A Taste of Expat Life on a Greek IslandParoshep (767)    Paroshep   http://www.parosparadise.com Taste the Place: Travel to Eat WellPosted Saturday, June 16, 2007 (1 year 20 days ago.) Viewed 49 times. Perhaps we have all enjoyed the best hamburgers at an outdoor barbeque with the sun shining, the sound of children playing and smells of other food. I can attest to luxuriating at a Greek island beach taverna with a cold beer and grilled calamari while watching sail boats, listening to the gentle surf lapping the shore and feeling the slight breeze caressing my skin. All five senses enhancing the taste of the food. We live in a small village on the island of Paros . Most of our food comes from local sources and believe me we can taste the difference. I am not a fan of vegetables but I enjoy those given to us by our neighbors. Every morning during warm weather when our windows are open I am rudely woken by the crowing and cackling of chickens on three sides of us. I hate the noise but I love the flavor and color of the eggs. When we visit family in Oregon we are amazed how tasteless the store bought eggs are, even free range ones. We don’t have our own garden space but we managed to transplant a couple artichoke plants. Now a rare delicacy most places is picked in our own yard. Another example is the popular menu item of yogurt, fruit and honey. Many people here have it for breakfast or for a light lunch on a hot day. The fresh fruits are usually from the restaurant owners own trees; the honey from Crete or possibly the mainland. Local honey is too prime for mere tourists but Cretan thyme honey is a true nectar of the gods. The yogurt is full fat and strained, that is thick and rich. Oh, you say, we have Greek yogurt, fresh fruit and good honey. True, but those who have visited Greece and then gone home to purchase the items from the supermarket, prepare them in their own kitchen and serve them on their patio testify that something is definitely missing. I say that missing ingredient is the ambiance of Greece ; the air is magical. So the conclusion is simple. To eat the best food you must travel. To fully enjoy Greek food (and wine) you must visit Greece . See you soon! 
Permalink Comments (1) Wanted: Writers and Translators on Paros -- Accommodation ProvidedPosted Tuesday, February 13, 2007 (1 year 143 days ago.) Viewed 60 times. Why travel to Paros , Greece to work on your project? The House of Literature in Lefkes lists many advantages but let me first provide some background. The Greek island of Paros has long been a haven for artists of all types. I am not referring to the ancient Greek sculptors using the famous Parian marble or one of the first Greek poets, Archelogos, who lived here. I mean since the 1960’s when modern tourism was born on the Greek islands. Many visitors with an artistic temperament fell in love with the light, the air, the cheap living and ended up staying. Now Paros has a thriving art community of expatriates as well as Greeks. Most visible are the many oil painters and sculptors that have studios and galleries throughout the island as well as in the two main towns Parikia and Naoussa. Local and visiting artists alike love the picturesque mountain village of Lefkes . I have written before that when walking its narrow streets it is impossible to contort yourself to not see a painting or photograph composition. For the last two years this delightful village has been the home of the House of Literature. This former hotel is a joint project between the Municipality of Paros in their effort to advance cultural tourism and the European Translation Centre for effecting a closer contact between Greek and foreign literatures. They have created an oasis of ideal working conditions for writers and translators, including sleeping rooms, a sitting-room, fully equipped kitchen and dinning-room, desktop computers and library. More important, I think, is the tranquility of Lefkes. This out-of-the-main-stream island town is relatively quiet even in high season. Yet never more than a 30 minute drive (1 hour by bus) from anywhere else on the island—busy or quiet beaches, busy towns or quiet villages, antiquities, museums, windsurfing, all that a Greek isle has to offer. One can even walk the Byzantine Trail from Lefkes to a coastal village. Simply, there is no limit to both inspiration and distraction. Now for the amazing part! Full use of this facility for up to two weeks is as low as 50 Euros per person, if you meet the criteria. In other words if you are an EU citizen and a published writer or translator—non EU persons pay a little bit more. Non-writing companions are allowed. The application is quite brief and costs nothing. I believe there are many open dates. So why try to write with the distractions of home or the full cost of a resort when you can travel to our piece of paradise on Paros and work in serenity or be distracted by the Greek island culture? For further information about travel to Paros or Greece see our full service Paros web site.
Permalink Comments (0) Our Greece Christmas on Paros and in AthensPosted Thursday, November 30, 2006 (1 year 218 days ago.) Viewed 217 times. Conventional wisdom says Christmas is not as big a holiday in
Greece as Easter. Compared to the US and many other countries this is probably
true. Easter here not only has the huge religious significance--as it does
elsewhere--it is one of the traditional family reunion times. Usually held in
good weather I have heard it described as Independence Day, Thanksgiving and
Easter in one holiday.
Christmas is gaining ground in Greece, however, especially in the amount of decorations. The smaller villages like our Aliki all have decorated street lights and there are a scattering of houses with exterior decorations. In early November we were quite surprised at the large stacks of Christmas lights on sale. I will describe some of the events on our island and then a bit about the capital, Athens. The first week of December we have the annual Bazaar put on by the volunteer organizations as well as the official tree lighting in Parikia. Doesn't that all sound like Christmas elsewhere? The Charity Bazaar is quite well organised and very well attended due to participation by all the youth groups and other island organizations. On sale is everything from home-made baked goods to Greek pop music calendars as well as second-hand junk. Our friend Patricia who also runs her own bazaar in Aliki does quite well with her chutneys and specialty jams. Karin spent time examining the hand-made jewelry while I checked out the main "grab bag" booth. For 5 Euro you got two chances at a dazzling array of prizes--from a new bicycle, used computer, to countless bottles of wine and bags of cookies. I should have been clued-in by the still large assortment on the last night, but I thought with so much available surely I will get something for my fiver. Wrong! I drew two blank pieces of paper. So the universal phrase comes to mind: Oh, well. It's for a good cause. We were surprised how similar the lighting of the town Christmas Tree was to others we have been to, yet pleasantly different in a Greek way. The manger or creche contained school children dressed elaborately for their roles. The carols had familiar tunes with Greek words. The brass band were in their one and only uniform, that is the same one they wear on Oxi Day and other formal occasions. The Mayor's speech was surprisingly short. Santa Claus was a minor figure; the emphasis was on the birth of Christ. We were very impressed when two men lifted two of the younger manger characters to the stage who then spoke out loud and clear with prepared speeches that were several sentences long. These were pre-schoolers who were not affected by the crowd or the microphone and knew their parts perfectly. We were also impressed when the tree lights came on. Before we had only noticed a string of large bulbs, yet the tree was completely covered with small lights. The large bulbs were just flashing blue highlights. The amazement was that coming on all at once they didn't blow a fuse for the whole town! By the way, most people know that the buildings in the Cyclades are 95% blue and white. I find it interesting that blue lighting is as popular here as our English traditional red and green. The highlight for Karin and I is all the music programs. Our island of
Paros is blessed with two active art schools that produce programs at the end of
each term. So, for example, the week before Christmas there are three choral
concerts being presented. The venue is usually one of the smaller churches so
the beauty and acoustics lend a lot to the quality of the voices. We enjoy our quiet, non-commercial Christmas on our small island of Paros.
For those who want more excitement and pizazz it is an easy trip to Athens. We
did that in 2003 and Karin wrote an evocative article about it. You can read it
here. Athens city centre is very festive at this time of year. Our descriptions
and pictures don’t give the full flavour of all the entertainment provided on
the streets. There were countless unofficial performers, even a band from the
Andes in South America, fun holiday booths, food galore and the tradition we
have not seen elsewhere of Santa Clauses with ponies to ride. You have to be
there to appreciate the glory and joy that one feels when surrounded by
thousands of people all having a fun time. This is from the 2005 official press release: “Our motto this year is ‘Christmas lights, trees and friends, the party in Athens never ends’ and we invite all to join in the fun - to dance, play and celebrate! The party begins on December 15, when the Christmas tree at Syntagma Square will be lit, and continues through to January 8. On December 17, Kotzia Square will come alive in the form of the Land of Gifts and Goodies. It will feature 52 miniature log cabins full of Christmas decorations and gift ideas, a Christmas tree and a second carousel. At the Zappeion Gardens, one will encounter ‘The Crystal City’ and within this wonderland is a 450-square metre ice-rink where all are welcome to test their skills on the ice. On December 21, Omonia Square will get into the spirit of the season as the Sparkling Tree, a beautiful white Christmas tree adorned with thousands of shimmering lights, is illuminated. And finally, the New Year’s Eve concert at Kotzia Square promises to be a rousing celebration with an exclusively Greek flavour." So from Karin and Michael on our Paros Paradise
(This site does not accept Greek letters) If that is Greek to you, then try this:
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