Friday 27 March 2015

Dismal Weather But Still Cause To Celebrate



Dismal weather – overhead there’s a perpetual cloud-dense canopy, an awful awning that breeds despondency. Constant dampness has seeped into our upstairs extension, covering walls with mould. Our politico-economic situation is similarly dispiriting: meetings, high-level talks, like our winds, blow cold around us and offer no comfort in terms of direction or development: measures appear to have been agreed on but we remain in the dark. This long-term sense of stress and insecurity inevitably affects people’s well-being, physically and psychologically. Cases of stress-related ill-health and marriage break-ups are all too much in evidence, unfortunately even in our close circle of friends and family. The national suicide rate remains unnaturally high. 
 
                                                     







But it’s not all doom and gloom, though we do greatly miss our sunshine. H enjoyed a reunion with former fellow-students at the Paedagogic Academy. This meet-up was in nearby Halkida; but next year’s celebration will be a big one in Alexandroupolis to celebrate their graduation there forty years ago! 

 
                                                







 H blamed our protracted winter season – not middle-age spread! -  for his trouser waist-band being rather snug.   So, all change for we were going out to eat, drink and dance merrily to celebrate his big, fat 60th birthday with family and friends and roomy garb was imperative.     Here he is with sister, Voula.         
             
 









                                  
Koufovouno cousin, Chryssa with husband, Nikos, are joined by the ever-ready-to-party Konstantina. Cousins, Dimos and Eleni, travelled from Giannitsa to celebrate with us.
                                            

 








When the live band strikes up Thracian music, it’s time to hit the floor. Konstantina supported a natty type of head-gear: here she is trying to impose a ‘birthday-cake’ Alice-band on to her uncle’s head !                     
                                    
 










And even when they’re out and about, our neighbours can’t forget our furry friends. Anna has plastic bag at the ready to collect left-overs for them. Our Leon was very happy to sample some the following day, while the cats particularly enjoyed the squid and mussels – dishes for those on the Lenten fast.
   
                           
 


 You can see how the cats have gravitated to the pump-house roof to escape the dampness afoot.   Spring flowers bloom and fade in water-logged soil, without us having a chance to enjoy their presence.
 To celebrate March 25th, and Greece gaining her independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821, we raised the national standard - which has remained resolutely inert and sodden , flopping from the flag-staff.                          
                








                                                    

                                                   WHERE HAS OUR SUN GONE?

Monday 16 March 2015

Political Correctness, Fifty Shades and a trip to Sheffield.



Question: why not linguistic or moral? What is it that makes the correctness ’political’? And doesn’t ‘correctness’ itself sound self-righteous, rigid and proscriptive? Poor old Benedict Cumberbatch – I prefer Cucumberpatch - fell out of favour when he, supporting fellow-actors, complained that black actors did not get their fair share of main roles. So far, so fair. But, lawd have mercy, he used the term ‘coloured’ which had the self-appointed language police having hissy-fits – the ‘correct’ or ‘acceptable’ term would apparently have been ‘persons of colour’. So we’re now reduced to splitting hairs along with parts of speech, where the adjective is not acceptable but the noun is. Really? 

Last week, my materials-writing partner, Angeliki, and I went off on a business trip to Sheffield – our first time there. One thing that struck me on arrival was that magazines, newspapers, even city buses all bore the ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ legend, newsworthy because of the recent premier of the ‘erotic romance’ film. Next day on a morning news /discussion program the idea of appropriateness was raised once more. An 11-year-old boy had turned up to his school’s World Book Day celebration dressed as the Fifty Shades’ main character, Christian Grey. The school had excluded him from class photographs until ‘his costume was modified’.

 Mum’s position: brought son on television, claiming other outfits children wore were less appropriate.
Son’s position: all fellow-students recognized his character so that was okay.
School’s position: children were expected to select and talk about books appropriate to their age-group.
 Press position: feeding frenzy.
Question: Had the focus been on any other book would it have merited even a mention? 

My expectations were of seeing a depressed post-industrial city – from the 19th century Sheffield has been associated with its famous steel production – but it was a thriving place, with 61% of its area being green space, and has seen steady growth and development in recent years. Housing two universities, Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam, and attracting many students both national and international, the city boasts the highest ratio of resident graduates than any other British city. 
Immediately we exited the railway station, we saw before us  a great  space with water features: here is Angeliki, in front of the amazing steel water-wall. In the second picture you can see the station façade and beyond stand the famous Park Hill Flats - a re-housing project begun in 1945 and inspired by the pioneering urban-planner LeCorbusier, who believed people should live as beautifully and peacefully as monks in sanctuaries. Design features include broad walk-ways or decks on each floor- described as ‘streets in the sky’- with views on to surrounding green areas. 
 
 







                                         
Another place of interest is the Winter Gardens in the city centre and there, too, is housed the Millennium Gallery. I loved this ‘dragon-flower’ piece, made of cutlery, echoing the traditional products of Sheffield steel. Isn’t it great that these two little people simply could not go past it without touching its ingredient knives, forks and spoons?  


Next up: the art of the famous street artist, Phlegm whose work is in great evidence throughout the city. He likes to keep his identity a mystery but his partially masked, hooded figures are easily recognizable as his. 
 

                                             









A major attraction for me was that niece, Jenny, lives in the city. Together we honour our Scottish roots by posing with a piper, collecting for soldiers wounded in action – and there must always be a selfie when we get together. 

Jenny is currently doing a post-graduate course in Public Health at the University of Sheffield    and here she is with two of her fellow students: Andrea from Ecuador and Yuriko from Japan.    
      
        

                                                








Meeting Andrea meant that Angeliki could practise her Spanish, and we continued the theme by going to eat at a Cuban tapas bar. With live music and enthusiastic staff, we enjoyed their many tasty dishes and a glass or two in a very pleasant environment. Ready to call it a day, we made our exit via the downstairs bar- only to hear Jenny’s name being called out as we reached the door. There was a good friend of hers at the mike singing for the customers. A past band-singer, Jenny accepted her invitation to join her on the gig - what a wonderful surprise! Beauty, brains and talent – wow!!
 

                                                                   









Although we had experienced the local nithering or lazy wind – one that goes right through you -  our last day was fine and sunny , so Sheffield really did smile on us.
Our homeward flight, however, was not without incident: our pilot, describing the weather at Thessaloniki as horrendous, aborted his attempted landing due to wind gusts of 60 kilometers and hour. After quite a bit of turbulence, we landed instead in Athens where we were accommodated in hotels and flown up the following day. All good, but presenting complications for our fellow-passengers, Emma, Connor and Jack, who were to be picked up at Thessaloniki and driven to Bansko, Bulgaria  to attend the Horizon Festival 2015 of electronic dance music. Emma planned to get some ski-ing in as well, while the lads, studying Events Management at Leeds University, had the responsibility of ensuring all the acts got to the right place at the right time. Our flight rerouting kind of spoiled their organizational-skills credibility at the very outset! Here they are at Athens airport, awaiting flight north.                                    
 

          
Recent posts about the festival indicate that the snow conditions were excellent and that the music was a blast. I’m sure they enjoyed it and I wish them all ….......... a safe flight home!
                                       
 All in all, our trip to Sheffield was a splendid experience; we were blown away by how warm and friendly everyone was, as well as how proud they were of their city. I was charmed when I was served a decorated hot chocolate in our hotel there.

 I think this picture symbolizes nicely the impression that the city and its great folk left on us both.