patras

Well, here is our trip to PATRAS.

We were two italians (one from Sicily) and a romenian girl.

Patras is the third biggest city in Greece, but sort of people dislike this town.. "Its a small Athens".

When you look up from the highest spot, the castle, indeed. Its looks like Athens.

The best of the trip, was in the train heeh we saw such wonderful landscape ! The very light blue water is something that I had never seen before.. that colour! 

Our sits were next to the driver´s cabin, on the train. 

When they let the door open for a while, my friend begun taking pictures ! They were very sympatic and let us go inside, so we had kind of nice experience :P We stayed there like 15 minutes watching the front view of the train.. so cool ! Very different perspective, and I guess that it will be hard to see again :)

We wanted to go to the other side of the bridge (this bridge is the biggest cable bridge in the world, I heard) but we missed the bus :(

the way was plenty of nice hills and high mountains.

here I post some pictures of my first trip in greece trip:

I´m lucky

"Maybe because it's entirely an artist's eye, patience and skill that makes an image and not his tools. "

M.C. Escher

Yes, Today I had been in an Escher exhibition. It was very impressive. I saw some masterpieces of him and my italian friend was very surprised, since she discovered that he lived his life in her very small city. There was lots of litos with her city landscape.

4 Euros spent really worthly.

those were some pictures I saw :

today with pleasant weather, finally...

Temple of ZEUS:

The cycladic Art museum has a small collection, but the pieces are quiet funny ! Some of them are from the "canonic" period, so they have very straight lines, large shoulders and hands on their belly. A representation of fertility ? I guess so.

They are very sweet, although !

MÃO DIREITA MÃO DIREITA É PENAAALTYYYYY

o cabeça-de-pila

A cycladic hero

On the ancient Agora : Aphrodite :) Although, without a head.. hmm why do you need a head for being the god of love? :D

typical greek art 

on the cemetary museum:

the bull of Dyonisius:

A view of the Akropoli, from the ancient agora.. (an ancient place where philosophers were)

a view of Athens, from the Akropolis hill. Everywhere u look it´s like that: white geometric pieces.
on the akropoli

temple of Zeus.. very nice !




Today I went to the Temple of Zeus, in the city center. I also visited the Cycladic Art Museum and walked around "Plaka".. yeah.. this name remind me someone ahahha ;)

Plaka is a region on the city with narrow streets, selling mostly souvenirs. You can find many kind of shops, such as "carpets shop". IT´s also full of restaurants, full of people.

I found a shop of "Emily - The Strange"

And there was a Cellar on this shop called "Emily´s Dungeon". Very very nice ! There was a kind of old-fashioned bike in black and red, Emily´s Style. Great and black-humour stuff.

Yesterday I visited "the acropolis" up on the hill, in the center. It´s a place that surely - if you are visiting the town - you can´t miss ! IT´s not that big, a couple of classic monuments (colossal) and the sun straight on you. 

I went to the Ancient Agora and the ancient Cemetary.. there was "bull of dyonisius" there. quiet nice. 

The funny thing in Greece is that u often see things related to the mythology, or words in our language, everywhere. For "EXIT" is "EXODUS". ehehe  "DESKTOP" is "EPIFANIAS" something. They also use the word EROS for something like.. "passion.." and other things :D

But the funniest thing is "NE". Meaning "YES". 

Of corse I have to think 33443 times before saying yes or no in greek. So I dont say in greek, only english :D

"NO" is something like "OHI". Sorry,but that´s also sounding funny.

cars

Cars are totally mad here.

Whenever u go out, there is a car. Doesn´t matter if it´s 3 o´clock AM... the city is alive..

Green light for pedestrians exist, but I dont know why :D in fact its only working in large street, with many many manyyyy cars, avenues.. And still, some of them stop on the zebras..or stop almost over you. Also the motobikers are mad..

It´s the only thing I dont like about Athens.  I had been in Moscow and other few big cities, (much more people living there then here..) but I never saw so many cars parked, or driving crazy in my life :D 

Cars = polution

Someone told me that Athens is amongst the most poluted cities in the world. 

The hills around the town increase that factor.

Frapé love affair

In fact, they also drink a lot of coffee. But Greek coffee. It´s a bit different from expresso/filter coffee, since they way they make it differs. To prepare greek coffee u add water, coffee and sugar in a pot, mix a litle bit and wait it to (almost) boil. It seems that there is a trick in getting the exact moment the coffee´s ready. The flavour also differs, but that is hard to describe :P

They have the tradition of reading the future on the coffee that remaind at the bottom of the cup !

Frappé

Here is something typically greek: Frappé. They drink it a lot. Specially woman they say. Is a foam-covered iced coffee drink made from spray-dried instant coffee. It is very popular in Greece especially during summer, but has now spread on to other countries with the Olympic Games.

My frapé today morning:

Um pouco de Atenas

yesterday night

that was a small pub with nice decoration. some surreal things around !

But, I paid 6 euros for s beer :)

The strangest thing in athens is that you pay nordic prices with southern wages.

I dont get it.

Houses, rents, nightlife, supermarket are very expensive, but the salary is like 600 euros, 700 euros for a normal job. Very very good job is 1500 euros.

Well, someplaces in europe you pay 4 euros for a beer but you get 2000 euros per month.

so, I wont drink anymore.

only supermarket stuff, yes u can find some very cheap and good greek white wine in shops. like 2 liters, 3 euros.

The Lasagna

Wanna try ?

We prepared Pesto Lasagna, I will post the receipe later !

That´s very easy if you buy everything ready : Bechamel, pesto.. ahahheheh

:p

now I have to stop because I must go to the kitchen to help my flatmate ! but now its nothing special: sausages with potatoes and rice

How to prepare (easy) :

- Bechamel
- Pesto sauce
- cucumber
- pasta for lasagna
- mozzarela cheese
- another kind of cheese at your choice

1. You first have to turn the stove on, add bechamel and pesto sauce. Mix it very well.
2. Boil the pasta a little bit, then it takes a shorter time when it's on the oven.
3. Cut the cucumber in slices, and the cheese in small pieces.
4. Add a layer of bechamel on the recipient, a layer of pasta, cucumber and a layer of cheese. Do that until your recipient is full ! At the top, Add more mozzarela cheese, cucumber and a pinch of olive oil!
5. Put on the oven until it's ready.

My flat

Hall:

Living room:

Kitchen with my flat-mate:

Hall again:

My room: