Watching Meryl Streep dance as Donna by the sparkling, blue water and white concrete buildings in Mamma Mia and Alexis Bledel as Lena in the Sisterhood of Traveling Pants walking through a beautiful town perched on a mountain totally inspired me to travel to Greece.  However, I am not seeing that scenery on this trip to Greece.  Those views of Greece are only in a small portion of the country, and they’re simply stereotypical images of Greece.  I’m in Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece, where I am seeing some true images of Greece.  As a traveler, I need to go outside of the touristy zones to see the true lifestyle of the country.  The true purpose of traveling is to break the stereotypes portrayed in the media.

Thessaloniki is simply a big city with lots of simple apartments and shops.  At the edge of the city, a stunning harbor stretches for miles.  People bustle through the city on buses, mopeds, and in cars like any other fast-paced city.  Bus are packed as they can be during rush hour moments.  Vendors sell fresh fruits and vegetables at market stalls.  Ancient ruins nestle sparsely throughout the city.  Mountains surround the city creating a beautiful view from the harbor.