Rebeti bridge (Η γέφυρα του Ρεμπέτη)

Unexplored bits around a city like Athens have no end due to its size and history so today on a sweet Sunday like this I grab the chance to visit one of them. The day is still very young and the pigeons have just woke up at the local metro station:

The metro takes me South towards the port of Pireas and I manage to take a few shots on the way through its windows like this one with the football stadium of the local team (Olympiakos):

The windows are a cross between vandalised as it usually happens with the public transportation serving stadiums hence the following "poetic" shots:

Some clearer ones as the wagon arrives at the final station at the port where graffiti is beyond plenty:

The station of Pireas has a rather deep history as it debuted back in 1869:

In through this corridor,

and out to the port:

This bridge offers view and safety to the pedestrians who before had to cross this avenue:

To be honest I don't know how long this poor car is exhibited here - first time I notice it:

Once a Zastava or a Fiat, today plays the flower pot:

A black 'n white graffiti adds some cuteness to the B&W mess of the city:

While on the other hand the sky and this ship try to remind me that Greece is still blue:

This next scene definitely reminds us all that walkability and urban beauty are not the top reasons why we get so many tourists annually here:

If you follow me with your claustrophobic grandmother she will hate both of us forever:

The amount of rundowns around here is beyond belief:

I try to see what's behind that small opening of that thing but I strike coal:

Next to it is this mess:

Don't rush to leave it behind, look what's inside:

Two fucking VW classics! I wouldn't be surprised if they were more complete when this place stopped working for good. Who knows where this green stairway in the back leads to and what else might be left up there:

Had enough rundowns? Hope not cause there's more:

They all make such a contrast with the church which is so neat and maintained compared to them:

One more rundown next block, semi covered under this green sheet:

So where's that bridge right? Yep, I have to justify the title so finally I'm steps away from the stairs that lead to it:

Looking at my left the purpose of that bridge becomes obvious:

A few more ugly steps,

and finally I'm on that bridge:

You may go like "you're fucking kidding us? walked all this way for this POS?" and I'll totally understand cause the looks of it are far from satisfying. But wait cause there's more worth mentioning and looking at. Starting from the latter, this is the view of the bridge looking North:

It's 1st of October 2023 but this picture such a time machine if you delete a few bits. Even if you leave it as is you can still bet it's the same as it was by the end of the previous century.

As you can easily tell this train line is abandoned hence all this trash on the line (looking South):

The amount of rundowns is still impressive:

But nature has the answer to the people's ugliness as usual:

Unthinkable amount of waste:

But that's not all about this bridge which today looks like this shit,

but in the past it was a much more charming one made of stone. The history behind it goes like this:

In Greek this is called "The bridge of Rebetis". Rebetis is a term that used to characterise outlaw wanderers of the beginning of the previous century. Hence the "Rebetico" music which took more specific form as an urban music of Greece in the 1930s. Back in the day this bridge was the passage from the port of Pireas to the suburb of Drapetsona and the spot was a rather dodgy one with lots of hookers and drug dealers around. Hence one of the most famous "Rebetes" of the era said "The first step to become Rebetis is to walk that bridge".

It's an absolute shame that a piece of history like this is left practically neglected with the local store capturing part of it (I guess that's the benefits of knowing the Mayor) but not the only one. The municipalities are often much more corrupted than the ministry of culture since they know the locals and favouritism is built much easier.

I hope you liked my walk, see you on the next ones!