From Athens with Love: November 2011

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

A rainbow of balconies

Colorful balconies of a student house in the Zografou district of Athens.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Kolonaki Church Entrance

This spectacular church is named after Saint Dionysios Aeropagite, who was the first bishop and one of the tree protectors of Athens.

You can see this church entrance from Skoufa street. It is in the heart of the Kolonaki district in Athens.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Awesome sunset over Athens

Sunset through a bell tower silhouette, Mount Lycabettos in Athens.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Nine lives calendar launch party

Nine lives (Greek: Οι Εφτάψυχες) helps stray cats of Athens by feeding, caring, neutering and rehoming them. The very famous Nine lives is actually a handful of volunteers, who are working very hard for the welfare of cats.

They are very proud to have an official Calendar 2012 launch party over some cocktails. The party is on November 25th from 19.00 to 22.00 at the Astra Galerie (Karyatidon 8, Acropoli, nearest metro stop is Acropoli). This year the rescued stray cats were modeling for the camera held by photographer Carlo Raciti.

Source: www.ninelivesgreece.com/2012calendar.html

The association receives no state funding whatsoever even it is a member of the World Society for the Protection of Animals and an affiliate of the Greek Cat Welfare Society. Volunteering or buying the Calendar 2012 is a great way to show your support to their priceless work.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

A door and a story

I have passed by this old door many times at Plaka. This time I took a moment to actually look at it and the details are awesome.

The door is like an old story book opening on front of your eyes. I give you the the beginning of the story. On the center point you can find the primordial Titan Atlas (Greek: Άτλας) from the Greek mythology holding the celestial spheres. He supports the heavens and is identified with the Atlas Mountain in north-west Africa.

... and the rest you can find out from the picture or imagine by yourself. Have an interesting day with Greek mythology!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Paradise for a homesickness

Every foreigner around the world knows the days when they are ready to make whatever it takes to get that specific bar of chocolate, box of cereals or jar of fruit jam from their home country. There is a very special pilgrimage to greater Athens you can do on those days. It only takes an hour from the downtown, two busses and little walking, and Sim Sala Bim you are there! The biggest Dimitrios Thanopoulos super market (Greek: ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΣ ΘΑΝΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ) is etymologically in the heavens above of Athens in Nea Erithrea.

There you can find shelf after self stocked with quality brand products from all over the world (mainly from UK and USA). Beverages, jams, chocolates, candies, chips, dips, sauces, meats, cheeses, berries... all that your heart desires and makes you feel a bit better again. I even found some products from tiny little Finland from there! Well, that´s something, even I found these two exported items quite funny choices. I could have given my right arm easily for example to get some Karl Fazer chocolate, Halvas´ salty liqourice or fresh berries from Finland, but never mind.

Of course this personal salvation has its cost like everything in this life. Most of the heavenly products are pretty pricy, but the owner of this supermarket chain knows the secret. When a foreigner is wounded by a homesickness the price is not an issue. All I am saying is that try to keep your head straight with your budget while strolling between the shelves of the super paradise. Now we are just left into the darkness waiting for this sight to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

No, no, thank you!

There has been an increasing number of readers here lately. You are one of them, thank you. You have a special place here as being a heart of this blog. This blog would not breath or even exist without you.

It has been awesome to see that this blog page has been recommended further from one friend to another and more people follow it and join to the Facebook fan page almost daily. The truth really is that without a person like you there would be no blog like this from lovely Athens.

Thank you once again and have a good evening. <3

Good evening! / Hauskaa iltaa! / Bonne soirée! / Guten Abend! / Καλησπέρα! / Labas vakaras! / Bună seara! / Добрый вечер! / ¡Buenas tardes! / 晚安 / Buonasera! / God kväll! / Dober večer! / Tere õhtust! / สวัสดีครับ / God aften! / Chào buổi tối! / Goede avond! (These are the languages used by most frequent visitors on this blog. Can you spot yours?)

Friday, November 18, 2011

The smell of gingerbread on the air

There is a little church by the street at Plaka in Athens. When you enter inside from the door you can smell the aromas of Christmas on the air: mullet wine, gingerbread and candles...

It is time for the annual Christmas Bazaar in Scandinavian Church! The house is going to be full of happy people to meet, little café to sit down and tempting Christmas ideas, from the birthplace of Mr. Santa himself, on display.

From there you will find a selection of Scandinavian food, Christmas decorations, cards, presents and much more. The money will be used to support different activities run by the Scandinavian Church.

The Christmas Bazaar is open only on November 25.-27. from 12.00 to 8.00 p.m. The address is Daidalu 18. You can find the place from the downtown of Athens, near Syntagma.

Καλό χειμώνα και καλές γιορτές!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Student´s legacy, Nov. 17th

The Anniversary of the Student´s uprising on November 17th is a holiday of all Greek students. It is one of the most important moments for Greek people, especially youth, in the history of Greece.

The main place to be (or not) is the campus of National Metsovion Polytechnic (Πολυτεχνείο, Polytechneio) where it all happened in 1973. At 3.00 a.m. on November 17th there was a brave act of resistance against the Greek military junta and extreme right wing dictatorship ending up to bloodshed of several youngsters hanging on the main steel gate of the campus, when an army AMX 30 tank crashed it all down.

Nowadays killed civilians are remembered with wreaths and a demonstration that begins from the campus area and ends at the United States Embassy. After all of these years the messages has remained the same: let there be a freedom, an independence and love for life in Greece. The day is also celebrated all over the world as The International Student´s Day.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Christmas is cancelled?

During this Christmas holidays there are probably more homeless and poor people in Athens than 70 years ago after German occupation. New people join them every day. For example outside the soup kitchen of the Aghia Triada church in Piraeus you can witness more and more poor people lining up for some food and handouts.

Many people in Greece had already a yearly tradition to give some food, clothes and Christmas gifts to churches, orphanages and hospitals. Especially this year it is easy to say “how do we give anything out of nothing”, but stop for a minute and think if your Christmas would be cancelled this year?

No home, no loved ones, no food or expensive luxury like Christmas presents or decorations. Isn´t there few coins, cans of food or good old clothes you could give away to make someone´s Christmas more human this year? Isn´t the Christmas spirit all about giving, sharing and fulfilled dreams, after all?

I decided to give a small donation this Christmas to the poor and homeless people of Athens. I challenge you to reach out your hand, too, and put the good word about this Christmas challenge around to your circle of friends and loved ones. Even a small donation to the charity can be received as a true Christmas miracle by someone in need.

Your next chance is in November 19th from 12.00 p.m. to 16.00 p.m. During that time Atenistas help to collect food and medicines to those in need at the Thon building in Ambelokipoi (intersection of Alexandras Avenue and Kifissias Avenue, nearest metro stop is Ambelokipoi).

Monday, November 14, 2011

Waste of (y)our time

Okay, I admit it. This blogging can be a bit gross, yucky and need some parental advisory because its explicit content.

Anyway, here we go! While strolling on the streets of Athens or walking to the trash bins many times per week, you just can´t go by wondering what on earth people throw away or want to recycle... or can you? ;)

5th place: a teddybear

4th place: a shopping cart

3th place: a part of the restroom

2nd place: a chest x-ray film

1st place: a car

Saturday, November 12, 2011

History at Monastiraki

The Monastiraki Square (Μοναστιράκι) is a historic place named after the monastery to which the Pantánassa church belonged at 10th century.

The history of Athens, and all of its different phases, are presented there. ;p

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Let Allou Fun Park dazzle you

Are you bored to see historical monuments, hanging around in some-hole-on-the-wall bars in Athens or worry about the economic crisis? Allou Fun Park is not only fun but a dazzling place to spend a night or day of escapism.

A Greek word Allou means either that you want to go somewhere else or that you are a bit high in your own world. That is exactly what we all need every now and then - to be lost in the map of the fairy tale land.

Well, Allou Fun Park has it all taken care of. You can have some fun with the rides and eat, drink, play and have a dose of adrenalin while doing it.

Dive into the amusement park from one of the three gates free of charge (a fee is charged for using the rides and games) and find yourself taking the coolest thrill rides of the park. Let 6G shoot you into the sky or come down 40 meters with Free Fall.

There are also rides like Crazy Mouse roller coaster, New York bumper cars, Water Tunnel or Panorama, the largest observation wheel in Greece, for those who are more of traditional amusement park seekers.

The Allou Fun park has carefree environment with lots of greenery and quality service but, wait, it does not stop here. The whole Entertainment Park covers 40,000 square meters and right next to Allou Fun Park you can find Kidom.

It is a classic fairy tale park for little children for ages 6-12 years old. there you can find the magical carousel, a small pirate ship, trampolines and cotton candy for the smaller ones of the family.

When you look a bit further you find a multiplex Village Park mall with coffee shops, restaurants, stores and a movie theater. There is everything for everyone.

Sounds tempting? The location of the Allou Fun park is Kanapitseri Street 5, Agios Ioannis Rendis. It is about 7 kilometers from Acropolis, near the junction of Kiﬁssos Avenue and Petrou Ralli.

Allou Fun Park is open Mon-Thu 17.00 – 24.00, Fri 17.00 – 01.00, Sat 10.00 – 01.00, Sun and holidays 10.00 – 24.00. (Kidom is open Mon-Fri 17.00 – 23.00, Sat Sun and holidays 10.00 – 23.00).

You can get there from Omonia with busses: B18, Γ18, and trolleybus 21 (until KAN KAN). From Metro Egaleo with busses: 829, 802, 803, 804, 845, 703 and 909 (until Νεκροταφείο). From Piraeus Metro with busses: 703 and 909 (until Νεκροταφείο).

On summer time you can also take a free Allou Park bus from Syntagma. A taxi will cost about 6-8 Euros from the centre of Athens.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

The haven of Kerameikos

You can find Kerameikos (Greek: Κεραμεικός) archaeological site and park from the northwest of the Acropolis. It is located between Ermou, Peireos and Asomaton Streets. The entrance to the site is from the Ermou pedestrian street.

In 478 BC the area was divided by the Eridanos River and Themistoclean Wall to Inner and Outer Kerameikos. The inner part was a famous residential area of potter´s and vase painters. The outer part was the most important cemetery of the Ancient Athens were the earliest tombs date from Early Bronze Age (2 700 – 2 000 BC). The wall had two gates, Dipylon and the Sacred Gate, by the roads to Eleusis and Acropolis.

There is a great feeling of peacefulness when you enter the Kerameikos and start to walk down to the park. After hustle and bustle of the streets of Athens this place is unexpectedly silent. Strolling between ancient yards you can feel at the same time some holiness and history of the place around you.

Archaeological excavations in the Kerameikos began in 1870 by the Greek Archaeological Society and were continued from 1913 by the German Archaeological Institute at Athens until now. Thanks to them, there is a small museum on the left side of the entrance. You can go inside and start to walk clockwise around the giant bull from the tomb of the Dionysios dominating the rooms of museum.

From the four rooms you can find the most important findings from the Kerameikos excavations: archaic tombstones, grave reliefs, human statues, animal figures, vases of ancient Greek art and potsherds inscribed with the names of famous Athenians.

The Museum of Kerameikos is small but beautiful and very informative. It has some excavation pieces out on the courtyard and a collection of grave marks right next to the museum building.

The area is something that people usually bypass even it is a big outdoor park and has a great significance for the city of Athens. Visiting the site is a great experience, especially if you are a freak of The Ancient World. People working on the site are very friendly and if you are lucky, you can also spot one of the numerous little turtles living in the park.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Grow and go Green in Athens

Copyrigt 2011 Jan

Athens seems to be one polluted concrete block but the city is greener than it appears at first glance. People share they part for the protection of the natural environment by growing plants and trees on their balconies or rooftops, some bines almost taking over the whole building.

The old park jewel of center Athens is naturally National Botanical Gardens (Εθνικός Κήπος), but there has been also very popular park renovations by the city and by some nature loving people. The list is endless: Attiko parko, Lycabettus Hill, Pedion Areos, Strefi Hill, Kessariani, Floisvos Park, Ymittos, Penteli, Pamitha National Park, Coudi Park, Vouliagmeni Lake, Marathonas and Diomidis Botanical Garden... Almost all of them free of charge to use and enjoy by everyone.

The greenery does not just stay at the parks. Leading companies operating in Attica are slowly doing changes in their policies in order to reduce their carbon footprint. It can save them some money, give them advantage on marketing or lift up their image as a company.

Policies of big companies are far away from one person´s everyday life but there are a lot we can do e.g. using ecologically friendly mass transportation system when it is possible. After all, respect and living green for the environment is an important aspect of culture heritage in Athens.

Grow and go Green!