Рουκετοπόλεμος (Rocket-War)
Rouketopolemos (Greek Рουκετοπόλεμος, literally Rocket-War)
is the name of a local traditional event held annually at Easter in the town of Vrontados (Βροντάδος) on the Greek island of Chios. As a variation of the Greek habit of throwing fireworks during the celebration of the service at midnight before Easter Sunday, two rival church congregations in the town perform a "Rocket War" by firing tens of thousands of home-made rockets across town, with the objective of hitting th...e bell tower of the church of the other side. The rockets are wooden sticks loaded with an explosive mixture containing gunpowder and launched from grooved platforms.
The two rival parishes are St. Mark's and Panaghia Ereithiani, the respective churches built on two hilltops about 400 meters away from each other. Direct hits on each belfry are supposedly counted on the next day to determine the winner, but each parish invariably claims victory over the other. The result of this apparent disagreement is that both parishes agree to settle the score next year, and the rivalry is thus perpetuated. The church buildings themselves and the nearby buildings have to be extensively boarded up and protected with metal sheets and mesh for the occasion. Several Vrontadites regularly express their dismay at the explosive nature of the custom, but it is a source of significant tourist revenue for the area.
Posted by Today I Learned...
The two rival parishes are St. Mark's and Panaghia Ereithiani, the respective churches built on two hilltops about 400 meters away from each other. Direct hits on each belfry are supposedly counted on the next day to determine the winner, but each parish invariably claims victory over the other. The result of this apparent disagreement is that both parishes agree to settle the score next year, and the rivalry is thus perpetuated. The church buildings themselves and the nearby buildings have to be extensively boarded up and protected with metal sheets and mesh for the occasion. Several Vrontadites regularly express their dismay at the explosive nature of the custom, but it is a source of significant tourist revenue for the area.
Posted by Today I Learned...
Trigona (Greek: το τρίγωνο=triangle)
Trigona (Greek: το τρίγωνο=triangle)
is a speciality of Thessaloniki (northern Greece) although you can find it in other places as well.
Nikos Papazoglous (with his baglama)
Κανείς εδώ δεν τραγουδά - Νίκος Παπάζογλου
Ραγίζει απόψε η καρδιά με το μπαγλαμαδάκι
Πολλά κομμάτια έγινε, σπασμένο ποτηράκι
Θυμήθηκα που πίναμε σε τούτο το τραπέζι
Τώρα ποιος ξέρει πού γυρνά, ποιος ξέρει τι γυρεύει
Κανείς εδώ δεν τραγουδά, κανένας δε χορεύει
Ακούνε μόνο την πενιά κι ο νους τους ταξιδεύει
Τυχαία δήθεν αν τη δεις, φέρ’ την στο ταβερνάκι
Κρυμμένος θα ’μαι στη γωνιά, για να την δω λιγάκι
Πολλά κομμάτια έγινε, σπασμένο ποτηράκι
Θυμήθηκα που πίναμε σε τούτο το τραπέζι
Τώρα ποιος ξέρει πού γυρνά, ποιος ξέρει τι γυρεύει
Κανείς εδώ δεν τραγουδά, κανένας δε χορεύει
Ακούνε μόνο την πενιά κι ο νους τους ταξιδεύει
Τυχαία δήθεν αν τη δεις, φέρ’ την στο ταβερνάκι
Κρυμμένος θα ’μαι στη γωνιά, για να την δω λιγάκι
Βaglamas (Greek μπαγλαμάς)
Βaglamas (Greek μπαγλαμάς) or baglamadaki (μπαγλαμαδάκι),
a long necked bowl-lute, is a plucked string instrument used in Greek music.
Ιt is a version of the bouzouki pitched an octave higher. Its small size made it particularly popular with musicians who needed an instrument transportable enough to carry around easily or small enough to shelter under a coat.
The name comes from Turkish bağlama, a similar instrument.
Pavlos Pavlidis (Greek singer)
Παύλος Παυλίδης - Δεν είμαι από εδώ
Μ' αρέσει να βλέπω την άσπρη γραμμή
που αφήνουνε πίσω τα αμάξια όταν τρέχουν,
να φτάνω σε πόλεις που μόλις να έχουν
ανάψει τα φώτα και μια μουσική
να φωτίζει απαλά τις ψυχές των ανθρώπων,
μες στη ματιά τους να βλέπω νερό,
να ρωτάω πως λέγεται η πόλη
και όλοι να λένε δεν ξέρω,δεν είμαι από εδώ...
Μπροστά μας ουράνια τόξα και μέρη
που έχουν αφήσει τα πάντα κι εσύ
μου λες ότι θέλεις έστω για λίγο
να μείνεις ακίνητη μες στη σιωπή,
ουρλιάζουν τα τρένα την ώρα που ο αέρας
ξαπλώνει τα στάχυα σε κύματα φως,
κοιτάς μακριά στον ορίζοντα πέρα,
γυρνάς και μου λες:πάμε ήρθε ο καιρός...
Meteora ... Breathtaking !
Breathtaking !
The Meteora (τα Μετέωρα) is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece. The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly in central Greece. The nearest town is Kalambaka. The Meteora is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tsipouro (Greek Τσίπουρο)
Tsipouro
is a pomace brandy from Greece and in particular Thessaly (Tsipouro Tyrnavou), Epirus, Macedonia, Mani Peninsula, and the island of Crete (where Cretans call it tsikoudia).
Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing approximately 45 percent alcohol by volume and is produced from the pomace (the residue of the wine press).
Tsipouro and tsikoudia, as with all alcoholic beverages in Greece, always seem to coincide with various social gatherings, as their consumption had a festive and symposium-like quality.
It is usually served in shot glasses, very cold, often with meze, walnuts, almonds, raisins, feta cheese, olives, or accompanying halva or other desserts in restaurants.
Posted by eatGREEK, on 12 October, 2012
Drinking Ouzo!
Ouzo is widely consumed in Greece and Cyprus. Ouzeries (the suffix -erie is imported from French) can be found in nearly all cities, towns, and villages. These cafe-like establishments serve ouzo with mezedes — appetizers such as octopus, salad, sardines, calamari, fried zucchini, and clams, among others. It is traditionally slowly sipped (usually mixed with water or ice) together with mezedes shared with others over a period of several hours in the early evening.
Το κουλούρι ( the greek breakfast ! )
Το κουλούρι ( the greek breakfast ! )
Koulouri (plural koulouria) is a bagel or ring doughnut shaped bread roll covered with sesame seeds, often sold on the streets of Greece.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xym36i_welcome-to-the-show-pavlos-sidiropoulos-music-legacy-trailer-2-wideangle_shortfilms?start=3#.UWljpTfhGpQ
Welcome to the show.Pavlos Sidiropoulos' music legacy
Frappé coffee!
Frappé coffee (φραπές)
is a Greek foam-covered iced coffee drink made from instant coffee (generally, spray-dried).
Accidentally invented in 1957 in the city of Thessaloniki, it is now the most popular coffee among Greek youth and foreign tourists.
It is very popular in Greece and Cyprus, especially during the summer, but has now spread to other countries.
The word frappé is French and comes from the verb frapper which means to 'hit'; in this context, however, in French, when describing a drink, the word frappé means chilled, as with ice cubes in a shaker.
The frappé has become a hallmark of the post-war outdoor Greek coffee culture.
Laiki agora
(λαϊκή αγορά, Greek for people's market),
also common in the plural Laikes agores (λαϊκές αγορές, people's markets),
are street markets that operate all over Greece, selling foodstuffs and gardening or household equipment, as well as children toys and various "do it yourself" tools.
It is considered an important social custom and tradition in Greece.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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