I dropped a watermelon on an old man's foot this morning when in AB, the local supermarket (pronounced Alpha Vita).  By accident you understand.
"Signomi!" I fuss over him ("Excuse me!")
"Den pirazi" he replies ("Never mind")

I had a think about this - I have heard this a lot in my time in Greece:

I went to see the brilliant Kevin Spacey in Richard III at Epidauraus (http://leavingcairo.blogspot.com/2011/07/evening-at-epidaurus-with-richard-iii.html ). You will note that when exiting the gorgeous amphitheatre, I stupidly wore platform heals and stumbled, almost toppling a man over.  "Signomi!" I fussed that time too - guess the reply as he brushed me down,
"Den pirazi, den pirzi copella" ('Copella' = girl)

I wonder:  a man discovers his next door neighbour is sleeping with his wife - "Den pirazi" this time??
(Maybe he's secretly relieved as he won't have to admit to his own affair with his 20 year old secretary - this is continental Europe after all).

"Den pirazi" has become my favourite Greek vocabulary.  It isn't just a saying, it's a way of life - a cultural adaptation.  Their economy is falling down around them - "Den pirazi...we have our sunshine, our family, our tomatoes and our love for life"
THIS is why I love the Greeks so much - maybe instead of criticising them all the time, we can actually start learning something from these sound, traditional people.
(I must remind myself of the "den pirizi" saying the next time I'm at the unemployment office, or anything else bureaucratic).

 
A lot of people complain about how hot Athens is in the summer - in particular the month of August.

My last post referred to the mass exodus in August of Athenians and I, in fact, joined them in this (for 10 days at least) when I visited family in the UK. My return journey, as regular followers will know, was overland by train and ship via Venice and was documented in my other blog:

www.overlandathens.blogspot.com

Still, it's always nice to come back and yes, whilst it may still be hot, even at the tail end of August, it sure ain't as hot as Venice was!

Anyway, I digress. I also mentioned in my previous post about the pleasure of visiting outdoor cinemas in Athens. I want to write a little more about these as when I first came to Athens 3 years ago, I found very little literature (bar Wikipedia) to give me more information. Luckily that has changed now and I find www.xpatathens.com a good source of information, with listings, etc.

Greeks love to go to the cinema and a night at an open air one is more of an experience, not just an 'if all else fails and we run out of ideas, let's go and see a movie.'

The night I chose to go was at the end of July. I obviously wanted to see a good film, but more importantly for me, I was keen to visit Cine Paris in Plaka. Her own website (www.cineparis.gr) describes her as originally being opened in the 1920's by a Greek hairdresser, closed during the 1960's and then re-opened in 1986 until the present day.

Cine Paris is situated very near to the Acropolis, in fact - you can see it whilst viewing your film.

You might be able to just about make out the Acropolis. You can see her better when it's night and lit up.

I arrive earlyish and look around the paraphernalia on display and for sale in the foyer - things such as old movie posters and an old film reel.

Making my way up to the roof top, I am rewarded with a wealth of places to choose to sit (it helped I arrived early - about half an hour to spare) and a beautiful rooftop garden with a variety of flowers such as honeysuckle which, of course, emitted a beautiful smell in the early evening.

I choose to sit myself on a small balcony. I don't REALLY mind sharing it if I have to, but luckily no-one else wanted to sit there, so I had the balcony all to myself :0)

My own private balcony

Looking to my left I could spy the lit Acropolis through the trees. I settled back in my seat, watched the waning dusk turn into night and the stars around me.

Altogether, a beautiful experience!

with a great view of the screen

Facts:

• Outdoor cinemas usually start sometime in July until September. Some may even start mid June
• Two showings a night: one about 9ish and the late one at 11ish
• All films have intervals
• Refreshments available: nachos, popcorn, soft drinks, beer and alcohol
• Some also show old classics such as Cary Grant films, Betty Davis, etc. Personally I think there is nothing more enjoyable than watching an old black and white in beautiful surroundings.

Warnings:

• Take mosquito repellent
• You may be more enamoured by your surroundings than by the actual film!

Anyone who's been to Athens in August will agree with me: it is bl**dy HOT!  That's why most Athenians leave the city, if not for the whole month, then at least part of it.  They normally go to their villages in the countryside or islands and stay with family or the family home (if I'm wrong, any Athenians who're reading this, then please correct me :0)   ).

I have to say, though - because Athens empties out pretty much in August, if you can stand the heat it makes it quite a pleasant place to be.  The Open Air cinemas are, well, 'open' and quite empty at nights, so that's always a pleasure.  Athens is also blessed, as a capital city, to being located on the coast and a 40 min tram ride from Syntagma Square will take you to a nice beach. 
I undertook both these activities (outdoor cinema and beach) before joining the exodus myself and returning for a short visit to the UK, where I currently am.

So, what's it like being 'back'?  And especially after recent events in the UK?  Well, my dad luckily lives in the South West, so I wasn't affected.  Plus I arrived the day after it had all finished kicking off here.  I have to admit though, the bl**dy train from LHR - Paddington, then down to the West Country cost, in total, £68!  No WONDER people were rioting! I hadn't even been back home for 3 hrs and already spent nearly 70 quid!

I had the lovely opportunity to join a small school reunion and meet people I hadn't seen for 21 years.  These things are always a bit awkward eh?  I know from my part I was worried the conversation would descend into a competition of "I have 3 children and they all go to private school, what about you?" but I was lucky - most of the people I saw were of EXACTLY the same mindset as I;  no kids, love kids dearly but no desire to have them.  It was, after all, a pleasant evening and interesting to find out what others had/have been up to.

And of course, there're the country walks I get to go on and pub lunches - think Ploughman's lunch, cream tea, etc. 

When the sun shines, a walk along the Canal is beautiful

Lovely small villages with churches in the UK

A "Bridge over troubled Water" - cited as being where Simon & Garfunkel wrote their famous song

It's a lovely sight of nature: a swan with her cygnets

And a walk by the river is equally beautiful too

The translation reads "Revolution first and always"

Here's a thought:  Maybe now, people won't be so quick to judge the Greeks as being barbarians after recent events in London eh?

Take a look at these two YouTube links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPZXl3XtUWw
Now, this one deals with an intelligent young student, explaining why she protests.  Admittedly it is reported without any violence erupting, but listen to what she actually says.  She makes reference to anarchy - note she does not support anarchy.

Then we have this one:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXcI-NL3Tro
Without being direspectful to the UK public being affected by what's going on, I'm sorry but I laughed at this girl till I wept. 
"I'm getting my taxes back," her justification for taking off with a handful of goods.

???

Yes, I had no words but to laugh a little hysterically I'm afraid.  Oh, and btw - Waterstones book shop left alone?  Why am I not suprised? 

So, think twice, please, before you judge these 'barbarian' Greeks.  Maybe you should be looking a little closer to home.  And before you become critical of the policing in the UK, be glad you don't live in a city where they police like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZkiu25nfuc  Reporter shouting in Greek "Shame on you for beating up a 15 year old kid!"

and this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2j67t7dHwc
The 'fog' is tear gas - regularly used here.  And it's not nice, it first clogs your throat, then the eyes start to stream.

You know I welcome your comments - feel free to post.

It struck me that I've been writing this blog for about a year now and followers will have gleaned that I am based in Greece, after having left Cairo.  But, I never mentioned my first 'port of call' in Greece.  No, I didn't immediately come to Athens - I went to a smallish town in Central Greece (nr Mount Parnassos), called Levadia.