By Saturday evening, I was itching to get out of the house (as unadvisable as it may have been), so I gave in to the insistence of my neighbourhood friends and joined them for the pre-midnight Anastasi service.  We went to Agia Marina, the church at the top of the hill in Thiseio – the one that is lit up every night and can be seen from the Apostolou Pavlou pedestrian path…
 
I’ve been there before; it’s a beautiful church built around the actual cave from the original structure. On the night of the Anastasi service, there was a special feeling at the church – lots of people, darkness inside, chanting – a ‘religious’ feeling to be sure.
 
After midnight, after the candle lighting and well wishes, most of the people poured out of the church and made their way to their homes and to their cars, down the quiet, deserted streets of Thiseio, candles in hand. This, for me, was a sight to see - almost romantic with the flickering of little flames and whispering voices…

On Sunday I joined a small group of ‘orphaned expats’ for a nice midday meal (lamb yes, but the kind one cooks in the oven – we are not so talented as to know how to operate a spit!). We went out for an afternoon stroll, expecting to find the city empty and shut down. What we saw was quite the opposite: many restaurants and cafes were open in the area, catering to the tons and tons of tourists that seemed to be everywhere. I guess at least that much of the news is true! The day was beautiful, the city was quietly humming, and one had the feeling that – for this one special afternoon - everything was right in the world.
 
(I didn’t mention the midnight firecrackers in the packed churchyard the night before and the stray dog that was going out-of-his-mind barking his little head off. It would just ruin the moment.)
 
Xronia polla to all!
 
Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Enjoy gardens, parks and playgrounds

Lying in the most famous spots of Athens or tucked away in well-hidden areas, the lush gardens and parks of Athens adorn the city’s neighbourhoods and, thanks to their scenic beauty, they form oases in the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Whether you want to take a romantic stroll, relax or offer your children a pleasant environment to play, the gardens of Athens are definitely to be visited during your stay in the Greek capital!

Visit Athens National Garden, an oasis in the centre of the city with more than 500 different species of plants, trees, birds and animals; home to the Botanical Museum, a zoo, a pond, a playground, a children’s library, a traditional café as well as scattered ancient monuments and statues. Walk along Pedio Areos, the biggest park in Athens, recently fully restored, an ideal place for walking, relaxing or having fun! Don’t forget to visit Thissio Park, the south-westernmost part of the Ancient Agora archaeological site, a favourite spot of the locals and one of the most frequented city places!

Have the most breathtaking views over Athens

Thanks to its rich morphology Athens has plenty of places where you can admire stunning panoramic views of the city. Romantic or not, let yourself be captivated by the Athenian cityscape as seen from above. Must “view” locations include Lycabettus Hill, Filopappou Hill, Kaisariani Monastery, Anafiotika in Plaka, Profitis Elias in Piraeus and Damari in Petroupoli.

Discover The Athens Riviera

You don't need to get on a ferry to escape the bustle of the Greek capital: take a short bus ride and you'll find superb local beaches along the sheltered Saronic Gulf stretching from the southern suburbs of Athens to the southernmost point of Attica, Cape Sounio. Just 10 miles south of the city –typically a 30-40 minute drive– you will find a place where urban sprawl gives way to an idyllic palm fringed setting.

Take the opportunity to swim, relax at a waterfront café, walk along the picture-perfect pedestrian streets and the marinas, exercise your favourite water sport, shop in one of the area’s modern shopping centres, dine by the sea or entertain yourself in one of the coastal avenue’s buzzing clubs.


To read more, please see visitgreece.gr

“That’s a good thing, don’t worry!” laughed my Greek friend over coffee that evening. “You helped her, she thought you were beautiful for doing this so she gives you a negative symbol to ward off any jealousy that may come to you as a result of your kind nature.” It was the first time I’d heard that being spat was a compliment—first time for everything I guess.

“Hadn’t we better order another coffee?” I enquired. My Greek friend snorted and patted my knee.

“No need. We can sit here for three hours with just one cup if we so require” my friend patted my knee reassuringly. I glanced around: the middle-aged couple in the corner had been there when we came in, over an hour ago, and I’d not seen the waiter approach them once. That was another difference: people spending hours relaxing over coffee with no pressure to buy, buy, buy.

Greece isn’t just full of lovely cultural differences. There are things that I still find difficult to understand or cope with, even after 4 years of living here. I’ll never understand the “no-one tells me what to do” mentality that pervades every aspect of society. Examples of this include not wearing seatbelts in the car or helmets on their heads on motorbikes. Despite the fact that these laws are made to help protect people in the event of an accident, the fact is, it’s a law hence it must be disobeyed. I always wear my seatbelt in taxis and once rode in the back of one where the driver became offended I wore it! I tried to explain it isn’t necessarily his driving I am insulting, but we have no control over other drivers, so I want to be safe! Long silence.

“You have right copella” he proclaimed in his pidgin English. “Apo pou ise?” [“where are you from?] When he found out I was British, he nodded sagely as if everything made sense. Almost an ‘Of course.’

Then there’s the smoking in bars and cafes. I’m not actually sure if people aren’t supposed to smoke in bars or not, but they do. OK, not all places allow it, but the majority do. It’s my one huge bug bearer: no matter how late I come home at night, I have to have a shower and wash my hair to wash the smoke away.

Overall I love this country. Seeing men, old and young, embracing when they meet or leave each other is refreshing…it’s natural. People know how to just ‘be’ in Greece, and this country has helped me to follow that trend. Take the rough with the smooth: soon you’ll be embracing the culture of your country and acting like a native (but I do still wear my seatbelt in cars).

By Bex (Rebecca Hall)
http://www.lifebeyondbordersblog.com/

As originally seen on: http://www.expatsblog.com/contests/402/expat-culture-shock-greece 

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