Letters from Athens

Postcard from Greece

“Postcard” is a monthly column featuring guest bloggers from around the world. Today we received a postcard from M. L. Kappa (Greece) who blogs at athensletters.com. Do check out her exceptional blog about life and times in Greece, it’s highly recommended! If you’ve been wondering how things change and how the Greeks cope with ongoing crisis, M. L. Kappa shares with us the individual and social choices that people make in terms of food. Let’s read her thorough postcard:

Most people love to eat – they like to go out to restaurants and cook at home. Food is a large and enjoyable part of life. But what happens when money becomes short?

In the last five years, two things have affected eating habits in Greece: the trend for fitness and the crisis. We want our food to be healthy, and we need it to be cheap.

Greeks have…

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Battered by the daily news

The morning news make for grim reading at the moment. I take a quick glance through the headlines, my stomach knotting. It’s all a big mess, worldwide. Violence. Terrorism. Domestic murders. Killers on a rampage. Scandals. Corruption. Fighting. Destruction. Climate change. Of course it’s all fact, but sometimes the press seems to enjoy wallowing in it as well. After a summer spent stuck in front of various screens, I avoid turning on the television as much as possible.

In Greece things are still looking bleak. The private sector has mostly borne the weight of the crisis so far, the public sector being traditionally regarded by every government as an untouchable holy cow. It is enough to note that salary reduction in the private sector has reached 20-23%, whereas in the public sector it is barely 12,5% – without even mentioning the fact that most public offices are still employing a large number of people, many of whom do nothing. The increase in unemployment is also much higher in the private sector. Capital controls are still in place, and every new law passed seems to contradict the one before.

While being unemployed is horrible whatever your job, surely having a vibrant market would benefit everyone in the long run. This policy has created a downward spiral: international competitiveness is at an all-time low and every means of getting out of the crisis has been scuppered. A increasingly large number of firms, including shipping companies, are getting out and basing themselves elsewhere, mostly in the Balkan countries and Cyprus. There is also a huge loss of human capital as individuals are emigrating as fast as they can get a job abroad.

Not only are people given zero incentives to stay, but often special opportunities are lost as well. For example, a few weeks ago I read that Jason Bourne’s next adventure, set against the backdrop of the Greek financial crisis, is being shot in the Canary Islands rather than Athens. Why? Because the film’s makers were put off by red tape and a lack of tax breaks.
Last year culture minister Nikos Xydakis had proudly announced that the Bourne film would be made in Athens — claiming the effect on local jobs and trade would be akin to setting up a “small factory”. But afterwards the government failed to make good on promises of tax breaks offered in most countries. So now Spanish advertisements and street signs in Santa Cruz de Tenerife have been covered over with ones in Greek, while a local plaza is doubling as Syntagma, Athens’s central square. Walls have been daubed with graffiti in Greek and locals signed up to stage anti-austerity rallies.
It makes you want to pull your hair out.

And who is doing something about all this? Not our politicians, that’s for sure. As has always been the case in our long and troubled history, they are busy squabbling (still).The government is in above its head – rumors abound they’re not going to last long – and often does not even get the support of its own party; and as for the opposition, they’re having a ridiculous and costly fight over electing a new leader.

Christmas is approaching. I wonder how we will be able to conjure up a seasonal festive spirit this year.

November Q&A: The hotelier

Ioulia Mavrelou works in her family’s hotels. One, the ESPERAS, is a dream destination on the beautiful island of Santorini, with its black volcanic beaches, its town perched high above the sea and its stunning views. The other, the MYRTO, in the old quarter of Athens, Plaka, is at the moment undergoing renovation. Ioulia’s husband works alongside her and they have three young children.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in Athens by a rather conservative family. After school, I left to study Hotel Management at the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. I also have a BA in Tourism and Hotel Management from Surrey University in the UK and an MBA from ALBA University in Athens

After my studies I worked in prestigious hotels in Europe and the USA, and I also taught Operations and Administration for Hotels at BCA University in Athens. In 2001 I returned to Greece full time, and became the Managing Director of my family’s HOTEL ESPERAS in Oia, Santorini, and later a VP of Operations at Hotel Myrto in Athens.

What were the major difficulties you’ve faced in the last five years?

It’s been hard, for reasons both economical and psychological. The fear people had of traveling to Greece due to the unstable economic and political environment meant we’ve had to face and overcome financial problems. Decisions made by Greece’s politicians result in continued uncertainty and distrust, so it’s a constant psychological roller coaster.

Did anyone in particular inspire you or help you?

During the last five years, my father and my husband have been the inspiration that drives me forward. My father taught me about hard work, and to be patient; to wait and to act at the right moment. My husband inspires me to pursue things until the end and not to give up.

What are your hopes/plans for the future?

I hope that the economic situation in Greece will become stable and that we will have the opportunity to grow our company.

What are your hopes for Greece? What changes would you like to see happen?

In my opinion radical changes need to be made in order for the country to survive. Unfortunately I don’t believe that any Greek government is willing to implement those changes in areas such as education, pensions etc. or to allow privatizations and implement measures to help entrepreneurship and allow the country to move forward.

Have you considered leaving? If so, where would you like to go, and why?

We are considering leaving as a family and moving to an English-speaking country since we feel that the adjustment will be easier, especially for our children. Of course, the fact that we work in our family business plays a major part in this decision, making it particularly difficult.

If you have already decided to leave, what would make you stay?

A complete and radical change in Greece, which would force the Greek people to change their ways as well.

Are you actively doing anything to help with the situation? Is there something more you would like to do?

I feel that I am – and have been all my life – doing my part as an entrepreneur by paying all my taxes and creating jobs for honest folks.
Tourism is a major source of income for Greece. In spite of all the difficulties, last summer was a reasonably good season for us and bookings have remained steady for 2016.

How do you see Greece in 5, in 10 years?

Unfortunately I see my country in the same situation if not worse than today. Observing the measures taken so far does not allow me to be optimistic.

How do you cope with obstacles and frustrations in your everyday life?

I am blessed to have a loving family and friends I can count on, who have been next to me when needed.

What are the positive sides of living in Greece? Have you had any good experiences lately?

The climate, our extended families and all the assets we have in Greece are the biggest reasons for staying. The summer vacation I spent with my family were exactly what holidays by the sea should be…

Ioulia kindly agreed to be the Guinea pig for this feature, so any comments about improvements are welcome. If you want to see the site of the stunning ESPERAS HOTEL, just click on the name.

Red Alert

I feel so sorry for the people in Paris who went out to have a drink on a Friday night and lost their lives. I feel for their families and friends. But I feel a lot of anger as well. Have we lost the right to even walk in the street safely anymore? Is this the new face of 21st century Europe?

Is it just me, or is there a dire lack of leadership in the western world? They all meet at vast expense to the taxpayer and a huge carbon footprint (five star hotels, fleets of planes and cars, police escorts…) but – whether about the climate, the refugee crisis or the terrorists – nothing gets done. A total lack of a coherent policy on which everyone agrees. It’s frightening. After each terrible event, people get arrested, words of bravado are flung around, the dead are remembered. But – do we feel something is actually being done to protect us? Not enough, with all due respect. I ask, what is the use of bombing in the Middle East, when most of these terrorists have French, British or Belgian passports?

Greece is now facing the borders being closed, and we’ll be stuck with half a million refugees in a tiny country with a population of 11 million (of which one million are already immigrants, mostly from Eastern Europe). Compared to this, the USA has said it will take 30.000 over the next two years… And who meddled in those countries, creating all those refugees, may I ask? Not Greece, that’s for sure. It’s all about financial interests, oil, the arms industries, etc. And, everywhere, it’s the man in the street who pays. The taxpayer, the citizen who wants nothing but a quiet life, as well as the true refugee who will now be regarded with suspicion by all.

Forgive the rant, but does Europe really need to be dragged into another war?

A few of my favorite things

I felt so gloomy after writing my last post (to say nothing about reading the morning papers) that I decided to make a list of my favorite mood-enhancers. Here goes – not necessarily in order of preference.

A bowl of pomegranates. Smooth on the outside, crammed full of juicy bits.

Art supplies. Anything to get the hands dirty.

A stack of books. Some unread – and some old favorites.

A puppy. Need I say more?

A cat, ignoring you.

A bunch of flowers.

A ray of sunshine behind a cloud.

The sea.

Watching fish swim. Very soothing.

A sunset.

A soaring kite.

Autumn leaves.

Cake!

Luckily, there are many more. Babies, rainbows, music, the smell of toast… Easy on the senses, easy on the brain. Feel any better?

Many thanks to Eleni Koryzi and Anna Koenig for providing some of the photos

The tip of the iceberg

Embed from Getty Images

A few days ago I had lunch with a friend who is very involved in the refugee crisis, since she works with the European official in charge. They had come to Greece in order to meet with various members of the Greek government and to visit Lesvos (they had previously stopped by Lampedusa). The things she told me make for scary reading.

Firstly, the measures decided upon – after much debate – are simply not working. The relocation project dependant on ‘hot spots’ being set up to process people is proving ineffective, even as Greece is asking for €480 million to implement it (less than six have been approved so far). The reason is the following:
Refugees must go to the nearest hot spot to be fingerprinted and given identity papers; then they will have to wait until they are sent to the country they are allocated to. This might take months, given the numbers involved and the usual bureaucratic delays. So why would they want to do that when – by other means – they can be in the country of their choice in four days? Nobody wants to stay – and almost nobody stays.

It also appears they have to be persuaded, rather than told, to have their fingerprints taken. It’s their choice – whereas all Greek are obliged to be fingerprinted for their identity cards. A few days ago I read in the papers that – so far – only 15 Syrians have elected to stay. But if people are undocumented, it is very difficult to implement any kind of coherent policy for dealing with them.

Secondly, desperate people do desperate things. There are more and more babies and children coming in, because parents with children get automatic priority. There are more and more unaccompanied minors, sent by families hoping they’re going to a better, safer life. But I don’t need to point out the dangers they face traveling alone, and who knows how many don’t make it – and how many are abused and exploited along the way?
Worst of all, people have started to steal kids because they can use them to get preferential treatment. When they arrive at their destination, they dump them. More money is now being spent on a campaign to try and locate their families.

Only in the last two months, more than 100 children have drowned in the Aegean Sea, while in the last couple of days, 31 kids lost their lives in 7 separate shipwrecks. The mayor of Lesvos has asked that identification of the refugees is done in Turkey, to avoid so many drownings. Meanwhile, the local morgue is full of bodies and there is need for a new burial ground. And for the ultimate irony: an airplane ticket from Turkey to Germany costs around €400. These people are paying well above €1000 to cross over on a floating death trap. Surely there is a moral in this somewhere.

Something else I didn’t know, and which I found quite shocking, is that sending people back home is often not possible, because their own countries WON’T TAKE THEM BACK (I’m not talking about war-torn zones like Syria here.) They prefer their citizens to stay abroad, since that means a lot of foreign currency will be coming in, and it also helps with local unemployment.

It seems every measure taken has a huge downside. The more people are saved, the more come over. In October alone, 218.00 people have crossed the Mediterranean, and of those, 210.000 have ended up in Greece.

We are witnessing the biggest movement in populations in the history of mankind. 60 million people, from Syria and Afghanistan, Gaza, Iraq, Haiti and a dozen African countries have fled endless wars and disastrous governments. And it’s not over yet. The wars are far from ended, ISIS and the Taliban are still preying upon entire populations, religious minorities are being hounded from their homes. The floods and droughts brought on by climate change exacerbate the problem. It would only take one typhoon in the Bay of Bengal to displace millions in Bangladesh.

To top it all, my friend has worked for a long time in Ethiopia – and the scariest thing she told me is the following:

In the next few years, immigration from Africa is set to increase exponentially.
Many of the young African countries are doubling their population every twenty years. Most of their current population is under 30 years old, while their governments are not doing much in terms of job creation and services. We’re talking billions here, a large number of whom will want to come over. Recent studies have shown that in developing countries, more than half wish to move to the west.

All this is bound to lead to a rise of the extreme right in European countries, something which has already started. Tensions are growing – the refugees are at the end of their tether, but so are a lot of the people assisting them, who sometimes feel they are not grateful enough for the help they’re getting. Many are demanding that borders be secured. The Schengen concept is in real danger, even though Angela Merkel is warning that border closures and fences to stop refugees “could cause military conflict” in the Balkans. The face of the world is changing, and most of us have yet to realize it.

I’m sorry to keep harping on about this subject. In spite of everything, some people remain optimistic that the refugees can eventually be absorbed by EE countries. Today, I read that 30 refugees were flown to Luxemberg for resettlement – a drop in the ocean, but still, some kind of start. Others just do their best to help, like Britons Andrew Davies and Wendy Wilcox, who set up Solidarity Symi on the island of Symi, to help the people coming through. I also heard that young men on the islands are going out on jet skis, braving huge waves, to rescue people from shipwrecks.

Meanwhile, winter is approaching, and the refugees will have to face weather a lot of them are not used to, in many cases being obliged to live outdoors. Some parents are already wrapping their kids in rubbish bags to keep them dry…The seas are getting rougher and more dangerous, but the flow is not lessening. It is possible that because of all the talk of frontiers closing, many people feel it’s now or never.

So they take the risk.

Road trip to Metéora

Taking advantage of the brilliant weather, we headed out for an overnight excursion. Our destination: Metéora, the largest complex of Orthodox monasteries in Greece, outside of Mount Athos.
The monasteries are built atop almost inaccessible sandstone peaks, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios River and Pindos Mountain, in central Greece.

Monks settled on these ‘columns of the sky‘ from the 11th century onwards. Twenty-four monasteries were built, despite incredible difficulties, at the time of the great revival of the eremitic ideal in the 15th century. Today there are six left.

To break up the four-hour journey, we stopped for a snack in the town of Domokos. The crisis is apparent here as well, with a lot of empty shops in the central street. An abrasive woman in a red pickup honked as we tried to park the car. The taverna that had been recommended to us was shut. We asked the woman, who was by now walking down the street, where we could get something to eat, and in two minutes she had managed to sell us a bag of beans – her own production – which she offered to bring to the kebab shop, apparently our best bet.
As we walked down the street, ultra-modern shops alternated with more decrepit ones like the one in the picture above, which took us straight back to the 60s. Pyjama bottoms, socks, plastic baskets and kitchen paper – and those rolls of PVC tablecloth in hideous prints that most Greeks used in their kitchen! Some still do, apparently.

Walking into the kebab shop, we looked at each other in dismay. It was tiny, grotty, and the clients consisted of two crusty old men and an elderly lady, sitting at small metal tables. A half-eaten, uninspiring gyros was roasting on a spit. Amazingly, the young man behind the counter made us delicious grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches that were just perfect. In the time it took to fire up the grill, we had become firm friends with everyone. The old guys chattered away through their dentures, the lady spoke Greek with a very strong local accent but perfect English to someone on the phone, and the abrasive woman came in for a bite with us (she had the gyros), bringing the aforementioned bag of dried white beans. We answered the usual ‘Where are you from?’ questions, discussed the monasteries’ hospitality policy, and found out the best place to buy local cheese.

On to Metéora, which was simply magical. There is no other word to describe it.
Metéora in Greek means ‘suspended in the air.’ The sheer majesty of the rocks upon which the monasteries are perched like eagle nests is breathtaking. The monasteries themselves are large, complex, beautiful structures that look as if they’ve emerged from the rock.

We started with the biggest one, Great Metéoro. Nowadays there is a road leading up to the opposite mountain slope. We scrambled down one flight of steps, crossed a bridge spanning the chasm, passed through a tunnel hewn in stone and, finally, faced a climb up another large number of steps – 330 to be precise – to emerge at last upon a stunning view.
The monastery church is a perfect specimen of Byzantine architecture; the 16th-century frescoes covering the walls mark a key stage in the development of post-Byzantine painting. The large courtyard is planted with cypress trees.

Before leaving we inspected the crude net and primitive pulley system by which monks were lowered, at great danger, to the ground, in the days before the road was built.

After climbing back down all those steps it was time to repair to our hotel, the Dellas Boutique Hotel, a stone building just outside Kalambaka, which is the nearest town. The welcome was warm, and the lounge contained a bar, comfortable chairs and even board games. The smiling girl in charge gave us maps of the area and recommended we visit an exquisite Byzantine church in the town. Then she sent us off to dinner at a taverna down the road serving local specialties.
Our rooms had a great view on the rocks, which were floodlit at night, the fissures and crannies casting mysterious shadows. At breakfast there were home-made jams and cake, local yogurt and honey scented with pine, oregano and thyme. When I asked where I could buy some to take home, I was directed to the local butcher’s! As well as a large display of appetizing meats, he sold all sorts of other products: fresh eggs, herbs, the said honey, even slabs of salted cod. I got my honey, plus some local cheeses; after which he gave me a present of his homemade country sausages, which he even vacuum-packed for me!

The 11th-century Byzantine Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary – in Kalambaka itself – which was our first stop, exceeded expectations. With beautiful and intricate rose-colored brickwork on the outside, its inside walls were covered with frescoes of the Saints and the pillars were of solid marble, since the church was built on top of a temple to Apollo. Part of the floor has been dug up to expose the ancient mosaics.
Next we made our way to the monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas. We parked the car on the edge of a wood, and there was the monastery, about two miles up in the sky above us! It looked unreachable. As we climbed rough-hewn steps through the woods, the undergrowth was strewn with pink cyclamen and the air was crystal clear. In no time we were at the foot of the walls, and then up the 270 steps to the top. One sole monk lives in this monastery, but it was bustling with life. A lady sweeping the floor told us she worked there ‘for the views’, a bunch of workmen were putting new tiles on the roof, a Japanese tourist was availing himself of the bread and loukoumi (Turkish delights) set out for visitors. The monk said to us, ‘Up here you are in heaven.’

The next two monasteries we visited were nunneries, and the female touch was evident. They both had lovingly-tended gardens, full of roses and lavender. The larger of the two, Aghios Stephanos, is inhabited by 31 nuns.

The monasteries have small museums containing frescoes, precious relics and illuminated manuscripts. Every window or terrace has a different view, of the rocks, of the other monasteries seen from below or from above, of the Thessaly plain and the glint of the river.
The people who first climbed the rocks and built upon them, trying to find protection from the raids of various conquerors, established a tradition of Orthodoxy which has continued uninterrupted for 600 years. Today the Metéora is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Before heading for home, we made a detour to catch a glimpse of the man-made Plastiras Lake, named after the Greek prime minister who had the vision of building a dam across the Tavropos River in order to irrigate the plain of Thessaly. It was a glimpse only, since the lake is large and surrounded by an area of exceptional natural beauty. It merits a trip in itself, in order to explore the villages surrounding it and enjoy the various activities on offer. We only had time to stop for a delicious lunch at a roadside taverna, where once again the owners were friendly and welcoming, as well as being great cooks! After lunch and a chat, we walked through oak woods dotted with mushrooms to the shores of the lake, whose waters were calm and clear as well as – we were told – teeming with fish.

Some photos are mine , others by Anna Koenig. I will leave you to guess which! To go on the Dellas Hotel site, click on the name. Great value for money.

New feature: The monthly Q&A

I sometimes feel too many of my posts are depressing, due to the fact the situation in Greece is not particularly cheerful at the moment. I try not to be all gloom and doom, however, because there are many good things happening.
The future still looks dark. Nevertheless, a country’s future is in its people, and especially its young people. Inspired by comments from readers, and hoping to reveal a more positive outlook, I’m planning a new feature for this blog – showcasing individuals who are making the best of things.

Each month there will be a Q&A with someone who is making a life of it, here in Greece. I will try to have a mix of people from all walks of life, different backgrounds, different occupations, mostly the young – and sometimes the not-so-young.
It will be a little bit of research, an attempt to find out what motivates these individuals: what are their hopes, their problems, how they see Greece in the years to come. Did they ever think about leaving, and, if they did, what made them stay? If they’re still thinking about it, what would make them stay?
Watch this space.

Athenians love the theater

Long queues formed again in central Athens on a recent October afternoon. But for once they weren’t leading up to an ATM machine, or to a national insurance or tax office. They led to the ticket office of the Greek Art Theater, where something very appealing was on offer: they were selling 2 tickets per person for every performance of the winter season, for the astounding price of €3 each. All the performances had to be booked in advance, with a choice of convenient dates.

3,500 people lined up around the block, even crossing over to the next street, to avail themselves of this. Men and women, young and old, all waited patiently, sometimes for hours, holding the program they’d printed out and discussing available dates. Many had a book in hand to help pass the time. The theater had never anticipated such a response – there was an overflow, and they had to apologize for not accommodating everyone.

The Art Theater is not the only one trying to adapt to the crisis. Many other venues are offering reduced tickets of €10 or less – usually they go for around €20 – as well as special offers for the unemployed.

The crisis has certainly affected the theater, but it has not cowed it. On the contrary, there’s a reckless feeling in the air, a notion that ‘In a crisis one must advance, not recede,’ and ‘We’re not going to make any money anyway, we might as well have some fun.’ The public is sometimes invited to enter venues that until recently functioned as night dives or warehouses, where they might have to sit in velvet chairs or perhaps on wooden benches.

I went to a play downtown, in a basement under a bar, where we sat on plastic chairs and the props consisted of an old sofa, a lamp and a bit of carpet. The audience was warmly enthusiastic about the comedy on offer, which was admittedly very funny, with great acting. Before and after, everyone went for a drink. My sister even attended a show where the performers ‘acted’ the props, turning themselves into trees and furniture!

In contrast to that, there are lush productions, such as those in the superb Badminton Theater, where a children’s play about Theseus involved fantastic sets. Theater district neighborhoods are resounding with the music and laughter of rehearsals, as all the most popular musicals, including Mamma Mia, are being put on with casts of talented young Greek actors.

In 2014 there were more than 400 shows on. I haven’t seen this winter’s program yet, but at the moment there are 91 performances on, spread around 58 theaters. Usually there’s something for every taste: comedy, farce, drama, Ancient Greek tragedies, stand-up, Shakespeare, musicals, performances for children, puppet theater. Also political satire, plays in verse, plays involving dance, and monologues.