

Surprised at how many people speak English- it is prolific in larger communities

Most of the people are very hospitable and friendly

Orange juice is the bomb diggity- because if you want an orange…go to the tree

Everything is painted white even the bottom trunks of trees and lampposts

Old buildings that aren’t considered ancient are just left to fall apart, it’s like generations of “ruins” every corner you turn

Graffiti is heavy and prevalent. Lots of the graffiti is in English.

Most Greek Language written in environmental text is in all caps

American cartoons- all kids programming on television is American cartoons- dubbed in Greek.

European restaurants- after serving your meal, they won’t check on you to see if everything is okay. They will leave you alone. Which means you have to hunt them down if you want your check.

We found canned octopus in a market

Driving etiquette- there’s not really any, it’s dog eat dog. People park in both directions on both sides of streets. Streets are very narrow and more like alleys. Stop signs and lanes are just suggestions. People saddle the lines on a two lane road. When passing, cars and Vespas will pass on both sides, simultaneously, or split between two cars coming towards each other. Walking or driving, you just watch out for yourself, nobody else is watching for you.

Drive throughs- only saw one and it was a McDonald’s. McDonald’s tastes different, we had Big’n’tastys.

Pretty sure we saw a K mart.

People are still fat. Smoke a lot. Drink a lot…but still somehow live longer than Americans.

Rooms for rent aren’t guaranteed to have towels….and they don’t have washcloths ever.

Light switches for bathrooms are never inside the bathroom. They are on the outside wall of the bathroom.

Bottle caps on beverages don’t screw all the way off. They hang on by a thread of plastic. We think this is to keep bottle caps from becoming litter.

There’s no Dr. Pepper. The soft drink choices are Coca cola, sprite, Fanta, and once we saw Pepsi at a gas station.

All flatware is wooden not plastic.

There are very few tall trees. Most trees are short shrubs, so if you are looking for shade look elsewhere.

Cars are tiny. Only trucks you see are the little Toyotas.