Midnight Souvlaki, Athens

“Athens at 1 AM and the city is just getting started. Souvlaki from the stand in Monastiraki — the guy wraps it in paper like he's done it ten million times because he has. Pork, tzatziki, onions, tomato, fries inside the pita because Greeks understand that fries go inside. You sit on the steps and the Acropolis is right there, lit gold against black sky, casual as a streetlight. Stray cats materialize. Motorcycles weave past. Someone is arguing beautifully in Greek. The pita is still warm. The marble steps are still warm from today's sun. Nothing is closing. Nobody is going home. Time works differently here.”