Russian Blogger's Greek Getaway: Fur Coats, Traffic Chaos, and Dirty Dishes

A Russian tourist's recent trip to Greece painted a picture far from the typical sun-drenched postcard. Blogger Anastasia, writing on her 'A Hungarian and Me' Zen blog, shared observations that left her more bewildered than relaxed.

Her most striking note was on fashion. Despite mild temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius, Anastasia reported seeing an abundance of women in faux fur coats. 'I'm walking in a sweater, and next to me is a girl wrapped in a fur coat,' she wrote, adding she hadn't seen so many in her native Siberia.

Practicalities also proved challenging. She found the Athens metro lacked mobile service, and the city's traffic operated on its own rules. 'Everyone simply does what they want,' she observed, noting pedestrians and drivers largely ignored traffic lights. Minor collisions, she said, were settled with a shouted argument before drivers moved on.

Her hotel experience added to the critique. Breakfast dishes were only cleared once all guests had finished, and outdoor tables were set with plates placed upside down—a presumed anti-dust measure that the traveler called unfamiliar and noticeable.

In a prior post, Anastasia commented on a Russian-owned store in Europe, noting the low price of buckwheat but finding no actual Russian goods for sale. Her Greek account suggests that for some travelers, cultural quirks can overshadow ancient ruins.