Let Christmas be over

This year I am already fed up and tired with all this christmas mess way before it even started. For a month now I have been bombarded with x-mas songs(the same again and again), commercials, talking about it, planning it, all this presents hunting. It paralyses all normal life.  How long can this last? 1 week, 2 weeks ok but 1/10 of the year? Please...

Tilt shift photos etudes

 

Flying

On the flight back I sat next to a very sweet couple, maybe 20 years old, who flew for the first time abroad. The guy was very excited, while his girlfriend was totally paralysed by fear. He was very caring but the girl was freaking out anyway.  And here I was explaining to the girl how safe it was to fly and that the shaking though unpleasant is not dangerous and answer million questions about flying and traveling to the guy (“what is this sound”, “my ears hurt”, “why is the plane turning like that”, “ why are we going lower and lower”). Me, who is shit scared of flying. Irony.

New discoveries

There was this street I wanted to find in Thessaloniki, in the area of Ano Poli – Mousson. This street was the background of the autobiographic novel by Antonis Sourounis “ Monopati sthn Thalassa” – story of sweet but difficult childhood in this used-to-be poor area of the city. I was so charmed that I needed to see all the places I read about. Now this cul de sac is renovated but the houses remained very small, with low ceiling and line even more towards the ground.

Although the area is very small the grid of tiny streets is quite dense so I had a problem to find it and made circles for over half an hour.

The church of ... (forgot) and the big tree under which little Antonis would make his fake lottery and play with other boys.

When searching for Mouson I found a spooky building I have never seen before:

Some other peculiar structures noticed for the first time in places I thought I knew well:

Encounters

I was happy to find some friends doing very well, healthy, some proud of recent accomplishments, some with heads full of ideas.  

I was also surprised to bump on the street to a friend I know from a different country! He was there for the film festival as the Cypriot film producer “Apo thauma”. That is how I sneeked in among the “pros”. After the screening we went for dinner with the director and a few people from the production, and I was the only person on the table not from the film industry.

Films

The 51 Thessaloniki International Film Festival was organized with a very limited budget (know first hand from those who exhibited their kiosk there). This meant a very short opening ceremony and first of all lower awards among others. But the choice of films was great (among them a review of films of Dorota Kędzięrzawska). My favourites: Mammuth (France, with Gerard Depardieu and hilarious scenes of two old guys bed and of night golf), Donkeys (Scotland), Limbo (Sweden).

About the polish director’s film: I saw one “Jestem/I am” (just because the scheduled film was cancelled, otherwise I would not  see films which I can see in Poland). The audiuence was very enthusiastic and the film was awarded with a long ovation. For me, well it was a good movie, but like so many other “polish movies” – a sad drama, about a fragile individual trapped in a lousy social background. I guess for the greek audience it was something new and fresh.

Food

This week was all about food. My favourite mpougatsa EVERY day. Illustration of the amounts I would devour: a waiter brings my order, looks at the food, me, food, me and asks doubtedly: “are you going to eat all of this by YOURSELF?”. Oh yes! And the dessert on the house :D  Mainly octopus, florina peppers and mousakas and sweets (croissant with castanas filling!) are guilty of my 2 extra kilos.

Changes

Walking the city it cannot be missed that the economy is in bad shape. Some of “my” places closed or with a “for sale” sign : cafes, taverns, shops. Many of kiosks, which are usually on every corner, closed. In most of shop windows 30, 50, 70 % discounts. The most expensive cafes in the Aristotelous square half empty. However, the spirit seems still up, at least as far as service in cafes, hotel and shops is concerned. I felt always very welcome as a customer (no wonder since I left money there).

My city

I love Thessaloniki. I was afraid how I would feel upon return. But it was so pleasant, that I walked for a week with a silly smile on my face just because I was there. And I almost cried when I was leaving. 

"Little" Thessaloniki in video

Amazing video made with a "miniature technique" that makes you think all you see is very very small
Addio Cita by Emmanuil Papadopoulos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5zVU_kqAnE

Distance

I am lucky to have made one, two real friends (on top of acquaintances, colleagues etc) in each location where I've lived for a while. One major advantage of this are no-brainer holiday destinations and free accommodation whenever I visit :P. A major disadvantage though is the distance in case of trouble. I don't take bad news very well. So when someting is wrong with a very dear person and there is not much I can do from far - I hate my long-distance friendships and just want to fly across the continent today.

Durbaszka

This weekend was for a girls-only, 3-days hiking in Pieniny. Sunny, cold weather perfect for climbing. Freed legs made such long distances that my muscles are still sore (including butt). Freed minds bursted with ideas - including a risky dairy business. It was only very far. I also had very interesting verbal encounters with utterly dumb people and total assholes- sad but entertaining.

Poland to the right, Slovakia to the left.

Szczawnica springs.

Żelazowa Wola

Went with my mother the court, where Fryderyk Chopin was born, and the museum of the composer after the recent renovation. Amazing combination of modern architecture, natural landscape and old historical buildings: simple, translucent with natural scent of wood indoors. Not pompous, not pretentious. Bravo.

B-day and (second) housewarming party

Horror

Recently I hear very disturbing stories about crime in my neighbourhood - assasinations, murders for organ trafficking... Scary to step outdoors.

Thessaloniki at home

Don't have a home in Thessaloniki, but can have Thessaloniki at home :))
A view on the Nikis street EVERY DAY :)

Orange Warsaw Festival

Went with friends yesterday, mainly for the Mika show. And it was great to sing out loud all the lyrics under the stage. I had an VIP invitation for the tribune but seems people sitting there had least fun of all so I left (my friends chose to stay, mainly for the closeness of the catering:P).
A peculiar encounter also took place. In the crowd under the stage at some point I looked up and I was standing arm in arm with a CLONE of my ex-boyfriend - same Greek features just with blue eyes. No, I did not take a picture.

In total we spent there 8 hours with a good Nelly Furtado concert at the end.

The weather NOT allowing

So the outdoor event at the outdoor lounge was a disaster as the weather was horrible, rainy, windy and freezing cold so almost noone came. So we left early.And I realised I have no picture of the dresses!

A bike trip around Łochów

We went on several bikes around villages in the area of Łochów, where my best friend's parents live. We survived both a thunderstorm and a massive attack of mosquitos.
Some places, like this shop where all is sooooo cheap, really seem 20 years backward. Not sure if it's good or bad.

A new christian

Another new christian was recently baptised - Sofia - bearing an Orthodox name since she was born in Cyprus. My present were photos from the event. My favourites follow:





These were taken by Marta:

Warsaw Rising Museum

I went today to the newest of Warsaw museums - the Warsaw Rising Museum of 1944. And I must say it's one of the best history museums I have seen. The way the 63 days of tragic fighting of civilians is show is very impressive and very moving.
Plus an amaizng 3D movie - reconsruction of the bird eye view of the bombarded city. Here is the trailer (MUST WATCH for anyone who ever has been in Warsaw). 60 years ago there was almost nothing left

Yeey

My dress rental collection (www.pozyczkiecke.blox.pl) is going to exhibit in the "hottest" place of Warsaw this summer (outdoor lounge at the river bank):))))
I was there yesterday with friends, and one of them told the owner that I have a dress rental and she invited me to bring it over next saturday. The parlour is going to move to a prime location :)

words abuse

3 words I would ban immediately as they are actually abused:

• key, in Polish "kluczowe" brrrrrr (=very important)
• project (now it's ANYTHING that someone does: a new cd, flowershop or changing tiles in your bathroom - mercy!)
• awesome - it's sooo passe.

Best icecream EVER

When I drive East of Warsaw I always stop at this small town where they make the best icecream EVER in the whole world - in Jadów. Hand made, creamy and thick.

This masterpiece is sold though in the least presentable place ever (the one in the middle):

There is nothing else interesting in the town except for the ice cream by the way.