Met some great people at the Hard Rock Café this week, with the XpatAthens folks. Nice way to spend an afternoon – and feel like you’re not in Athens for a while!

When I walked in, I must say I really felt like I was in Canada or the US – the look of the place, the uniforms of the staff, the smell of onion rings alone…

A bunch of people came out – few beers and chicken wings made this a decidedly ‘Hard Rock’ evening… At one point, 2 tour buses unloaded a group of Italian tourists into the bar - taking photos of the rock n’roll paraphernalia on the walls and buying ‘Hard Rock Athens’ souvenirs – I guess people still do this…!

Was really cool to chat and hear everyone’s story. There is great variety among us, of course – reasons why we’re here, reasons we choose to stay, our fave places, our joys and frustrations in this crazy city. What’s most amazing is that everyone I met has one thing in common: we are all making the best of being here. We actually want to be here – and our collective cup is half-full. At least, it was on Saturday!

Until next week…

Jack

Hard Rock Café Athens
18 Filellinon Street


In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

A tomb complex dating back to the Iron Era was found in the area of Drama's Industrial Zone. A Macedonian tomb of Hellenistic times which was found in the city, close to Dikastiria square, proves that the city has been inhabited since the historic times.

During the middle Byzantine era (9th-13th century) Drama was fortified with a castle and was commercial and a military junction. By the end of 19th century, the tobacco production and trade, the operation of the railway (1895) and the improvement of the road network towards Kavala port led to the increase of the city population and the boost of its commercial activity. In the beginning of the 20th century, Drama was under Bulgarian occupation and participated in the Macedonian War of Independence. It was liberated on 1st of July, 1913 by the Greek army. Drama is located 688km NE of Athens and 175km NE of Thessaloniki.

The rich forests of the prefecture, which is made up of mountain slopes, rivers and caves, churches, monasteries, castles and bridges come together to make up a unique area in terms of prosperity while at the same time offering a variety of things for a tourist to do. Such a wealth of natural and manmade beauty and history throughout the whole Prefecture calls upon us to explore it and get to know it better.

To read more, please visit drama.gr

When I came across a tomato version otherwise known as ntomatokeftedes or Greek style tomato and feta fitters on Kopiaste I just had to try them and now was the perfect time with all of the perfectly ripe field tomatoes around. These tomato fritters get their tomato flavour in the form of ripe tomatoes and a couple of sun dried tomatoes are also tossed in for even more tomatoy goodness. One of the things that I really liked about the zucchini fritters was that they used a lot of fresh herbs and these tomato fritters use just as much. Another thing that I like about this recipe is the use of the bulgur wheat which makes them a bit healthier.

Known for its plethora of ancient ruins, whitewashed villages, sunny beaches, tasty cuisine and friendly atmosphere, it is no wonder that Greece ranks among Europe’s top travel destinations. Greece is made up of a mountainous mainland and hundreds of islands where each one offers its own share of stunning landscapes, historic sites, nightlife scenes and cultural delights. Here's an overview of the best places to visit in Greece:

10: Cape Sounion

Situated at the southernmost tip of the Attica peninsula, Cape Sounion is best known as the site of the ruins of the ancient Greek temple of Poseidon, the god of the sea. The remains are perched on the headland, surrounded on three sides by the sea. The site is a popular day-excursion for tourists from Athens, with sunset over the Aegean Sea, as viewed from the ruins, a sought-after spectacle.

9: Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is Greece’s second-largest city and the capital city of the Macedonian region of Northern Greece. Lively festivals, social events and a buzzing nightlife make this city the cultural capital of Greece. Comprised of a historic city center and commercial district, Thessaloniki offers both old and new attractions from its Byzantine walls, White Tower and Turkish baths to colorful food markets, museums and art galleries.

8: Zagori

Zagori is a region of great natural beauty, with striking geology and two national parks, in northwestern Greece. It’s dense forests and rugged mountains are furrowed by powerful rivers and dotted with traditional villages, many featuring grand stone houses dating from the late eighteenth century. The best way to enjoy the area is by hiking the numerous paths connecting the villages. The most accessible and rewarding target is the wonderful Víkos Gorge.

7: Halkidiki

Halkidiki is a trident-like peninsula near the city of Thessaloniki, sporting excellent beaches. The three separate peninsulas can be roughly summarized as follows: Kassandra has the nightlife, Sithonia has the beaches and Athos has the monks. Being closest to Thessaloniki, Kassandra is more built-up, while the more quiet Sithonia has campgrounds, hidden coves and clear waters. Both are popular with Greek and Eastern European tourists. Much of the easternmost peninsula belongs to the Mount Athos monastic community. It’s accessible by boat and open to male pilgrims only.

6: Peloponnese

Shaped much like a large leaf, Peloponnese was traditionally called Morea, which means mulberry leaf. Located in the southernmost region of both Europe and Greece, Peloponnese is a wide peninsula connected to the mainland by the Rio-Antirrio bridge. Interspersed with classical Greek temples, Venetian fortresses, Byzantine churches and Mycenaean palaces, Peloponnese echoes the ancient cultures and events from its extensive history.

5: Delphi

Second to the Acropolis in Athens, Delphi is Greece’s most popular archaeological site. Located about two and half hours from Athens along the slopes of the awe-inspiring Mount Parnassus, Delphi was once revered by the ancient Greeks as the center of the earth.

4: Meteora

The Greek word meteora means “suspended in the air,” and this phrase aptly describes the spectacular cliffs that rise more than 1,200 feet (366 meters) into the air overlooking the villages of Kalambaka and Kastraki in the north central mainland of Greece. What makes these cliffs even more inspiring are the historic monasteries perched along the summits. Dating back to the 14th and 16th centuries, these monasteries were built by monks seeking spiritual isolation and freedom from religious persecution.

To read more please visit: Touropia