Athens Graffiti

Have a look at some of Athens more interesting graffiti:


Videos on Athens, Greece

Videos on Athens, Greece

Athens Pride Festival 2012

Videos on Athens, Greece

The Dance of Zalongo

Statues marking the Dance

As Greece faces another election the results of which could well decide it's fate within the Eurozone, any parallels drawn with perilous cliff tops and fatal jumps into the unknown are apt. None is quite as pertinent to me, though, as the "dance of the Souliot women" who, in order to escape capture and enslavement by the Ottoman ruler Ali Pasha, threw themselves off the mountains of Zalongo and committed suicide en masse.

Historically, the Souliot women are seen as brave heroines who threw themselves and their children onto the rocks below rather than succumb to a nasty fate. I admire the heroism and patriotism of the act but have often wondered if perhaps they weren't a bit rash and certainly a bit unfair on the children (who presumably had no say in the matter). That brave,  almost reckless sense of 'give me freedom of give me death' that is so much a part of the Greek identity and character is now placing the country in a perilous situation with it's European partners.

Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras has captured the imagination of many Greeks with his campaign to end the 'enslavement' of the country to the international banking sector, the IMF and the EU chiefs who have called for austerity, austerity and more austerity. Voting Tsipras and his left leaning coalition into parliament would be a little bit like taking a leap into the unknown. And it could be a fatal one.

Watching Tsipras' speech before Greece's first parliamentary election was probably very much like watching the first Souliot calling on his companions to rise up against the Ottomans in 1803, a call for the 'Davids' to take arms against the 'Goliaths'.  It was a call that resonates as much with modern day Greeks as it traditionally has throughout this small country's long history, and his party gained massively in popularity. But Tsipras is a young, untried politician who has, as yet, to offer a concrete solution to Greece's problems other than a refusal to accept the (already signed) memorandum.

"Les Femmes Souliot" by Ari Sheffer

 Greece is now dancing the dance of Zalongo with the rest of Europe, threatening to metaphorically throw itself off the cliff if the memorandum of austerity and cuts is not revised. EU leaders were shaken by Syriza's lead in the last election and concerned that Tsipras will achieve a governmental majority this time. He just might. Angry and frustrated by a succession of inept and corrupt governments, Greeks are refusing to give their votes to the old established parties, feeling that this is the one act of defiance and democracy that is left to them by an overbearing EU. Many would rather throw themselves into the unknown than accept what they perceive as a lifetime of endless servitude and bondage to the international banks.

This song is still sung while dancing the "Dance of Zalongo":

Farewell poor world,
Farewell sweet life,
and you, my poor country,
Farewell for ever

Farewell springs,
Valleys, mountains and hills
Farewell springs
And you, women of Souli

The fish cannot live on the land
Nor the flower on the sand
And the women of Souli
Cannot live without freedom

The women of Souli
Have not only learnt how to survive
They also know how to die
Not to tolerate slavery

I am so sad to report that after writing this post the next morning the newspapers were full of this story:
Mother and son jump to their death

Kalazaar

It sounds like one of the biblical Magi...  Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar ....but I think that anyone who has owned a dog in this part of the world knows that this will bring no great gift. Kalazaar is a potentially fatal disease that has struck many Athenian pets in the past.

Known in medical terms as Leishmaniasis, it is transmitted by the bite of a carrier mosquito or sand fly. At first there are little or no symptoms, but left untreated this horrible disease wreaks havoc on the internal organs or skin of the unfortunate animal and leads to a painful death.

Why am I writing about this bleak subject? Well, I would like all pet owners to be aware of the latest updates in the fight against this disease.

Yesterday was time for my much loved dog, Louis, to have his biannual blood test to determine whether or not he has been exposed to Kalazaar.

Luckily, he was fine and his test was negative. While I was waiting for the results, the vet told me about a new anti Kalazaar vaccine that has just come out.  Apparently, it is expensive (€100 a shot) and has to be administered in a specific way. The first time you use the vaccine,  the animal has to receive three shots spaced out at twenty day intervals. The following year it is just one shot along with the other routine vaccinations. 

As there are obviously no long term studies done on possible side effects and long term efficacy, I'm afraid I decided to wait till next year at least before trying it out on Louis. This decision has already made me anxious and I might change my mind.  Vets say it is advisable to do the shots early on in the year as they need three months to fully take effect, so time wise the window of opportunity for this year is narrowing.  In Greece, the most dangerous months for possible Kalazaar infection are June, July, August and September so be prepared either by vaccinating, or by using products such as ©advantix plus nightly anti mosquito sprays.

A friend of mine has gone through the nightmare of dogs with Kalazaar and has chosen to vaccinate her dogs this year.  She told me it gave her peace of mind and added that, although expensive, it is nothing like the huge cost of Kalazaar treatment which can run into thousands of Euros.

♥LOUIS♥