Some encounters make you think...

Just a few hours ago, I came back from the airport. No, I didn't fly anywhere. We rented a car for 4 days and I had to drop it off at 6pm. I underestimated the time a little and felt a rush of adrenalin pumping through my veins, because I still had to get gas and 30km to go. Anyway, everything good. After I returned the car and complained to the guy from Hertz inside the airport how shitty his GPS was (we also rented for 30 extra bucks), I met a girl in the train. She was sitting behind me and overheard how I advised two German tourist what metro line to take. She asks me if I want to sit next to her to talk for a bit. She was Greek, but spoke German pretty well.

Just ME :)

And there we go talking in the train for almost and hour and a half about so many things, like we have known each other all our lives. She explained to me that she has a job interview upcoming Monday to be a child care worker in Germany and how she was afraid that they would not understand her at the job interview an therefore not take her. We talked about how different kindergardens are in Germany and in Greece and I told her about my internship I once had in a German kindergarden. I felt so anxcious exchanging all this information in order to help her. If she gets the job, she will probably be moving to Munich, so I told her everything I knew about this beautiful city.

I find it a shame that the economic situation is so bad here and that people are so much in need to emigrate in order to make a living. I mean this girl went to university, she has an excellent education, but at the moment there are zero jobs available for her. She took part in a Muslim project in the city where she studied (North of Thessaloniki) and I told her that this would be a great reference for her if she moves to Germany due to the high percentage of Turks there. I hope for her that she gets the job and can look forward to a great future, where she can do her Master and do what she likes: teach and care for children. An incredible personality. A fascinating train ride and hopefully the beginning of another friendship. People walk in your life for a reason!! :)

----

Back to the car rental thingy. So Tuesday afternoon I was so fed up that we had nothing to do, that I asked Benji if he wants to rent a car with me. Spontaneously, we booked it and went to the airport to pick it up. A nice little bright red Citroen C1. Very cute, unfortunately we forgot to take a picture, but I could have really get used to it and it was hard to give it away again today :(.

In Astros

Think big...

What did we do? Tuesday nite we just spent in Κορινθος, which is already unusual, because normally we have to the last train at 9ish to get back to Αγ. Θεώδοροι. It was nice to spent some hours at the shisha bar where Litsa works and just hang around. Wednesday we did a trip to Τρίπολη (Tripoli), a city about 100 km South-West from here. Tripoli is located in the heart of South-Greece/mainland, so no sea and no mountains around. I perceived it as very crowded and surrounded by nothingness, almost like Vegas, a city in the middle of a dessert. So we didn't stay there very long and continued East to Αστρος (Astros), a small fishermen village along the coast. After taking some nice pictures we went to a good fish restaurant and got shelter to escape from a heavy summer rain. The food was again excellent - I will really especially miss the fresh, high quality fish dishes from Greece... Let me briefly tell you the story of the waiter. A Romanian guy, who studied civil engineering and was recommended by a professor to work for a Greek company. 

Tripoli

Also Tripoli

They exploided him to such an extended that he quit and through another connection, he was able to stay in Greece and work in Astros in the fish restaurant as a waiter. This is his second year there and also the last one, as he said. The crises is forcing him to leave; tourists don't visit Astros as much, because people are lacking money so no turnover for the restaurant. His next destination Switzerland. He doesn't know much German, but wants to learn it. His Greek (as far as I can tell) was good and he said he also learned just by listening people talk. His English fluent and very good. I believe he can make it, but what a life story again to move from country to country to hope for a better future...

After Αστρος our trip continued to Ναφλιο, where we also stayed only for a short while. This city has put a spell on me and embodies a dream. A dream I only want to live with one person :) So being there without this person makes this city only have half as pleasurable...

Ireon lake, sooo nice!!

Thursday we took a little break and I only took the car to Κορινθος where I hung out at Nargiles (the shisha bar) again the whole day. Yesterday we took the chance, because the weather is finally becoming warm here and went to a very pretty lake. The month of May was particularly very untypical for Greece, according to the locals. It should have been warmer already a lot earlier than June. Ιρεον (Ireon) was the name of the lake we went to, which is located about 30km north of Λουτράκι; along the way: many hills, curves and a beautiful view onto the Gulf that connects Λουτράκι and Κορινθος. We enjoyed the idyllic atmosphere, sun and a nice game of ping pong - not table tennis (a game every Greek place at the beach) for several hours. Nice day, which finished off again at the shisha bar and a cherry hukka (after eating suhsi at the casino in Λουτράκι). It was Latin night at Nargiles; the owner had hired several dancers to engage the guests in samba, rumba and chachacha. Great feeling, it made me anxcious to dance again myself! :) Maybe already back in Breda in the beginning of September... who knows^^.

So that's what's new. Three more weeks left in this beautiful country with its even greater people. Looking forward to every minute!

#Fun facts of today#

1. Greek people tend to ask you for your star sign within the first couple of sentences they get to know you. I find this interesting, because it shows how much they believe in astrology.

2. I don't know how it is possible that the tap water tastes so different at three different places in one city (Κορινθος). SO STRANGE!

Just like that...

... by walking into a recently opened shisha bar (or in Greek ναργιλε/nargile) at the Corithian Gulf, I meet Litsa. She is probably one of the sweetest people I have ever met.

On Monday I walk in there with Benji and she was working there; so kind, constantly asking if everything was ok and if we needed anything. After all we even got a free shisha for the time we were there. so nice. So two days later I walk in there again, because I had some time to kill, hoping she would be working again, but unfortunately she didn't. About two hours later though she walks in and her smile just brightened up my day. She directly greets me and sits next to me. The next thing I know is that we are already engaged in a conversation with two men from Qatar from our neighboring table. Litsa and I found out that they are two drivers from "RALLY ACROPOLIS" which is a famous car race in Greece.

Shisha Bar in Athens

Acropolis in the background

Within the next hour Litsa invites me to her house in Athens for the day after and since Mohammed and Nasser (the Qatar drivers) were going to Athens anyways the next day they took us with them. We enjoyed another "Shisha" in Athens (in total there are 3 shisha bars like that of owned by the same guy, two in Athens and one in Korinthos now for the summer) and were picked up by Litsa's sister Vicky. At their house I was enjoying some nice pasta Litsa cooked and guess what?? it included Frankfurter sausages ;). Made me feel like home - if I hadn't felt like home already. At night Vicky, Litsa and Stelios (I am so sorry this is for sure not how you pronouns your name, but I will ask Litsa next time I see her and immediately correct it) took me to the roof top of the hotel "A for Athens" which had an incredible view on the Acropolis. We had the ultimate spot, where - and I still don't know why - nodody wanted to sit. Ok there was no table but it was like a podium with glass surrounded, so it was protected from the wind. GREAT! :)

Vicky and I

We sipped a cocktail, made acquaitance we a Dutch and a Swiss guy, ate some frozen joghurt and went back to their place. I am still impressed how quickly this friendship developed, because it feels like I know Litsa already for a lot longer.

 I am thanking both of them, her and her sister - Vicky - for the great hospitality and of course Stelios for his company. I had a wonderful time with you all of you!!!!!

#Fun facts of today#
1. Athens city center is like a maze to me and probably always will be
2. The Akropolis steals your breath when you see it at night, it looks so magical

Παχη/Pachi and Ακροκορινθος/Akrokorinthos

Zucchini balls to the right

Παχη (Pachi) is a very small fishermen's village in the proximity of Μεγαρα (Megara) another bigger city about 30min from where I live. On Saturday the weather was great not too hot and I suggested to go out to eat fish. Παχη consists mainly of tavernas and cafeterias, but it is so peaceful and brings a very special atmosphere with it. So again I have to highlight how much I got used the Greek way of consuming their meals and we loved eating for several hours.

SILLY

It was nice to get acquainted with you, Mr. and Mrs. Fish!

As an appetizer I tried zucchini feta balls, which was basically some deepfried lump, but tasted so different from what I expected, because it contained some spearmint leaves, which freshed everything up, very nice!  The fish was also just delicious (again I forgot the name but it is similar to tsiporou or something...^^).
Last weekend the time had come to explore what I look at almost every day from the distance: the castle ruins of Κορινθος also called Ακροκορινθος (Akrokorinthos). The name reminds a lot of Akropolis.

Exhausted

Since we started climbing the steps to the highest point way after two and the gate closes at three, we really had to hurry. The bright afternoon sun and the rush to be back on time unfortunately led to some dizzyness when we reached the top. However, the view was too magical to really worry about it ;)

The whole region of Corinthia starting with Κορινθος on the right then Λούτρακι slightly to the left and Αγ. Θεόδωροι at the very right. A priceless view!!!

Summer feeling

On the way back a quick snap shot of one of the most famous pictures one usually finds on many postcards from Greece. Sometimes there are still some concerts taking place in the summer months.

Greece surprises me more and more every day and I wish more people could see what the country is really like, instead of rumoring a misleading picture.

I am so grateful for all the views I can lock up in my memories and recall them whenever I want to, because they simply make your heart rise again :)

#Fun fact of today#
1. Greece in May looks like Germany end of August. The wheat is already almost done blooming and the grass is burned as much as our fields look like in the late summer.
2. You can easily "high five" the fin of a fish, you might only crazy looks from some other people around :)

Freiburg = The Greek Nafplio

In Freiburg's alley

My uncle already got married more than a year ago, but decided to celebrate this year. So quite spontaneously I flew to Germany together with my boyfriend.  What a weekend driven in an emotional rollercoaster. Flying to Frankfurt, we took the ICE directly to Freiburg, where we were picked up by my uncle and surprisingly my mum, which I hadn’t seen since I left. J

Prost

Friday passed so fast spending time with my two little cousins and cycling along the Dreisam (River) to the city center. Exploring DM (a German drugstore) with a Greek is an experience by itself. Too many items seemed surprisingly cheap and of very good quality in comparison with Greek products – no fense ^^.  Since a thunderstorm was announced for this night we shouldn’t have stayed too long, but we forgot time in a great traditional restaurant accompanied by asparagus soup , fish with potatoes and cauliflower, Maultaschen (in the broadest sense ravioli filled with asparagus, carrots and a fresh mushroom cream) and for dessert Apfelstrudel with vanilla ice cream (very traditional dessert my of a dough similar to pastry dough). In absolute darkness with one tiny light on my bike with biked back to my uncle’s house about 8km from the center; without a single rain drop but a flat tire… well nice after dinner walk. 

The narrow stairs of "Münster"

Long live "Bratwurst"

Saturday was the actual wedding party. Before we headed to a boat, where everything started, we went again to the city center to climb the Münster (the hallmark of Freiburg) and to explore the weekly market with all its goods. Of course, we had to a get a German Bratwurst (type of sausage).

In the early afternoon we started with a boat tour on the river Rhine to get acquainted with all guests, about 80 people. Ok, this might sound silly and of course like most of you I have been on a boat which has to go through a floodgate. However, the boat was a little bigger and if there is not just one in the sluice then this process turns into quite an event and it makes you wonder what water is capable of.  The temperatures were supposed to drop drastically from Friday to Saturday, that’s why it was even nicer to actually still have some sun rays on the boat.  After the tour we had about 30 minutes to drive through one of the most beautiful areas I have seen so far in Germany: Vineyards, mountains and more mountains in the distance and green EVERYWHERE. The location for the party was just perfect. Regional wine together with high quality and delicious tasting food formed the culinary delight of the evening. 

DIVINE! <3

Several guests had developed very nice wedding games, e.g. balloons with vouchers, written on postcards by the guests, were tied to postcards which all of us let them free. Eventually the balloons come down at a total different location. Whoever finds them needs to send them back to the newlyweds and if the postcard really arrives, the guest who wrote down the voucher/service really has to do it. So far already 2 postcards arrived, found in Munich. I find this idea SOOOOO awesome!! The night ended early for us, because we were so tired from the whole day and travelling, but still what a great day!

Ok this panorama pic sucks, but just to give you an impression of the beautiful landscape :)

Love you very much, Mummy!

On Sunday morning a hike was part of the agenda. We met in some vineyards and just started walking with about 20 people. Afterwards we wanted to eat some lunch at a farm restaurant, which is only seasonally opened. The food was delicious, but the service probably the most awful one I have ever seen. After ordering the same food three times and two hours later I walked into the restaurant asking how it is possible that I still do not have even one single asparagus spear in my belly. It took another 30 minutes until I finally had my crepe filled with asparagus (yeah I love this veggie and it has right now peak season in Germany). Enjoying another few hours with my family before heading back to the train station and then to Frankfurt airport, made the weekend complete and more fabulous.

I am very grateful to have had the chance to be part of this particular weekend, thank you to the people who made it possible! It meant so much to me!!!

#Fun facts of today#

1.       Lufthansa has a new airbus (number I forget) but the seats are almost 1/3 flatter and you have more leg space.

2.       Staff from DB (Deutsche Bahn) is apparently a lot friendlier to foreigners than to Germans. Giorgos asked in which train carriage we had to sit and the ticket collector was so friendly and let us travel first class. Next time I am fur sure American when I travel with DB.

Elections

View from my balcony: Saturday market to the left and primary school on the right (where the elections took place)

Sunday, 6th May 2012. Elections in Greece. The world is coming to an end...

Nice Sea View

No - just kidding :) Yesterday we had governmental elections here. Since we live right across from a primary school we also had the primary location to watch this spectacle. In Greece you vote from dawn until dusk; meaning from 7am to 7pm.
As it is our pleasure by now to know fairly many laywers we were allowed to watch the elections from a closer vicinity. Ok, for some of you this might sound like the normal procedure of an election, but since I have never been voting (I know shame on me, but I was always out of the country), I don't know any better:
All classrooms in a school are divided into diffrent name departments (e.g. A-E, F-H etc.). So when the voters go to the room according to their surname they first present their ID (often looking like fake certificate from before war times) to the secretary. The secretary (in our case also a lawyer, but does not have to be) checks the ID for validity, then crosses off the name of a list (we had about 600 names listed) and copies all the information again into another journal. The ID is then passed on to the actually lawyer, who keeps the ID and gives a stamped and signed (by him) envelope to the voter. The elector then proceeds to collect flyers of parties and waits until it is his turn to vote in the booth (which looks very provisionally: blue fold up curtains). Then the envelope is thrown into the ballot box. Its crack in the meantime is always covered with something (so nothing else can be thrown in there). As soon as the envelope is "submitted" the ID is returned and the voter leaves.

Yummy :)

It is not allowed to have more than two people waiting before the booth, the rest of the crowd needs to wait at the door step. Things start getting hilarious when people ask a casillion times if you are responsible for the department δ - κ (delta - kappa --> D - K) and it says it on a huge sign outside the room. Oh well... :) All in all a very fun day. Because I did not want to let the laywers starve (they were not allowed to leave the room) I baked some raisin and nutella snakes :)



Since about 3 weeks we always have a market outside our house on Saturdays. Although it starts quite ealry and is therefore very loud, it is also convenient. This is how it looks like :) Guess what? Of course, I love it!!! :)

#Fun Fact of today#
1. Greeks love hand sanitizer...

1st of May

Laugh attack

Not only Germans open the BBQ season on the 01/05 and enjoy the day off, so did we.

Waking up at 10 am and blinking at the sun rays, I directly moved from my bed to the balcony to bronze up and just enjoy the morning peace. At 1pm I actually wanted to take the train to Κορινθος (Korinthos), however when I arrived at the train station I had to realize that they had stopped the trains for 24h because of the holiday... kinda put me behind schedule. The plan was to go with some friends to the Vouliagmeni/Ireon Lake and enjoy seafood right by the lake. Luckily a friend of Giorgos was in the proximity and picked me up.

Yianni is not touching the strawberry - no photoshop either ;)

The way to the lake is rather hilly and goes past the sealine of Λούτρακι (Loutraki), so that from the top you can oversee the whole Corinthian Gulf of our area *BREATHTAKING*. Arriving at the lake it was soooo busy; the fish restaurants were packed with people. It took us a while to order (with about 15 people not a surprising). Our appetizers consisted of fresh french fries, greek salads, a marinated shrimp-feta-dish and octopus (which I never had before and will not become one of my favorite: too chewy). After an hour and the consumption of our fellows Ούζο (Ouzo) and Τσίπουρο (Tschipouro) - two typical Greek spirits - I found another two platters standing on our table with spaghetti and lobster (never had lobster before either, quite nice, a little bit the consistency of chicken meat, but again different taste of course).

Nancy and Maria

Dimitris (a good friend of Giorgos) brought some liquor, called Μαστίχια (Masticha), which is only produced on the island of Χίος (Chios). I did not particular like it, but more or less this my dentist's fault (because the taste reminded me of the stuff he uses for fillings...). Already completely stuffed I did not trust my eyes when another TWO platters arrived with a big fresh fish (which kind, I forgot), but definitely the highlight!! *YUMMY* Another hour passed and we enjoyed ice-cream, lemon cake and strawberries. What a feast again!
 

Together with Nancy (left) - an incredible personality

@ Kalamaki

So after really eating and chatting for at least 4 hours, my watch indicated 6.30pm. We took off to Καλαμακη (Kalamaki) - an area so beautiful and very close to my village here, but I have never been there. We enjoyed coffee and more drinks at a bar right by the sea and watched the sunset.

Special thanks to Dimitris for organizing this and everybody for the great company!!


#Fun facts of today#
1. Greeks almost always share their food. In general they really drink and eat for hours. I love it, because it enhances their eating culture and how much they enjoy the food in combination with good company and away from the rushy attitude to many people have: "I have to eat, because I am hungry, but actually I don´t have any time".
2. Mastic/Masticha, widely known since ancient times for its beneficial and therapeutic properties, is an aromatic resin offered to us by the mastic tree.

1st Swim of the Season

Still a little cold...

Enjoying

Ok, it is not a secret that all over Europe, it became kind of extremely warm over night. Also in Greece, which is why Benny and I took the opportunity to go for a quick splash into the sea (5 min from our house). It was very refreshing and not at all that cold. The only bad think is that we do not have sand, but little rocks, which makes it very uncomfortable to walk on + some algaes, but regardless it was very nice.

Our GULF :)

Asleep

When we got out of the water, I did not want to leave, because the sun was still out and I felt like laying down. The next thing you can imagine... Right! I fell asleep on a rock (which I could definitely feel afterwards in my back), but definitely worth it :)

To many more dives in the next weeks. I CANNOT WAIT :) *Splashelicious*

#No Fun Facts for this post#