Alexandroupoli shots

Last weekend I found myself in the city of Alexandroupoli for the needs of my work. Last time I was there, it was during my military service for the Greek army. So it's not hard to guess that this time my spirit was somewhat higher.


The road from Thessaloniki to Alexandroupoli is superb. It only takes you 2,5 hours to get there, when in the not-so-distant past you needed approximately 4 to 5 hours.


I was staying at this posh hotel


located just a few kilometers outside Alexandroupoli, by the beach


but since I don't like sitting still, I chose to take walks in the city in my free time.


This is the west part of the seafront of Alexandroupoli.


On the left side it is full of restaurants, bars etc. A very typical Greek city structure.


If you walk further along the beach, you approach Alexandroupoli's lighthouse, which is the trademark of the city.


I walked through parks


and luna parks!


I took a walk to the port of Alexandroupoli.


Exiting the port, things are pretty simple; Straight ahead it's the city center. To the right it's Turkey. To the left, my hometown Thessaloniki.


I turned right, to watch with amazement that some people are like turtles. They carry their home wherever they go!


Tsipouro is the best anti-depressant. If only the rest of the world knew.


Tsipouro makes straight lighthouses look bended,


bright colors look brighter


quiet parks look heavenly


marketing slogans look pointless


and the road back to the hotel... infinite!

Sunday uphill walking

Let's see if I can narrate this as a meaningful story...


Today the sun was shining so invitingly


that left no one unaffected.


So I left home with a friend and started walking uphill,


which doctors say is good for the heart


and good for the soul.


We walked by an abandoned marble mining plant


which I guess is our humble addition to the ruins of the ancient era.


We noticed signs of human activity of a very recent past


and also signs of what is called environmental restoration,


in this case, a football field in place of the once rocky mountain side.


On our way to the top we walked by beautiful wild flowers,


and two turtle lovebirds


but nothing could compare to the breathtaking view from the top


and this sense of achievement you get when you're active in a natural environment.

My mother's flowers

My mother has a great love for flowers.


Her garden is her playground


and her flowers are her friends she never fails to meet.


After taking these photos, I realized I am unable to capture the full beauty of my subject.


All these years my mother has been growing not only her flowers


but also my own love for them.