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Thursday, 31 January 2008
"Rakomelo" and Guinness
Last night was fun. I got together with friends and we went to a 'Rakomeladiko'. This is in general a place that serves a drink called 'Rakomelo' (Ρακόμελο) together with food to share (Mezedes (Μεζέδες) or Tapas). Rakomelo is a warm infusion of Honey and an alchoholic drink called Raki (Ρακη). Its ideal for drinking on a cool winter night while sitting outside under a gas heater. We've done this sort of thing many times before, the twist to the night (and its this sort of things that keeps Athens city centre always exciting and fresh) is that after consuming copious amounts of food and drink and while on the way home we stumbled across an Irish Pub. Purely out of curiosity we went in for a quick pint and that quickly turned into more as we reminisced the good all days.
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Sunday, 27 January 2008
Athens and Me, Then and Now
Athens is the capital city of Greece. The history of Athens is one of the oldest of cities in the world, built around the Acropolis and inhabited for over 3000 years. In ancient times philosophers and scientists alike set many of the foundations of modern western society.
But times have changed. Athens is now a typical densely populated western world city with its traffic congestion and pollution problems. Day time work rush and notable night life. As a mater of fact it has been characterised as a city that never sleeps. Unsurprising given habitants will stretch a night out into the early hours of the morning. Restaurants, taverns, music, bars, and clubs. Cosmopolitan areas, mainstream fun, alternative scenes. Indeed, rich as is the history of the place, we live in the now, and the blog is dedicated the Athens of the 21st century.
Though I was raised in Athens, I never got to know it as a child. I went to study abroad as soon as I finished school, in Manchester, a city that I came to love and which I left with a heavy heart. I came back to Athens two years ago to perform my national service obligations and have only started to explore the secrets of the city in the past year that I have been living here. The secrets of a city whose inhabitants and their choices in lifestyle seemed and seem mad to me (having done my social development in the UK). So under no circumstances would I suggest that I know of the city or its people well. My intention is to share my findings and have others share their insights into this crazy city through this blog.
But times have changed. Athens is now a typical densely populated western world city with its traffic congestion and pollution problems. Day time work rush and notable night life. As a mater of fact it has been characterised as a city that never sleeps. Unsurprising given habitants will stretch a night out into the early hours of the morning. Restaurants, taverns, music, bars, and clubs. Cosmopolitan areas, mainstream fun, alternative scenes. Indeed, rich as is the history of the place, we live in the now, and the blog is dedicated the Athens of the 21st century.
Though I was raised in Athens, I never got to know it as a child. I went to study abroad as soon as I finished school, in Manchester, a city that I came to love and which I left with a heavy heart. I came back to Athens two years ago to perform my national service obligations and have only started to explore the secrets of the city in the past year that I have been living here. The secrets of a city whose inhabitants and their choices in lifestyle seemed and seem mad to me (having done my social development in the UK). So under no circumstances would I suggest that I know of the city or its people well. My intention is to share my findings and have others share their insights into this crazy city through this blog.
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