July 27 The Frying Pan and the Fire

The heat wave finally broke, but not before Athens recorded its highest temperature yet: 46 degrees Celsius. This morning with a fresh cool breeze blowing, my pleasure sitting on my balcony with my coffee is diminished only a little by the huge jackhammer pounding away at the mountainside two streets above me.

Construction in this suburb is on-going. All the land here has been purchased by investors or developers. To build a single family home in this area is nearly impossible as the cost of land has increased 15 times what it was in 1990. On my morning walks I see apartment houses in all stages of construction, including some that stand empty presumably waiting for someone to purchase the apartment and determine its final details.

Disastrous forest fires continue throughout Greece. One hundred homes were burned yesterday in Axaia and three homeowners lost their lives trying to save their homes. Some fires in forested areas are started by arsonists. In Greece, landowners are not allowed to cut trees even on their own property. The climate is very dry but there is ample supply of water, so trees and shrubs are watered regularly by homeowners and city workers alike. The trees on this street include varieties of palm, olive, evergreen and fruit trees. The newer apartment complexes have landscaping shrubbery similar to what one sees in the U.S. All of it is green and thriving. Greeks see the trees as a source of fresh air and oxygen and they take care of them.

But the pressure to find land on which to build has led to arson. If an area is burned, those who have money and want to build outside the city, seek to build there saying there should be an exception because there are no longer trees there. This has been shown by investigative reporters evidently, and the people have complained so strongly to the government that they have decreed they will raze all of the villas built in the prohibited areas. I am skeptical. The same money that allows them to get electricity in these isolated hilltops can also buy special privileges or waivers, I am sure.

July 25 Viva le Tour de France!

On this the third day of the second heat wave for Athens, I can not stand being cooped up any more. I set my alarm for 6:30 this morning and went for a longer walk than usual, came back and took a shower. I wanted to go to Haidari today but Theodosia does not want me to go anywhere because of the heat. This morning, a thick haze blots out the sun and obscures the view. The temperature is already 76.

For the past two days I have been in my room with the shutters closed and the A/C on, making only occasional trips downstairs to the 'fridge for water or iced tea. The temperature in the second floor hall outside my room was easily 100 yesterday. Downstairs in the living room is better, but I can not use my computer there as the wireless signal is weak there. So my days are a rotating series of: work on the computer, study Greek, watch TV, translate the newspaper headlines, and read the only English language book available, "Kennedys".

Greeks pay about one Euro a month as part of their phone bill and for that they get 35 channels of TV, including CNN, talk shows, Greek version of Deal or No Deal, pre-school animated education in both Greek and English (I am an avid student), American, French and Turkish movies with Greek sub-titles and the Eurosport channel, and much more. I have become a fan of the Tour de France. I researched it on the internet enough to understand more of what's going on and can follow the top competitors on the TV. Today there will be another stage of the race and it will help pass the time. Theodosia has students all day and into the evening but this is the last week and then she will have a well-deserved vacation.

July 24 Aah! The sun, the sea and a little opera!

We went to Rafina again this past weekend. We go not only because it is beautiful but because Sophia is a very close friend of Theodosia and wants her to come, especially if she will help Alexandre with his mathematics study. They visit Sophia in Rafina every summer but this year more often to help Alexandre, until the end of this month when Sophia's family goes to another summer house on an island.

So I got to swim on Saturday evening, and twice on Sunday, staying out of the hottest sun and applying sun screen often. As usual we had wonderful things to eat: Sophia is a good cook. It seemed like we were eating about every two hours. I was feeling much better this trip than two weeks ago. Sunday morning at breakfast on their patio, there was beautiful music from Nikos' transistor radio (which has a piece of broken fence railing for an antenna). I asked him who the singer was and he could not say except that it was Italian opera. I am not an opera fan but it was very nice to sit there and drink coffee and dunk my bread. (See! I am learning to be Greek!)

I practiced my Greek with Sophia's daughter, Vangelita, while she practiced her English. Theodosia, who can not resist being a teacher, corrected and encouraged both of us. I said next time we would bring some board games. One does not need much Greek to play board games. I have a book in English about the Kennedys, that we picked up at a flea market for a couple Euros, to read during the afternoon naptime. I do not bring my computer to Rafina.

Today they predict extreme temperature for Athens, 44° Celsius, which translates to about 120, I think. This morning there is a breeze and I have my doors open to the balcony, but soon I will be forced to close them and turn on the A/C. Theodosia worries for her cats and wants to be sure they are inside. The cats here look a little different than in Kentucky. They are longer bodied and have larger ears. One of her cats is pregnant and growing bigger every day. When she sprawls on the marble floor to get cool, she looks like a bowling pin lying on its side with four little legs attached. Theodosia has put cardboard boxes all over the house in hopes she will have her kittens inside instead of outside. She loves her cats, all of which are strays she has rescued.

July 20 And It Really Didn't Hurt!

Today Theodosia went to the University to "swear" and get her Masters degree. I did not understand this "swearing" and she explained that degree candidates have to take an oath to uphold the honor of their profession and their school, to always act ethically and to do nothing to bring shame upon them. Without the oath, they do not get the degree. She received the highest "grade" they give.

While she did that, Aris took me to the dentist for extraction of my broken tooth. The dentist speaks about as much English as I do Greek. With Aris as translator, the dentist said I had two options. He could pull the root of the broken tooth, or he could fashion a temporary tooth that would be okay until I went home and then I could have someone build me a bridge to close the empty space. I agreed to building the temporary tooth.

This dentist had the best hands of any dentist I have ever gone to. Even though the tooth itself had no nerves and so no feeling, he never poked or pinched my gums at any time. I could not believe it! Even though I could tell what he was doing, he was so good he moved flawlessly from one part of the operation to another without at any time causing me pain in my gum! He drilled four holes in the base of the tooth and screwed in pins and then built up a temporary tooth little by little. He smoothed off the tooth and I was done. No novacaine, no x-ray, no rubber gloves, no assistant. He did wear a mask and washed his hands. He was obviously a seasoned professional. He had all modern equipment and the one-room office was in a house, perhaps in his own apartment. I was most happy. The cost was 70 Euros, about $100, inexpensive for the work that he did.

I was so pleased with the work of the dentist that the K. family think they may try him for their own dental care, as they do not have a regular dentist. They found this one for me by asking their neighbor who referred us to him. Evidently he is the dentist who also attends the mayor's needs. Can there be a better recommendation than that? Perhaps my experience is a stronger recommendation yet.

July 19 A Little Excursion

Yesterday morning I gathered my courage and took the city bus into Athens. Luckily this bus driver knew some English and when I asked what I should do with my ticket, he said put it in the machine and motioned to the back of the bus. I inserted the ticket in the slot and it beeped. I stood undecided if I had done it correctly or if the machine was to take the ticket, and he said "one time". I said thank you and sat down.

When the bus emptied at the downtown terminal, I sat for a few minutes on a low wall in the shade to get my bearings, trying to familiarize myself with the area so I would recognize it when I returned. I looked for street signs and it took a while to find them. It was a very busy intersection. Meanwhile the street sweepers were cleaning papers and cigarette butts from around my feet. After a bit I figured out which direction I needed to walk and in about ten minutes found my destination, the Municipal Art Gallery. When I went in I inquired if I needed a ticket (in Greek) and they answered (in English) It is free; upstairs.

I enjoyed the exhibit. It was the work of graduates of the 7th Workshop of Painting of Athens University of Fine Arts. The exhibitors were to respond to the film "Metropolis" in any art form. There were drawings on digital paper, oil on board, canvas, and paper, photos, video presentations, and symbolic representations using articles from everyday life. I liked the explanations of how and why they made the creations they did - trying to express the ever-changing feel of the city at the same time reflecting the grit of real life. When I was finished I thanked the attendant and she asked where I was from. In my halting Greek I managed to tell her I was from America and staying with friends in Haidari for the summer. She wished me "kali kalokeri" (good summer) and I responded in kind. I found my way back to the bus station easily and saw with relief that the A15 bus was waiting, as the sun was getting high and hot. I was home by l1:45 and pleased with my excursion. I spent the afternoon writing, exchanging emails and studying Greek. This evening, Theodosia tells me, we will attend a chuch fair, so be sure to take a nap and take no pills! :-)

July 16 A Series of Mistakes

Saturday morning I went for my usual walk and then decided against cereal for breakfast in favor of bread and coffee. First mistake. I sliced off some bread which was not very fresh and put marmalade on it. I took a bite and broke off a tooth! (That's why Greeks dunk their bread in their coffee.) The tooth broke off at the gum line but I expect the root needs to be extracted. No dentist available on Saturday of course. Thank goodness it does not hurt. I think this tooth had a root canal operation some years ago.
In the afternoon I watched the Tour de France on TV. It was a good race. I could understand parts of the commentary because many phrases were repetitious. I was enjoying it so much I decided against having my afternoon nap. Second mistake. It was Saturday and I should have known the K. family would likely stay up late. Sure enough about 8:30 p.m. they decided to visit Christos' brother, Nikos and his wife, Maria. On the way we picked up another brother and his wife. When we finally got to Nikos house (about 10:00) we were immediately ushered to the balcony where we were offered water and soft drinks. I accepted a can of tea but had barely tasted it when everyone got up to leave - to go to a local taberna for a meal.
Theodosia told me they were ordering wine and I said okay. Third mistake. Nikos ordered white wine, rice pilaf with meat, Crete salad (similar to traditional Greek salad except it is served on bread), tzatziki, and horiatiki (similar to spinach - Greeks love their greens with lemon and salt) and a few cokes for the table. It was all very good.
Just when I thought we had finished the meal, they brought out roasted cutlets. I had a few pieces. Suddenly I felt like I was cross-eyed. There were three women sitting across from me carrying on an animated conversation. I could hear them and my mind was clear but I could not make my eyes focus on them. I told Christos next to me that I thought I had too much wine. He was surprised, as was I - I had not had that much - but I thought I should warn him in case I needed help from the restaurant.
Within a few minutes my eyes returned to normal, luckily before we left the taberna and returned to Nikos' house. There we were immediately served pieces of fruit, and then pieces of the dessert that Theodosia had brought. It was not bougatsa, but similar to it. A thick layer of custard between thin phylo. It was delicious. It is the only sweet that Christos will eat and he had two pieces! Then Maria wanted to know if I did not want pagoto (miniature ice cream on a stick). I declined, regretfully.
Nikos had to work the next day or we would have stayed until 2 or3. As it was we did not leave until after 1:00 and I did not get to bed until nearly 3. It was the next day before I remembered that I had taken an antihistamine just before leaving the house as I was sneezing and figured I had an allergy to something. Now I know why they say do not mix medications with alcohol! The combination of the wine, food, antihistamine and the late hour caused me to sleep to 10:30 Sunday morning. Now I have to get my sleep routine adjusted again.

July 13, 2007 Meals and Meal Times

Yesterday I needed fresh milk for my cereal so I walked to the local mini-mart, called a "periptera" here in Greece, and bought two liters of milk. My friends have become accustomed to my strange habit of eating breakfast, and they have accommodated me by purchasing a half case of individual packages of cold "fitness" cereal. It is actually very good cereal and I have it with fruit every morning.
In spite of what the guide books say about when and what the Greeks eat, very little holds true for the K. family. It is true that they have only coffee and dry breads in the morning, but they do not have pastry at 11 or dessert at 4 and then eat their supper at 11, as I was anticipating. Here, as in most families in the U.S., everyone eats pick-up meals because everyone is on a different schedule. It is rare that everyone sits to eat at the same time. That being the case I have been told to fix whatever I want to eat, whenever I want to eat it. With caveats.
For my supper last night, I cut up some boiled potatoes, onions, carrots and cucumber for a version of potato salad. They do not have mayonnaise. They use oil on all their vegetables. I have learned that too much oil upsets my stomach so I tossed the salad lightly with olive oil, herb seasonings and salt. Violet, Theodosia's mother, who considers the kitchen her turf, watched me covertly but said nothing. I think she is still miffed because I would not eat the cauliflower she cooked two days ago. It was cooked so long it was mush. I inquired and they do have a steamer, but I have to rescue the vegetables before Violet cooks them if I want some to steam.
Sometimes I eat supper with Christos when he comes home from work between five and six. If Theodosia gets a break between students about 1:30, I sit and visit or eat with her while she eats lunch. Their son, Aris, a college student on summer vacation, may get food from the kitchen and eat in his room; usually he orders out. Theodosia's day does not end until 9:30 or 10 p.m. and I have difficulty discouraging her from fixing food or ordering food for me at that hour. She is the one most likely to eat at 11.
The household usually quiets down between 1 and 2 a.m. though I can hear the TV on in some rooms when I go to the bathroom. At 4 a.m. this morning someone outside was playing a radio so loudly it could be heard several streets away. It was lovely Greek music, but I would have appreciated it more in the daytime!
Dhen pirazi! (No matter!)

July 11, 2007 TZAK POT !

I was surprised when I read in the Herald Tribune that the per capita spending on lotto and various gambling games in Greece is many times that of other countries, including the U.S. A graph with a breakdown of where the gambling money was spent showed that nearly 80% of the money in Greece is bet on sports. Gambling on sports is legal in Greece and brings much money into the government coffers.
The K. family with whom I am staying does not indulge in lotto or instant tickets or sports gambling. Christos, one of five brothers, grew up "dirt poor" as they say, actually with a dirt floor in their home, in a mountain village. As the young men became old enough they left the village for Athens where they could find work. They remember hard times and they borrow nothing; everything is paid by cash, not even in installment payments. They have no credit cards.
The only time they participated in a lottery was in the government lottery for apartments. Housing is expensive in Greece and most people can not own a house; they may own an apartment. Due to the severe housing shortage the government ran a lottery and gave apartments to those who were chosen. Qualifying to be included in the lottery required a great quantity of paper work to be submitted. With Christos' help, the proper forms were submitted and two of his brothers won apartments - very nice apartments. I have visited them both. Without the lottery both of these brothers would undoubtedly still be renting. It is particularly fortunate for them as neither of them attained a high school education and have been hourly wage earners all their lives.
Following the end of World War II, Greece had a very hard time with civil war and great distress for her people. Now, for the first time in her long history, the Greek people have lived without war for the past thirty years. That in itself seems to the older generations, who suffered so much, almost too good to be true. Perhaps for them the real "TZAK POT" is Peace.

July 9, 2007 The Beautiful Sea

"By the sea, the beautiful sea..." keeps running through my head. In Athens, Greeks do not speak of "going to the beach". They say "going to the sea." Yesterday we were in Rafina, the only other port besides Pireas that is on the Aegean Sea. Actually Rafina is not on the sea itself but on a channel that runs between the mainland and a large island.
There is a beautiful 180 degree half moon beach in Rafina. The water is warm and the view is lovely. It has been a long time since I have swum in salt water and enjoyed its buoyancy. In spite of the fact that Rafina is a seaside resort, the beach was not overcrowded. We walked from the cottage of Theodosia and Christos' friends, where we had spent the night, to the beach. Due to communication difficulties, I did not realize we would be walking and was halfway through the mile when I realized that I should not be wearing my flip flops. So today I am not walking anywhere except in the house as I have blisters behind the toes on both feet.
Nor am I eating much today. Sophia likes to cook and we had much too much to eat and then we went to the village square to a restaurant and topped it off with ice cream before heading back to Athens! The combination of fresh air, sun and water had me dozing all the way home and as soon as I hit my bed, I was asleep. Hours later I realized I had not even turned off the ceiling light!
This visit was not only a pleasure trip but an opportunity for Theodosia to drill Alexandre, our hosts' 17 year old son, in math for the upcoming college entrance exams. His father is a professor in literature and his mother a mathematician, but Alexandre talks of joining the army and shooting bad guys in Iraq. There was the inevitable discussion of other options, with our hosts reinforced by my friends' suggestions and advice. As the discussion continued Alexandre became more dramatic, leaping from his chair and employing wild gesticulations. I tried to get a picture, but he was too frenetic. In spite of the frustration on both sides, there was no anger; only love. Some things are not different in Greece.

July 6, 2007 Theater in the Park

There is a small park, about 2-3 acres, carved out of the hillside, right at the top of our street. It has a level area for performances. Last night, there was a theatre group there which put on a play, obviously for families, as it was lively and colorful. Even though I did not understand any of the speaking, I could get some idea from the actions.
The cast included a "royal guard" of eight, costumed to represent horses, with tails behind and heads which were held up by their "rider". It was fun watching them imitate riding horseback. They also were the chorus. What would a Greek play be without a chorus? Anyway the audience of about 100 enjoyed it.
Theodosia said the performance is arranged for this community by the mayor and that in the past, the mayor has invited Aris and his band to play there. They set up a low platform for the entertainers and white plastic chairs for the audience, which are both taken down and carried away afterwards. It was very low-key; no one was selling refreshments or anything else, just a freebie for the community. Very nice.

July 4, 2007 Supper in Monastiraki

Monastiraki is one of several centers in Athens that tourists like to visit. There is a large flea market there, but on last evening we had other things in mind. Theodosia took me on a driving tour to show me where the city bus would go so that I would know where to get off to visit Omonia "square". Actually Omonia is more of a circle than a square, with major roads leading from it like spokes from the hub of a wheel. We stopped at the Hellenic American Union, which teaches and certifies Greeks in English language proficiency, to pick up info about activities there. And then we stopped on the way home in Monastiraki at about 11 p.m. for supper.
Seated at a table outside on a busy corner we had ample opportunity to people-watch. We ordered souvlaki and mousaki and patates and cokes. While we were eating, several people came by with wares to offer. Greeks are adept at brushing these people off. They simply ignore them or use body language that is known to all. But when a little girl came by, Theodosia, who detests that children are allowed to work on the streets, asked her why she was selling things and the child immediately walked away. When another came by later, and Theodosia asked where is your mother, the girl, about six years old, simply turned her head away. When she asked a second time, the girl motioned in the vicinity of the open square where street salesmen had spread sheets on the ground to display their wares. When she asked where is your father, the girl averted her face but did not answer. Asked a second time she averted her face in the other direction, but she did not move from the table. She knew she had hooked a customer, so simply stood there without a word until Theodosia fished the Euro out of her purse to buy a cigarette lighter, and when she had the coins in hand, she immediately put them in her pocket and moved to the next table to repeat her performance.
Theodosia tries to understand what parent allows their six year old to sell wares on a busy street at 11 p.m. I pointed out that the girl was clean, well-dressed in a clean top and short skirt, with her hair carefully brushed so obviously someone cares for her, or else they have learned that she will make more sales if she presents herself that way. She contrasted with the gypsy children who were neither clean, well dressed or groomed. Her refusal to answer questions is likely on orders not to talk to people. But unless someone is lurking in the crowd keeping an eye on the child, I fear for her safety. We could see no one watching. The restaurant waiters, however, did not chase her away, so either she has tacit permission to be there or is allowed because she does not interfere with the trade.
Then we watched something that even Theodosia had never seen. I saw the man first, about in his early twenties. What caught my attention was that he had his eyes "glued" to the plate that had been shoved aside by the people sitting at the next table. His eyes never left the plate, not once, and then his hand slowly came out and closed over a potato and he walked away a few steps to eat it. Again he never looked at the people, only at the plate, and approached, slowly reached out and closed his hand over food on the plate and stuffed it in his mouth. When Theodosia held out a stick of souvlaki that we had not eaten, he did not take it but rushed off, tipping over the beer bottle from the table. The waiter came over calmly, picked up the bottle, and said "he will be back." So obviously he was known to them too. Theodosia said he must have something wrong mentally to act that way. I have to admit it was strange watching him, not dissimilar to a dog watching for a chance to get scraps from the table.
These members of society who exist on another level from those who have financial means, bob in and out of view like corks or pieces of jetsam on the surface of the ocean. With little effort it seems, we have trained ourselves not to see them.

July 3, 2007 School is in Session!

Public school classes in Athens ended May 16 and the next two weeks examinations were given, after which teachers graded papers and turned in their reports. Theodosia took me with her on the last day of school (last Friday) as she wanted me to see the campus. It is a Lycee, three years only, comparable to our junior and senior years of high school plus one year of college prep. Theodosia teaches algebra, geometry and "special math".
Classes do not end for her however. She has a full complement of students whom she tutors in preparation for college entrance examinations. These exams determine the level of college for which students may apply. Since her specialty is Math, the students she tutors are aiming for the premier science college, the Polytechnic Institute. She is in great demand because she has a reputation for getting her students well prepared. Parents beg her to teach their children, often offering to pay as much as double her usual fees if she will take them on. The phone rings constantly with requests for her help. Even though she limits the number of students she tutors, they take up all her day, five days a week. She will get vacation in the month of August when most families will go on vacation.
My education continues, too. Yesterday I rode the local bus circuit, without getting off, so I would see where it went. I paid special attention to how people signalled the driver to stop (a knob on some of the poles which when pressed lights up a sign in the front that says "WAGON HALT") and timed the ride for when it passed certain areas. We went by the main "plaka" in Haidari where Christos took me Saturday night to walk the promenade and have supper. I had noted a bank there so will go again today to exchange some money.
Violet, Theodosia's mother, gives me Greek "lessons" daily. These usually consist of her asking me questions in Greek, which I then try to comprehend and answer. The one good thing about her inquisitions is that she will rephrase if I do not get it the first time. Usually I find at least one word I recognize to give me a clue what she is asking and then I have to search for the words to answer. She doesn't trust herself, or me, because she always checks with Theodosia or Aris later to see if what she thinks I told her is really true.
When words fail, use body language, that age-old communication art-form.