Most Athens' visitors rarely have time (or interest) to understand the very long and tortured history of this very old city, which jointly with Beirut, are the world's oldest continuously inhabited capitals. They will read or hear something about the Acropolis, the old city "Plaka" and that's about it. A few may notice some strange holes on a building's walls opposite Hadrian's Gate, but very few, the most observant, will realize that they are 78-year-old bullet holes. Likewise, an observant friend visiting for a conference was taken aback by, and complained in a social media post complete with video, about the sight of an ageing hammer and sickle ("a what?"- Google it) on the walls of the Municipal Market of Kypseli where a dinner function for the conference was held. The particular symbol in my friend's country, and in some other countries where it is banned, brings terrible memories for the majority, as it is associated with occupation by a foreign power. The same association "occupation by a foreign power" exists in the case of Athens, but sort of in reverse, as it was drawn by the occupied! Ever the history buff (and since my friend also asked me something along the lines of what is the meaning of this in this day and age - my short answer was: 'it's our history') I decided to find out more and to provide some insight on this monument of my city. The 'offending' sign was/is one of the last surviving 10,000 hammers and sickles drawn during the Nazi Occupation of Athens (1941-1944) by the Resistance, which yes, in Greece was led by the Communists. The particular sign was probably painted in November or December 1944, where there was heavy fighting in the area of Kypseli, between the Communist led EAM-ELAS and British imperial troops. Previously lime-washed, it was uncovered and preserved by the Municipality of Athens, when the monument was restored due to its historical value. It is inside the Municipal Market of Kypseli, a declared monument built in 1935, inaugurated in 1937 by the (fascist) dictator Ioannis Metaxas (1936-1941) and last restored in 2008. Every country and destination have their own experiences, history and traditions. It does not always make sense when tourists make direct comparisons with their own country or pass judgements, especially before they study at least the basic history of the place they are visiting. (This distinguishes the traveler from the holiday maker, after all). In Greece, both sides of the civil war (Dec.1944-Aug.1949) have their own monuments. The majority cherishes and respects all such monuments throughout Greece as part of a, still ongoing national reconciliation. Western-type democracy in Greece was only achieved in 1974 with the fall of the last military junta (1967-1974), when the Communist Party, previously banned (1946-1974), and all other parties, were legalized. And after all this is Athens, provoking and thought-provoking for millennia! Some more info on those bullet holes, and the restoration of the market and the discovery and decision to preserve the symbols can be found here.