Author: Effrosyni Moschoudi

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Sightseeing in beautiful Thessaloniki and Greek lamb roast

Hello, All! Today, I am thrilled to share my travel report from my super-short stay in Thessaloniki (aka Salonica) earlier this month. I had only 1 full day to explore it and managed to admire most of its major sights and popular quarters.

Scroll down towards the end of this post to find out how I marinade lamb (or pork) for a Greek meat roast. I am sharing all my best tips on how to prepare this yummy meal including my family recipe for tzatziki. Enjoy it all, folks!

A stunning Greek city, so reminiscent of Rome…

I took this photograph of the magnificent ‘Kamara’ (Arch) on New Year’s Eve. It’s in the bustling city of Salonica, and it is one of many remnants from the Roman occupation of the city. The Kamara was constructed to honor the Roman Caesar Galerius (Galerius Valerius Maximianus) circa 300 A.C. to commemorate his successful expedition against the Persians. Galerius’s palace was situated near the Kamara and its ruins stand today on the other side of the busy avenue, amidst Navarinou Square.

Looking at this precious monument, it was hard for me to imagine that, a few decades ago, trams circulated in the city and used to pass right under the Kamara! I just couldn’t imagine this happening today. And I am pleased no accidents ever happened during that time to cause destruction to this magnificent structure. What a gem for the city it truly is today, creating such a delightful contrast to the contemporary urban landscape.

It is standing silently and with perfect dignity, despite its losses through the centuries, and it is practically obliging whomever approaches it, be it a tourist or a local, to slow their pace and let their eyes wander upon its beautiful, intricate sculpted marble slabs that depict the wars of Valerius against the Persians.

A stone’s throw away from the Kamara stands the magnificent Rotonda…

The Rotonda was built during the reign of Galerius in the 4th century A.C as a Roman temple. In the Byzantine era, it was a Christian church and beautiful frescoes were painted in it, some of which survive today. Later in time, the Rotonda also served as a mosque.

After the Minor Asia Catastrophe in the 1920s, when the Greeks fled their lands and arrived into Greece in droves, many of those who were brought into Salonica were placed in the Rotonda temporarily until they could be put into basic homes. It was an awe-inspiring experience for me to stand in this place of vast and such diverse history, and considered myself very lucky to visit it at a time when there was no one else around but my husband, Andy, and I.

The Rotonda is cylindrical in shape and so reminiscent of the Pantheon in Rome, except the Oculus (the ‘eye’ on the top, at the center) is not open in the Rotonda.

The White Tower and the seafront were that something else…

I thought I was impressed enough visiting Roman ruins and Byzantine churches, admiring old mosques and the impressive arched openings of the city’s famous indoor markets, and then we wound up on the seafront, where the White Tower stood, a beauty to behold, and our excitement hit the roof. I always wanted to visit the White Tower, and, let me tell you – it was well worth the wait.

The ascend is comfortable, with wide corridors and steps, and on every level there are displays that offer old pictures and information where the holding cells used to be, at the time of the Ottoman Occupation of the city. The Ottomans built the tower in the 16th century and were brutal rulers. After they massacred the rebellious Gennissaries inside the tower, the latter acquired a new name… It was referred to for some time after that as the Red Tower or the Tower of Blood.

Today, the displays on each level explore a different facet of the history of the White Tower and Salonica, too. The mentions to the harrowing Nazi occupation era linger on my mind still. During WWII, the Nazis rounded up Salonica’s large Jewish community and put those poor souls on trains to the butcher camps of Europe we have all heard about… Only a few returned to Salonica to tell the tale. Mentions to contemporary times were included on the displays in the White Tower, including ones to Greek movies and songs that are relevant to the city. The view from the top of the tower was too beautiful for words, on all sides…

By far, the best was the sea view, of course, and we marveled at the wide bay that stretched as far as the eye could see. A couple of pleasure boats were docked down below, and others were cruising up and down along the bay, offering even food on board as they gave the tourists a fun ride in the sea air. The most delightful were the pirate ships.

A Captain Jack Sparrow character stood on the dock at the entrance of one ship luring the little ones in, who tugged at their parents’ sleeves from afar, rushing to get a ride. Clever marketing, I say, and it definitely works! But, we didn’t get a boat ride. Our time was limited and we wanted to visit several popular quarters of the city before nightfall. So we went for a walk along the seafront instead, where we made sure to tick off all the famous landmarks on our list of things to see.

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The famous ‘Umbrellas’ didn’t disappoint. Everyone wanted to take the same photo, it seems (unlike this pretty girl in this photo, but then she had loads taken, including THE pose). What’s THE pose, I hear you ask? Well, you’re supposed to grab one of the umbrellas by the handle and have your photo taken with one foot mid-air, knee bent, as if you’re being lifted off the ground. We stood nearby for a while and everyone seemed to know what to do. It made us chuckle.

We also loved the fountains (you can see part of these on the right of this photo). It certainly made the little ones giggle. Standing on that platform you never know where the water will spurt from next. I must return in the summer to try that on a scorching hot day, LOL The famous sculpture of Alexander the Great, King of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia, on horseback was beautiful, though our guide ruined it a little for us, by telling us a secret…

There is a mistake in the depiction of this great king and general. His horse is depicted with both its front hooves up in the air, which signifies the rider died in battle, but this wasn’t the case with Alexander. Since he died from disease, one irrelevant to a battle wound even (that would call for one hoof off the ground, BTW), the horse’s front legs would have to both be on the ground.

Still, the statue looks beautiful, and more impressive, that way. And Alexander did love his horse, Bucephalus (pronounced ‘Voukefalas’, in Greek, which means ‘Head of an Ox). I am so glad it was included in the sculpture!

St Dimitrios was the most amazing among all the churches I visited. That says a lot, believe me… Salonica reminded me so much of Rome, and not just because of the Roman ruins and history. It did that also in the sense that its ancient yet magnificent churches filled me with a sense of unparalleled awe. And that was mostly the case when I entered the grandiose church of St Dimitris, patron saint of Salonica. Inside the colonnade on both sides of the main space, one will find a multitude of relics and beautiful icons to marvel at. The top floor offers another impressive prespective, as you can see, and we loved it that it was Sunday when we visited, and a mass was underway, the church full with people.    

As stunning as the main church space is, though, nothing prepares the visitor for the true magificence of what hides in its bowels. Truly, I pity the visitor not in the know, who enters this church and leaves it without ever visiting the Roman crypt underneath – a labyrinthine space that easily throws you back into Roman times, if you let it…

And let it, I did, looking at ancient artifacts scattered everywhere as I visited various cell-like spaces in this underground, outwordly place. It all resonated in me like a chill on my spine, and it was an odd experience because at the same time the comforting sounds of the mass from the ground floor echoed down into the ancient spaces and pleased my ears.

At the centre of it all, stands the exact space where St Dimitrius himself was once kept imprisoned and ultimately executed by the Romans.

Galerios himself ordered the Saint’s imprisonment and ultimately his execution, simply because he prayed in public spaces and believed in Jesus Christ. St Dimitrios is heralded as the Holy Great Martyr (Megalomartiras), and also as the ‘Myrrh-Gusher’ (Mirovlitis) because according to legend, streams of scented oil came forth from his relics.

According to some sources, he was a soldier of the Roman army, which makes it hard for me to fathom just how much hate the Romans might have had for Christianity, enough to turn against one of their own, in a sense. St Dimitrios was young when he was martyred, around 26 years of age.

It was very moving and awe-inspiring for me to stand alone for a few moments before this beautiful monument raised to honour the Saint and pray to him.

A plain bougatsa…. is a ‘bougatsa me krema’ in Salonica!

Salonica is very much about food… and desserts especially. But you have to order them right!

We spent the rest of the time visiting famous quarters of the city, starting from Ladadika. This popular area took its name from the word ‘ladi’ (oil), as this was where the merchants once kept their stock of olive oil, and it was truly fortuitous that the Great Fire of 1917 that destroyed two thirds of the city, leaving 70,000 homeless, never reached this area.

Ladadika became a red light district later in time and today it is a hip place to be, full of vibrancy, a place where locals and tourists alike go for a meal or a drink and it really comes alive in the evenings, or so I hear.

We sat there lunchtime for a gyros pitta, but I forgot to call it a ‘sandwich’ when I ordered, like the locals oddly do. Luckily, the young waitress was well versed on the Athenian vernacular and got me the right meal haha

Same thing happened when we went to one of many small family establishments, just off the famous Aristotle (Aristotelous) Square, to order a Bougatsa. I asked for one and the lady asked, ‘Savoury? With cheese? Or sweet?’ And I had to laugh, because I’d promised myself that when I got to Salonica I’d order for a ‘Bougatsa’ the right way, but force of habit got in the way and I failed. The Athenians and the Salonicans have forever been teasing each other on the subject of Bougatsa…

You see, in Athens, a Bougatsa is filled with custard and sprinkled with cinnamon. It’s sweet. You can’t get it wrong if you ask for one. But in Thessaloniki, a Bougatsa means ‘pastry’. It’s a vague term. So the Salonicans differentiate by saying Bougatsa with cheese, Bougatsa with spinach, Bougatsa with cream, and so on.

So, when the nice lady asked what kind of Bougatsa I wanted, all I could do was say, ‘Sweet, with cream! Sorry!’, chuckle awkwardly, and try to save face… for being one of those odd Athenians haha

We also had the chance to walk quickly past the Louloudadika area (an open-air flower market) that was heaving at the time. It was like Monastiraki in Athens, but on speed! Since it was New Year’s Eve, it was packed, vendors were cooking souvlakis on a couple stalls, and people were eating standing all over the place, dancing and whooping to loud live music.

We found the same kind of crowds and commotion in Fraggomahalas, an area that used to be the French Quarter back in the day.

We didn’t stay long there for the same reason, but we did admire beautiful old buildings, and the most renowned landmark of this quarter – the Old Clock on the impressive bank building that still shows the time it stopped (at 11:05) during the Earthquake of 1978.

After sundown, we headed back to Aristotle Square to watch a beautiful event. Crowds started to gather way earlier than the pre-announced time, and more kept on coming, to place written wishes inside paper lanterns and lit them up.

Soon, a multitude of lanterns was rising into the night sky, offering a magical spectacle.

I took this photo as we were heading back to the hotel, at the end of a tiring (14 hours walking and exploring!) but truly unforgettable day.

I was standing before the Roman Forum, looking towards Aristotle Square and the seafront. It was a whimsical sight with the lanterns in the night sky. The photo doesn’t do it justice, but I hope you’ll enjoy this little peek.

A couple of weeks have passed now, and I miss Salonica beyond words. It was a short stay and we only had one day (New Year’s Eve, hence the crowds) to explore it in the daytime, as we were on the coach travelling or seeing other places of interest on the other days. I hope to visit it again, just hubby and me, to take it all in, in our own pace. And to visit the Ano Poli, which we missed totally during this trip.

Overlooking the city on high ground, Ano Poli (Higher City) offers generous views to the city and the bay. There are beautiful lanes and churches to explore up there, great cafes and eateries, but most of all, there are the ancient walls of the city to admire, as well as the ‘Yedi Koule’ (aka Eptapyrgion) – an Ottoman Fortress of 7 towers. These ‘promises’ are certainly enough to keep me dreaming of Salonica and aching to go back.

Not to forget those pirate ships… I certainly hope to enjoy a boat ride with ‘Captain Jack Sparrow’ at the helm next time!

VISIT FACEBOOK TO SEE THE PIRATE SHIP, ALEXANDER’S STATUE, AND MANY OTHER OF THE PHOTOS I TOOK IN SALONICA!

GO HERE TO WATCH A SHORT VIDEO THAT I MADE FOR YOU AT THE TOP OF THE WHITE TOWER!

 

Finger-licking stuff! Greek lamb roast using a delish marinade with herbs and spices

Today, I am pleased to share my special marinade for lamb (or pork). The combination of mustard, garlic, dried mint, paprika, and rosemary makes the kind of magic I cannot possibly describe. You’ll just have to try it to know. You can use oregano instead of mint, and you can add carrots and tomatillos in the pan for a colourful dish. 

GO HERE FOR MY RECIPE, INCLUDING THE ONE FOR THE TZATZIKI DIP. ENJOY!

 

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Sightseeing in beautiful Thessaloniki #Salonica #travel #Greece Click To Tweet

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

 

Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon

 

Kelly ran a marathon in Nafplio and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with tantalising clean romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon

 

Kate has a guardian angel. She just doesn’t know it. Plus, she’s falling for him. Delightful paranormal romance set on the idyllic island of Sifnos. The descriptions of Greek food will make you feel ravenous. Don’t read when hungry. You’ve been warned! OOOPPPPAAAAAA! Get it now on Amazon

 

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!

 

 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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Greek Epiphany swimmers, a scary santa, and how to learn Greek fast

Hi, All! Today, I am sharing about the Greek customs of Epiphany, and a little from Italy too. I am also sharing a great tip on how to learn Greek really fast and for FREE. Any language you want really! I am also sharing the link to my newsletter that’s packed with FREE books! Here we goooo!

This is a pic from my little town’s seafront last Saturday, and as you can see it was packed!

Crowds had gathered once again to watch the annual Blessing of the Waters ceremony.

It was Epiphany, you see, January 6, and we were standing near St George’s church, waiting for the mass to finish, as we listened from the speakers.

These brave lads you can see in the photo got in the cold water well beforehand and stood there, I presume to get used to the freezing temperature before it was time to start swimming.

In case you’re not familiar with this Greek custom, I must explain that the Blessing of the Waters takes place in every church all over Greece on Epiphany (‘Theofania’, in Greek).

The mass of the day commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan by John the Baptist, who is honoured by the Greek church the next day, January 7.

During mass, when the priest chants about the Holy Spirit appearing in the form of a pigeon during the baptism of Jesus, the priest frees from his hands three pigeons that typically take to the skies at once, circling over the church, as the crowd marvels.

The three pigeons signify the Holy Trinity and the ‘Theofania’ itself, i.e. ‘The appearance of God’, as the full Holy Trinity was present on the day Jesus was baptised. The Holy Spirit showed itself as a pigeon, and God’s voice was heard from the sky too, to declare Jesus as His beloved Son.

In every church around Greece, the priest blesses the water in a tank at the church yard. It usually has little taps on it, and after the ceremony it stays at the church yard for a couple days so that people can come and collect the holy water (Agiasmos) in bottles.

Many Greeks will take this ‘Agiasmos’ home and everyone in the family will drink some, careful not to spill any. They will then keep the remainder in the bottle all year round to be able to drink some when ill, for a prompt healing, or to drizzle around the home when they wish to bless it.

Being holy, the ‘Agiasmos’ is not supposed to be thrown in the drain or the trash, but it is okay to sprinkle some in the garden or in the bowl where animals drink water.

Back to the ceremony of the Blessing of the Waters:

When there is a large body of water near the church, the priest will bless that too. So, in our seaside town, the priest leaves the church ceremoniously after the mass is finished, accompanied by a brass band, and gets on a fishing boat…

By that time, the swimmers are in the sea waiting in the shallows, and there are many other boats in the water, including one of the port police.

The priest gives the signal to the swimmers and throws the cross in the sea. It is usually made of wood so it can float, and is always attached to a string.

The swimmer who gets to the cross first is believed to be blessed all year round.

This year, the lad who got to the cross first to lift it high and cause the crowds to erupt into applause, did so 5th year in a row! Amazing!

GO HERE TO WATCH A SHORT VIDEO OF THE RACE!

Nuh-uh. I wouldn’t like to be a kid in Italy. With the wild imagination that I have, I’d be going mental throughout the Christmas season, never catching a wink he he

This is Befana, the Italian Santa Claus. She doesn’t go ‘Ho ho ho!’ and she arrives riding something much less glorious than a sleigh led by reindeer. This santa rides a broomstick, folks!

Befana comes on the eve of Epiphany to leave candy inside the socks of the good kids. If they’re bad she’ll leave them a lump of coal, or dark candy at best. Sometimes, she may also leave the bad kids onion or garlic. Admittedly, that won’t be tasty at all haha

And what do you know? This witch is very tidy! She will sweep the floor before leaving! This symbolizes a wish for all things bad to be swept away from the home at the start of a new year.

Italian children are taught to leave a glass of wine and a few morsels of food for Befana overnight.

I spent New Year’s in Rome once, and the stalls on the streets were full of Befanas on their broomsticks.

By the way, I wrote a post upon my return, giving my readers a virtual tour of the most beautiful churches of Rome. They kept me awestruck throughout my short stay, and I was oohing and aahhing all day long. Truly, I am still to see a church half as awe-inspiring than the average church in Rome!

GO HERE TO SEE THE POST

 

I spent New Year’s Day in Salonica. It is such a stunning city! In my latest newsletter, I share the latest from my life in Greece along with a plethora of FREE books. 

In this issue, I am also sharing a great tip on how to learn any language you want, fast and absolutely FREE! To save you time, this is about a free app called Duolingo, but you can see the newsletter for more info and for my own impressions of it, right here. Enjoy!

 

Interested in Greek customs and culture? Check out this blog reel where you’ll find a few of my best posts on these subjects. The New Year’s cake with the hidden coin, the plant that brings good luck in the new year, St George and the ‘Red Egg’, Greek memorial food for the dead, the use of vigil lamps and more. Enjoy!

 

OOPPAAA! SIGN UP TO MY BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND GET 3 BOOKS FROM ME AS A WELCOME GIFT! SEE BELOW FOR THIS OFFER!

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

Fun news from a Greek author and FREE books for all! #greek #authors #authorslife Click To Tweet

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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FREE books, Christmassy Athens, stunning Macedonia, and a delicious hot drink

CHRISTMAS IN THE RAIN AND A BIT OF GUINNESS IN ATHENS

SEE THE PHOTOS ON FACEBOOK

Hubby and I picked the wrong day to visit Athens for our Christmas shopping this year and we weren’t even prepared for it. The weather forecast had promised dry weather, partly sunny skies even, and instead, we found ourselves driving into Athens centre in the rain. By the time we parked it was a proper downpour.

Luckily, we had an umbrella in the car, and we shared it during our 10-minute walk to Monastiraki (a touristy area under the Acropolis with a flea market and many eateries and shops) but our pace was snail-like.

To make matters worse, I had sneakers on made of fabric, and quickly enough my feet were drenched to the bone. Too many puddles to manage to avoid them all.

I began to whine in a typical Greek manner as we made our way, while trying to persuade Andy to go with me back to the car to return the next day. We Greeks hate the rain with passion and avoid it at all costs, that’s my excuse hehe! But he, being a Brit, was happy as can be getting wet and he wouldn’t have it.

On retrospect, I am glad he insisted, because we made it fun anyway, despite the difficulties. Anyway, we made it to Monastiraki, each drenched on our side of the body that didn’t fit under the umbrella.

We made a beeline for Mamoz, the cafe we always like to sit, as it offers a wonderful view of the Acropolis and is situated right at the entrance of the Ancient Agora.

The view to the Acropolis was rather grey but beautiful as always, and it helped to restore our dampened (literally!) spirits. Especially mine ha ha.

By the time we had a coffee and caught our breaths, the rain had stopped, allowing us to walk around the flea market for a little while.

It came back with a vengeance soon enough, so we had to use the Metro to Syntagma as we wanted to see the Christmas tree and to go shopping in the big store called Public that stands at the edge of the lower square (it is housed in a beautiful neoclassical building).

Once the shopping was done in Public, we walked back to Monastiraki along the cosmopolitan Ermou street to absorb the festive city vibes fully. At that point, I was so full of the Christmas spirit I didn’t care any more if it was raining unstoppably.

Our shopping bags from Public got wet soon enough but a nice lady at a bookstore where we made purchases later was kind enough to give us plastic bags to use instead.

The only thing that worried me? If you’ve walked around Ermou, you know it’s a pedestrian street paved with marble. Let’s just say that my trainers had turned into skates. I didn’t dare let go of my husband’s arm for a second.

As we made our way to Monastiraki I kept sliding every two seconds, it seemed. He saved me a million times from a fall. And I was so glad he had opted to put on sturdy boots that day!

By the time this culinary masterpiece manifested before me I was well prepared for it!

Having chosen our favourite hangout in the whole of Athens for lunch, the James Joyce Irish pub in Monastiraki, it had to be Steak and Guinness Pie with a glass of Guinness to satiate our extreme hunger after all that walking (and skating haha)

Returning back at home, the happy vibes of the day lingered on in my heart.

I had to literally peel my socks off my drenched feet, but I was still happy and laughing (as I lathered my feet with soap, then antifungal cream, of course haha)

SEE THE PHOTOS I TOOK IN ATHENS

A WARM BATH ON A COLD DAY

Just looking at this photograph makes my heart sing.

Dipping in that warm natural bath was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life.

I visited the natural Pozar baths in Central Macedonia on a 2-day trip up in that amazing region of Greece, staying overnight in Edessa – a beautiful town with a stunning waterfall park.

We visited Litochoro at the foothills of Mt Olympus on the way back to Athens and other places too.

I have a plethora of photographs to share with you in the months to come from various amazing places.

Early December found me at Litochoro Pierrias with Mt Olympus on the background, covered with snow. What a view…

I confess that since the loss of my father last August I have been in a bad place. Emotionally, mentally and physically. Doctors advised me to take anti-stress pills in order to manage the crippling psychosomatic pains that wouldn’t let up in my neck and all over my head, but I opted for excursions instead to heal myself emotionally first, thus assisting my physicality to follow suit.

I figured, I might as well give my money to travel operators rather than spend it on doctors. And it was a good decision.

The excursion I mentioned earlier is the third group coach excursion I’ve been on since I made that choice last October.

And I have another short break coming up for the New Year.

I am feeling a lot better by now after all these trips. My heart is light again, and the pains are less intense and frequent. I’ve even started to write again! I have this novel I’ve been trying to finish for over a year. And now, at last, it seems possible to finish it, as my mind begins to let go of painful memories and shifting to joy and positivity.

And I’ve done it pill-free, a feat in this dark world, as I perceive it, where every doctor out there nowadays pushes pills that battle stress or depression. I was asked twice to try pills and twice I turned them down flat.

But I cannot take full credit for finding a path to healing that worked. It’s my faith in the Divine that’s kept me strong, no matter what, all through the last 7 years of caring for my parents through unbelievably hard-to-take-and-to-accept circumstances.

So, yes, God has proven to be the best doctor for me and the excursions are my ‘anti-stress pills’ of choice. And, so far, this patient is healing well.

There will be many more travel reports to share with you. I do not intend to stop now. And I’ll tell you all about the Pozar baths in the new year. The pictures and videos I took there serve very little to convey the beauty of the place, but I’ll do my best to show you.

GO HERE TO SEE A SHORT VIDEO I MADE AT POZAR FOR YOU. YOU’LL GET TO SEE YOURS TRULY AND MY HUSBAND SAYING HI!

A SPECIAL TREAT FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Okay, so this is not a Greek recipe, but I had to share.

Golden turmeric tea tastes amazing whether you use almond milk or coconut milk, though I do prefer almond.

I urge you to try this highly nutritious Indian drink. The health benefits are endless and it could make a special treat for your family and friends this holiday season.

For me, it’s wonderful to enjoy in a cold afternoon as I get all cozy with a book on the sofa.

GO HERE TO GET THE RECIPE!

That’s all for now, and we’ll talk again ‘next year’ haha! Have a wonderful holiday season and may the New Year find you smiling and enjoying happy times with those you love.

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a bunch of FREE kindle books! Check it out HERE! Enjoy, and happy holidays!

 

OOPPAAA! SIGN UP TO MY BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND GET 3 BOOKS FROM ME AS A WELCOME GIFT! SEE BELOW FOR THIS OFFER!

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

Fun news from a Greek author and FREE books for all! #FICTION #bloggers #Greece Click To Tweet

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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A trip to Arachova, aka Mykonos of the Winter

 

The view from the clock tower is fabulous from all sides

I recently had the pleasure to visit Arachova, a cosmopolitan town up in the mountains that the Greeks have nicknamed Mykonos of the Winter.

The same VIPs that flood Mykonos all summer do the same all winter in Arachova. It heaves with tourists from all walks of life, every hotel bed occupied on all the bank holiday or festive weekends during the winter season.

Having said that, it’s not like Mykonos at all when it comes to the ridiculously high prices. Thank goodness. Nor did I see any nudists walking around he he

We were lucky to visit Arachova on a dry and partly sunny day. Although there were many tourists around, it was comfortable to walk about and to find a table in its restaurants and cafes.

We were tipped off by someone in the know that we’d better try to eat our lunch quickly at the restaurant lest the waiter would start to give us dirty looks as the crowds are usually so big they’re used to serving fast to clear the tables for the next customers.

Yet, somehow, we found this perfect, reasonably priced restaurant with the most exquisite food where we had the chance to eat at our leisure. What’s more, our table was by the window, allowing us to enjoy a partial view to a church and the valley. It was just perfect.

Others in our coach group confessed they were less fortunate, winding up in an upmarket restaurant that served gourmet food rather than traditional Greek food (we always go for the latter – the genuine local experience) and they wound up paying way more than they were prepared to part with.

So, word of caution: If you visit Arachova do check the prices before you sit somewhere for food or drink. It’s not as bad as Mykonos as I stated earlier, but some places ARE pricey. Check the menu before entering and you’ll be fine 🙂

For what it’s worth, the restaurant we picked is called To Agnandio and you can see it in two of the photographs I posted on Facebook. On the back side, the building is flanked by a beautiful church. In the photo where the facade is showing (the wall is beautiful, decked with stonework), you can see the church behind it.

The town’s folklore museum is right next to it, and from within its yard, you’ll also find the short upward path that leads up to the Clock (Roloi), an important landmark that you must visit, if only for the panoramic views of the town, the valley, and the mountain of Parnassus.

A view to the clock tower of Arachova

We had ample time in Arachova to walk along it’s main street back and forth a couple times. This street is a rather narrow space for such a busy town, the pavements so tiny they might as well not be there at all. They provide a false sense of safety, in my opinion, and you can never take away your eyes from the traffic. It can be dangerous if you don’t, and extra care must be taken if you are visiting with children or elderly people.

The highlights for us were the short ascend up to the clock tower summit as well as the visit to the folklore museum (free admission).

Among the interesting artifacts on display in the museum, we were pleasantly surprised to find a few robotic structures that we learned were made and donated by a local pensioner. Having worked all his life for the Greek telephone company (OTE), he had a lot of old telephone equipment in his possession and had put it all in good use recycling it in this ingenious artistic manner (see the photos on Facebook).

The exhibits also included old pictures, and handiwork from traditional looms. It was an interesting glimpse into this town’s distant past, that was harrowing too, as it included references to the Nazi massacre of the Greek locals at the nearby town of Distomo during WWII.

Last but not least, Andy and I were pleasantly surprised to find among the beautiful shops one dedicated to tea! I was enamoured by the small decorative teapots and have regretted never buying one of them now that I see them in the photos. I did buy a bag of loose jasmine tea, though, that I enjoy in the afternoons as a special treat.

All in all, it was an unforgettable fun day. Arachova is very close to the major archeological site of Delphi. So, if you’re visiting Athens, do enquire at the travel agents offering daily trips. Chances are that if the destination of a coach excursion is Delphi you’ll have a stopover at Arachova for lunch. Both are must places to see. Highly recommended for a day out by coach or car!

Go HERE to see all the photos I took in Arachova. Enjoy!

 

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NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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FREE books, Greek meatball soup and lazy cats

Giouvarlakia is a Greek meatball soup with lashings of egg and lemon sauce. Yummy!

Winter’s here and I don’t know about you, but I got the munchies! And what better way to satisfy your hunger on a chilly evening than to go for Giouvarlakia! This Greek meal is basically meatballs swimming in a delicious sauce of avgolemono, i.e. egg and lemon. Yum, right? Today, I’m sharing the recipe of my late Grandmother Antigoni from Corfu. Enjoy!

GO HERE TO GET THE RECIPE

CHECK OUT MY LATEST NEWSLETTER FOR A LOAD OF FREE BOOKS! AS WELL AS THE LATEST FROM MY LIFE IN GREECE. SUNNY PHOTOS, LAZY CATS AND OLD CORFU MEMORIES… IT’S ALL ONE CLICK AWAY!

 

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Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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FREE books, a rare spectacle and pumpkin soup

Now, I wish I could say these were my shoes and that these photos are mine, but I can’t. I found this photograph online, overcome with a deep sense of jealousy!

It’s not often that the Northern Lights are visible from my country and never in my nearly (ahem!) 60 years have I had the excitement to see them with my own eyes.

But the people living in the north of Greece were lucky enough to see the sky and everything under it seemingly on fire with this vibrant red color on the night of November 5! People posted them on social media from Salonica, from Serres and other parts in the north of my country.

There were talks beforehand that Aurora Borealis might be visible from Corfu αs well, but I found no evidence to attest to that.

However, while searching, I bumped into a very interesting superstition on the island of Corfu concerning the Northern Lights. A Corfiot posted on their Facebook page an old text recording this phenomenon as being visible from Corfu back in 1530. According to that text, the phenomenon was visible for two consecutive nights and it colored the sea, making it look like ‘a basin of blood’.

Three years later, in 1533, a great famine plagued Corfu and according to the locals, St Spyridon, the protector of the island, appeared in an apparition before the crew of a boat. It was filled to the brims with wheat, sailing past the island, headed for Italy. The saint commanded them to change course and dock in Corfu and this is what they did, awestruck by the sight. This miracle is celebrated to this day as the wheat fed the starving Corfiots. Back in that time of utter ignorance, the Corfiots, mystified by the earlier sign from the heavens, connected the two events.

This superstition was solidified in their psyche when in 1940, the Northern Lights amazed the Corfiots in the sky once again, and then WWII began! Furthermore, the bombs falling from the sky during the air raids didn’t hurt the city but kept falling miraculously into the sea instead…

To this day, the Corfiots see the Northern Lights as an omen for either an impending intervention from St Spyridon or a catastrophic event.

Which means I am not sure if I am deflated or relieved that they didn’t get to see it this year, LOL!

I am Greek, so I don’t really celebrate Halloween, but I live with a Brit who likes a little something to mark the day 🙂

So, once again, I went for a pumpkin meal to do just that.

And this year, I made the best Hokkaido pumpkin soup ever. The boiled chestnuts and the cheesepies went down very well with it.

Get the recipe here

 

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a plethora of FREE kindle books! Check it out!

 

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Fun news from a Greek author and FREE books for all! #iartg #freebiefriday #Greek Click To Tweet

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.
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Frantically waving to the world… 10 years later

I am feeling moved today, and a little overwhelmed. Yesterday, November 1st, marked 10 years since I sent out my very first blog post.

This month also marks 10 years since I published my first novel on Amazon (The Necklace of Goddess Athena), and consequently entering the indie publishing universe for one bumpy yet enthralling ride thus far. This is the picture I posted in that very first blog post 10 years ago… I titled it ‘Frantically Waving Across the Distance’ to introduce myself and ask the world out there to connect with me. Reading the short post now fills me with nostalgia, but also with amazement at how little I have changed since then in the way that I think and express myself.

The only things that make me cringe as I read it are the repetitive mentions to the tax office haha. But hey, in my defense, I wrote this at the heart of the Greek credit crunch and everything was about the lack of money back then. Oh, how little did we know back then about what really matters! But anyway, here is an excerpt, if you’d like to take a peek:

“Would you come with me for a quiet ride along the sparkling lagoon waters that lie ahead? You will find a lot of poetry here, not just in verse, but also in the way of my thinking. By the way, I’m not much of a talker. This quirkiness of mine, in a world full of loud and busy voices, has allowed me to learn more this way through my eager ears and my silence. Furthermore, I’ve always preferred the written word to speaking in order to express myself.

“Although I write novels these days, I started with writing poetry. I have been scribbling verses ever since I was as young as ten and often relished my solitude even then, armed with a notepad and a pen, writing about an anthill in my gran’s garden or about the moon on a clear, starry night. Join me as I experience the world, not through the tired eyes of the forty-something who has just been handed a tax note too many by the postman, but through the clear, full of wonderment eyes of the perpetual child inside me.

“Welcome here on my desert island and hop on that boat with me oh friend; let’s transcend magically the geographical distance between us as we cheer together as one: “Happy travels!” ”

I would like to end this post by offering thanks. To all of you who stuck with me these last 10 years. Authors who mentored me, like Jackie Weger and Carmen DeSousa, authors who helped me tremendously along the way, like Nicholas Rossis and MM Jaye, and even more authors who trusted me by associating with me numerous times, like Amy Vansant,  SR Mallery and Chris Kallias.

Last, but not least, I thank the readers of my blog who have been sharing my posts, like Dr Glen Hepker, Annette Rochelle Aben, and Marina Costa, and, of course, the loyal readers of my novels, like Jean Symonds, Louise Mullarkey, Cheryl Worrall, and many many others. I could not possibly list everyone here but I will hold you all forever in my heart with sheer gratitude.

GO HERE TO READ THAT FIRST POST

 

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Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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FREE spooky books for Halloween, a Greek witch, and fava soup

Hello, All! Today, I have FREE spooky books for you all, and my recipe for fava bean soup! But first, let me tell you a little about this Greek witch…

All my life I have been fascinated by the mountain of Martaouna (the peak on the right) that’s part of the skyline in Moraitika and Messonghi in Corfu. It’s no surprise to me, therefore, that it wound up getting a few mentions in my stories, like in The Lady of the Pier Series and mostly in The Raven Witch of Corfu.

In the latter, the mountain features so much that it sort of becomes a character in its own right. I was inspired to write this book while gazing at the mountain one summer’s day on the beach in Messonghi.

The idea of an evil witch, a vile subterranean creature that kidnaps children to do her bidding and dwells on the mountain, just sprang forth in my mind. The rest is… in the book, obviously 🙂

I was tickled pink one day, when one of my most loyal readers wrote to say she’d gone wandering around the olive groves up there, trying to find the cave of the witch, following my descriptions in the book.

I had to tell her that the legend of the witch is not real, and that it exists only in the book. I felt bad to have ‘misled’ her inadvertently but, wow, didn’t it please me to hear from her. I guess it was a huge compliment for me, LOL!!!!

In any case, The Raven Witch of Corfu has turned out to be one of my most popular stories, I believe, and certainly one of my personal favourites.

This Halloween weekend, I am offering the first episode of The Raven Witch of Corfu kindle series for FREE!

This delightful short read will offer you all the thrills and witchy magic that make Halloween reading special!

 
 

GRAB THE FREEBIE ON AMAZON (offer expires 10/30/23 so hurry!)

 

Today, I am pleased to share the traditionally Greek yellow fava bean recipe. But, I am also including some optional ingredients which enrich the meal with extra goodness (more spices!) and this vibrant yellow colour you see here. It’s way more delicious this way too!

Okay, so you got me. The yellow color is the result of turmeric, which I use in most of my recipes (follow me long enough and you’ll know this haha)

But I bet you cannot guess the rest of the ingredients I’ve added to create this explosion of taste that you can only sample if you try it!

Are you ready? Go here to grab the recipe!

 

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YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE spooky books and Greek fava bean soup #freebies #spooky #halloween Click To Tweet

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

by

A boat trip from Corfu to Paxos and Parga

Pleased to share today photos from a boat trip my husband and I did last August during our stay on the island of Corfu. The excursion boat you see in the photo took us to the island of Paxos first, where we had a cooling swim a short walk away from the port of Gaios. The quiet little bay where we swam was as magical as I remembered from our first visit there in 1998 during our honeymoon vacation on Corfu.

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS HERE

The water is so crystal clear in that tiny bay that you can see every detail on the sea bed. And the rustle the water makes as it laps on the shore and scrapes the shingles makes this pleasing sound to the ears that I can never have enough of… Here is a short video I took to show you, guys. Have a listen!

You’re welcome he he 🙂

After our swim, we barely had time to grab a quick bite to eat before it was time to leave. Leaving Paxos, we set sail to the seaside town of Parga in the mainland of Epirus.

The beautiful architecture of Parga and the picturesque island at a short distance away from the shore made up a perfectly quaint landscape that just begged for photographs. Parga is such a stunning town for a vacation, with beautiful beaches nearby that can be visited by boat. I regret to say we didn’t have time to visit the island or the castle. We only had time for a quick lunch at one of the many tavernas on offer and a quick wander around the beautiful lanes before it was time to head back to Corfu.

Though the boat trip was fun, filling our senses with sheer delight, it was rather exhausting. We spent a good part of the day on the boat as the distances are great.

What I really wanted to do was visit Parga and head straight uphill to visit the castle, but as I said, there was no time. Plus, it was 3 pm by the time we arrived and the sun was hammering. What can I say? I am just a Greek – haha. So I ran towards the nearest awning for shelter. At this time, I normally have a siesta 🙂

By the way, if you visit the south of Corfu often and a boat trip to Parga is of interest, here is a tip: I checked a few of the local agents in Moraitika where we were staying in Corfu but no one was offering a boat trip just to Parga.

Towards the end of my stay in Corfu, though, I bumped into a friend, Soula Sakadaki, and she informed me she’d opened her own travel agency earlier this year. Soula is an awesome lady and a seasoned pro in the business.

Go pay her a visit if you’re visiting Moraitika and the surrounding villages and see what she has to offer to you. She is hoping to offer Parga as a single destination by boat next year and I cannot wait! Her agency is near the roundabout and it is called Soula’s Corfu Travel.

 

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Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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Lamb on the stove, a Greek Eurovision song from the 70s, and free books for all

Hello! Thought I’d share with you today my family recipe for lamb prepared on the stove with carrots and spices.

The sauce of this meal tastes divine, thanks to the aromatic spices. The tang of the fresh lemon juice added at the very end is all the money! Some of the spices in the recipe are optional, but I do recommend you use turmeric. I include it in most of the meals that I make. It enhances the taste and offers a wealth of health benefits.

You can enjoy this lamb dish with rice or fries. Personally, I prefer it with rice. Any rice suitable for risotto will do, but I’ve also tried it with Basmati or Jasmine or American long-grain rice mixed with wild rice (see picture above).

For the lamb, any part will do, but make sure to have some pieces with bones in them (shoulder or leg are great) as this adds extra nutrients and taste to the sauce.

GO HERE TO GET THE RECIPE

 

Earlier this month, my husband and I visited the annual local produce festival in Megara that took place at a beautiful park. A chef was making mussel risotto for everyone, and the adorable Bessy Argyraki gave a concert at the open theatre in the park.

I was delighted to see she’d brought along Tolis Papadimitriou, one of my favourite stars in the Greek TV comedy, “Mourmoura”. I jumped at the chance to ask him to pose with me for a selfie after his appearance. You should have seen me, smiling to my ears like a teeny bopper LOL!

Well, actually, if you check out the photos I took that night, you will see one of the selfies I took with him.

By the way, if you’re Greek and you can get Alpha channel’s Mourmoura, don’t hesitate to try it. The episodes have been gems ever since series 1. I don’t think I’ve missed a single one and I’ve watched 10 series so far, LOL!

Are you a Eurovision fan? Then, you may remember Greece’s first big hit in this music contest back in 1977 when Bessie Argyraki, alongside three other Greek youths at the time (Marianna Toli, Paschalis and Robert Williams), sang the beautiful, uplifting song, Mathema Solfege. The rest is history, as they say, seeing that all four youngsters developed in time into quite popular music stars in Greece for decades on end.

Mrs Argyraki continues to entertain the Greek audience today. I enjoyed the concert so much, especially as some of her old songs brought back fond memories from my childhood. As a little girl, I was forever borrowing my mother’s big hairbrush from the dresser to sing Mathema Solfege with my friends, LOL!

If you follow Greek music, I invite you to watch this short video from the concert and get a small taste of the dynamite lady, the perpetual young girl at heart that is Bessy Argyraki. Her passion for singing makes her so. Tireless for two hours, amazing, hilarious with her jokes, adorable. She charmed everyone, even the small kids!

Go here to see pictures from the concert and from the park, too.

Hey, before you go! In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a plethora of FREE kindle books! Check it out here!

 

OOPPAAA! SIGN UP TO MY BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND GET 3 BOOKS FROM ME AS A WELCOME GIFT! SEE BELOW FOR THIS OFFER!

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

Fun news from a Greek author and FREE books for all! #bookstoread #greekauthor #greekwriter Click To Tweet

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.