With Love from Athens by Cristache Gheorghiu - HTML preview

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at 16 o’clock. The next day, there is not a trace

of the market; the street is as clean as a normal

one. During these days, however, on the street,

there are no cars, stalls are stringed on both

sides, and the space between them is so crowded

that you hardly can walk. The noise is incredible,

because the most sellers do advertise of their

products with voices of trumpet. And do not

cease a moment. Well, these people need to

mount and dismantle the stalls, to expose the

product, to gather what was not sold and to

carry everything home or in a deposit. Many of

them will resume the working the next day, in

another market. There is need of much will and

energy for an activity so intense; a few people

have such resources.

* *

*

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Less than a hundred metres from our house, the

sidewalk of the street stretches a little and

creates enough space for two benches. Behind,

there are some trees, so the place is excellent

for rest or reading.

A little further, there are many places of

relaxation, inside or outside of parks. I do not

think if I must talk about parks or a single one,

fragmented by some streets. In fact, it is not

important. You just need good legs, because

everything is on downhill, sometimes very sharp.

* *

*

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I was walking with my wife on a street in Athens.

At a narrow place, a young cute young lady

granted us priority, we being much older than

she. We make sign her to pass first; maybe she

was in a hurry; we were just walking. The entire

scene lasted no more than three seconds. Enough

for a "gentleman" of 25-30 years old to take the

opportunity and move among us. The happening is

almost characteristic for the psychology and

education of Greeks from today. Who said that

Greece is a country of contrast does not know

how right it was.

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Friday, December 23, 2011

Buses and trolley buses are very good and, more

importantly, exceptionally maintained. It is strict

necessarily through the crowded streets of

Athens. Besides, the slopes are incredible, there

are cars on the both sizes, and so the traffic is

very difficult.

I found out with the help of the Internet that

buses are manufactured in Poland. The firm,

called "Solaris Bus & Coach", has its

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headquartered in Bolechów near Poznan, produces

only since 1996, but had a fast development, due

to the quality of production. It is a family-owned

company; Solange and Krzysztof Olszewscy are

its owners. I assume that the license was

purchased or they are in a combination. Because

the buses are called "Solaris Urbino", I thought

that the Italian city could have a connection with

it. I know that Raphael and Pope Clement XI

were born there, that the town had a important

role during the Italian Renaissance, but I don't

know to have any connection with the

manufacture of buses. Maybe the idea of urban

has suggested them the term "urbino".

Regardless it would be, I can only to admire them

for what they have accomplished. Here's that it

is possible. In Poland.

Returning to the streets of Athens, almost

overall there are cars parked on both sides of

the roadway. Excepted are only the major

boulevards and only in the downtown area. A good

position, in the vicinity of the house, is not

abandoned but for some important needs;

otherwise the car stay there day after day.

Consequently, it is hard to find a place for

parking, even at the periphery.

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Motorists must drive extremely prudent in

narrow available lane and, from where, something

could occur at any time. Acts of bravery, as well

as speed mania are excluded. Motorcyclists,

instead, are to be admired for equilibristic what

they do among the cars.

In my view, in modern cities it would be prohibit

building apartments at the ground floor. They

are unhealthy and, in addition, the space would be

better exploited by pedestrian zones, shops,

garages, etc.

* *

*

Yesterday I saw for the first time laundry

stretched out to dry on the balcony on the first

floor of a house with three floors. The landscape

was unique; in thousands of balconies under which

I passed so far, I did not seen than flowers and,

possibly, a small table with one or two chairs. In

the back of most apartments there is a balcony,

where people can carry out household activities,

including dry washed laundry. The mystery of

that balcony was raised immediately: a mother

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called her child; she was not Greek. Of course,

she is not guilty; she has not another possibility.

The owner’s avarice made him to rent a space

inadequate for a family.

Speaking about the flowers. Perhaps the rocky

and dry landscape has stimulated the Greeks

concern for vegetation. I nowhere saw so much

vegetation in a city. Almost all balconies have

flowers, bushes and even some small shrubs.

Trees are to find on most streets. It seems that

the heat of summer is not favourable for many of

the flowers. But now, in December, their flavour

is a true spectacle, and the contrast with the

intense green of the leaves makes it even more

beauty.

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

After two wet days and one with a true thunder-

rain, the vegetation reborn, as it does in the

spring. Even the hills, which point the Athenian

landscape, are green now. I was used with their

grey-violet colour, characteristic for semi-

desert areas. The raw-green that it has got now

surprise me and gives the feeling I am elsewhere

or in another season and not in Athens, on

Christmas Eve. The bushes in front of the houses

have flourished again. And there are many!

In front of the building across the street, a rose

penetrated among the mandarins. It is not a

trick; just a happy random. A shrub, planted

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under the tree, put forth a branch up to the

height of the crown. My wife said that the

mandarin tree has put a rose in its hair.

The streets are full here of mandarins, oranges,

lemons, so that their association is not even a

surprise. I took the photo in the evening, with

the flash, in order to focus the light on the

subject and not on the building behind; the

evening is part of the day, eh?

On some streets with little traffic, the border

of the sidewalk has been erected with 50-70 cm,

they brought earth and vegetation, including

trees. They renounced to one of the sidewalks.

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Hot summer weather likely was at the basis of

this true worship of natives for vegetation. Let’s

not forget that, on the flag the majority of Arab

countries, the green colour is predominant, as

evidence of their willingness to what, naturally,

miss from their landscapes. But here, city on the

rocks is now full with vegetation.

This is winter in Athens".

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Sunday, December 25, 2011

There is not a Christmas

tree.

It is a tree on a street in

Christmas Eve.

Its flowers are yellow.

Last night, on Christmas Eve, I saw at the TV a

show given by a Russian male choir, with soloists

and

Orchestra.

Good

show,

excellent

interpreters. All were dressed in Soviet military

clothes. Both the beginning and the end were

marked by the anthem of the former U.S.S.R.

I stopped on this programme, because, opening

the TV set, they was singing "Va, pensiero"

(Chorus of the Hebrew Slave) from "Nabucco” by

Verdi. They have continued with the most known

popular Russian songs, like Kalinka, excellent

interpreted, but also with some other from

international repertoire of the large circulation

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("O sole mio" etc.), less felt by the soloists, the

majority elder enough.

In the meantime, I searched on the Internet and

I found multiple records on "YouTube" where I

recognized them. What surprised me was its

title: "Red Army Choir". Under this logo and flag,

they may operate in every corner of the world,

as representatives of the red colour. Red as

blood! I did not know the Greeks to be hungry of

blood. Why they support this propaganda? I do

not know and I would like not to learn.

Last night also I saw as well another show, this

time a Greek one, with an orchestra of

professionals, a chorus of children and soloists,

including children. Greek music hundred percent!

I was surprised by the children’s endurance; they

stayed on stage more than two hours – maybe

with a break in the middle – and remained active

to the end in all the songs. The songs were also

very well. This time, I was entirely satisfied.

Because I do not understand Greek language, I

watch the TV shows and music. I am particularly

interested in Greek music and I must confess

that its variety and originality is impressive.

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Here is a people who has kept almost unspoiled

its preferences. They managed this, because

they are patriots, but also because they

cultivated their music. There are numerous

shows, with many professional performers, but

also with equally many children, connoisseurs of

the numerous songs. They interpret perfectly,

sometimes without conductor, although the

assembly is quite large. Composers-performers

are also numerous, some very talented and –

especially – original. Soloists singing with

accompaniment – pre-recorded - common in

Romania – I do not remember to ever seen here.

The Balkan Peninsula was not a space conducive

to movement - due to the mountains – but very

good for hiding. This, perhaps, explains the

specific of different ethnicities, but also their

disputes. Karst regions have allowed the

formation of separate ethnic entities on small

territories.

There is no much rift between popular music,

classical and light.

Many of their shows, maybe the best, are made

in the form of a common table, with the occasion

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of celebrating an event, or just simulating one.

Anyway, there always is a central character. The

table companions are singers, artists, composers,

dancers, in number of 20-30. All the

participants, one after another, come forward

and interpret one-or-two songs. The shows last

several hours, during which they sing dozens of

songs. Not only the soloist, but all participants

know perfectly the compositions, including words.

They sing along the soloist. Because they are

Greeks, between songs, they must speak,

sometimes even too much. I don't know what

they say, but the atmosphere is cheerful.

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Munday, December 26, 2011

It is said that, in Byzantine iconography, the

characters are styled after certain rules, with

the aim of suggesting to the viewer a religious

subject and not a portrait, more or less good, of

certain persons. It is true and not too.

Byzantine iconography is Greek. The long and thin

nose is not a stylisation, but a faithful rendering

of the characteristic feature of Greek women. If

the ancients have sought the perfect model from

aesthetical point of view, eluding the reality, the

Byzantines rendered the reality as it is. As the

Italians have forgotten classical Latin and had

adopted the vulgar language, becoming now the

Italian language, used by everyone regardless of

the cultural degree, the Greeks have given up

looking for aesthetic ideal solutions, and have

rendered with their skill real human faces. The

both of them, with the elites liquidated by the

barbarians were restored spiritually, starting

from zero.

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Orthodox religious music is on the same

coordinates. It is to be found in some popular sad

Greek songs, sung even today.

I would say that what has happened to the

Greeks can be taken as an example of failure in

provincialism, because, for almost two millennia,

they did not have a capital. Passing over the

stupid arrogance of those who use it, the

pejorative meaning of the term 'provincial' and

its derivatives, though positive in the past, has

today a significance well specified: a weak

adaptation to the requirements of the modern

world, awkwardness, naiveté. Romania has a

capital, but felt into the provincialism, after the

Soviets beheaded its intelligentsia. Interesting

is that the original Latin word was designating

something of good quality, because the products

coming in Rome from the provinces were well

selected, unlike the improvisations of local

craftsmen.

* *

*

First, it seemed that the Greeks do not grant too

high importance to the Christmas, but prepare

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themselves more for the New Year, instead. I

received even an explanation. Many of our

Christmas customs are of Germanic origin, which

the Greeks reject vehemently. This does not

mean that they do not grant importance to

Christmas. The true is that enjoy, occasioned by

the New Year, is much greater. In this period, on

the front of some buildings, they have put big

dolls suggesting a Santa Claus climbing to bring

gifts to the children.

* *

*

In Greece, I expected to eat fish and mutton. Pig

is not recommended in areas with warm climate. I

like fish; sheep do not dislike me, but I would not

support it more than once a week. The reality is

not only different, but almost the opposite.

Fresh fish is rare and very expensive. In

addition, I am not always sure that it is truly

fresh and not just freshly thawed. Sheep – it is

right that I was not looking for it - but it neither

jumped in my eyes. About pork instead, you can

say that is found on all roads, because the smell

of barbecue feels on most streets at evening

time. Obviously there are lots in stores. I could

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look for a cause, but it means to enter the

politics again and it already annoys me, so I

abandon the subject. It seems that Greeks, since

they prosper without limit, they neglect their

own interest. I no longer wonder for the great

number of over-obese people.

It is true that Greek population lived in hard

conditions in the past. Now, some Greek women,

after they known the welfare as a result the aids

from abroad, cannot pull along their own ass so

fat that it is.

* *

*

It is a rarity when, in the sky of Athens, a cloud

appears. Even though in close Europe's areas it

rained just abundant, in Attic Peninsula,

particularly its southern part, the sun shines

almost

uninterrupted.

But

behold,

the

unpredictable happened; I thought that, within

half an hour, it would rain. But several hours

passed and the cloud was still there, close to the

sun, but not covering it. The sun moved across

the sky as if he wanted to hide behind the cloud,

but failed, because the cloud retired with the

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same speed. At dusk they both disappeared; it

was not about to rain.

I think that such phenomena have influenced the

mentality of its inhabitants: they are confident

in their fate. Even if those around Athens suffer

of some troubles, they know they are protected

and nothing unpleasant will happen to them. Some

of them are more than confident; Thy give

themselves airs.