Many countries have a love-hate relationship with tourists. Sure, they help the economy, but sometimes they are blissfully unaware of how their presence impacts the area. This is particularly true when their actions are not considerate, such as leaving trash or being disrespectful. Now, one tourist has crossed a line at an ancient Greek site, and people are outraged over it.
How A Tourist 'Crossed A Line' At Ancient Greek Site
Screenshot from Kiriakos Jr Boulamatsis Facebook
Oftentimes, tourist sights are historical or have cultural significance. On any site that I have visited, there are the same basic rules of decency. Usually, those rules include not touching things, not climbing on things, not defacing any property, and, of course, not leaving any trash or trace of yourself behind. It would appear that this tourist missed that memo.
When visiting an ancient Greek site in Naxos, Greece, this tourist decided a photo op was more important than respecting the site itself. The photo, which was shared on Facebook, depicts the tourist holding a massive stone over his head. While he may have been trying to emulate Hercules, he just gave off major jerk vibes.
The individual who shared the photo on Facebook pleaded with people to "Wake up before it's too late." They wrote:
"Immediate guarding and protection. Not today, yesterday. They crossed the line. Wake up before it's too late and in the end only the hill with the steps remains. Stop it immediately!!!"
Many people agreed that this tourist crossed a line and that there should be consequences for his actions.
Where This All Took Place
The NY Post shares where this unfortunate scene unfolded. It occurred at "the iconic Portara, a 20-foot-high marble doorway on the islet of Palatia." It is the last remnant of a temple to Apollo, so clearly it has a lot of history and significance. Rather than respecting that, this tourist crossed the line by lifting one of the massive slabs of stone over his head in a display of stubbornness and strength.
However, rather than gaining adoration, he received backlash. Many of the comments shared how disrespectful they thought he was and how "people are becoming more stupid year after year." Use his mistake as a gentle reminder the next time you travel, be cognizant and make good choices. Historical sites are not to be tampered with.
