Just a Thursday

I woke up late this morning. No particular reason, but fancied an extra snooze. By the time I got my breakfast and got into the car, it was thirty minutes later than the time I usually leave home.

I ended up arriving to work the usual time! This is why I absolutely love the summertime! The period between mid July to end of August, population in Athens - and traffic - reduces dramatically. With people living for their summer holidays, Athens virtually empties - to such an extent that during mid August there's more tourists in the town centre than locals - and shows her true, beautiful colours. No smog, no traffic, no people rushing around. It's just you, the picturesque city corners, the little parks and the ancient ruins. Simply beautiful!

Returning to my journey to work, I had a hearse in front of my for the hole duration. I'm not particularly superstitious, but hearses give me the creeps,. So, following one for the whole journey, gave me the sence that this was going to be one of those "why did I get out of bed" days.

As it turned out, it wasn't. The usal chaos and mayhem of another office day, but no major disasters.

In fact, the day had a surprise for us all at the office! A cute little stray dog had decided to pay a visit to our premices. It must be only a few months old. Skinny - you can count each and every bone one his body - and constantly with its tail tucked between his legs.

We gave Mutt - that's what I named him - water, milk and a couple of sandwiches from the vending machine. We always doubted the quality of those things, so this was the acid test. To our relief he copiously ate them!

By the end of the day, he grew accustomed to us, and as a token of his appreciation he pissed and crapped all over the floor of our warehouse!

Mutt

Camera shy

No wonder his a skeleton considering that his butt is so productive!

Friday morning in Athens

I couldn't get to sleep last night, so I took my drawing pad and started doodling, while listening to soft music and drinking water. I know, not much excitement in drinking water, but it is still quite hot over here.
The result was something that looks like snoopy and his little bird friend, whose name, for the life of me, I cannot remember. Behold the evidence:

I didn't wake up until nine this morning-I wish it was ten or eleven since I am not working today, but alas, once I opened my eyes, that was it. So, what better excuse to go to the city centre for a walkabout, take some pictures and buy some contact lenses. (Perhaps I've omitted informing my audience that Epi is blind as a bat, and without contacts he would be walking into furniture or even worse, walls).
Equipped myself with my iPod, tickets and patience for the bus, and started off into my Friday morning adventure. I always find it an experience taking the bus. Thankfully, these days they are air-conditioned, but still remain rather "vibrating" -for need of a better word - and with the added bonus of standing, you get to thoroughly enjoy the drivers' impressions of Nikki Lauda! I'm sure it must be quite an experience for all the ladies on board, if you know what I mean.
The excitement only lasted for about ten minutes-suggesting that quite a few folks have started leaving the city for their summers holidays-and we were there!
Since some of you requested photos of Greece, what a perfect opportunity to oblige by mingling with the tourists and going to the change of guard in front of our parliament house. I missed the change of guard by a couple of minutes-damn-but got a couple of photos of the soldiers, the square and the parliament house itself. As far as mingling with the tourists is concerned, I stuck out like a sore thumb, being the only one there without a camera!
Its been such a long time since I last went to that side of the square. I remember my grandpa, Canon, used to take me the to feed the pigeons and the swans in the National Gardens further down. (Great! Now I feel a thousand years old).

Syntagma (Constitution) Square, with the Parliament house in the background

And again.

Parliament House

National Guard in summer uniform

By the end of this excursion down memory lane, it was time to buy my contacts which were packaged for me in a bag bearing a rather odd-as far as optical products are concerned-advert on it. No wonder my eyes water every time I wear my contacts!

Will I grow more eyes in a few months?

University Showers

Please name two world renowned scientists educated at the University of Durham.

Can't? Not surprising, considering the above!

Some Clever Adverts

Here's a series of some interesting ads I found going through my emails.