I'm moving out soon

One of the things most Greeks wished they hadn't done, is to buy a house.

The joke "be nice or I'll transfer a house into your name" is so characteristic if you consider that taxes on ownership increased by 422% during the last three years.

At the same time, electricity got very expensive leading 30.000 families to cut the electricity connection or move to smaller houses.

Fortunately, I'm in the second category. Recently, I rented my flat and now I'm trying to find another one to move in.

I'm not complaining. It is so difficult to rent your flat nowdays in Athens. There are so many empty apartments as people in their 30s and 40s have to move in with room mates or even worse with their parents, after losing their jobs, getting paid with three-four hundreds of euros or even not getting paid at all for their work.

Economic crisis kills flowers

One of my favorite things to do when I'm home is to go out on my tiny balcony and look down on the street. I live on Skoufa street which is one of the most commercial streets in Athens.

The view is not majestic but it is definitely assuring that everything is still in place. Part of that assurance is Kostas on the opposite corner! No matter if it's cold or hot,rainy or snowy he stands behind his bench selling flowers from early in the morning 'till late in the evening.

But who buys flowers now days in Athens? "Almost no one" he answers. " Thanks god I still have some old customers. It's the hardest time ever. I can't even pay my rent. How am I supposed to live my family?" he wonders.

Kostas is a hard-working man and father of a 14-year-old boy. Last year his son didn't want to go back to school because his clothes were old and worn. He feels embarrassed for not being able to do much for his child.

" It has never been easy but the last couple of years is a nightmare" he says. "Last year we moved into a smaller basement apartment and still we can hardly make it. Look around! There's no people on the streets anymore. To whom am I supposed to sell flowers?".

It is estimated that comparing to last year, the sales of flowers have slipped down nearly 40%. This has to do not only with the wage cut in Greece but with bad psychology as well. When it smells like the worst is yet to come who cares to smell roses?

... I do!!! So I took a visit to one of the most beautiful florists in town.

Antonello is also located on Skoufa street and it's only a five minutes' walk from my house. As you can see the sign is still broken and has the marks of the stones thrown by anarchists during a recent demonstration. The window is new though. Actually Antonello's people change the shop window every week presenting different kind of flowers and authentic artistic inspiration. Stepping in though is what really makes the difference!

It smells like paradise!

Euro or drachma?

Although the talk about Eurozone's future never closed since economic crisis hit Greece, after the case of Cyprus it has never been hotter.

NO MORE SAVIOR, Panepistimiou st.

In last year's elections in Greece, the dilemma "euro or drachma" was crucial and determined the outcome.

In the main opposite party Syriza there are many voices against Eurozone and that scared away many voters who wouldn't take such a risk.

Today though, less than a year later, things don't seem to be like that.

BEST DRACHMA AND BROKE DESPITE EURO AND SLAVES, Panepistimiou st

People are so tired of all european savior. No one believes anymore that sacrifices will make things better.

In contrast, people talk about scary scenarios and worse days in the near future.

Currently, according to a research published in Ethnos newspaper,Syriza is ahead with a 0.1 point lead which means that the left wing Alexis Tsipras (below depicted as Mao) is possibly the next Prime Minister of Greece.

At the same time, it's very impressive that the 48% of Syriza's voters are against euro and want Greece to go back to drachma.

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original greek products

Is there anyone who still haven't tried greek olives?

If so, you really don't know what you're missing!
Especially when we talk about the Kalamon olives that Anna and Thania carefully choose and then, using an old greek recipe, turn into a unique aromatic product.

I tried it yesterday, at the 6th Annual Exhibition of Laconic Products that takes place these days in Syntagma Metro Station, and absolutely loved it!

Going against the economic crisis Anna (right) and her sister did exactly the opposite of what most people do: they both left their jobs and started their own business.

"We wanted to deal with something more natural, traditional and authentic" tells me Anna. "We established the "Selesia Green" company a year ago in order to promote laconic products we both love. We taste everything and use only the best olives, olive oil and honey".

Laconia is in Peloponnese and its capital is Sparta that gave birth to the brave 300 of Leonidas. "We borrowed the name of Selesia village which is close to Sparta. We visited this place once and fell in love with people, food and nature. Everything's still so pure" says Thania (below).

www.selesiagreen.gr/en/

" This vase of bulbs costs 10euros. It's very tiring getting them off the ground. My hands always hurt. Ι have to use a hoe. After picking them up, I put the bulbs in balsamic, add water and salt and they are ready. If you pure some oil it's delicious. Ι also sell chamomile, sage, tea and various spices I pick up myself from mountain Parnon". Eleni, Kalithea village, Sparta

Just beyond, Dimitris (in the middle) sells pasteli, a greek delicacy made of sesame and honey. "It's a recipe my family use for over a century. My great-great grand father started serving pasteli in the traditional coffee shop that my father runs today. I decided to introduce it to the market. Everyone loves it".
Dimitris Tritakis, Agios Nicolaos, Sparta
dtritakis@gmail.com

Handmade pasta and lalagia (crispy fried dough strips with cinnamon and cloves)

salt pork and sausages from Mani

handmade diples by Maria Kamarinou from beautiful Monemvasia

Students protest against the Athena project (again)

Students were back on the streets today, protesting again against the governmental plans for public education.

"No to the Athena project"

The police removed the protesters from the piece of road Queen Amalia in front of the House as their voice is always annoying to the politicians.
Some got ready for trouble.

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Police special forces occupied this piece of the street...

...and one more demonstration ended with not word to all these young people who protest for their future.

"With resistance and mass struggle Athena project will be overturned"

"No to the policy that want us tinder to their brazier"

At the Benaki Museum: "9 Lumen", Yiannis Adamakos

When most things seem to go wrong, art is the only guaranteed way out .

Located on 138, Piraeus street, the cultural center of the Benaki Museum is one of the most important places of art in Greece.

It is housed in an old factory that was totally reconstructed but still keeps its original industrial character.

Piraeus street was one of the first places of industry units' mass location. The industrialization of the area took place during the years 1880- 1922.

The main reasons of this choice were the low cost of land, the position of the street as it connects Athens to Piraeus and of course the water of the Kifissos river located nearby that many factories used.

The first signs of the crisis in the industrial production of the country appeared in the 1970s.

Unfortunately, the development policy failed to rescue the thousands of jobs lost between 1981-1991. The industries on Piraeus street closed one after the other and remained abandoned for many years after.

The establishment of the Cultural Center of the Benaki Museum on Piraeus street was a big step to development for the whole place.

The entire building occupies an area of ​​8,200 sq.m. with underground 2,800 sq.m. atrium and 850 m The fairgrounds cover an area 3,000 square meters, the auditorium has a capacity of 300 people, and there are rooms that host the services of the Museum.

Temporary exhibitions and various artistic activities, music and dance performances, lectures and presentations are hosted in this highly prestigious industrial building.

Externally, dominates the red of iranian stone. The premises of this introverted building develop around the atrium in the center of the interior.

But we'd better get inside!

Three different exhibitions are hosted currently.

This time, I chose to visit the exhibition of paintings by Yiannis Adamakos.

Iron and glass dominate the interior. As you can see, fairgrounds surround the atrium.

Please, follow me.

Here we are!

"9 Lumen" -YIANNIS ADAMAKOS

The Benaki Museum is open:
Thursday, Sunday: 10:00 to 18:00
Friday, Saturday: 10:00 to 22:00