At the movies

We've been to the movies quite a number of times in the year I've been here, but other than a couple major things I hadn't really taken notice of the differences from the U.S. cinema experience.

Prices - a bit more expensive.  It was 8.50 Euro which is ~$12.50 at the current exchange rate.  Take into account typical Greek salaries and it's quite a bit more expensive.

Seating - you are actually assigned seats, which I consider a bonus.  If you catch a flick at the Mall, you can buy your tickets early getting good seats, go Mall browse, and then come back at the last minute.  No worrying about long lines for new showings.

Concessions - Similar, but different.  About the same price.  We bought the largest popcorn and a soda (one size only - equates to about a medium) and it was only 4.90 Euro (~$7).  What they offer:  nachos (believe it or not), aforementioned popcorn and sodas, a variety of non-alcoholic drinks, candy from a self serve dispenser (like nuts, M&M's and other small piece candies), and alcohol.  I noticed one or two beer brands and Bacardi Breezers on offer the other night.  (Now we know where Breezers go to die).

Restrooms - At the cinema we went to the other evening, as best I could tell they had only one woman's bathroom for 10 theaters.  And it could hold only 1 person.  There weren't multiple stalls.

Getting into the theater - there is a fairly large lobby with more seating than you'd find in a typical lobby in the U.S.  Movies are announced (maybe 10 minutes prior to start) and at that point you can go in.  If you try to enter prior to that, the ticket taker will turn you back.  I don't like that as much, because it's hard for me to understand the announcements.  And 9 times out of 10, I don't remember what the movie is called in Greek.  (Rarely are the titles a direct translation).

Ushers - there are even kindly employees ready to help you find your seats if you need it.  They might also serve to detract from those who think they'll see a 2nd movie after their is over. ;)

Exiting - Sometimes, depending upon the theater, you actually have to exit down at the bottom of the theater, by the screen.  Flow management, I guess.  You then find yourself in a series of depressing hallways before you make it back out to the world.

Animated movies - I have to be careful which I buy tickets for when seeing one of these.  They will usually offer two viewings, one with Greek dubbing and the other with just subtitles. Even if I could understand the dubbed version, I don't think I'd want to see Kung Fu Panda without Jack Black's voice.

Then there are the Summer Cinemas, soon to close for the season.  These I really like.  It's like a drive in, but no cars and far less groping.  These are the perfect outdoor theaters for the city.  They are wonderful little openings in the city - usually a garden setting that often has fragrant flowers coming out of the vines covering the walls.  No assigned seating there - but not a big concern for me.  Atypically, I sit up towards the front at these places. The sound systems are far from stellar and, unlike the rest of the audience, I can rarely rely on the subtitles to make up for what I didn't catch in the dialog.  Only drawback is that you can smoke here, and the chairs aren't terribly comfortable.  Otherwise, a great way to spend a warm summer evening!