Figure 1.--These children were photographed in Athens during 1978. Almost all the boys and girls are wearing the blue smock uniform, but in most cases it is hidden under overcoats and sweaters or accompanied with fashionable bell bottom trousers. They are involved in the time-honored activity of feeding the pigeons in Syntagma Square of Athens (just in front of the Parliament with the Evzones) during a school outing. Note that several children are more interested in the pigeons than having their pictures taken.

A Greek reader sent us this interesting message about the children and the pigeons:

I was looking at the HBC school uniform pages and I noticed a new comment you made about children interested in pigeons and not the picture. Very interesting in fact because children this age usually love to have their photograph taken. I could not help it and decided to write a couple of things. Yes we like pigeons in Greece! We dont think that they are rats with wings (like many New Yorkers think). And most of all, we like the pigeons in Syntagma Square. And the people who like most the pigeons in Syntagma Square are children, especially the visiting school groups.

I have a picture of my father as a boy with his two twin brothers and his father. It was taken at the same spot in the square. Guess what? All three boys in the picture are busy feeding the pigeons and are not looking at the camera. I remember myself feeding the pigeons there as a kid. I dont have many memories from when I was 5 years old, but the pigeons in Syntagma Square is one of them. I remember exactly how I went and what I did in detail etc. There is one thing special about them. They are very friendly with people. In fact children can not only feed them but play with them, hug them... I even saw children kissing them.

Created: April 27, 2002
Last updated: April 27, 2002