snow...

I always loved snow, because in Greece, just a few times I have lived that experience...So when it snowed before two days here I thought it would be nice to take some photos. The first two were outside my home, the rest in the Park (Stadtpark Graz).









Isn't Josef Krainer funny with his ''Pope-style'' cap?

Go Phillies!

The second American post combines travel and sports …again!!! After an evening walk in the surprisingly quiet streets of one of the oldest cities in the U.S, I returned to my 6th floor hotel room for some meditation and travel planning.

Around midnight and while I was importing some pics from my camera to my laptop, I came to realize that there was some sort of a riot on the main street just outside the hotel. I was bored (as always) to get out my pajamas and go downstairs and see what was going on, but as the noise was getting louder and louder I couldn’t resist. Memory card and battery in the camera and off I went!!! The first thing I saw when I went off the elevator was lots of smiling faces which was a relief….something good was going on. Broad Street was filled with fans of the Phillies (local baseball team) who won the third game in the World Series, just a win away from the title…don’t ask.





The next day, I was on the streets again for a more extensive visit in the city which combined everything I was hoping for!!!






Urban landscape


A nice market








Street art


A cat




And the famous Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

To be continued….

Portaria - the orgy of nature

Business or pleasure? Hard to say, really, when I visit such beautiful places for the needs of my work. Portaria is is one of the 24 villages of Mt. Pelion.


The village is on an altitude of approximately 600 meters, overlooking the city of Volos.





Aside from the breathtaking view it offers, Portaria is surrounded by a forest of impressive beauty.


Please follow me to the Centaurs path, through this amazing forest.





Let me tell you something more. There is no "nature" in any of the mortals, neither an end with a ghastly death. There is just a coupling - and the succession of those who coupled. People, however, call this "nature". Empedocles











In Autumn nature dies, with grace and dignity.


After a demanding route in the wild, some well-deserved rest.








Chestnuts.


Taking my way back down to the village.





The fight between the forest and the village houses.


November sun. More rare than the summer sun, therefore more appreciated.


...


Through some new constructed houses


to the village's main square


and the main street


with some local food on sale.





On my way back, everything just looked better than before.

Athens city centre - Rooftops

Right after the Koudelka exhibition I was offered a drive back to my hotel - through the heart of Athens. I felt I should lift the camera to aim to the sky, to avoid anything that could remind me of the heavy Athenian traffic.


straight ahead


turn left


and again, to the left


at the traffic lights go straight ahead


then merge left


turn left


Almost there, thanks for the ride!