Papandreou Forever

Today is Euro-election day.

Here the polling box is open from 7 AM to 7 PM, but the general interest seems to be low.

These are the posters that I saw a few years ago.



I don't think I have to explain to you who is he, but I tell you just in case: Andreas Papandreou.

Andreas is the father of the current PASOK leader George Papandreou, and he was one of the most important - for good or bad depending of yor point of view - politicians of the 20th century Greece: he was the prime minister from 1974 to 1996.

He did a great job in certain things, but did also some damages. Most of all his 'Socialism' created the big deficit in state finance and developped in Greek people an unhealthy dependency in public money. I think it is fare to say he is a controversial figure.

It shows even in this poster. PASOK's logo is hidden in the corner of left down below.

On my part, I was slightly took a back to his ghost again. :)

Nostalgic Athens

Comparing to other European capitals, Athens does not have shining beauty that one can perceive on the first look. At least, it was my first impression of Athens, when I visited here more than 10 years ago. Look Rome or Paris, or even London or Lisbon, it is difficult not to be impressed by the beauty and the historical and cultural heritage they possess. There is no or little orderliness or cleanliness of German or North European capitals, either.

In Athens, Acropolis is beautiful and the Parliament building is orderly and impressive, but other parts are characterised more by ugly building of 60's and 70's or older buildings heavily in ruin. Even Plaka, relatively well preserved area, is so full of kitsch souvenir shops and ripping-off tourist restaurants, might disappoint the visitors.

But, on the second and third look, Athens has its own charm; something between Oriental and European, something old and new, something kitsch and chic. It is not that striking beauty of Paris or Rome, but it is a beauty of its kind.

One of its charm is the sense of nostalgia. Neo-classic buildings in ruin or in semi-ruin, ivy, narrow streets.

Shops that have everything and anything of their speciality. This shop below sells mirrors and glasses (it looks in ruin, but is alive and open).

Entrance mat shop, with all merchandise on display.

This shop sells all the small things made from metal. These are devices to catch creatures in water.

Old style mouse catchers of the kind I have only seen in animated cartoon, Tom & Jerry.

In Greece, also these metal things are still made by hand.

All these photos are shop near Monastiraki Square, very central Athens. All is very confused, but I started to appreciate the beauty in it.

Being Disappointed in Psyrri

Hubby and I go often to Psyrri for lunch, because it is conveniently located for us who live in Piraeus and it is not so full of tourists as Plaka or Thissio. Well, we have nothing against the tourists. We welcome them. Just, for some reason, we don't feel very comfy eating amongst tourists. We don't know why. Maybe because we feel being ripped off? ha ha ha Just kidding.

It was a very hot Saturday lunch time and we stopped at Taverna tou Psyrri. It is one of the traditional tavernas in Psyrri, and not a trendy new comer. It looked very busy and full of local Athenians.

This restaurant does not have menu, or maybe there is, but no one was using it. You go to the kitchen, see what's on offer listening to waiter's explanation, order what you want to eat and to drink, and wait at table.

Taverna tou Psyrri does not have tables along the street, but has a nice back garden.



We ordered following dishes.

Gida Ragou.



Gida is female goat. We asked our waiter, why it was called 'ragou', because for us ragu is Italian meat sauce. He just said that this way of cooking - stewed with chunky veggies, probably - is called 'ragou'.


Briam.


Briam is oven baked veggies, specialty of Crete.

Horiatiki horis feta.


We don't eat much feta and usually order this salad.

Fried potato.


Why Greek boys want fried potato at each meal except breakfast?


They looked very promising and the portion size was generous (we did not manage to touch the bread), but on tasting them, they were strangely tasteless. If tasteless is too strong a word, they all lacked in flavour. Even veggie in the salad did not have much taste (and I am not speaking about salt, which was provided on the table). The best of the batch was the goat dish, but still it did not have the strong flavour that we expect from goat on bones.

With a bottle of beer and a bottle of water, the bill came to 26.10euros. It wasn't expensive, but for the same price we could have eaten better either at Nikitas or at Naxos. We were very disappointed, probably more so because everything looked promising.

Taverna tou Psyrri / Ταβέρνα του Ψυρρή
12 Eschylou, Psyrri



To make up for my disappointment, I had a gelato at Mattonella in Monastiraki Square.



Cassata ice cream.


This is my third gelato at Mattonella; I would love to try their cakes next time.

Loukoumades @ Aigaion, Athens

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Oriental Sweets from Xanthi

Visited the Athenian branch of Sarayli Saray near Omonia Square. I have seen quite a lot of publicity of it on free papers and got curious.



From the publicity I had an impression that there was seating space, but actually there wasn't. It is quite small, but there is are quite many things inside. The shop is from the town of Xanthi in northern Greece (the shops in Xanthi are evidently called "Fresh Co") and this shop, opened in October 2009, is their first Athenian venture.

I had an idea of buying Kazan Dipi, but it did not look as good as the one I bought a week ago from another shop, so changed idea and bought some baklavas.



The girl of the shop was enthusiastic and happy to explain which is what. They have many exotic sweets that I have never seen (although I admit not to have so much experience with balkavas).

I sampled 4 pieces of siropiasta (syrup soaked sweets) and there are two of them.

This is baklava with pistachio nuts of Aegina. 2.50 euros.




It did not have as much pistachio as I would have liked and the texture was rather soggy (lacked in crispiness), but had a nice flavour, probably because of the good ingredients.


Again another of baklava type sweets made with Aeginian pistachio. 2 euros.



This one was eaten by the wife of my bro-in-law and she said it was nice.

On the other hand, another one I ate wasn't very nice, being too dry and lacking in nuts content.

All in all, it is probably above average, but I have known better ones. However, the variety of sweets here is huge and the price seems reasonable. I don't mind coming back when I happen to be near.

Sarayli Saray
Aiolou 105 & Panepistimiou (near Omonia Square), Athens
Πανεπιστημίου και Αιόλου 105, Αθήνα
http://www.sarayli.gr/