κουρμπέτι – (kurbeti). I should say something that I should have said at the beginning. There is no rhyme, reason or pattern to my choice of words. The words simply catch my attention when I hear or read them. By a long circuitous route το κουρμπέτι has come to mean the marketplace or workplace. Βγαίνω... Continue Reading →
Irish music scene Episode #4
On the plus side, we have been practising and, hopefully, improving. Unfortunately, we have failed so far to attract more interest from other musicians. The session will go ahead as planned on 29th February in Riley's Irish Bar, Peraia, but it looks as if it will be limited to my three comrades and me as... Continue Reading →
Greek word of the week #4
τσίκνα – (tsikna). Today, Thursday 20th February 2020, is Τσικνοπέμπτη (Tsiknopempti). Τσίκνα is the smoky smell that comes from meat roasting on a grill, so today is Smoky Thursday or Barbecue Thursday, and in towns all over Greece you will see plenty of activity around barbecues. The Orthodox Church does not have Ash Wednesday or... Continue Reading →
Greek word of the week #3
γαλαντόμος – (ghalandomos/ghaladomos). I’m very pleased to say this word was said about me. Grateful for every compliment I can get. I like the word because it feels like a borrowing, and indeed it is. Venetians played a major role in Greece’s medieval and post-medieval history and quite a few Venetian words have entered the... Continue Reading →
My fiddle…
... resting in a bar in Bahrain
Irish music scene Episode #3
Now with a playlist put together and two practices done, we are beginning to shape up. As we were previously together in a band, the real challenge is to try to create an open session where other musicians can join in rather than sticking to our old repertoire. I have sent another message out to... Continue Reading →
Greek word of the week #2
φλώρος – (floros) literally a greenfinch or oriole. I’ve only heard this word used by young people. It is certainly not a compliment. It ranges in meaning from ‘ineffectual’ to ‘effeminate’, but perhaps its best translation is wimp or wuss.
Greek word of the Week #1
κοπανέλι (kopaneli). This is the first in a series of Greek words that I have heard or read, and which have caught my attention. Apparently, κοπανέλι relates to a style of embroidery, but I heard it in the context of food. In Greek a chicken leg is called a chicken thigh (μπούτι - bouti), and... Continue Reading →
Irish music scene Episode 2
Slowly getting it together. The two Greek-based contacts still have not got in touch, but my old friends haven't let me down. Three have rallied to the cause, a fourth is based in Bulgaria, and we are encouraging a fifth! We have also found a venue, Riley's Irish Bar in Perea. The first session will... Continue Reading →
The Irish music scene in northern Greece
There is a good band locally called Tir Fada. The members are Greek and they play Irish and Scottish music to a very high standard. However, there is no session scene so my target is to 1) find a venue and 2) find a viable number of musicians. I am on two websites, www.tradconnect.com and... Continue Reading →
Introduction
The name of the blog is inspired by the Irish song from WWI called "Salonika". Irish regiments were stationed outside Thessaloniki (the Greek name for the city). The chorus goes: So right away, so right away, So right away Salonika, right away, me soldier boys. As you can see, I have changed “right” to “write”... Continue Reading →