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ΧΙΛΙΑ ΚΑΛΩΣ ΟΡΙΣΑΤΕ , ΧΙΛΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΕΙΣ ΧΙΛΙΑΔΕΣ (*) !

(*)Welcome 1000 times !!! 

Welcome to the world of the Greek tradition 

 

Dear friends
this time you will have the chance to literally “live” in the world of the most important elements of Greek tradition and culture: the traditional Music, songs, costumes and dances.
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We are going to visit Idryma Zisi (Zisis foundation), founded in 1975, which is one of the most important foundations working hard all these years to restore, preserve and spread the Greek traditional and Byzantine music, traditional songs, costumes, dances and instruments from all over the country. 
Its aim is to give an overall insight into Greek culture and tradition. 
 
Our visit will start with the history of the foundation and an introduction to the significance of the Greek tradition.Then the foundation people will show us their rich collection of 1200 costumes and give us info about them, and then, the people who would like to, will have the chance to dress up with some of them and take photos! 
 
Following the “theoretical part” of our visit, we have two surprises prepared for you !
  Not only will you practice your first steps of a few Greek traditional dances with one of their teachers, 
but also will have a lesson with one of their most talented traditional song teachers !
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This whole event will take place in Halandri, at 5 Kolokotroni str. right after Dourou square – platia Dourou- (Google maps)on Sunday February 17, will last for approx 3 hours – 1 hour costumes and photos, 1 hour dancing lesson and 1 hour singing lesson –  from 11:00 to 14:00, and, needless to say, afterwards we will all go eating at a nearby taverna.  Bear in mind that we changed the date from the 10th since some of you told us you couldn’t make it ! Since the event is on a Sunday, it won’t 
be difficult to park on the side streets near the foundation. Alternatively, there are parking lots nearby.
Details will follow.
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Date: Sunday February 17
Time: 11:00 to 14:00
Place: 5 Kolokotroni str. Halandri (after Dourou square)
 If the group is large, then we will have to form two  separate groups which will work at the same time, and we will need more teachers and a translator. 
Please apply by February 15, 
More details and  applications by 
email tsitsipi@gmail.com (Katerina Tsitsipi)
land line: (+0030) 210 – 8077073
Cell, Whats App, Viber  (+0030) 6988 607866
 
Do not miss this event !!!
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A Walking Tour for the whole Family

Dear Katerina & Aris,

“I wanted to sincerely thank you for a very special day today. Katerina, you were so generous with your knowledge, time and energy – it was an AMAZING introduction to Athens. We both loved every minute. We were so lucky with the day, and while I know you would make everyone feel fabulous, we really felt that we made a friend today & I look forward to crossing paths again.
Your efforts to engage and tech Stella were fabulous & she really enjoyed it – thank you, it took our adventure to a new level !
I also wanted to thank you very much for guidance & information ”
Penny & Stella

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Katerina has immense knowledge of Athens. Although I thought I knew Athens well already, she still found new information to fill a 4-hour tour of the Plaka. From the first instance that I spoke with her on the phone, she made me feel like I was already a very good friend. She was a true professional throughout the entire process of booking and leading our tour. You will get a guide with supreme integrity who will think only of your best interests.

Her stories make her tours stand out from others. Buildings and monuments come to life as she tells you their tales. I’d seen one monument a hundred times, yet I saw it in a whole new light because of her tour. How did it get there? How did they use it? Why were they important? And why is it still there when everything around it disappeared long ago?

Katerina knows the ins and outs of Athens. Just ask her. She will take you to her favorite museums, but if she thinks that someone else knows your interests better, she will bring them in to guide you. Her vast network includes the best certified guides in Athens and throughout Greece.

Whatever your interests are – food, religion, art, dancing, theater, archaeology, architecture – and wherever you want to go, she will design a custom tour just for you. Most importantly, you will be pleasantly shocked by her reasonable charges. It would be a mistake not to include Livin’ Lovin’ in your Greece trip planning.

Marisa Feyen, Athens resident and travel blogger at With One Single Step

Let us plan your own tailor made experience !
Contact us at info@livinlovin.gr
#makingAdifference #walkingtours #citytours #foodtours

#familywithkids#guidedtours #tailormade #sharingtheathenswelove

#thematicwalks #expats#expatliving #expatlife #livingabroad

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Contact us at info@livinlovin.gr

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“Kalin imeran archondes” (“good day Lords”)

(photo)”Children singing the Christmas carols”:

painting by Nikiforos Lytras

carols-lytrasIf someone rings your doorbell early in the morning of  24, 31 December or 5 January, don’t think it’s a naughty neighbor determined to wake you up, it will probably be children singing the “calanda”, the Greek  Christmas carols. These are sung by groups of children or, at least two, accompanied by little triangles, accordions, or guitars. As you open the door, the children will ask you: “Na ta poume?” (Shall we say them?). Your line here is: “Na ta pite” (go ahead and say them). After 25 groups of carol singers you may say: No, thank you, or just not open. Now, you should know that our calanda are very cheerful and joyful songs, they go way back in history (like everything else here), you will absolutely love them, you won’t understand a word because the language is formal Greek with a touch of Ancient Greek. Therefore, open your purse and give the little ones some money, even if you hated them, just for the time they spent learning all these words! You know, in the past homeowners offered the children sweets and pastries, but now…you can’t really pay for your PLAYSTATION with melomakarona, can you?

We’ll be back with more about Christmas in Greece.

* “children singing the Christmas carols”: by Nikiforos Lytras

 

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Christmas Customs in Greece

Christmas in Greece can be a lot of things: it can be White-unusual ! – or warm, or HOT ! But in any case, it’s celebrated all over the country, maybe not as gloriously as in the rest of the world-let’s not forget that Easter is our biggest holiday-but our customs are quite interesting and some of them date back into history. Let’s see some of them:

CALANDA (Greek Christmas carols):

If someone rings your doorbell early in the morning of 24, 31 December or 5 January, don’t think it’s a naughty neighbour determined to wake you up, it will probably be children singing the “calanda”, the Greek Christmas carols. These are sung by groups of children or at least two, accompanied by little triangles, accordions, or guitars. As you open the door, the children will ask you: “Na ta poume?” (Shall we say them?). Your line here is: “Na ta pite” (go ahead and say them). After 25 groups of carol singers you may say: No, thank you, or just not open. Now, you should know that our calanda are very cheerful and joyful songs, they go way back in history (like everything else here), you will absolutely love them, you won’t understand a word because the language is formal Greek with a touch of Ancient Greek. Therefore, open your purse and give the little ones some money, even if you hated them, just for the time they spent learning all these words!

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Our personal favourite sweet and custom of the New Year is the VASILOPITA, the cake we cut and share on New Year’s Eve or Day. The vasilopita is usually a cake with a coin inside it. As we cut and share it, we cut the first pieces for Jesus, Saint Basil, the poor, the house, and then the members of the family and the friends. The “head” of the family — grand father or father — does the cutting and sharing, the rest of us search to find the coin, as whoever gets it will be the luckiest one throughout the year. Now the history behind this tradition is: In the 14th century Cappadokia, a Byzantine province in Asia Minor, suffered from famine but this fact did not stop the heartless eparch* of the town from demanding to get the taxes, threatening the town with destruction. St.Vasilios, the Bishop in Caesareia, urged the people to offer their valuables in order to rescue their town. The people obeyed and Saint Vasilios collected a pile of offerings to give the eparch*, but the last minute he managed to smooth his heart and change his mind. Now Saint Vasilios had a problem: he was left with a pile of valuables to give back to the people, without knowing who they belonged to! So, he got a brilliant idea: he asked the baker to bake one small cake for each family and he put one piece of jewellery inside. And the miracle happened: each family got what they had given!!! Ever since that time we celebrate this event by sharing the cake with the coin – only one coin, no more…

Eparch: in the Byzantine Empire, the governor of an eparchy

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So, now that you know about these customs and habits, you can celebrate Christmas and the New Year in happiness and….more knowlegdable, until we get back from the holidays and find out about… KALIKANTZARI !

 

 

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Mischievous creatures !

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Now that Christmas is just around the corner, it’s time we learnt some things about Greek customs and traditions. Today’s story is about KALIKANTZARI.

They are the Greek elves; only not so benign. They are naughty and mischievous and they live in the center of the earth where they try to cut down the tree that holds the earth with axes and saws. When Christmas comes, as their job is nearly done, they leave the rest for New Year, and climb up onto the surface of the earth to tease people. imagesThey try to get into the houses through the fireplaces and stay there teasing people from the beginning of Christmas season until the 6th of January,  the Epiphany when the priest goes around all houses and sends them away with Holy water. Once they go back to the center of the earth, they find the tree whole and intact, so they start sawing all over again until the next Christmas.

Now, whenever everything goes wrong one day, you know why! Put the blame on the Kalikantzari

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St George the Mandilas at Meteora

St George the Mandilas, the origins of a 300 years old Meteora tradition

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photos source: infotouristmeteora.gr

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Saint George was a Greek who became an officer in the Roman army. His father was the Greek Gerondios from Cappadocia Asia Minor and his mother was the Greek Polychronia from the city Lyda. Lyda was a Greek city from the times of the conquest of Alexander the Great (333 BC), now in Israel. He became an officer in the Roman army in the Guard of Diocletian. He is venerated as a Christian martyr.

 

There are many different customs around Greece honoring Saint George’s memory, but only one that we know of to involve colorful head scarfs, climbing and dancing on the cliffs very edge all at the same time. It takes place on an old ruined monastery dedicated to Saint that was build inside a cave some 40 meters above ground on the north side of a Meteora rock.

 

There is an old story circulating from mouth to mouth mainly in Kastraki village about the origins of the custom.

In the early 17th century Meteora area like the rest of the Thessaly and most of Greece was under the Ottoman rule. A Muslim landowner and his wife were cutting down some trees next to Saint George’s hermitage. While the Muslim man was chopping down the woods he had an awful accident. The tree he was cutting down fell over him and as a consequence he was badly wounded. His wife immediately upon realizing her husband’s accident she rushed to help him, but she couldn’t do much.

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The man lay there on the ground with his wife crying over him when people from the nearby village of Kastraki heard the hopeless screams for help of the injured man’s wife, and so they rushed there to check out what exactly has happened.

Upon seeing the seriously wounded man on the ground they immediately realized that the Muslim man had slim chances to win the day. So all they could do was to advice his wife to turn to Saint George and prey on him for help…

READ MORE at visitmeteora.wordpress.com

 

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Thermal Spas to Heal your Body, Mind, Soul

via:A Greek Adventure

Greece has these amazing places where the combination of the essence of nature prime elements, minerals and water mix with the senses and simply… relax and heal you.

These healing places are thermal spas. Places with warm water springs where you soak your body, following special rules, while the effects of raw nature force come through the pores of your body.

Here is a good number of them where the water is considered extremely good and healing for the body. Almost all of them are in places of great beauty, green and quite serene

go to: agreekadventure.com, and read about:

Thermal Spas at Greek Islands

Thermal Spa in Evoia

Thermal Spas at mainland Greece

Thermal Spas in Peloponnese

 

 

 

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Carnival in Greece: Naoussa

photos and text via: naoussa.gr

The mirth, the pleasantries, the teases and mainly the disguises dominate during Carnival, a period totally different from any other part of the year.
The Carnival in Naoussa is also characterized by the spontaneity, the enthusiasm, the hospitable disposal of local inhabitants, the carousals without any particular preparation, the satiric carnivals. However the most particular and central element is the custom of “Boules” or “Janissaries and Boules”. It is a custom with deep roots which incorporated elements of the local tradition and heroic fights throughout its many centuries history. Although its flourishing time is located at the end of 19th and the begging of 20th century, the custom exists inalterable up to our days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contrary to the “disarray” that prevails during Carnival, the custom of Naoussa is characterized by discipline and standardised and exceptional aesthetic appearance of the participants. The clothing, the grouping, the adoration, the itinerary, the musical repertory, the dances, the barrel organs and the participants preserve the same rules through centuries.

The custom begins on the first Sunday of the Carnival where the groups visit the houses of their members and celebrate and continues on Monday. It is also repeated on Sunday of Carnival (Tyrinis) and Shrove Monday where the groups and the crowd celebrate with traditional delicacies and the famous wine of Naoussa in the square of Alonia. On Sunday of Ordodoxy all groups meet in the region of “Spilaio” in order to celebrate with traditional pies, special desserts made in pans and abundant wine.

 

 

 

 

 

source/read more: www.naoussa.gr

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Athens Transport e-Tickets and e-Cards

31/10, UPDATED INFO VIA: Athens Transport – Μέσα Μαζικής Μεταφοράς της Αθήνας

* The old (paper) tickets will be valid until the 6th of November
* From the 6th of November you will also be able to buy one way tickets (1,40 euros), valid for 90′ minutes
* The Monthly Card holders of October will be able to use them until the 10th of November.
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Text & photos via: www.athenstransport.com

 

 

Athens Transport e-Tickets and e-Cards

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  • During 2017 the Athens transport ticket system transitions from paper tickets to modern electronic tickets.
  • With the new system, the paper tickets which were in use until today are being replaced by paper and  plastic smartcards (similar to London’s Oyster cards). Riders of the metro system have to go through turnstiles which have been installed in all stations.
  • This page was updated with information about the new system in October 2017. In the following weeks there will be extra information and improvement of the content.

 

1. What are the different types of tickets and card for Athens public transport?

From 2017 a new electronic ticketing system is being introduced for the Athens public transport network, replacing the older paper tickets and cards.

Fare prices will remain the same for now, however, the way you pay and use the tickets changes.

There are 3 new types of Athens Transport tickets:

  • The Ath.ena Ticket
  • The personalized Ath.ena Card
  • The anonymous Ath.ena Card

 

The Ath.ena Ticket at a glance:

  • Paper rechargeable ticket that can be used again and again as long as it remains in good condition.
  • Ath.ena Ticket can be charged and recharged with products varying from “One 90-minute ticket for all modes” to 5-day tickets.
  • Airport transfer tickets and 3-day tourist tickets are available as well.
  • When a new Ath.ena Ticket is bought, it has to be charged with a bundle of five 90-minute tickets for all modes, or any other ticket product costing at least €4.5.
  • Ath.ena Ticket can be bought from and recharged at all Athens transport ticket offices as well as automatic ticket issuing machines.
  • Half-priced Ath.ena Tickets are available but only from Athens transport ticket offices.

 

The anonymous Ath.ena Card at a glance:

Plastic rechargeable card that can be used again and again.
The anonymous Ath.ena Card can be charged and recharged with products varying from “One 90-minute ticket for all modes to 5-day tickets.
Airport transfer tickets and 3-day tourist tickets available as well.
When a new anonymous Ath.ena Card is bought, it has to be charged with a bundle of five 90-minute tickets for all modes, or any other ticket product costing at least €4.5.
The anonymous Ath.ena Card can be bought only from Athens Transport ticket offices. It can be recharged at the Athens Transport Ticket offices as well as the automatic ticket issuing machines.
There are no half-priced ticket products available through the anonymous Ath.ena Card.

 

All of the above types of tickets:

  • Can be bought regardless of when they are going to be used. Any ticket product is valid with the first “touch in” of the card.
  • Ticket products that aren’t used remain indefinitely inside the Ath.ena Card or Ath.ena Ticketand can be used in the future as long as the ticket or card remains in a good condition.
  • All types of tickets can’t be bought online at the moment. However, personalized Ath.ena Cardscan be charged and recharged online.

 

Read More about:…

2.  What ticket products can I charge my Ath.ena Ticket or Ath.ena Card with?

short term & long term tickets/excluding/including the Athens airport

3. What kind of ticket do I need to travel from/to the Athens airport?

4. I’m flying to Athens for a few days. Any advice on which ticket I should use?

5. Who can use a Reduced Ticket or travel Free of Charge?

6.  How and where can I buy and recharge an Ath.ena Ticket?

7.  How and where can I buy an anonymous Ath.ena Card?

8.  How and where can I buy a personalized Ath.ena Card?

9.  How do I use an Ath.ena Ticket or Ath.ena Card?

10. How about Athens Suburban Railway and other Railway tickets?

 

and a lot more at: https://www.athenstransport.com/english/tickets/

 

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Enlightenment, more needed than ever !!!

Photo: the celebration of the Sanctification of the Water in Naousa

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Dearest friends,

Today, January 6th, is the celebration of the Sanctification of the Water, the Epiphany or Fota , meaning that the water was blessed when Jesus was baptised in the river Jordan by Saint John the Baptist.

The day is celebrated all over Greece with the priest throwing the cross into the sea, a river, a lake or any body of water near each area and young men jumping into the -usually cold -water trying to catch it. The one who catches it is supposed to be blessed all year long.
I remember when I was a kid the priest used to go around the houses of the neighbourhood and bless them with holy water, but I haven’t seen that for some time now.

The point of this holiday is the Enlightenment through the appearance of God (THEOFANIA) and the blessing.

Except for the waters, we can think of many people who DESPERATELY need BLESSING and ENLIGHTMENT here and now,

if you get our meaning …

CHRONIA POLLA !