{"id":1943,"date":"2016-05-03T09:18:31","date_gmt":"2016-05-03T13:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=1943"},"modified":"2018-01-28T14:41:08","modified_gmt":"2018-01-28T19:41:08","slug":"toms-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=1943","title":{"rendered":"Tom’s Place"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a9 2016 \u00a0Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n

When going to a city that I have visited\u00a0many times before, sometimes it seems as though I have seen it all. \u00a0Absolutely\u00a0aware that\u00a0I have not, it just sometimes feels that way when looking for new things to do and seemingly finding the same things suggested over and over.<\/p>\n

In order to plan my layovers, I always do a Google search for things to do in a city, however, usually\u00a0all of the common touristic things pop up that I have already experienced. \u00a0 Recently, I have been employing the search for\u00a0offbeat things to do. \u00a0<\/em>Sometimes you find some really cool stuff (check out my post on the\u00a0the Purgatory Museum in Rome, “Bones and Burns”!).<\/p>\n

Last week, while investigating\u00a0activities in Athens, Greece, I decided to\u00a0look for any unique sights\u00a0that\u00a0I had not explored\u00a0previously.\u00a0 With my offbeat\u00a0<\/em>search, I came across “Tom’s Place” on the Athens Info Guide website.<\/p>\n

The home of Tom McGrath on 23 Iperidou\u00a0Street, collapsed in the earthquake of 1999. \u00a0Tom, described as a free spirit, was purported to still live on the property in a run-down\u00a0room at the rear of the plot amidst a collection of strange objects displayed among the rubble…a vintage motorbike displayed near a car dubbed the Taliban Taxi…a pair of feet sticking out of a plywood coffin…a stuffed elephant peeping from a rubbish bin…a collection of offbeat signs and graffiti.<\/p>\n

Marking my Google Maps on my Iphone, I decided that I would try to find this strange residence since my\u00a0plans were to be\u00a0in the area.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>Setting out, I completed my errands and a few other bits of sightseeing. \u00a0As I meandered through the Monistiraki Flea Market, near the Old Agora, I checked my map and adjusted my route to take me in the direction of Iperidou Street. \u00a0As I was nearing the destination, I started looking out for the strange artistic assemblage, but what I stumbled upon was not what I was expecting. \u00a0There on the street corner, was a\u00a0plywood barricade\u00a0with crumbling bricks\u00a0peeking out behind\u00a0the tops and a dilapidated doorway amidst a decaying facade. \u00a0The walls\u00a0were painted a bright blue and contained a mass of \u00a0political messages. \u00a0At first, I was not sure that this was the right place…until I stepped around the corner and discovered, Tom’s Donation Box!<\/p>\n

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This was absolutely the right place, but how disappointing to not be able to see Tom’s odd collection, I thought, as I looked for an unlocked door or window to peek through.<\/p>\n

As I looked across the street, I noticed a sign hanging on a door…Tom’s Corner Plaka. \u00a0Hmmm. \u00a0Could Tom be living there? \u00a0As I lifted my camera up to take a picture of the sign, the door opened and man stepped outside and began to lock the door behind him.<\/p>\n

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It had to be Tom!<\/p>\n

As he walked across the street, I hesitated for a split second before calling out (and thinking that I must be insane) to him. \u00a0“Are you Tom?”.\u00a0<\/em> He seemed to freeze for a second, even as he walked, not knowing whether or not to answer. \u00a0Then, as if his curiosity got the best of him, he said,\u00a0“Yes, I am Tom”. <\/em>\u00a0He began to\u00a0walk toward me.<\/p>\n

Introducing myself to him, I explained that I had come to see his collection of oddities that I had read about and was disappointed to see that his home was boarded up. \u00a0He then said to me,\u00a0“You must have been reading Lonely Planet. \u00a0Very inaccurate it is.” \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Explaining that I had read about him on the internet, but not sure where, I had thought his home would be interesting to see. \u00a0Tom explained that he had been required to board up his residence as it was deemed an eyesore, but now lived across the street. \u00a0We then began a conversation that went on to last about 30 minutes and covered many topics from the Presidential Race in the United States (he thinks Trump is interesting), to where he grew up (Belfast, Ireland) and on to Pan American Airways (he used to drive their crew bus).<\/p>\n

Realizing that he had been leaving when I interrupted him, I tried many times to end the conversation, not wanting to keep him…but he kept on talking! \u00a0Quite the character, he was extremely entertaining and funny and I found myself enjoying my time there on the curb of Iperidou Street.<\/p>\n

Finally, I insisted that I not keep him from his errands and I bade him a farewell. After finding out that I was a flight attendant, he inquired as to the frequency of my visits to Athens and demanded that I come and visit him again the next time I was in town…I also had to agree to bring friends! \u00a0We finally shook hands and went on our way!<\/p>\n

Leaving Tom’s Place, I was happy that I had stumbled across the suggestion in the Off the Beaten Path section of the Athen’s Info Guide. \u00a0Feeling happy that\u00a0I had succeeded in my\u00a0task\u00a0and accomplished way more than marking off something from my sightseeing list…I had made a new friend! \u00a0Traveling is not only about\u00a0seeing and experiencing things, but about meeting unique and interesting people along the way. \u00a0That, my friends, is worth way more than the admission\u00a0price to the Acropolis!<\/p>\n

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Check out more pictures of Tom’s Place on Facebook, Snapping the Globe, and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.<\/p>\n

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Tom’s Place<\/strong><\/p>\n