Eating in the street - and failing

This Sunday past, a group decided to organise a lunch street party in Athens.





It seemed like a good idea and I hadn't been out and about in such a long time - being depressed and all. I decided it was time I forced myself to do something. I cooked my famous brownies and experimented with iranian rice using this recipe. I put it all in containers, bundled up very well - because it's cold here for a change! -, dragged a friend along and went to the meeting point for the lunch street party.

Unfortunately it had poured with rain in the morning, during the time the team was going to set up the tables and sound system, and it had been cancelled till a later date. However they found a large indoor space those of us who did show up could use to hold our improptu dinner party. So we ate all sorts of homecooked food, didn't drink as much wine as we would have liked (because we seemed to have forgot to bring enough), saw familiar faces (there's only so many people in Athens who go to things like this) and met new people.

All in all it was an interesting experience, but would have been much more fun if it were held outside. So I'll just keep my eyes open for when the next lunch street party is organised.

What I did for Christmas

The Christmas holidays are well and truly over, and the countdown to Easter has begun. So I guess it's time to recap what I've been up to (since I'm too lazy to actually update while I'm doing them).

Christmas day we (my parents, my sister, my aunt and I) went to my grandmother's for a christmas dinner of lamb - my grandmother doesn't like turkey much. Boxing day we (my sister and I) went to my parents' for a traditional english christmas dinner. Not very exciting stuff. But my father did get me a great present. He got me an olympus digital pancake lens. Lovely, no? I think I'm in love with my pancake lens. I may never use another one again... (Unless I save up for a 28mm.)

And then I went to Vienna for five days! We (my sister, a couple of friends and I) left it for last minute - as is per the usual for us- so we ended up booking a package trip. Which meant we got to stay in a fancy four star hotel! Being the geeks that we are, we got up early (by holiday standards) each morning and spent all day walking and visiting museums and art galleries. After that we collapsed into bed early (by holiday standards) and never even got a peak at the night-life. Except for New Years Eve. I must say that New Years Eve in Vienna was very much like Anastasi (Easter) in Athens. We stood by a big church and watched youths set of fireworks and firecrackers.
Vienna was fun as a trip, but a bit dull as a city (sorry all you possible Austrian readers). Never-the-less I took a ton of pictures - which I'm still sorting through and fixing up.
Just a little taster.


As soon as I got home, I got sick. Over-exertion will do that to a person. I have spent the whole last week feel tired and poorly, and occasionally running a fever. I'm better now, I think.

Putting up lights

It's finally got cold here. Not very cold, but cold enough to feel a bit wintery. It's been raining all day today and I suddenly got the urge to make our house a bit christmassy. Unfortunately we don't have much by way of decorations. I scrounged up all the lights we've been gifted over the years and some left over ribbons and twigs. And now our house is much brighter, but my sister is not amused. She thinks it looks like a circus.
Whatever. I like lights!

my room





living room

6th of December 2009

It's a year later. We may have a different government (finally!), but we still have the same police force and no one has forgotten.

I went to the midday march in memory and (eternal) protest. I must say that I was pleasantly amazed by the amount of people that showed up despite the atmosphere of intimidation the police have been trying to enforce. I managed to conclude the march and return home unscathed, after inhaling only the requisite amount of teargas. I must say that this new teargas (bought from Israel I heard) is much better than the last. It doesn't sting nearly as much and it clears from the air in only a fraction of the time the old stuff used to. God job to the Israelis!

After I left, all hell broke loose.

My very first cake!

Remember the cake I was talking about yesterday? I finished it. It turned out rather messy, but it tasted fine! I'm very happy. I foresee a cake filled future for me. Just as soon as I get 1. some round cake tins 2. a cake tray 3. a spatula.

ps. Notice my crazy 70s kitchen tiles! I have similar style (but blue of course) in the bathroom. Hooray for old-fashioned tiles!

I'm still alive, barely

It's been ages since I've felt up to posting. I spent most of the summer depressed, annoyed and tired. Even my holidays turned out to be a tiring and at times frustrating hike through the greek islands. I had never been to so many islands over a three-week period! I had never taken so many consecutive boats and buses during such a short period. I had never had so many things go wrong!

So when september came I was anything but rested. September and October I passed the time being largely blue.

So that's what I've been up to. Not very interesting and not much fun.

And today is my sister's birthday and I'm baking my first cake! There is so much room for thing going terribly wrong! I have so far baked the cake that looks ok, even though it's rectangular. I didn't have a round cake tin. I just realised I don't have a large dish to put my weird square cake in! I should pop to the supermarket to see if I can find anything. And then I have to glaze it! The glaze is setting in the fridge.

Cracked Amphoree in Loutraki

The week-end that past I went to Loutraki. Loutraki is a small sea-side town very near Athens famous for it's spring water (which the rest of Greece buys in bottles), it's therapeutic spas (actually I found most of them closed, what a waste!) and recently, it's casino.

I was rather disappointed. For some reason I had imagined Loutraki to be the Greek equivalent of Bath in the UK. It turned out to be more similar to Blackpool. And even then far uglier. Not a fancy hotel or old stately building in sight! Everything was tall utilitarian modern blocks...

However I had a good time. It's the company, not the location, that's most important. And I was in good company. I swam, I ate, I took photos and caught up with friends. All in all a worthwhile trip.

However, on the way to a nearby monastery I came across this little gem:



Ironic Post-Modernism in the greek countryside? It brought to mind this iconic building: