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Tired, after a long day’s work, I caught a glimpse of some people who seemed more tired than I was. Exhausted, after a day of sightseeing, the four young girls were taking a rest in a square not far from … Continue reading
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Every year, after being cold and nasty for a few days, January always gives us a first taste of the coming spring. Sunday was such a day – warm and sunny, it was a perfect day for a walk in … Continue reading
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Remember my last post? The one about how to say “please” in Greek? When being thanked, Greeks use the exact same word to say “you’re welcome.” They’re actually using a stub of the original response “Please, don’t mention it.” So … Continue reading
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Less than 40 years ago, Greece was not a free country. It was stifling in the grip of a brutal dictatorship which saw several of its citizens sent to jail for doing nothing more than voicing their opinion. The ruling … Continue reading
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Modern long before the term was coined, these striking sculptures have fascinated not only archaeologists but also artists, such as Picasso. Spare, slender, usually in a stiff upright position with arms folded across the torso, they are known as Cycladic, … Continue reading
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Under the shadow of the Acropolis, modern Atnens buzzes with activity. No matter what people do, the ancient rock is always there, visible around every other corner, the hub around everything revolves. The city still lives very much under the … Continue reading
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This is a question I hear in almost every tour. Yes it is my real name. No, it is not an alias, put on for the sake of the job (unlike tourist agencies with names like Poseidon or taverns named … Continue reading
The photos I’m posting today are not mine: the first was taken by Henri Cartier-Bresson, a French photographer, in 1953. The second was taken by Stamatis Grigoropoulos and was his entry in the photo contest organised by Atenistas, a group of volunteers … Continue reading
The dress rehearsal of the ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics. Exactly the same as the official one, minus the VIPs.
No, this is not what the ceremony looked like in ancient times. It is just an idealised version of what ancient dances might have looked like, but with a few concessions to modern aesthetics (such as the tank tops of the male dancers) and morals (in antiquity the men would have danced naked).
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On May 10th 2012, the Olympic flame was lit in what has come to be seen as a traditional and sine-qua-non ceremony of the Olympic Games. The ceremony is supposedly a reenactment of what took place every four years in … Continue reading
Aristotle, Greek tourist guide 