Irish music and life in northern Greece
June, unfortunately, did not go to plan. Harat’s cancelled our session, I wanted to hold a session at home, but a lot of things got in the way, including my birthday, and visitors from Athens and abroad. It’s July now and, as expected, nothing is happening. I will try to wake from my θερινή νάρκη... Continue Reading →
A borrowing from Italian. Its first meaning is similar to a work or school canteen where you can buy tea, coffee, soft drinks, sandwiches or a pie. Basically, a synonym of κυλικείο. However, it is now mainly used to refer to the mobile food/drinks van as in the picture. Hunting for Greek words can also... Continue Reading →
9th July 2025: I went to London on 10th June. The UK is almost completely cashless. I didn’t use any coins or notes in the 19 days I was there. And I didn’t see anyone else use cash either. Greece seems to be going the same way. Since returning on June 29th, I have used... Continue Reading →
31st May 2025: We were scheduled to do a gig in Harat’s on Sunday, 25th May. A few days before, we were asked to bring it forward to the 24th. This was not possible, so we asked about the following weekend. Again, there was a clash with some other event. (The Champions League Final is... Continue Reading →
A word that probably serves no useful purpose unless you want to show off the depth of your Greek vocabulary. The original root word is δαίς, which goes back to Homer, originally meant ‘feast’, ‘meat’ or ‘food’. Synonyms are ομοτράπεζος and ομόδειπνος, both more readily comprehensible if you have a good grounding in the language:... Continue Reading →
Our second Harat’s session got underway on Sunday 11th May. The atmosphere in the pub was tremendous, but it wasn’t due to our playing. Barcelona and Real Madrid drew in the crowd. We also recorded our joint lowest number of musicians – seven of us. This is not unusual. As the weather improves, numbers tend... Continue Reading →
Miracles do happen. ΚΕΠ (the Centre for Public Services) has returned two of the παράβολα I submitted to get my Greek driving licence. I am due a refund of just over €100. Luke Prodromou. Luke was a well-known figure in the TEFL world, especially in Greece. In the 80s he was first one of my... Continue Reading →
Any little gizmo that connects two cables or pipes. I bought two like the one in the picture to connect two HDMIs. Wiktionary defines it thus: μούφα < ίσως (άμεσο δάνειο) αγγλική muff ή (άμεσο δάνειο) γαλλική mouffle + -α κατά το βάνα[1] Ουσιαστικό μούφα θηλυκό υδραυλικό σωληνοειδές εξάρτημα το οποίο περιέχει, εσωτερικά, και στα δύο άκρα βόλτες και χρησιμοποιείται για να ενώσει δύο σωλήνες που περιέχουν εξωτερικές βόλτες στα... Continue Reading →
Oh to be in England now that April’s there, said the poet. I don’t normally miss April in NW Europe, but the weather has not been particularly good here in Greece. In our communal garden we have a lovely Japanese acacia which still hasn’t bloomed. Scrolling through the pics on my mobile, I note that... Continue Reading →
It is basically a Request to Pay a government fee. You receive the document, and you go to a bank or post office and pay. I am in the process of changing my UK driving licence to a Greek one. For one licence I was given five παράβολα totalling just over €231. From the Greek... Continue Reading →
I have to begin with a correction to 25/005 LinNG. The harbour lights shine on the harbour wall rather than in the direction of moored boats. Still, the lighting does not illuminate the side of the wall where all the damage is. And the damage is still there. No warning tape or barrier to protect... Continue Reading →
April 1st 2025. I’m glad March is out of the way. Friction in the band, the Dubliner under new ownership, and an uncertain future for the sessions. A chain of Irish-themed pubs, Harat’s ( https://thessaloniki.harats.com/en/ ), has bought the business. Unfortunately, for both the old and new owners, the name change may be inauspicious. The... Continue Reading →
St. Patrick has been and gone. We had a practice on Thursday, 14th. We were scheduled to do a session in the Dubliner on 16th and a gig on the great day for an Irish party, March 17th. Very late in the day, the owner of another bar approached Vasili, one of our guitarists, about... Continue Reading →
Yesterday was March 25th, the feast of the Annunciation and the 204th anniversary of the Declaration of Greek Independence. On this day Greeks eat salted cod fried in a batter. The finished product looks like the fried fish you’ll find in any Irish or British fish & chip shop. My mother-in-law is a good source... Continue Reading →
A quick one today. Saturday 15th March. Disruption once again on public transport, this time due to a Nighttime Marathon. When the buses resumed their normal itinerary, I got a seat going to IKEA. The connection for the town was full. No chance of a seat. When the middle door (I assumed it was a... Continue Reading →
February 28th 2025. A sombre day, the second anniversary of the Tempe rail accident when 57 people were killed. There were huge demonstrations in every town and city in Greece. Amidst calls for the truth and for the guilty to be punished, I picked up a few indications that there may be a growing awareness... Continue Reading →
I concluded a previous post by a reference to Apostolos Tzitzikostas, son of the late George Tzitzikostas, and I added that I might finish a text I had started about nepotism in Greece. After a search, I haven’t been able to find my earlier document, so I guess I’m back to Square 1. I am... Continue Reading →
22nd February: February has been a busier month than anticipated. A session on the 9th, an Ice Swimming event on the 15th and 16th, and a gig tomorrow. Our session went exceptionally well. Our UK visitor from Akbuk in Turkey hasn’t regretted his visit. There was a huge crowd and a terrific atmosphere. We also... Continue Reading →
My wife wanted me to get her something from the pharmacy, but she cautioned me against going to my usual go-to guy because he tends to offer the priciest products rather than cheaper alternatives. Instead, she urged me to go to the nearby μουντρούχα because her prices are better. The Irish writer, Hugh Leonard, opened... Continue Reading →
Only in Greece! Only in Greece would an Irish band be invited to an Ice Swimming Event in the north of the country. Yet, there we were last Saturday evening playing at the opening festivities in Mount Cholomon in Halkidiki. Details here: https://iceswimming.gr/ As there was Irish participation, one of the organisers, George Mathas, approached... Continue Reading →
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