In the months leading up to the Olympic Games, animal rights activists were beside themselves.

Rumors had began circulating that Athens city officials had plans to round up the capital's countless stray dogs and kill them off. The plans were part of overall efforts by the city to put on its best face for the 5 million visitors expected at the Olympic Games beginning Aug. 13.

Officials abandoned the idea following massive protest from Greek and European animal rights groups. Instead, they have rounded up the dogs, given them shots and released them onto the streets again.

Drug addicts warned

But the campaign to clean up the sprawling capital continues. The city's garbage disposal problems, crumbling building facades and the addicts hanging around city squares are getting special attention leading up to the Games.

The deputy mayor of Athens has already warned heroin addicts that the increased security measures in place for the Games will lead to more arrests.

"We don't want to completely make-up the city. It's a real city with real problems," said Theodoros Skylakakis. "But of course the increased security measures could lead to increased controls in areas where we know there is drug dealing going on."

The face lift has been expanded to include around 1,000 buildings, including the hotels that will house visitors in the inner city. The city has also paid for 7,000 new trees that have been planted in and around the capital. A pedestrian walkway now leads visitors from the ancient Panathanaikos stadium -- where the marathon runners will finish -- past an antiquities exhibit and up to the Arcropolis.

Who will attend the games?

The improvements will be around long after the Olympic games for the Athenians to enjoy. Many will prefer to wait until then, if ticket sales are any indication. According to a survey by the newspaper Eleftherotypia, only one in every ten Athenians has bought tickets to the Games.

Cost as well as the fact that many Athenians use the month of August to flee from their smoggy, congested capital, has meant ticket sales among locals are down. Olympic organizers are feverishly trying to counter the trend.

"We have a large number of tickets that cost €10," said Spryros Kapralos, the executive director of the Athens 2004 organizing committee. "That means a four-person family can experience the Olympic Games for €40."

Organizers have put hope in a recent poll that shows that 40 percent of Athenians intend to buy some of the 5.3 million tickets sold for the events, but are waiting until the last minute.