43 Comments
User's avatar
Karla Parra's avatar

Brilliant! Now I want some tapenade.

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Thanks. But I'm afraid I ate all the tapenade as well...

Expand full comment
Karla Parra's avatar

How dare you?! :D

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

It was soooooo easy....😎

Expand full comment
Brent Hartinger's avatar

Haha me too

Expand full comment
Richard Strattan's avatar

Incredible creative writing! But the olives--did you really devour OLIVE them?

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Aw, man. I can't believe I didn't think of that. But olive that you did!

Expand full comment
Brent Hartinger's avatar

This made me smile. lol

Expand full comment
Mike b.'s avatar

(groan)

Expand full comment
Meg Howe's avatar

Lmaoo

Expand full comment
LaVonne Ellis's avatar

I wish substack had LMAO emoticons, but no. Here is the one on my phone: 🤣

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Thank you very much! 😍

Expand full comment
Jenn Lindemann's avatar

Oh, hells to the yes! This post is awesome <3 Thanks for starting my day with a giggle! I hope to one day soon eat at least twice my weight in olives in Greece! Olive them!

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

And I olive you for liking this newsletter! LOL

Expand full comment
kristen (omventure.com)'s avatar

Absolutely the best!

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Thank you!

Expand full comment
Jen Tasker's avatar

Funny! Feel free to enjoy my share of the world’s olives 😊

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Thanks! And I think I did!

Expand full comment
Janelle Meraz Hooper's avatar

I think it's an olive virus of some kind. Two days ago, in a place called Puyallup, someone served me a tequila drink with two huge green olives in it.

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

That's an ... interesting combination!

Expand full comment
Christine Chrysogonou's avatar

Welcome to Athens! (i've been meaning to say this ever since I read you were coming our way)

I can't blame you for the olives, they are terrific and can be devoured all on their own, though a bit of good hot bread goes a long way :D I can't wait to read about your impressions of this corner of the world (i'm not very happy with us nowadays so I would totally welcome a different perspective)

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Hi Chrstine. Nice to meet you! First off, thanks for the hello. I'm actually working on an article on Exarcheia, where we are living right now. Absolutely fascinating place. But I do understand why you might be frustrated as well. I'll definitely be sharing more in upcoming newsletters but I share a LOT more in a Facebook group I started. Let me know if you're interested in the link and I'll send it your way!

Expand full comment
Christine Chrysogonou's avatar

Hi Michael, nice to meet you too :) Oh I'm certainly interested, thanks!

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

I'm quite literally writing up a post right now about the Acropolis. Cliche, I know! But hopefully I'm saying something a big more interesting.

Also today, I just interviewed a Greek man about Exarcheia and how it's changing.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Greece and why you're not happy with things.

Oh, and here's the group!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/311523287468096/

Expand full comment
Christine Chrysogonou's avatar

Not sure unhappy is the word, frustrated and disappointed more like it. And certainly disillusioned. There is a certain kind of bigotry here that is more and more evident and aggressive and which I find very hard to stomach. And it pains me far more when it comes from the left, from those claiming to be progressive and fighting for human rights and inclusion and all that than if it came from the other side. It's a long discussion really, so I'll leave it at that for now, but I'd be happy to talk about it sometime

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. But would definitely be interested in hearing more when you want to share.

Expand full comment
Cindy sibert's avatar

I needed that to escape from the daily gloom and doom. Thank you. And the Rick Steves quote was priceless.

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Thank you very much!

Expand full comment
Dru Pearson's avatar

Wonderful! Thanks for the laugh to start the day.

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Thank you and you are very welcome!

Expand full comment
Gary Culver's avatar

Hilarious!

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Thank you!

Expand full comment
Jenny Everett's avatar

Hilarious, fantastic writing! Thank you for the morning laugh! 😂🫒

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

My pleasure! Care for an 🫒🫒🫒🫒?

Expand full comment
Jadie's avatar

This is the funniest thing I've read in ages. Nicely done!

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Thank you very much! I really appreciate that!

Expand full comment
William Barnes's avatar

I want to thank you for now making olives a controlled substance in Greece. A person can now only get them with proof of ID. What's next? You'll need a prescription to buy pasta in Italy. And, really a Starbucks in Athens??!! That's like going to a McDonald's in downtown Tokyo!

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Don't blame me! Blame the olives! And I'm sure a kalamata latte would be amazeballs!

Expand full comment
William Barnes's avatar

Oh, sure, blame the olives! The last time I was around olives, they were pretty mute and couldn't speak for themselves.

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Well, if they are going to lay there all plump and glistening...

Expand full comment
Gwynne Freeman's avatar

Love this!! We did the same thing in Naples. Bought a bucket of olives and a jug of wine and never looked back.

Expand full comment
Michael Jensen's avatar

Cheers to a happy place!

Expand full comment