When walking around the streets of Athens you will quickly begin to notice a number of indigenous characteristics which make up this historic city.

The continuous hustle and bustle, cars and scooters beeping and weaving through heavy traffic, tourists gazing up and down the unique side-streets, pop-up shops and markets, rundown buildings and sidewalks, etc.

The list goes on and on. It's like a bad part of NYC, but worse, if you can imagine this. Athens is really, in my opinion, a completely different breed, which defies the general laws of Darwinian natural selection in many ways.

One thing for certain is that nowhere in this city will you find a structure that is immune to street art.

Graffiti can be found literally anywhere you gaze. Stone pillars, garage doors, windows, bus stops, phone booths, walls and even old, historic buildings where you'd think regular patrol and security would be present.

You name it and you'll likely find some form of street art on the object or structure. Graffiti is usually rendered as a form of vandalism, and in many cases is frowned upon.

The street art here in Athens really gives the city it's rare form of character. Without it, the city would look rather desolate because most of the buildings are old, dilapidated and/or falling apart.

Athens may, in fact, be one of the best places for graffiti artists to display their work. The police force here seems to be worried about more profound issues, such as violence, crime and drug trafficking.

This, in combination with a relatively high unemployment rate, calls for a perfect paradise for graffiti artists to display their artwork wherever they can find a spot... even on cars that are parked on the side of the road:

Most times, street art is very difficult to decipher, especially to the passing bystander. The artists portray their work in a unique and individualistic manner. Not all artists have the same style or flavor of work, as depicted by many of the images above.

What are your thoughts, particularly pertaining to the first two images, of what these pieces say/mean?

Comment below your thoughts about this, I am looking forward to hearing what some of you have to say -- I will comment and upvote back, as usual.

τα λέμε αργότερα