Much like in Spain, Greeks take a siesta every afternoon from 2pm until 6pm or so. No stores are open and you could lie down in the middle of a main avenue. It's a good idea, given the heat. And it does not cripple the economy - stores then reopen from 6 until 8, 9, or 10pm. However, we Germans and Americans do not subscribe to this idea. From 2-6pm we decided to explore ancient Messene, with some creative head coverings to help deal with the heat.