We have learned to eat where the locals eat, but sometimes that takes a day or two to figure out. When I first got to Athens,though, it was easy to find a Gyros stand where I got one and promptly dripped tsatsiki sauce and made a mess on myself. This became a regular experience for me while we were in Greece. Our next stop on the trip was Italy where we learned that no matter how convenient the food carts are on the main roads, it was always way better and was worth the extra money to hit the side streets. The Italians are serious about their coffee! Everyone, including McDonalds, has crazy expensive espresso machines. First, you walk into any shop, order your coffee, and pay. Then you take your receipt to the barista and he makes your coffee. From there you can drink it standing at the counter and pound it like most Italians or savor it and take a bit longer. Eating cured meats in France was a new experience and it tasted delicious. I am experienced enough now to say that food anywhere on the Mediterranean is usually pretty darn good.