Last Final!!

Last final on the last day of finals week...

time to celebrate!

My favorite tuna salad and Chuck's spaghetti...and two glasses of wine, parakalo!
Only at Ciao's in Pangrati

And, one of my favorite flowers - the bougainvillea - are celebrating, too.

How lovely.

Friday Walk-About - Spring Break Edition

We had planned on checking out a museum or two today on our last weekday of Spring Break, but no luck - they were all closed for Easter, apparently. So we had a nice walk about in the sunshine. Don't be fooled, though...there was snow in the mountains and a bitter cold wind was whipping through Athens this morning.

we discovered this interesting statue of sorts by the National Art Gallery

and this most interesting modern art by the plethora of embassies near Kolonaki (oh, and we found the TGI Fridays!)

Then we wandered back towards our favorite neighborhood, walked around, found some excellent gyros, and walked some more.

we sat and enjoyed the scenery and sunshine in the Thissio neighborhood - Chuck snapped a few pics

After a brief conversation with an older gentleman who wanted to tell us that he remembered the time when it was free to get onto the Acropolis, we decided to walk some more. It was getting warmer, so we headed back into the Plaka, and sat in the sun enjoying cocktails. Finally giving up our table, we ventured into some clothing stores despite the cling-on sales people and found a couple of fun additions to my limited wardrobe. Then we made our way into a wonderful art gallery and found this:

a wonderful painting of the Plaka neighborhood right off the ancient Roman Agora;
the church is one we have visited several times

Then we decided to try a new taverna - the sign stated it was the "most traditional taverna," and they weren't lying! We didn't order from a menu, but the server brought a bunch of dishes for us to choose from on a large tray. We chose meatballs in a delish tomato sauce, gigantic beans, salad (of course), and spicy cheese spread for our bread. Bring on the wine!

now, THIS is good, authentic Greek food!

this was the view from the second floor of our restaurant - the bells were ringing...

and people were coming and gathering - a lot of them, and they just kept coming!

Random Pics...and a few favorities

Chuck at his desk enjoying a lax schedule during Spring Break

a fun pic from one of our walk-abouts...this is somewhere in Kolonaki

Mmmm...Greek coffee

in the briki...Chuck is practicing making the
perfect Greek coffee for us

another fun sketch from the resident artist, Mr. Foltz - this was a little Mini sitting in front of the CYA buildings

love to see this on a test!

Just a few more weeks to go...

at our favorite taverna - Maiandros!

and our favorite band!

cats everywhere!

Yummies over at Kekko's...damn, we will miss those friends there!
(and, I am not talking about the sweets!)

these are so yummy...I can't even describe it!

At the Sea Front (+ Understanding Various Eating Establishments)

Just enjoy these pics of the picturesque waterfront of Thessaloniki.

It is pretty awesome...even if there wasn't a lot of sunshine.

see the rowers?

when it is hot, I'm sure the little ones (and those young at heart) must love to run
through the fountains

this is a very cool piece of art incorporating umbrellas - love it!

you can see the port in the distance

yes, those gentlemen are fishing

some of these are hotels, but most are apartments
on the street level, however, there is cafe after cafe with lots of outdoor seating

Since I mentioned cafes, I'll take a minute to explain the important differences between eating establishments here in Greece:

Bakery or Sweet Shop - offering sweets only seen in your dreams, most larger bakeries also offer coffee or other beverages and may have a small seating area (mostly outside).

Stand - this can be a gyro stand, a hot dog or burger stand, or a crepe stand; most times they have a small seating area and offer drinks such as soft drinks and water. These are often your cheapest choice for incredible food. (The best hot dog I have ever had was one we had in Thessaloniki! Amazing!) A lot of times these small places will deliver, too - which is pretty awesome.

Fast Food Joint - not many of these, but we liked Goody's. Serving typical fast food Greek-style for cheap, we only had 'filter' coffee (which they consider American). However, with our coffees we got two cheese pies for free - wow! There is a McD's just off Syntagma, but mostly I've seen people having coffee and smoking (just like everywhere else!) - their prices are American prices, too...not too appealing to Athenians.

Cafe (or kaf-en-eo) - a small (or sometimes bigger) restaurant that serves coffee drinks and snacks (or small plates) like cheese pie, cookies or pastries, yogurt and honey, or sometimes small sandwiches.

Bar - coffee, beer, wine, and hard alcohol are available at bars. Sometimes snacks, but not usually. Although, there is always a snacky-type of thing offered, such as peanuts. Interestingly, ouzo is such a strong drink, there is always the option of ouzo + snack because anyone who drinks ouzo on an empty  stomach is in trouble before they even know it. (Drunkenness is highly discouraged and frowned upon in Greece where self-control in all things is highly prized.)

Taverna - a type of restaurant that serves food 'family style' with portions intended to share. You can get everything from a coffee and snack (see cafe) to a full family meal at a taverna. The only hitch is that most of them, especially in small towns, open quite late (some 7 or later) for the Greek-style later dinner 'hour' (unless you are in a high tourist area, then they are open for lunch). Typically it is expected that you will spend a substantial amount of time there not just eating but socializing, as well. They oftentimes will offer a dessert or 'digestive' aperitif gratis for your patronage. Tavernas often have similar menus offering souvlaki and gyros (of course), and mousaka, sausage kebabs, different types of salads along with Greek salad (obviously), burgers and meatballs, spaghetti, and specialty dishes cooked in 'pots' (like casseroles or stews). Fish and seafood is always on the menu, as well as desserts/sweets. Beverages, besides coffee, include beer, wine, ouzo, and sometimes other hard liquors.

Restaurant - sit down type of eating establishment of which Americans are well accustomed, usually more expensive. Many still do serve 'family style' though, for sharing. This seems to be a rather new addition to Greek culture, in my observation.

jellies!

This walk along the sea front has been my most relaxing and enjoyable time in Greece. It was pretty cold, and I was in a heavy coat, but so very worth it. The promenade goes for miles along the water and you can even rent bikes to ride in the marked bike path. It must be heavenly in the warmer temperatures.

Walk-About Thessaloniki

yeah...now I have your attention!
This town has more sweet shops than...well, I don't know where!
Actually, all the places we have been are well-populated with sweet shops and bakeries...
it is a wonder that obesity is not an issue in this country!

Happy Birthday, Kyle! Aristotle wished him a happy day, as well
(he's the statue in the background)
It is good to be 20.

this was a cool square that fronted onto the sea - beautiful! 

yes, I would like a Paloma, parakalw

we are homesick - our favorite restaurant is the TGI Fridays where we enjoyed real hamburgers and food with some kick
(the wait staff was surprised that I ordered the 'Brave Texan" burger with jalapenos...haha! Yummy!)
Look closely at this place mat - headers in English, text in Greek! 

*shaking head*
I have no words for this.
All I can hear is Alex Michael laughing...

I think my coffee addiction has doubled...

the famous and iconic White Tower of Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη [θesaloˈnici], also known as Thessalonica or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Greek Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace. Its honorific title is Συμπρωτεύουσα (Symprotévousa), literally "co-capital", and stands as a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or "co-reigning" city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople.

The Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area extends over an area of 1,455.62 km2 (562.02 sq mi) and its population in 2011 reached a total of 1,104,460 inhabitants. Thessaloniki is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political center, and a major transportation hub for the rest of southeastern Europe; its commercial port is also of great importance for Greece and the southeastern European hinterland. The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general, and is considered to be Greece's cultural capital. Events such as the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually, while the city also hosts the largest bi-annual meeting of the Greek diaspora.

Founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, Thessaloniki's history spans some 2,300 years. An important metropolis by the Roman period, Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. Thessaloniki is home to numerous notable Byzantine monuments, including the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as several Roman, Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish structures. The city's main university, Aristotle University, is the largest in Greece and the Balkans.

Thessaloniki is a popular tourist destination in Greece. For 2013 National Geographic Magazine included Thessaloniki in its top tourist destinations worldwide, while in 2014 Financial Times FDI magazine (Foreign Direct Investments) declared Thessaloniki as the best mid-sized European city of the future for human capital and lifestyle. ~wiki