Travel guide authors often struggle to find nice things to say about modern Athens. “Under the dirt is a kind of dilapidated charm,” says one. “The smog isn’t as bad as it used to be,” says another. You get the idea.

　　Athens, the city which gave the world mathematics, philosophy, and democracy, has seen better times. But fortunately, the charm and dignity of the city live on in the Plaka, a traditional neighborhood at the foot of the Acropolis, offering travelers and locals a respite from Athens’ crowded and noisy streets. The tree-lined streets are filled with a lot of cafes and restaurants offering traditional Greek dishes, and the smells of fresh coffee and barbecue fill the air.

　　Aside from pleasing your senses of sight, taste, and smell, the Plaka will also delight your ears. Musicians stand on nearly every corner, singing to passing couples. The talent of the musicians comes as something of a sad surprise: many played professionally in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, and hard times at home have brought them to Athens, where they play for change from pedestrians.

　　Up above the Plaka sits the Acropolis and the Parthenon, the temple which has guarded Athens for over 2,000 years. While nearly everyone has seen photographs of this remarkable building, a traveler’s first glimpse of the ruined structure still takes him by surprise. Sitting in a street-side cafe in the Plaka, with the Acropolis above and the noise of downtown below, there’s no better way to enjoy a day in Athens.

　　Help:

　　touch-and-go 不定的;不稳的

　　spectator n. 观众

　　past one’s prime 过了全盛时期

　　dilapidated adj. 破旧的

　　charm n. 魅力 smog n. 烟雾

　　democracy n. 民主政体;民主国家

　　dignity n. 尊严

　　the Acropolis 雅典卫城

　　respite n. 喘息的时间

　　barbecue n. 烤肉 pedestrian n. 行人

　　Parthenon 帕台农神庙(雅典卫城上供奉希腊雅典娜女

　　神的主神庙,建于公元前5世纪)

　　glimpse n. 一瞥