Do You Jeep Wave to JK's?

[Zorba]

You guys must be a bunch of smartphone users - I don't have the time/mental capacity/desire to analyze what the Jeep is, what year it is, what model it is, who's driving it, and what mods it has. Damn lucky if I notice it at all, even luckier to notice the color. I'm too busy watching the road. Occasionally, I might notice if the Jeep has a winch. I just wave at them all if I notice them at all - and often don't have the bandwidth to see if the wave is returned.

 

[Kon]

Geia Sas!

Hahaha. Easy to remember right? Same word for "hi", "bye" and "cheers"...

@Zorba Is there a Greek story behind your Greek nickname?

 

[John Cooper]

I wave at most all of the Jeeps I see, started when all that were running around were CJ'S.

I try to be sure and wave at the so called older women/soccer moms hoping they wave back at me

 

[Zorba]

Hahaha. Easy to remember right? Same word for "hi", "bye" and "cheers"...

@Zorba Is there a Greek story behind your Greek nickname?

Major Philhelene here:

This was taken on 31 December 1998 by the local newspaper photographer, Clay Peterson, who had worked for the paper for decades. Its the VERY last picture he took for the paper as he retired the very next day. I was a performing Greek folk dancer for many years and had two Foustanelles, the one seen here, as well as a black outfit complete with the Tsaprasi Staurotw (spelling? Its been a long time.) across the chest. That's how I first got interested in male skirt wearing...

My late father in law gave me the name - as here in America, anything Greek is associated with Zorba. Its been my stage name ever since, and my use name as well. My mundane name is common as dirt (strike 1), 1 syllable (strike 2), and Biblical (Strike 3, you're out!) - I've hated it my entire life so I gladly glommed onto "Zorba", or more properly "Zormpas."

My wife and I have been to Greece 4 times, spending on average 5 weeks each time. Haven't been since late 2002 - and REALLY want to go back. Wondering if our favorite haunts in Plaka are still there! Was planning a return in the next year or two - but now we have the world wide "plandemic" hysteria. How bad is the oppression by the Greek government? People rioting over it in Syntagma? Masking religion being enforced by the local "Mutaween"? Mounh Kaligraphia? I used to get a daily ANA email brief, but they discontinued that service so I'm a bit out of touch.

My favorite place in the entire world is Delfi - closely followed by Xania in Krith.

 

[Kon]

Major Philhelene here:

View attachment 298005

This was taken on 31 December 1998 by the local newspaper photographer, Clay Peterson, who had worked for the paper for decades. Its the VERY last picture he took for the paper as he retired the very next day. I was a performing Greek folk dancer for many years and had two Foustanelles, the one seen here, as well as a black outfit complete with the Tsaprasi Staurotw (spelling? Its been a long time.) across the chest. That's how I first got interested in male skirt wearing...

My late father in law gave me the name - as here in America, anything Greek is associated with Zorba. Its been my stage name ever since, and my use name as well. My mundane name is common as dirt (strike 1), 1 syllable (strike 2), and Biblical (Strike 3, you're out!) - I've hated it my entire life so I gladly glommed onto "Zorba", or more properly "Zormpas."

My wife and I have been to Greece 4 times, spending on average 5 weeks each time. Haven't been since late 2002 - and REALLY want to go back. Wondering if our favorite haunts in Plaka are still there! Was planning a return in the next year or two - but now we have the world wide "plandemic" hysteria. How bad is the oppression by the Greek government? People rioting over it in Syntagma? Masking religion being enforced by the local "Mutaween"? Mounh Kaligraphia? I used to get a daily ANA email brief, but they discontinued that service so I'm a bit out of touch.

My favorite place in the entire world is Delfi - closely followed by Xania in Krith.

You seem to know your way around here pretty well!

Political and social conditions have changed a lot during the last 2-3 years after the change of the government. Actually riots and austerity measures due the prolonged crisis (hopefully) belong to the past.

Funny since I'm actually going to Delfi for a day trip this Sunday. Well make sure to let me know if you come to Athens this year.

 

[Zorba]

You seem to know your way around here pretty well!

Political and social conditions have changed a lot during the last 2-3 years after the change of the government. Actually riots and austerity measures due the prolonged crisis (hopefully) belong to the past.

Funny since I'm actually going to Delfi for a day trip this Sunday. Well make sure to let me know if you come to Athens this year.

No more "haircut"? What about vaccine passports and masks?

I'm envious of your day trip - I'd love to move to Delfi permanently! Remind me to tell you about the time my wife caused a police officer to slam on his brakes and skid just outside of Rodos Xorio!

 

[Kon]

No more haircut, after a lot of years with austerity measures. Economy is picking up and let's hope it keeps that way!

Do tell the Rodes story please...

 

[Zorba]

No more haircut, after a lot of years with austerity measures. Economy is picking up and let's hope it keeps that way!

Do tell the Rodes story please...

Still need to know about vaccine passports and masking regulations...

We were driving back to Rodes town from Lindos, at night. Road went from 2 lanes to one, my "take no prisoners" wife was driving and accelerated to get into the 1 lane, cutting off a car which slammed on its brakes with audible rubber skidding. A couple of minutes later said car passed us and it was a police car! I guess he didn't stop us because he figured "Malakas tourista"!

Then there was the time we sat on the balcony of our hotel room near Omonia. Not the best place in town, but we were just there for one nite. Anyway, the 4 lane street below us provided HOURS of free entertainment. The guy on the scooter carrying a length of pipe that must have been 4 meters long. The motorcycle cop that blocked one lane with his bike, then took his time walking down an entire row of illegally parked cars, writing tickets... We found that "moving violations" aren't a big deal in Greece - but Athena help you if you park in the wrong place!

When we were there in 2002, nobody was happy about the Euro conversion - and indeed, a 100 drachma bottle of drinking water was suddenly 50 euro-cents at any periptero (spelling again) - twice as much!

 

[Kon]

Still need to know about vaccine passports and masking regulations...

A friend is flying to Athens for xmas Holidays from Philadelphia tomorrow. I can ask about the current Covid measures that apply to flights from the US and let you know. These stuff is changing although all the time as you may imagine.

As far as moving around, travelling within the country and going out, as long as you have a vaccination certificate and an ID, passport, driver's licence etc. you are good to go anywhere with no restrictions.

We were driving back to Rodes town from Lindos, at night. Road went from 2 lanes to one, my "take no prisoners" wife was driving and accelerated to get into the 1 lane, cutting off a car which slammed on its brakes with audible rubber skidding. A couple of minutes later said car passed us and it was a police car! I guess he didn't stop us because he figured "Malakas tourista"!

lol! So true... Police in Greece and especially on the islands is nothing like the States in terms of scrutiny.

Still need to know about vaccine passports and masking regulations...

We were driving back to Rodes town from Lindos, at night. Road went from 2 lanes to one, my "take no prisoners" wife was driving and accelerated to get into the 1 lane, cutting off a car which slammed on its brakes with audible rubber skidding. A couple of minutes later said car passed us and it was a police car! I guess he didn't stop us because he figured "Malakas tourista"!

Then there was the time we sat on the balcony of our hotel room near Omonia. Not the best place in town, but we were just there for one nite. Anyway, the 4 lane street below us provided HOURS of free entertainment. The guy on the scooter carrying a length of pipe that must have been 4 meters long. The motorcycle cop that blocked one lane with his bike, then took his time walking down an entire row of illegally parked cars, writing tickets... We found that "moving violations" aren't a big deal in Greece - but Athena help you if you park in the wrong place!

As you mentioned, Omonoia is not a representative example but I can definitely see how someone from Western Europe could see the neighbourhood as if it belongs to a 3rd world country and not an EU country...

When we were there in 2002, nobody was happy about the Euro conversion - and indeed, a 100 drachma bottle of drinking water was suddenly 50 euro-cents at any periptero (spelling again) - twice as much!

Haha. Yeah, I remember although I was only 12 years old then. Actually a loooot has changed since 2002, but since you like it here you should definitely visit again!

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I wave to any flavor of CJ or Wrangler I see. Around here at least, the more modded they are, the more likely to wave back. The old stock TJ's don't seem to wave much.

I believe I get a better response rate with the bright red than I did with the dark green, which seems to lend some credibility to the old claim that red cars got more tickets...if nothing else they at least are more effective at grabbing the eye.

I used to wave at XJ's, but never got a wave back so I stopped. I don't know if they don't do the wave or if they just aren't used to looking for it from CJ/Wranglers.

 

[Zorba]

Haha. Yeah, I remember although I was only 12 years old then. Actually a loooot has changed since 2002, but since you like it here you should definitely visit again!

Can't with a vaccine passport type requirement. Still waiting here for the "NovaVax" or similar - and I won't go anywhere I just absolutely, positively can't avoid going to if they have a mask mandate and "Mutaween" to enforce it. I can often get by with my face veil, but I've also been called out on it a couple or three times by the more fanatical of the cultists.