In Greece, in churches and monasteries it is not prohibited to submit notes written in Latin or even in Russian, but still, out of respect for the Greeks, it is better to do this in their native language. Names in notes should be written in Greek in the genitive case. Feminine proper names ending in - α or - η will have the endings - ας and -ης in the genitive case. Masculine proper names ending in - ος, in Gen. case, will have the ending -ου. For convenience, we have compiled a table of Russian names and their Greek analogues. To write a note, just find the name you want, tick it, and then print the notes.

LIST OF NAMES

Russian name	Greek equivalent in I.p.	Pronunciation in Russian	Writing in Greek in R.p. is how it should be written in notes
Alexander	Αλεξανδρος	Alexandros	Αλεξανδρου
Alexandra		Alexandra
Alexei	Αλεξιος	Alexios	Αλεξιου
Anastasia	Αναστασια	Anastasia	Αναστασις
Andrey	Ανδρεας	Andreas	Ανδρεαυ
Anna	Αννα	Anna	Αννας
Anton	Αντωνιος	Andonis	Αντωνιου
Valentina	Βαλεντινη	Valentini	Βαλεντινης
Varvara	Βαρβαρα	Varvara	Βαρβαρας
Victor	Βικτωρ, Βικτορας	Victor	Βικτορος
Vladimir	Βλαντιμιρ	Vladimir	Βλαντιμιρ
Galina	Γαλινη	Galini	Γαλινης
Georgiy	Γεωργιος	Georgios	Γεωργιου
Gerasim	Γερασιμος	Gerasimos	Γερασιμου
Hermann	Γκερμαν	Hermann	Γκερμαν
Gregory	Γρηγοριος	Grigorios	Γρηγοριου
Daniel	Δανιηλ	Daniel	Δανιηλ
Denis	Διονυσιος	Dionysios	Διονυσιου
Dmitriy	Δημητριος	Dimitrios	Δημητριου
Evdokia	Ευδοκια	Evdokia	Ευδοκιας
Elena	Ελενη	Eleni	Ελενης
Elizabeth	Ελισσαβετ	Elisavet	Ελισσαβετ
Catherine	Αικατερινη	Ekaterini	Αικατερινης
Zinaida	Ζηναιδα	Zinaida	Ζηναιδας
Jacob	Ιακωβος	Iakovos	Ιακωβου
Ilya	Ηλιας	Ilias	Ηλιου
John	Ιωαννης	Ioannis	Ιωαννου
Joseph	Ιωσηφ	Joseph	Ιωσηφ
Irina	Ειρηνη	Irini	Ειρηνης
Ksenia	Ξενια	Ksenia	Ξενιας
Konstantin	Κωνσταντινος	Constandinos	Κωνσταντινου
Kuzma	Κοαμας	Kosmas	Κοαμα
Lazarus	Λαζαρος	Lazaros	Λαζαρου
Leonid	Λεωνιδας	Leonidas	Λεωνιδου
Lydia	Λυδια	Lydia	Λυδιας
Luke	Λουκας	Lucas	Λουκα
Love	Aγαπη	Agapi	Αγαπης
Magdalena	Μαγδαληνη	Magdalini	Μαγδαληνης
Margarita	Μαργαριτα	Margarita	Μαργαριτας
Marina	Μαρινα	Marina	Μαρινας
Maria	Μαρια	Maria	Μαριας
Mark	Μαρκος	Marcos	Μαρκου
Marfa	Μαρθα	Marfa	Μαρθας
Michael	Μιχαλης	Michael	Μιχαλη
Hope	Ελπιδα (Ελπις)	Elpida	Ελπιδος
Natalia	Ναταλια	Natalia	Ναταλιας
Nikita	Νικητας	Nikitas	Νικητου
Nicodemus	Νικοδημ	Nicodemus	Νικοδημου
Nikolay	Νικολαος	Nicholas	Νικολαου
Olga	Ολγα	Olga	Ολγας
Paul	Παυλος	Pavlos	Παυλου
Peter	Πετρος	Petros	Πετρου
Seraphim	Σεραφειμ	Seraphim	Σεραφειμ
Sergius	Σεργιος	Sergios	Σεργιου
SvetlanaFotinia	Φωτεινη	Fotini	Φωτενης
Sofia	Σοφια	Sofia	Σοφιας
Stepan	Στεφανος	Stefanos	Στεφανου
Taisiya	Ταισια	Taisia	Ταισιας
Tamara	Ταμαρα	Tamara	Ταμαρας
TatianaTatiana	Τατιανα	Tatiana	Τατιανας
Philip	Φιλιππος	Philippos	Φιλιππου
Fedor	Θεοδωρος	Theodoros	Θεοδωρου
JuliaIulia	Ιουλια	Julia	Ιουλιας

RUSSIAN OPTION GREEK OPTION

About health

Υπερ Υγειας

About repose

Υπερ αναπαυσεως

THE GREEKS PLACE A CROSS ONLY ON RESTAL NOTES

• Notes should contain no more than 15 names
  • The donation amount per note is approximately half a euro

  Next to the name, the Greeks do not write “baby”, “sick”, etc.,

believing that the Lord Himself sees the soul of every person

In churches you can only buy candles; icons and books are sold in special stores

Unlike our temples, candles purchased there cannot be taken out of Greek ones.

• The Greeks rarely place candlesticks next to icons; they are mostly located at the entrance to the temple on the street

You cannot, in the presence of a group priest or a clergyman of a given church, independently place icons or other church objects on the relics of saints for consecration. Everything you are

If you want to consecrate, you must give it into the hands of a clergyman located next to the shrine.

The Greeks do not have a separate prayer service for health. Christians buy prosphora at a bread store and in the morning, before the Liturgy, serve it at the altar along with a note about health. In some churches, notes on health are read during a prayer service to the revered saint.

If you are going to receive communion, remember that when approaching the Chalice, you do not have to cross your hands. Take the edge of the plate yourself, which the priest is holding at the other end, and after receiving the Holy Gifts, wipe your lips. Do not kiss the Chalice under any circumstances! The Greeks revere it as the greatest shrine, which is forbidden to touch.

If you want to turn to a Greek priest for a blessing, say: Πατερ, ευλογειτε! (Pater, eulogite), which means “Father, bless.” The priest will answer you “ο Κυριος” (O Kyrios), that is, “God bless.”

KALIMERA - KALISPERA, good morning - good afternoon, these words are heard everywhere when you get to GREECE! So I ended up on Greek soil - I am fulfilling the dream of my dad, who did not have time to get here, did not have time in his entire life, although our ancestors once lived here.

The trip turned out to be spontaneous, initially we were going to go to Egypt, but due to the turbulent situation the choice fell on Greece, the country of olives, sirtaki and my historical homeland. We flew with a Greek airline, I was impressed by the uniform of the Greek flight attendants, very beautiful, dark blue dresses with a flounce on the back and a scarf in the colors of the Greek flag around the neck. Everyone, as if chosen, is dark-skinned, thin, black-haired and very smiling. On the plane, in regular economy class, we were given dry Greek wine and meatballs with mashed potatoes, with an amazing sauce that tasted of delicious herbs. Throughout the flight, the televisions displayed our movement in the air, with the time until the end of the flight and the territory that we were currently flying through. As usual, applause to the crew for their professional flight and the immediate arrival of the ramp.

We went out and it felt like we were in a sauna, there was no breeze, no sea breeze - intense heat, somehow unusual after the rainy and cold weather in St. Petersburg. I immediately realized that half of the things in the suitcase could have been left out...

As you know, the island of Rhodes, to which our love of travel has brought us this time, is washed by two seas: the Mediterranean and the Aegean. Our hotel

Marianna Palas 4*, is located on the Mediterranean Sea, a 30-minute drive from Rhodes airport, in the village of Kolymbia. Yes, exactly in the village, because in the morning we woke up to the crowing of roosters. Hotels are located on the seashore mixed with private houses, shops, taverns, a kind of immersion in local life.

Some background information about the hotel...

Upon arrival, we immediately noticed a sound, it came from everywhere, did not stop for a minute, then it dawned on me - these are cicadas! Exactly, I heard them at home, in Anapa, just a single crackling, but so collectively these insects sang all day long! I wonder where in their body they make this sound? We observed when the cicada crackles, its body and wings probably all tremble, but not with its throat, no ligaments can withstand this!

A person gets used to everything and we, naturally, got used to it; on the second day it seemed that it couldn’t be any other way!

The hotel is located 400 meters from the sea, the path is not tiring, passes through flat terrain and takes no more than 10 minutes if you waddle. You go and see how the local population lives. In general, the nature and climate are very similar to our Anapa: the same mountains, rocks, scorched grass in places, it felt like I was on the Black Sea coast, somewhere in the area of ​​Sukko or Utrish. It seems to me that we have even more vegetation and greenery and the nature is more picturesque. But these are first impressions, let's see what happens in other areas of the island. The hotel is small, like its territory, three 2-3-storey buildings, two swimming pools with clean and warm water - for adults and for children, a bar where from 12 noon to 12 at night you can drink various cocktails and dry red without restrictions and white wine, beer, coffee. We didn’t even try strong drinks, since it was impossible in the heat; we didn’t even want to try it in the evening. There is no food in the bar, this is unusual, since our Russian people are accustomed to drinking at deliciously laid tables, let’s be honest, we love to eat! And not even because they are hungry, but for the sake of order: with a glass, there should be a plate! Well, this is my opinion, maybe someone will disagree.

In general, the food was good, breakfasts were the same as breakfasts, this is how we eat them at home: scrambled eggs -

fried eggs, scrambled eggs, sausages, fried bacon, fruit and natural yoghurts, various types of cereal with milk, sausage cheese, just a sea of ​​pastries, all kinds and delicious (this is for those with a sweet tooth). Tea, coffee - anyone makes a coffee machine, alcohol for lunch and dinner and all day long, juices, forfeits - Sprites - Pepsi, plain ice water. They serve soup for dinner, that’s their tradition, the soups are pureed and tasty - also good, a break from our borscht and pickle soup. I wouldn’t eat them all the time, but on vacation, for the sake of variety, it’s very acceptable and good for the stomach. For lunch there is enough of everything, several types of side dishes: rice in all its variations, fried-stewed-boiled potatoes, pasta, two or three types of meat, fish, various salads, a blast from the Greek Tzatziki sauce (a combination of natural yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice and fresh cucumbers, garlic, spices), it is very good to season vegetable salads with it. Fruits: watermelons, melons, peaches, bananas, apples, oranges. From the sea of ​​​​food, so far we have only eaten mussels, cooked directly in their shells, poured with lemon juice and washed down with dry white wine.

I was pleased with the work of the hotel staff when serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the dishes sparkled, there was no need to look for spoons, forks and knives (happened in other hotels), the tablecloths were snow-white. Moreover, when cleaning the table after departed guests in anticipation of new ones and if even the slightest stain was found, the tablecloth was immediately changed to a new one. I would like to note the excellent performance of the air conditioning in the restaurant; we ate at a very comfortable temperature, given the incredible heat outside.

Our vacation will last two weeks, we are quite satisfied with the hotel cuisine, and what is not here, we will try in local taverns, they are here at every turn.

There is no entertainment in the hotel; it is intended for a calm, measured holiday. This time we were looking for one, since the year was very busy.

Some sunbathe by the pool, some go to the sea, and some sip cocktails at the bar.

The staff is very nice, they work like bees from morning to evening and are always ready to help, no one speaks Russian, but my not yet completely forgotten English was enough. The rooms are cleaned, towels are changed every day, linen, it feels like the same. The safe was paid, we didn’t use it, there was nothing to hide, all things were in plain sight, nothing was missing. The air conditioner worked silently, with both hot and cold water everything was fine.

The bathroom has a bathtub itself, not a shower, shampoo gels are provided as needed, there is a hairdryer, but I didn’t use it; in such heat, the hair dried instantly without it.

The beach of our hotel is pebbly, small pebbles - foot massage, special slippers are sold for those who are particularly picky. For those who are too lazy to walk, a bus runs from the hotel 3 times a day. The water is clear, warm, without any algae or mud. A noticeable disadvantage of the beach is the lack of changing cabins and toilets. We found one shower, next to the rental point for catamarans and cheesecakes, closer to Mount Tsambika. Umbrellas and sun loungers are paid, beach towels are available at the reception for a deposit of 10 euros, and then returned (we took our own for the beach, from home). We changed our clothes behind huge stones near the mountain under the surprised and incomprehensible glances of wild goats, there are an incredible number of them here, crawling along steep cliffs-mountains, held by some incomprehensible force of gravity, a person would have fallen headfirst long ago.

There are catamarans, cheesecakes, canoes - you won’t get bored!

There are no accidents in our family, and this time was no exception - two minutes before arriving at the hotel, it turned out that my husband had FORGOT MY RIGHTS! It’s not difficult to imagine my reaction, I thought I’d rip the skin off him with a stocking and without anesthesia! The entire vacation was planned by me, routes were drawn up, when and what to visit, which bays, beaches, attractions. Well, after thinking about it, I decided, apparently, God saved me from the accident in this way; no one knows what would have happened if he had not forgotten them! After all, the main thing is to be able to calm yourself down and convincingly analyze the situation in your head. A bunch of defensive arguments immediately arose in Seryoga’s favor: poor thing, he’s so tired after a year, he’s driving all the time at work anyway, the guy can’t drink, isn’t that the point, and in general the Greeks drive cars without any rules, so try not to cause an accident . In general, while he sat huddled in the chair of the transfer bus, horrified by what he had done, I found something to calm myself down, sulked for only ten minutes, then changed my anger to mercy: summer, heat, we are in Greece, hurray! Can't we find something to do with ourselves? The next day, with the hotel guide Lena, we developed a new scenario for our vacation, took four excursions: a sightseeing tour of the island, to Rhodes, to Lindos and on a yacht to the island of Symi. Someone will say that they could travel themselves, the bus stop is two minutes from the hotel, get on and go for two or three euros. But! In the heat, +37, it’s simply unrealistic, buses run outside of any schedule, it’s a complete hassle, maybe we’re just unlucky?

HOTEL LIVING FEATURES - add-ons

Don't forget to take fumigators; Greek mosquitoes are, of course, not as aggressive as ours. They don’t rush around like Messerschmitts and don’t attack with a nasty squeak, they bite slowly, sadly and silently, apparently corresponding to the motto of Greek life - SEGA-SEGA (slowly-slowly). And the bites from them, even for me, who is allergic, were almost unnoticeable the very next day, although I did take FENISTIL.

There are no clotheslines or clothespins in the rooms, and, as you understand, there are no washing machines in a 4-star hotel either. And with two weeks of rest, and in such heat, washing is inevitable, so we took powder, clothespins and a structure for drying clothes with us (any

I like to live comfortably, like at home). T

Internet is only at the reception and by the pool, paid, costs 15 euros for the entire stay, they give you an individual login and password, write it down on your receipt - don’t lose it, it’s only your password, not the general one at the hotel. If you lose it (as happened to me), you will have to ask for a new one.

Breakfast from 7-10, lunch from 13-15, dinner from 19-22

Don’t rush to rent a car at the hotel; there are plenty of places in the area where you can do it cheaper.

They say you can do the same with excursions, but we decided not to risk it and bought all the excursions from the hotel guide.

You need comfortable shoes with low heels or no heels at all, since you will have to walk and walk, and the streets in old cities are cobbled. Moreover, the pebbles are laid out so interestingly - not flat, as usual, but edge-on.

Those who smoke, take cigarettes, they are much more expensive here, a pack of Winston is light - 3.5 euros.

EAT PRAY LOVE...

SEGA-SEGA, which translated from Greek means Slowly and Slowly, is the life motto of the Greeks. Someone says that they are slow and sluggish, lazy, but this is not true. People work a lot, but they also know a lot about relaxation, they know how to do it from the heart....

Our first excursion was a sightseeing tour of the island and was called “EAT, PRAY, LOVE”, after the book of the same name by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Thematically, it, accordingly, consisted of three parts, namely, in the first part we visited the villages: tomato, honey and wine, where we tasted freshly squeezed juices from watermelon to cucumber, tried different types of olive oil, dry wine, excellent homemade cheeses, dried tomatoes and olives, pine and thyme honey (heals the throat and vocal cords). At the end, we were taken to a Greek tavern for lunch, where the owner Sava himself treated us to Moussaka, Tzatziki sauce, incredibly soft and tasty lamb and many other national dishes. Everything is prepared with soul and at home, so we completed the first part of the “EAT” program one hundred percent and at the same time got acquainted with the national Greek cuisine.

In the second part - “PRAY”, we visited the church of Panteleimon, who cares and prays for our health. The church is located on a mountain, in a very picturesque place, stone steps lead to it, which from time to time (since knightly times) and from the number of people who climbed them have become smooth and slippery like ice. Therefore, it was necessary to go up and down very carefully. The views from above are breathtaking!!!

In general, the Greeks are a very religious nation, they don’t make money from religion, and in the church it’s enough to leave any amount of money, even one cent, and you can take as many candles as you need, leave notes for the health of your loved ones and for the repose of people dear to you. After this part of the excursion I was left with some peace and warmth in my soul....

A visit to Cape PRASONISI was the final stage of our excursion and was called “LOVE”!

PRASONISI - the kiss of two seas, the place where the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas merge, the southernmost point of the island. In summer, in hot weather, they are separated by a narrow strip of land, a sand spit. And in winter both seas merge together. According to legend, if you kiss your partner on the spit, your family life will be long and happy.

From the observation deck, on a hill, in front of the cape, photographs were taken, where the quiet and calm Mediterranean Sea is clearly visible on the left, and the seething Aegean Sea on the right, covered in curly lambs. There is some touchingness in the desire of two seas to unite in a kiss....

Already returning to the bus, having swam in both seas, when will this ever happen again, in a local tavern, on the shore we tried freshly caught (they are caught directly here, on Prasonisi) and grilled octopuses, fried the tentacles, sprinkled with lemon and served with dry white wine . DELICIOUS! I recommend it to anyone who loves seafood to try it. We ate octopus for the first time, so we made a wish...

Well, our amazingly educational, informative, wonderful excursion has come to an end. This is an ideal solution for those who have not rented a car, and indeed for anyone who would like to explore the island and immerse themselves in local life. We traveled around the entire perimeter of Rhodes in one day, visited many beautiful places, attractions, visited two seas, the highest mountain of the island Ataviros, touched the saint - visited the chapel of Panteleimon, got acquainted with Greek cuisine, what else do you need for happiness? I recommend this excursion to everyone, you won’t regret it!

RHODES - THE MAGIC OF AGES

That was the name of our next excursion, it was conducted by the same guide Nadya from St. Petersburg. The girl is in love with the island, she has been living here for 4 years, she works for the tour operator Bibleo Globus.

This time we went to the very north of the island of Rhodes, to the city of the same name, Rhodes, the capital. Along the way we visited Mount Fileromos, where there is a 15th century icon, or rather a list from it. LIST, this is the name of the copy of the icon; the original is kept in Montenegro. The mountain is named after the monk Filerim, who, having fled from Israel, saved the icon. Its miraculousness lies in the fact that it was written from the Virgin Mary during her lifetime...

The mountain is crowned with a huge cross and from the observation deck, from a bird's eye view, breathtaking views open up - the incredible color of the sea, lush green mountains and islands...

On Filerimos there is a wonderful alley where peacocks walk, proud and beautiful. Nadya told a funny story...

Once upon a time, some guide had the imprudence to tell one of the tourist groups that if someone found a feather from a peacock’s tail on this mountain, he would inevitably become incredibly rich! This story has caught on and is passed on from group to group, and it’s not hard to guess what the first thing tourists do when they set foot on this holy land! Of course they are going to inspect the ancient icon, you might think. No, and no again, they chase the unfortunate peacocks in droves, hoping to find that coveted feather! The peacocks are already accustomed to seeing another group of tourists and immediately take to their heels! Watching from the side will make you laugh! But we, too, could not resist and did the same, a herd feeling, nothing can be done about it. As a result, I didn’t find the feather myself, but our second Greek guide Stefanos gave it to me! There was no limit to happiness, now my husband and I are waiting for countless riches to fall upon us!

Jokes aside, the excursion was serious and educational.

The city of Rhodes arose in 408 BC, as a result of the merger of three ancient city-states, namely Kameros, Lindos and Ialyssos, turned into a powerful single state, whoever ruled it, whoever conquered it, but it lives and prospers according to this day, delighting everyone with its beauty.

We all know from the school curriculum that according to legend, at the entrance to the city from the sea there was a huge statue of the Colossos of Rhodes, a monument to the God Helios. It was 32 meters high and made of pure bronze, it took 12 years to build, stood for 65 years and lay in ruins for another 600 years, then it disappeared unknown where and to this day not a single fragment has been found.

It collapsed as a result of a strong earthquake, the Colossus gave way at the knees and fell into the sea from its entire height, crumbling into pieces. The ancient Greeks considered this a curse from God, they were frightened and afraid to restore the statue, fearing retribution.

It lay there for many years, for six centuries. But copper in those days was a very expensive metal and one enterprising Egyptian merchant, again according to legend, bought the fragments of the statue, equipped a huge caravan consisting of 900 camels and sent it across the desert to their homeland. But God Helios did not like this idea and he sent a sandstorm into the desert, which wiped out the caravan from the face of the earth,

burying the remains of the statue in the depths of sand! This is the story - neither ours nor yours, don’t open your mouth to someone else’s loaf, what else can you say!

In fact, as our Nadyusha said, the statue of the Colossus could not stand in this place, at the entrance to the port of Mandraki from the sea, then he would simply sit on the twine, she joked, since it is too far from each other - the pedestals are widely located, on which supposedly stood the giant's feet.

This is a mystery of centuries, let it remain a mystery, it awakens our imagination!

Now, at the supposed place of the statue, on the pedestals where the Colossus of Rhodes stood, a deer and a doe, symbols of Rhodes, are comfortably located. According to another legend, the island was originally overrun with poisonous snakes and no one could live here for long. But these beautiful deer trampled all the snakes with their hooves and Rhodes found new life and blossomed! Myths, legends, traditions... This is incredible Greece, shrouded in secrets....

Finally we are at the gate to the Old Town, people still live there, it’s like living in the open air in a museum. The city is a fortress from the time of the Ionite knights, the walls are in three rows, you can’t get through, no one could take this fortress in the times of knights, and only Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (who didn’t cry over the series The Magnificent Century, is there anyone like that?) managed to come to an agreement with the knights, They gave up the fortress without fighting in exchange for life and the opportunity to leave in peace, and not because they were cowards and did not want to fight, but because they had a higher goal - to spread Christianity throughout the world. What does it mean that everyone will die?

The old town made an indelible impression on us, I simply fell in love with it. It felt like I had been transported back in time, I wanted to close my eyes and open them again - where am I, in what century? Narrow, cobbled streets, centuries-old walls of houses, some ghostly spirit of antiquity hovers everywhere. We walked and walked, there was so little time. We will definitely come here again one of these days, without a tour.

It was time for lunch and the same Nadyusha took us to her home tavern, where she always dines herself. Again, we ordered grilled octopus, steamed mussels in some amazing lemon-wine sauce, all this was just from the sea, I could have eaten such food forever, it was finger-licking good. It was possible to order more delicious dishes, but it was impossible to eat so much, so we left it for next time. These Greek hosts were very friendly; they didn’t just serve food, but asked us a hundred times whether we liked it or not. As a compliment, we were treated to Greek anise liqueur and coffee. The bill was brought in a mirror box (the candy inside is a small change, but it’s nice), you can feel that people live and love this life, the beauty around them. I absolutely didn’t want to leave, I’ll definitely come back and recommend it to everyone!

I forgot an important fact from the excursion - in the North of the island there is also a confluence of seas, not as obvious and visible as in the South, but there it is! Living in the city of Rhodes, you can swim in two seas at the same time - the Mediterranean and the Aegean.

The excursion ended, I was left with exciting memories, a desire to return and, as a reminder, a peacock tail feather and Greek leather sandals that I bought in one of the shops in the Old Town...

LINDOS MAGICAL

A visit to Magic Lindos and the Seven Springs (Epta Piges, as this place is called in Greek) was the third excursion in our program.

Lindos, one of the three ancient city-states that merged into the single state of Rhodes. The city is located on a mountain, at the top is the Acropolis and a serpentine of narrow, cobbled streets with snow-white houses leads to it. The bus stopped at a special parking area, then we walked further to the foot of the mountain, since it was very narrow for vehicles to pass or turn around. And then there was a surprise, local donkey taxis, they are the ones who take tourists, exhausted from the heat, to the top of the mountain, to the Acropolis. The pleasure costs 5 euros, but we were warned to only go up, since donkeys run down the mountain very quickly and this is too extreme a journey, not everyone will dare. My Seryozhka, like a real man, flatly refused to use these donkeys as a taxi, with sad eyes, apparently also very tired from the endless ups and downs. But I, a fragile woman (that’s how I described myself to calm my own conscience), nevertheless stepped on pity and decided to go, I really wanted to, when else would I have to? The donkeys go in pairs, in a bunch, and are accompanied by a handler. I’ve already ridden camels; I’ll tell you, donkeys are more comfortable and not so scary.

Seryozhka stood at the top with a camera to capture this historical moment: LENA ON A DONKEY! Next, we broke away from the excursion and decided to explore the city and the Acropolis on our own, since the heat was unbearable, and my molten brain refused to perceive any historical facts. And to be honest, the guide was not very successful, well, not everyone can hold the attention of a group or present information in a lively and interesting manner. Ours, picture-perfectly shone with erudition, admiring itself, inserted an irritating Uh every other word and featured an unimaginable number of historical dates and names that no one will remember anyway. They remembered Nadenka, the previous guide who led the first two excursions with a kind word, a hundred times, now the person is in the right place! As a result, we were not the only ones who disappeared imperceptibly into the narrow streets of the city and left the group.

From the heights of the mountains, which have already become familiar, views of indescribable beauty, the heart-shaped bay of St. Paul, the magnificent beaches of Lindos, a web of streets with shopping shops, taverns and private houses. Comfort and a calm, measured life - these are the feelings you get from the city. But for some reason Rhodes suited my soul more; it is a more convenient city for living, not so mountainous and somehow warmer in my opinion.

Exhausted by the scorching sun, the group piled onto the bus and we set off on our way to the protected park area - the Seven Springs, to the underground tunnel into which the streams merged. This structure was built by the Italians when they ruled the island in order to deliver water to the other side of the mountain, where there was none. I still didn’t understand how it worked, apparently fatigue took its toll, but I believed the legend and remembered it perfectly, because it is useful and gives hope for a dream to come true!

According to legend, if you walk through a tunnel where seven streams merge in complete darkness (without lighting any flashlights), in complete silence and ankle-deep in cold (+16 degrees) water, you will be cleansed of all your earthly sins and your wish will come true! Who would refuse such prospects? I can’t say that moving through the tunnel is comfortable, it is very narrow, dark, without any glimpses of light, there is only one light window in the middle of the path. The bottom is unknown, freezing cold and frightening unknown. Our group followed the instructions completely, walked in a chain, one after another, in deathly silence, without making a sound, that’s discipline, I thought, we can do it whenever we want and when we beckon with a sweet roll! This is why our Russian people are strong - we unite in extreme situations, we walk, as they say, in ONE FOOT, with our inherent sentimentality and gullibility in our souls. For example, the Italians and Germans who followed us were not imbued with this legend at all; later, from the skylight, when we were already walking back along the top of the tunnel, we heard them screaming underground, laughing, apparently they had no sins or cherished desires and they are not as gullible as we are.

We walked for what seemed like an eternity, an unpleasant thought was drilling into our brains - what if it collapses and we will find ourselves in a stone sack! But it turned out that we only walked 180 meters, the long-awaited light at the end of the tunnel finally dawned, we are free, hurray!!!

Yes, it was also promised that we would look 7 years younger and lose weight (on nerves, no less).

I immediately rushed to the mountain stream to look at my reflection in the water, maybe I’m already slim, like a cypress tree and young???? But alas, I didn’t find a noticeable difference in appearance... Probably these transformations don’t happen right away, I reassured myself again, the main thing is to believe!

Another day of life in Greece has come to an end, the box of impressions and sensations has been noticeably replenished, all that remains is a sea voyage to the island of Symi, we are looking forward to it.

TALES OF SIMI ISLAND

A truly fabulous island, part of one of the Greek Dodecanese archipelagos and located in the Aegean Sea. The excursion was for the whole day, picked up from the hotel by bus at 7 am, and returned at 7 pm.

From the city of Rhodes we sailed by boat for 1.5 hours, looking at the islands and islets passing by, there are actually a lot of them, the Greek archipelagos include more than 2000 islands, and the Dodecanese has more than 120.

The first stop is Panormitis Bay and the Monastery of the Archangel Michael. Archangel means the first angel and his day is November 8th. On this day, something incredible happens... Thousands of pilgrims from all over Greece and other countries sail to the island to venerate the miraculous icon, right from the pier, on their knees, they move towards it. There are steps leading to the entrance to the church and they also walk through them on their knees.

The monastery lives its own, isolated life; they even bake their own bread in wood-burning ovens. The bread is very tasty, blessed, you can take it from large wicker baskets and try it. Candles, again, for a nominal fee, or you can pay nothing at all. Everyone who takes a candle is given an icon and oil. I like the Greek policy in the field of religion - faith and money, in my opinion, are incompatible concepts. Several ships can sail to the island at the same time, there are a lot of people, and therefore we had to stand in line to get to the church where the icon is located, just like here in St. Petersburg, to see St. Xenia the Blessed.

The next stop on the island, after a half-hour swim, in fact, its administrative center, went around the rock and a simply bewitching view opened up... Multi-colored houses, as if multi-tiered, suspended on rocky mountains, narrow stone stairs lead to them. How do people live here? And they live great, as the guide told us, they have virtually no cardiovascular diseases due to daily physical activity! I imagined, like this I climbed home after work, stretched out on the sofa and then you remember that you forgot to buy something in the store, you no longer run away once or twice, you think ten times whether you really need it. For this reason, the local residents are all slim; they haven’t seen any fat people.

The island of Symi is famous for its sponges, an incredible variety of types and colors are mined and sold here, there are silk sponges, wool sponges, and some in the shape of an elephant ear (they are cut into pieces and used for peeling the face). It is believed that the greater the depth of the sponge, the better quality it is and, accordingly, more expensive. There are now a lot of devices and technologies for catching sponges, but before, it was a rather labor-intensive and dangerous process; in order to get to the depths, a diver hung a stone weighing up to 15 kilograms on his neck!

Next we visited the leather workshop of Mr. Takis, he is both a designer and manufacturer of various leather products rolled into one. His leather paintings measuring 1.7 by 2.0 meters are included in the Guinness Book of Records. Takis himself conducted a master class on how to recognize natural leather, distinguish it from artificial leather, and then those who wished could buy themselves whatever their heart desired: bags, wallets, business card holders, shoes.

After completing the excursion, there were three hours of free time to walk around the island, swim in the emerald-sapphire, incredibly clear sea, have lunch in local taverns, and try the famous Simsky shrimp.

Taking a walk, this, of course, is said loudly, moving around in the heat of + 42 (according to the guide, the temperature on Symi is still 5-6 degrees higher than on Rhodes), under the scorching sun, is very problematic. Therefore, we limited ourselves to a walk along the lower tier, along the embankment, contemplating all the surrounding beauty from the bottom up, and everything is clearly visible. Meanwhile, our legs, unconsciously, headed towards a cool tavern (the guide also recommended it to us).

Greek taverns, not those that have set their sights on mass catering catering to tourists and making money from it, but Greek, family-run ones, where the Greeks themselves have lunch and dinner, this is where you should definitely go. Only here you will truly feel the flavor of local life and national cuisine. The feeling that you came to visit friends, where they were waiting for you and you were really welcome. We were lucky, we were such guests in Rhodes and now we found ourselves in a very cozy and nice place. Walking through the narrow streets between fabulous miniature houses, we found ourselves in a small square covered with grapes, where the tavern was located.

The tables are set in the fresh air, blown by two huge fans, very comfortable and fresh. The owner himself or one of them, as they say, came out with open arms and a smile on his face, seated us at a table and gave us a menu in Russian with a description of the dishes. There are not many people here, since the establishment is not designed for a massive tourist flow and therefore each guest is greeted as a guest at home, very pleasantly. And in general, Greece is very pleasant - warmth for both soul and body.

Having managed to get hungry, we, of course, punished everything that our eyes fell on. First of all, an assortment of seafood baked on the grill: octopus, mussels, squid, mullet (mullet with lemon juice with a crispy crust, almost boneless - just a song). I called this grilled seafood mix dish FISH SIRTAKI. Simsky shrimps are very similar to ours, Anapa ones, just as small in size, but they are not boiled, but deep-fried and then eaten directly with the peel.

The next dish is lamb shish kebab with baked vegetables and is also served with a huge plate of Greek salad and side dish (fried potatoes and rice, wild mixed with regular). We organized a belly festival for ourselves, we live once in a lifetime (that’s how I, always striving to lose weight, reassured myself)!

The portions in Greece are huge, I advise you to order one for two; we, who do not suffer from poor appetite, could barely finish it.

Having said goodbye to the hospitable hosts, we decided to go to the beach for a swim; it’s impossible not to dive into such a colored sea! And the accumulated calories had to be burned, how tired I was of fighting with them!

Along the way, as the guide advised, on the ancient bridge we fed fish with bread, there were whole schools of them there, you throw a piece and they pounce on it like piranha torpedoes, jumping out of the water.

The sea was refreshing and invigorating, but not for long, it was hot and very hot! We happily plopped down on the sofas on our boat, departure in five minutes...

We were located on the first deck, where there was air conditioning and the windows were covered with sun-proof curtains. The people, exhausted, fell onto armchairs and sofas in such unimaginable positions and fell asleep: some with their heads thrown back, some with their arms dangling like a whip, some with their legs in the aisle - sleep and fatigue overwhelmed everyone. There was a feeling that an evil wizard had bewitched those traveling to a fabulous island and turned the ship into a sleepy kingdom. My Seryozhka also passed out, resting his head on the pillars (the column in our opinion, it was he, the sailor, who taught me the correct terms). Well, I, having decided to take advantage of the peace and quiet, the romantic atmosphere, rocking on the waves with the boat, sat down to write this report...

We arrived at the hotel at 19-00, it’s good that we were delivered right to the entrance, we immediately dived into the coolness of our lobby, KALISPERA - we greeted the staff at the reception and learned the good news - today is GREEK EVENING! That's how it is, but I have no strength! Run to the room, take a cold shower, change clothes and go to the restaurant. And there is a holiday, waiters in Greek, national clothes, tables full of Greek food, Greek music playing. A second wind opened and we got involved in the process! After dinner, the hotel staff set up chairs and tables in front of the pool bar, musicians and dancers came and it began! Greece is the birthplace of the word DEMOCRACY, that’s what the country is, everything is possible and everything is there and no crises are scary for it! If you want to drink at the table, if you want to smoke, if you want to dance, no one will shush you or look askance at you! People of all nationalities: Greeks, Italians, Poles, Russians - all swirled in one big circle of SIRTAKA, putting their hands on each other's shoulders. Here, I thought, politicians are causing confusion, dividing something, conflicting, but the common people don’t care about anything!

I already wrote that our hotel is run by a Greek family, I don’t know who is related to whom and whether this is really true (information from tourists’ reviews), but it feels like it was a family, the staff is doing their job in a very friendly manner, they are trying as for yourself. So, in the restaurant and bar we were served by two Greeks, we decided for ourselves that they were father and son. One is somewhere up to 35, and the other is already a respectable age, with gray hair, but incredible vitality. From 12 noon to 12 at night they continuously mix cocktails in the bar, pour alcohol, serve guests in the restaurant and at the same time smile and not in a forced, forced way, but sincerely.

And these guys, suddenly, at the Greek evening turned into artists! The father turned out to have a very beautiful voice, he sang, and the son, wearing a red belt, danced and it was all so professional! He will dance and again pour another cocktail at the bar, we were simply amazed

energy and cordiality. It was impressive and, already in the dark, very unexpected - it looked beautiful when one of the hotel employees spilled some kind of flammable liquid in a circle and then set it on fire, and the bartender-dancer in the middle of this circle danced an incendiary Greek dance.

The next dance was for the ladies, a table was brought out, and each woman invited from the vacationers danced up onto this table, and our favorite bartender showered her with flower petals from a basket! All the men, leaving their places at the tables, stood around and applauded!

The fact is that in Greece they treat a woman with great respect, here the order of things is somewhat different - a girl is born, the parents immediately begin to build a house (well, ideally, of course, who can afford it, but that’s how it’s supposed to be). Because it is not the wife who goes to her husband’s house, but the husband who goes to his wife!

The evening continued until late at night, we left early, fatigue took its toll, and we wanted to sit a little longer on the balcony, discuss the impressions of the day, looking at the starry sky. Such a finale during a holiday in Rhodes has already become a tradition....

TSAMBIKA BEACH

On one of the days free from excursions, we independently went to the sandy beach of Tsambika, it is a 10-minute drive from our pebble beach behind the mountain. The bus never came, we waited in the sun for half an hour, and ended up catching a taxi for 10 euros. The beach did not disappoint, just gorgeous, the sea, the sand, and the views around. Perfectly equipped with cafes, cabins, showers, toilets. The way back was even more fun, again there was no wait for the bus, there was no taxi and we walked up the mountain and then down the mountain! In the heat, which is called “tongue on side”, we somehow dragged ourselves to the main highway and there, lo and behold, we got on the bus, but not to the hotel itself, we walked for what seemed a painfully long time, my husband brought me to the hotel almost shoulder The goal of climbing a high mountain to the Tsambika monastery was not achieved, maybe there are some paths, a shorter route, but we did not find it. I decided that if there weren’t enough impressions from the island, we’d take another tour of the churches. Price: sightseeing tour of the island - 50 euros, Rhodes - 35, Lindos - 35, Symi island - 45. The bus is delivered directly to the hotel, comfortable, with air conditioning, guide and full excursion support.

If you are looking for a relaxing holiday, then yes, if you are looking for entertainment and adventure, then look for something else. Almost only foreigners are on vacation, but we still heard Russian speech, mostly people over 40, there are few young people. For children there is only a small pool, a couple of swings, no slides. I’ll say one thing for sure - you should definitely take the car! This means comfort, mobility, a more complete impression of the island and, of course, freedom of movement and choice.

When the suitcases are already packed, but there is still a little time left before departure to Greece, experienced travelers try to use this opportunity to memorize a few phrases in Greek, because knowing how to say “hello”, “please” and “thank you” is always a good gesture, when traveling to any country in the world, and even more so to Greece, where the population is so jealous of its thousands of years of history.

We have put together a short guide for tourists - a dictionary of the most common Greek words, phrases and gestures that will be useful to you at the airport, hotel, store, tavern, cafe and in any, even the most unexpected situations!
And, perhaps, studying it will be the first step for a deeper acquaintance with this beautiful ancient, but still ageless language.

Words and phrases for communication

Sounds

To begin with, it is worth paying attention to certain, but at the same time very significant, subtleties of the pronunciation of certain sounds in Greek words, which should be paid special attention to.
Thus, stress is of great importance in the Greek language, which, if used incorrectly, can radically change the meaning of not only one word, but also an entire phrase.

For example: word " pote" is translated as "when", and " pote" means "never". Asking: " Pote anachori to leoforio?”, you will find out “When the bus leaves”, and by telling your interlocutor that “ Pote anachori to leoforio”, will cause him terrible bewilderment as to why this “bus will never leave.”

You should also not be surprised when you see the accent mark placed twice in some words. For example, " Pu ine to isitirio sas?" - "Where is your ticket?" This is exactly how it should be pronounced, with two accents.

1. It is also worth noting that in Greek the strict emphasis on the sound “ "O"", which should be pronounced clearly, without under any circumstances confusing it in the Moscow manner with " A».

2. Sound " G" in most words is pronounced softer and more muffled, closer to the Little Russian dialect, and " l"almost never sounds firm - always closer to " "l"».

3. Vowels " "e"" And " "And""only after this very thing" "l"" are read softly, as in Russian, but generally they are pronounced more firmly, closer to " "uh"" And " "s"».

We will not discuss here the pronunciation of sounds that have no analogues in the Russian language; we will simply replace them in our transcriptions with the closest suitable analogues.
I assure you that the Greeks will understand you in this case, and for some this may become an additional motivation for a deeper study of Greek phonetics.

Let's start with the numbers

Numerals occupy an important place not only in the theory of any language, but also in the practice of everyday life of every people.

In Greek, a special role is assigned to the unit, which is used as an indefinite article and is divided by gender.

So, " Enas Kyrios mu ipe…" - "One gentleman told me...", but at the same time " Miya Kiriya..." - "One lady..." and " Ena padi...- “One child...” In addition to 1, 3 and 4 are also divided into genders.

0 - Miden
1 - Enas, Miya, Ena
2 - Dio
3 - Tria, Tris
4 - Tessera, Tesseris
5 - Pengde
6 - Exy
7 - Efta
8 - Ohto
9 - Enneya
10 - Deka
11 - Endeka
12 - Dodeka
13 - Decatria, Decatris
14 - Dekatessera, Dekatesseris
15 - Dekapende
16 - Dekaeksi
17 - Dekaefta
18 - Dekaohto
19 - Dekaenneya
20 - Ikosi
21 - Ikosienas, Ikosimia, Ikosiena
22 - Icosidio
23 - Ikositria, Ikositris
30 - Trianda
40 - Saranda
50 - Paninda
60 - Exinda
70 - Efdominda
80 - Okhdonda
90 - Eneninda

Words related to numbers and quantity

Number - Numero
Number - Aritmos
How much - Poso
So much - Toso
Quantity – Poso, Posotita
One kilogram - Ena kilo
Two kilograms - Dio kila
Half - Misos, Misi, Miso
Half a kilo - Misokilo
One and a half kilograms - Enamisi kila
Malo - Ligo
A lot - Poly
Smaller - Pieligo
More - Piyopoli
Smaller (th/y/ee) (by number) - Ligoteros, Ligoteri, Ligotero
Large (th/ee/ee) (by quantity) - Perissoteros, Perissoteri, Perissotero
Small (size) - Mikros, Mikri, Micro

Large (size) - Megalos, Megali, Megalo

Calendar and time

Year - Chronos, Ethos
Season - Epochs
Summer – Kalokeri
Autumn – Ftinoporo
Winter – Himonas
Spring – Anixi
Month - Minas
Week - Evdomada
Monday – Deftera
Tuesday – Triti
Wednesday – Tetarti
Thursday - Pampty
Friday – Paraskevi
Saturday – Savvato
Sunday – Kiryaki
Weekend – Savvatokirjako
Today, later - Apopse
Today - Simera
Tomorrow - Avrio
The day after tomorrow - Metavrio
Yesterday - Htes
The day before yesterday - Prokhtes
Now - Torah
Early - Noris
Late - Arga
Day - Mayor
Morning - Proi
Evening - Vradi
Night - Nykhta
Noon – Mesimeri
Midnight – Mesanichta
Hour - Ora
Minute - Lepto
Second - Defterolepto
Immediately, immediately - Amesos
Urgent - Sindoma
After about half an hour - Sho kanena misaoro
In a quarter of an hour - Se ena tetarto
In five minutes - Xie pende mite
Just a minute - Ena lepto
One moment - Mya stigma
Last year - Parisi
Next year - that time
What time is it - Ti ora ine
When does it open - Pote anigi
When does it close - Pote klini
When will it arrive - Pote ftani
When he leaves - Pote favgi

Greetings

Welcome - Kalos orisate! Kalos irfate!
Hello(those)/Goodbye(those) - Yyasu/Yasas
Hello/Bye - Ya
Bye (Adju) - Andio
Greetings to everyone - Kherete / Kheretizmus se olus
Hello - Ela / Legete / Ambros
Good morning - Kalimera sas/su! Kalimera!
Good afternoon (use in the afternoon) - Kalog apogevma
Good evening (upon meeting) - Kalispera!
Good evening (at parting) - Kalo for enmity!
Good night (farewell before bed) - Kalinichta!
How are you/you – Pos iste/ise
How are you - Ti kanete/kanis
OK, thank you! And how about you - Kala ime, efkharisto! Esis/Esi?
We haven’t met for a long time - Kero ekhume na ta pume / Kero echo na se do

Acquaintance

Your name is Pyo ine to onoma sas/su?
What is your name - Pos sas/se lene, Pos legeste/legese, Pos onomazeste/onomazese
My name is Me lene.../ Onomazome.../ Legome...
Where are you from - Apopu iste/ise, Apopu katageste/katagese
I am from Russia - Ime apotyn Rosiya, Katagome apotyn Rosiya
Nice to meet you - Harika ya tyn gnorimiya
I’m very glad - Hero poli

Wishes

All the best to you (you) - Nase/Naste kala!
Bon appetit - Kali oreksi!
Have a nice trip - Kalo taxidi!
Have a nice flight - Kali Ptysi
Good luck - Kali Tihi!
Healthy toasts - Styniya su/Styniya mas/Styniya sas
To your health - Ysygiyan!

Congratulations

Have a nice Christmas - Cala Christugenna!
Happy New Year - Eftichizmeno to neo etos / Kali hronya
Happy Easter - Kalo Paskha
Christ is risen - Christ anesti
He is risen indeed - Aliftos anesti
Many years - Chronicle of Polla
Happy birthday - Harumena Genetlia
Congratulations – Sinharitiria

Politeness

Forgive me - Me singhoris/synchorite
Sorry - Signomi
I'm sorry - Lipame
Please - Parakalo
Thank you - Efkharisto/Efkharisto Poli
Reply to gratitude - Parakalo

Appeals

Help - Voitya!
Fire - Fotya!
Stop (those) - Stamata/Stamatiste!
Call the police - Kaleste tin astynomiya!

Feelings

Friendship - Philia
Kiss - Fili
“Smack-smack” - Filakya
Love - Agapi
My regrets - Lipame
I missed you - Mu lipis
I love you/you - Saagapo/Sas agapo!

Family

I am Ego
You are Esi
We are Amis
You are Esis
He, this one - Aftos
She, this one - Afti
It, this is Afto
They, these - Afti/Afta
Man - Andras
Woman - Gineka
Boy - Agori
Girl - Cinnamon
Child - Padi
Grandmother - Yaya
Grandfather - Papus
Are you married - Iste pandremeni
Are you married - Iste pandramenos
Do you have children - Ekhete padya
How many children do you have - Posa padya ehete
Where do you live - Pu menete esis

Conversation

I understand - Catalavano
I don't understand - Dan Catalavano
I know - Xero
I don't know - Denkzero
I want - Felo
I don’t want to - Danfalo
I can - Boro
I can't - Danborough
Yes - Ne
No - Ohi
Everyone - Olya
Everything - Ola
Nothing - Typota
Good - Kalos/Kali/Kalo
Bad (oh/th/oh) - Kakos/Kaki/Kako
Okay - Kala
Bad - Askima
Good/Order – Endaxy
Everything is fine - Ola Endaxy
Everything is fine - Ola kala
Possibly - Isos
Maybe (in the question) - Mipos
Do you have - Mipos ehete
Please speak more slowly Parakalo milas/milate pyo arga
Say it again - Borite na epanalavete
Speak Russian Milate Rosika
Speak English - Milas/Milate aglika
Yes, a little - Ne, ligaki
As they say in Greek - Pos legete hundred hellenika

Words and phrases by topic

Tourism, recreation

Rest – Ksekurasi, Anapavsi
Tourism – Turizmos
Moscow — Moskha
St. Petersburg - Agia Petroupoli
Athena - Athena
Thessaloniki - Thessaloniki
Crete - Kriti
Vacation - Adya
Vacations – Djakopes
Non-working day – Argiya
Car – Aftokinito
Airplane - Aeroplano
Tourist office – Turistico grafio
Tourist police – Tourists astynomiya
Guide, tour guide - Xenagos
Excursion – Ekdromi
City tour – Periigisi polis/Yiros thousand polis
Mountain, to the mountains - Vuno, hundred vuna
I love to travel - Mu aresi on taxi devo
Tomorrow we are going on an excursion - Avrio pame ekdromi
I liked the excursion to the monasteries - And the ecdromist of the monastery of mu arese
I really like Greece - And Hellas mu aresi parapoli

In an Aeroport

I need to exchange dollars for euros - Hriyazome for halaso dolarya and euros
Help - Plyrophories
VAT refund – Epistrophy Phi Pi A
I lost my ticket/passport - Ehasa to isytyrio/dyavatyrio
I was late for my flight - Echo argisi ya tyn ptysi mu
What is my excess luggage - Poso ipervaros aposkevon echo
How much should I pay extra - Poso prepi na plyroso epipleon
I need a declaration form - Hriyazome ena endipo dylosis
I only have personal things - Echo mono prosopika mu andikimena
Group meeting place - Topos sinandysis
I want to report missing luggage - Telo na dyloso tyn apolia aposkavon

In transport

Airport - Aerodromio
Train - Trano
Bus – Leoforio
Metro - Metro
Ship/Ferry – Plio
Arrival – Afiksi
Departure – Anachorisi
Adult – Enylikos
Children's - Pedikos
Ticket – Isytyrio
One ticket please - Ena isytyrio, parakalo
Metro/train station - Statmos tu metro\train
Bus stop - Stasi tou leoforou
Where is this bus going - Pu pai afto leoforio?
Where are you going - Pu pate esis?
Where is the stop for the bus going to the city - Pu ine i stasi tu leoforou, pro tyn poli?
This place is taken - Afti i tesi ine pjazmeni?
Where can I buy tickets for the ship - Pu boro na agoraso isytyriya ya to plio?
Bile (y/you) there and back - That isytyrio / That isytyriya metepistrofis
Departure no earlier than – Anachorisy ohi noritera
Return no later than - Epistrophy to Argotero

In the city

City - Poli
Hotel – Xenodokhio
Shop – Katastyma, shop
Kiosk-Periptero
A pack of cigarettes - Ena paketo cigaro
Market, bazaar - Agora, pazari
Post office - Tahidromio
Bank - Meal
Pharmacy – Pharmakio
Restaurant – Estyatorio
Tavern - Tavern
Cafe – Cafeteria
Church – Eklisyya
Museum – Musio
Area -Platyya
Center - Kentro
Street - Odos
Road - Dromos
Avenue - Leoforos
Parking – Parkin
Police – Astynomiya
To the left - Aristera
To the right - Dexya
Straight - Eftya
Far away - Makryya
Close - Konda
Here is Edo
There - Eki
Map - Hartis
Where... Puine...
Where is - Pu vriskete
Where is the hotel - Pu vriskete to xenodokhio?
I'm lost - Khatyka
Can you help me - Borite na mu voitysete?
Police station - Astynomico tmima
How much does an hour of parking cost - Poso kani mya ora statmefsis?
How far is it from here to the city center - Poso makrya apo do mehri to kentro thousand polis?

In a hotel

Reception - Reception
Passport – Dyavatyrio
Luggage – Aposkeves
Suitcase – Valica
Key - Klidi
Breakfast – Proino
Lunch – Mesimariano
Dinner - Vradyno
Hot/cold water – Zesto/cryo nero
Towel – Petsata
Bedsheet - Sedoni
Pillow – Maxilari
Salon, living room – Saloni
Maid - Camarera
Staircase - Rock
Corridor - Dyadromos
Floor – Orophos/Patoma
First floor - Isoyo
Second floor – Protos orophos
Room, room – Domatyo
Single room – Monoclino Domato
Double room – Diklino domatyo
Door - Porta
Window – Parafiro
Balcony – Balconies
Bathroom - Banio
Toilet paper – Harti iyas
Air conditioning – Erkondysjön
Account - Logaryazmos
Where is Pu ine?
Where can I get Pu boro na paro?
Who is there - Pyos ine?
Here's my passport - That's why
My last name is To epifeto mu ine
Can I call Boro on telephoniso?
Do you have a room with air conditioning - Ekhete domatyo me erkondysyon?
Can I use the safe - Boro na hrisimopiiso to hrimatokivotyo?
How much does a room cost per night - Poso kani to domatyo ana imera?
I would like a room on another floor - Ta ifela ena domatyo s alo orofo?
Please give me the key - Doste mu to klidi, parakalo
Please change the bed linen - Alakste ta sedonya, parakalo
I'm leaving (we're leaving) - Favgo (favgume)
Thank you for the good service - Efkharisto ya tyn peripisi
I had a very good rest - Xekurastica poly kala!

On the beach

Sea - Talas
Island - Nishi
Beach - Paralia
What is the water temperature - Ti thermokrasiya ehi to nero?
How much does it cost per hour - Poso kostyzi ana ora

In the cafe

Water - Nero
Cool drink - Anapsiktiko
Mineral water – Metaliko nero
Soda water - Soda
Ice cream – Pagoto
Juice - Himos
Orange – Portocali
Apricot - Verikoko
Peach – Rodakino
Cherry — Vishino
Vinogradny – Stafili
Coffee – Cafes
Sweet - Gliko
Middle -Matrio
A little sweet - Me Ligi Zachary
No sugar - Sketo
With milk - Me gala
Greek coffee – Ellinikos cafe
Instant coffee - Nescafe
Cold instant coffee - Frape
Tea - Tsai
Sugar - Zachary
With lemon - Me lemony
Chocolate drink – Sokolata
Beer – Bira
Wine - Beautiful
White - Aspro (Levko)
Red — Kokino
Pink - Rosé
Dry – Xiro
Sweet – Gliko
Semi-sweet – Imigliko
There are smoking areas here - Iparhi khoros ya kapnistes
Where is the toilet room - Puine and toilet / Puine to banio
Waiter, please - Garson, parakalo
Fork - Ena piruni
Spoon - Ena wrapped
Plate - Ena pyato
Ashtray - Tasaki

In the tavern

Breakfast – Proino
Lunch - Gevma
Dinner – Dypno
Waiter - Servitoros
Table - Trapesi
Chair – Karekla
Menu – Catalogos
Portia - Merida
Plate - Pyato
Spoon – Kutali
Fork – Piruni
Knife - Maheri
Glass - Potiri
Napkin – Hartopetseta
Scrambled eggs - Omelette
Sausage – Salami
Ham – Zabon
Mushrooms – Manitarya
Cheese - Tiri
Olives - Elies
Greek salad – Khoryatyki
Tomato and cucumber salad - Angurodomosalata
Eggplant salad – Melizanosalata
Cucumbers with garlic and yogurt – Dzadzyki
Spicy salad (cabbage, carrots) – Pikandiki
Beetroot salad – Pazzarosalata
Cheese and hot pepper salad - Tirokafteri
Cauliflower - Kunupidi
Brussels sprouts - Brocola
Soup - Supa
Bean soup - Fasolada
Meat - Kraas
Beef – Vodino
Veal – Mosharisyo
Lamb - Arnisjo
Pork - Hirino
Kebab - Souvlaki
Lula kebab - Suzukakya
Sausages – Lukanika
Cutlets – Biftekya
Meatballs – Keftedes
Potatoes - Patates
Vegetables – Lahanika
Roast - Psito
Ribs (lamb, pork) – Paidakya (arnisya, hirina)
Chicken – Kotopoulo
Fish Psari
Fried fish – Tiganito psari
Boiled – Vrasto
Smoked – Kapnisto
Fish on coals - Dogs of a hundred karvuna
Seafood – Talasina
Crabs – Kavurya
Shrimp – Garides
Squids – Kalamarya
Oysters – Stridya
Omar - Astakos
Octopuses – Htapodhya
Mussels - Midya
Dessert – Glika
Fruits – Fruta
Wine - Beautiful
Wine on tap - Khima Krasi
Wine made from pine resin - Retsina
Anise vodka - Ouzo
Moonshine - Tsypuro
You can have a snack here - Boro na tsimbiso edo?
Where can I wash my hands - Pu boro na plino ta herya mu?
Do you have a menu in Russian - Mipos ehete ena katalogo hundred rosika?
What is your signature dish - Are you special?
What do you have for vegetarians - Ti ehete ya hortophagus?
Can I order... (something else) - Boro na parangilo (typota alo)?
Bon appetit - Kali oreksi
A little more bread - Ligo psomi akoma
Enough - Ftani/Okhi alo
Very tasty - Polí nostymo
Please bring the bill - Ferte ton logariazmo, parakalo
This gentleman/lady will pay for everything - O kyrios/And kyria ta plirosi yaola
Thank you for the good service - Efkharisto ya tyn peripisi

Night club

Vodka - Votka
Whiskey - Whiskey
With ice - Mae Pago
Tonic - Tonic
Brandy - Brandy
Cognac - Cognac
Champagne - Sambanha
Liqueur - Liqueur
Do you want to dance with me - Felis na horepsis mazy mu?
Do you often come here - Erheste/Erkhese sihna edo?
Leave/leave me alone - Afiste\Afise me isikho! (or hesyhi if it’s a woman speaking)

Purchases

Closed - Klysta
Open - Anichta
Gift, souvenir – Doro, souvenir
Cash desk - Tamio
Price – Timi
Size - Number
Growth - Magethos
Color – Chroma
Check - Apodyksi
Money - Lefta, hrimata
Clothing – Disima
Coat - Coat
Cloak - Adyavrokho
Suit – Suit
Pants – Pandeloni
Jacket - Sakaki
Jacket – Bufan
Shirt - Pukamiso
Dress – Forema
Blouse – Blouse
Skirt – Fusta
Underwear – Esoruh
Swimsuit – Mayo
Robe - Bournuzi
Shoes – Paputsya
Sandals – Padila
Slippers – Pandofles
Bag – Tsanda
Belt – Zoni
Expensive – Akrivo
Cheap - Ftyno
I need - Felo
Do you have - Mipos ehete
How much does it cost - Poso kani
How much does it cost - Poso kani afto
I want to buy souvenirs/gifts – Telo na agoraso merica anamnistyka/souvenir/dorakya
It's too expensive - Ine poli akrivo
How much do I owe you - Poso sas crostao?
Can I use this amount to arrange a tax-free for tourists - Boro na kano touristsko tax-free apafto poso
Can you recommend to me - Borite na mu ipodikset
For a woman/girl – Yya gineka/koritsy
For a man/boy – Yya andra/agori
You can try it on - Boro na dokimaso
Is there something better - Ekhete typota kalitero
Is there something cheaper - Iparhi kati ftynotero
I'll buy it - Fa to agoraso

Museums and excursions

What time does the museum open - Pote anigi to mushio?
What exhibitions are currently open in the city - Are you ektesis liturgun torah styn poly?
Do you have a guide who speaks Russian - Ekhete kanena xenago na milai rosika?
How much does the entrance ticket cost - Poso kani ena isytyrio?
Photography is allowed here - Epitrapete and lipsey fotografion edo?

In the hospital

Hospital - Nosokomyo
Doctor - Yatros
Nurse - Nosokoma
First aid - Protes Voites
Ambulance – Astenoforo
Arrosti's disease - Asthenia
Treatment - Therapy
Medicine – Pharmaco
Rana - Plig
Trauma - Trauma
Analysis – Eksetasi
X-ray - Actinography
Temperature - Piratos
Pain - Diarrhea
Headache - Ponocephalos
Dizziness – Zalada
Insomnia - Aipnya
Drowsiness – Nista/Ipnylia
Cough - Vihas
Runny nose Sinahi/Katarroi
Heartburn – Kaura
Nausea - Tasi I am this
Vomiting - Emetos
Seasickness – Naftya
Shortness of breath - Dyspnia
Chills - Rigi
Bleeding - Emorraia
Low blood pressure - Hypotasis
High blood pressure - Ipertasi
Diarrhea - Diarria
Constipation - Disability
Allergy - Allergy
Cold – Cryologima
Sunstroke - Iliasi
Burn - Engauma
Inflammation - Phlegmon
Rash - Exanthyma
Tumor - Ongos
Swelling - Priximo
Dislocation - Exartrosi
Stretching - Strambuligma
Fracture - Katagma
Get well soon - Perastika!

Greek body language is the topic of a separate large article, or even a serious scientific study, because it can be said without exaggeration that the Greeks are the champions of gestures throughout the Mediterranean.
And not at all because they gesticulate more than the Italians or, say, the French, but due to the fact that here, on the border of Europe and Asia, the traditions and customs of different cultures mixed together, and the 400-year Turkish yoke, when silence really was “golden” ", taught the Greeks to speak without words - with subtle movements of the eyebrows, lips, eyes, barely noticeable tilts of the head and crossing of the fingers.

That is why, here, non-verbal signs used in ordinary conversation often tell much more and more truthfully than spoken words and phrases, and sometimes they can mean something directly opposite to what was said.
The bodies, faces, and hands of the Greeks rarely remain motionless during a conversation, and anyone who knows this symbolism well enough, observing them from a sufficiently large distance, will be able to understand the essence of the conversation without even hearing the words.

Ordinary tourists are unlikely to have to deal with this in full, but still, it won’t hurt to remember a few gestures in order to better understand what is being said, even without knowing the Greek language.

In addition, this will allow you to avoid awkward situations of using seemingly harmless gestures, which can turn out to be quite rude in the Greek understanding of decency, and cause an unwitting insult to your interlocutor.

Personal space

One of the most important non-verbal signs in the culture of any nation is maintaining personal distance.

This is especially easy to appreciate by looking at a regular queue somewhere in Japan, the USA or, for example, Russia. The Greeks in this table are probably closest to us. For them, the personal distance is quite short: handshakes, hugs, kisses when meeting and parting, patting and touching the interlocutor during a conversation are commonplace here.

Eye contact

Looking openly and interestedly into the eyes of your interlocutor is also taken for granted here, and looking away and avoiding direct contact is a lack of interest, a sign of secrecy and even deceit.
On the other hand, an extremely close gaze, from a very close distance, can be regarded as a challenge or even a threat.

Negative answer

Sometimes foreigners ask a Greek the same question several times, thinking that he does not understand them or does not want to answer at all. And he, in turn, is surprised at such persistence: after all, he has already answered them several times: “No! Why ask again and again?
Is it really not clear that raised eyes and slightly protruding, tightly compressed lips mean: “Actually, I don’t know!”
Simply raised eyebrows mean the usual “No!”, and partially or completely closed eyes mean a firm “No!”
When all this is accompanied by tilting the head back, it says: “No! Of course not!”, and if this is accompanied by clicking of the tongue, then it says: “No! In no case!"
All this can be done either with a quick, barely noticeable movement, or with an emphatically slow movement to give what is shown a pronounced emphasis.

Yes

A head tilted down and slightly to the side means, in any case, “Yes!”

For additional emphasis, this movement can be performed deliberately slowly and accompanied by a slight closure of the eyes. And no repeated head shaking! As in the case of denial, all this is done once, and whoever was inattentive is to blame!

Gratitude

Following the gesture meaning “Yes!”, the right hand pressed to the heart shows an expression of gratitude, which is also accompanied by verbal confirmation during close contact.
If the object of gratitude is far away, then only one gesture is performed.

Doubt

Tightly compressed lips with the tips down and a rotation of the hand from side to side, reminiscent of screwing in a light bulb in its movement, means an expression of doubt about what was said or something indefinite: “Either this way or that!”

Invitation

A palm down and movements back and forth with bent fingers pressed together are sometimes perceived by foreigners as a gesture inviting them to take a few steps back. In reality, it means an invitation to come closer and join. By the way, if you turn your hand palm up, it will become completely identical to a similar well-known gesture: “Come to me!”

Listen

Lightly touching the lower lip with the index finger or patting it is often perceived as an invitation to remain silent, although it means the exact opposite: “Listen! I’ll tell you something!”
Together with the previous gesture, he invites you to come up and talk.

Misunderstanding

Similar to a common expression of denial, shaking the head from left to right, often accompanied by a palm turned from bottom to top with the thumb, index and middle fingers extended to the sides, invites the interlocutor to repeat or explain what was said, or the reason why it was said.
To add emphasis, this gesture can be enhanced by wide open eyes.

Impolite and vulgar gestures

As in other countries, in Greece there are harsh and vulgar gestures, which in certain situations are more expressive than any words. Moreover, some of them are visually similar to those widely used in other countries, completely harmless, and sometimes absolutely friendly, positive signs.
Therefore, it is worth mentioning them here in order to avoid them during your stay in Greece: after all, it is unlikely that anyone wants to leave an unfavorable impression of themselves.

Mutza

Sometimes foreigners, trying to demonstrate the number “5,” raise their hand up with their fingers spread towards the interlocutor. In Greece, such a gesture, reminiscent of throwing a ball into a basket and meaning an expression of complete contempt, is a serious insult.

Tourists can often see it on the roads, when not-so-polite drivers show what they think of each other, or during demonstrations on Constitution Square in the capital, when protesters express their opinions about the government. However, in this case, this is done impersonally, and what is seen does not at all mean that these people often use such a gesture in a personal conversation.

In general, of all the Greek gestures, for some reason this is the most mentioned, and many fables have been written about it. In fact, its history goes back to Byzantine, and perhaps even more ancient times, when the judge, in order to show general contempt for the convicted person, dipped his hand into a bowl of ashes, which he then smeared on the face of the guilty person.

Thumb

Used in many countries as a symbol of approval, in Greece this gesture is equivalent to raising the middle finger in the US and is quite offensive.

OK

Widespread recently, thanks to Hollywood cinema, the circle of the thumb and index finger is also a very rude and offensive gesture, hinting at the homosexual inclinations of the interlocutor. In Greece, if you want to tell someone that you consent, you must say it out loud.

Index and little fingers

Some people, when taking pictures, often playfully cuckold each other. In Greece, such a sign, shown to the interlocutor, impartially informs the person that he is a “cuckold.”

Little finger

Funny video: watch how Greeks talk while constantly gesticulating:

A little about etiquette when communicating

When in Greece and interacting with its inhabitants, take a little time to show even the slightest attention to the lives of people, regardless of whether you know them.

For example, ask about their well-being - "chi kane te" - before asking for directions anywhere. This is important for creating a favorable attitude towards yourself and establishing good relationships in the future.

Feel free to be honest about yourself if you can. Greeks tend to share personal details of their lives and appreciate it when others do the same.

To get to know you better, they will likely ask you personal questions during a casual conversation.
In addition, Greeks are open-minded about everything that interests them, so don't be offended if you constantly find yourself the center of attention wherever you go.

The spoken word is valued in Greek culture just as much as the written word, and people must be true to what they say.
Greeks with whom you have developed close relationships may expect you to do them favors and be more loyal to them than others. If possible, do what they ask - they will probably do the same for you in return.

A few words in conclusion

Greek is one of the oldest languages ​​that has made an invaluable contribution to global culture.
Hearing and saying every day: politics, economics, democracy, Europe, theater, drama, history, physics, trauma..., as well as many other words, few of us think that they were once borrowed into other languages ​​from Greek and sounded thousands of years ago on the land of ancient Hellas, exactly the same as they sound now.
After all, over the last twenty-five centuries, the Greek language has changed much less than, say, English over the last five, and the classical ancient Greek alphabet is the same one that is used today.

It must be said that the language and pronunciation of the Hellenes is not easy to learn and local residents, as a rule, do not expect that foreigners know anything in Greek, and the level of English proficiency here, at least in tourist places, is quite sufficient for communication. But, on the other hand, Russians have a huge advantage over the inhabitants of most European countries, because the Greek alphabet, to which the British, Germans, and French often give in, once upon a time, with the advent of Byzantine Orthodoxy in Rus', became the basis for the Slavic alphabet , so reading most street inscriptions and names in Greece after a little practice will not be difficult for you, believe me. And if you learn at least a few words and common phrases, no matter what level of knowledge you reach, the Greeks will enthusiastically appreciate your efforts, and your reward will be an increase in status from the usual “xenos” - stranger to the almost honorary “philos” - friend.

The Greeks are very keen on languages. This is not so much a tribute to fashion as a necessity. 20% of the Greek economy comes from tourism, and another 20% from shipping: every Greek dad is sure that knowledge of foreign languages ​​is the key to a bright future for his child. As a result, in tourist places, knowledge of Greek words may not be useful to you at all. However, the Greeks really love and appreciate it when tourists try to speak Greek, at least a little. And in a rare tavern, the owner will not at least please you with dessert for this attempt.

Together with Anya, our Greek tutor, Grekoblog compiled a list of 30 words/phrases that seemed to us the most popular on the trip. To make it easier to perceive unfamiliar words, we have provided Russian and Latin transcriptions next to each phrase. The same letters that are not found in the Latin alphabet were left “as is”.

You also need to take into account that stress in Greek words is of great importance. Unlike the Russian language, the stress in Greek almost always falls on the last, penultimate or third syllable from the end of the word. To simplify, in Russian transcription we have highlighted stressed vowels in capital letters.

In Greek, stress is of great importance: it almost always falls on the last or penultimate syllable

Words of greeting:

1. Γειά σου (I am su) - hello, hello (literally translated “health to you”). This way you can say hello at any time of the day if you are on a first-name basis with your interlocutor. The form of politeness completely coincides with the Russian language. If you want to politely greet a stranger or an older person, we say:

Γειά Σας (I am sas) - hello.

The phrases Γειά σου and Γειά Σας can also be used to say goodbye. They will also come in handy if someone next to you sneezed: Γειά σου and Γειά Σας will mean in this case “Be healthy” or “Be healthy,” respectively.

2. Καλημέρα (kalimEra) - good morning. You can say hello this way until about 13:00, but the boundaries are blurred. For some, καλημέρα is relevant even before 15.00 - who woke up at what time :).

Καλησπέρα (kalispEra) - Good evening. Relevant, as a rule, after 16-17 hours.

You can say goodbye at night by wishing “good night” - Καληνύχτα (kalinIkhta).

3. Τι κάνεις/ κάνετε (ti kanis/kAnete) – Literally these words of the Greek language are translated as “what are you doing/doing.” But in everyday life it means “how are you” (you/you). The following phrase can be used with the same meaning:

Πως είσαι/ είστε (pos Ise / pos Iste) - how are you/how are you doing.

You can answer the question “how are you” in different ways:

4. Μια χαρά (mya hara) or καλά (kalA), which means “good”;

Another option: πολύ καλά (polyI kala) - very good.

5. Έτσι κι έτσι (Etsy k’Etsy) – so-so.

Acquaintance:

You can find out the name of your interlocutor using the following phrases:

6. Πως σε λένε; (pos se lene) - what is your name?

Πως Σας λένε; (pos sas lene) – what is your name?

You can answer this like this:

Με λένε…… (me lene) - my name is (name)

After exchanging names it is customary to say:

7. Χαίρω πολύ (hero polyI) or χαίρομαι (hErome) – – glad to meet you.

The Greeks really appreciate it when a tourist at least tries to speak their language

Polite words:

8. Ευχαριστώ (eucharistO) - thank you;

9. Παρακαλώ (parakalO) – please;

10. Τίποτα (tipota) - nothing, for nothing;

11. Δεν πειράζει (zen pirAzi) [δen pirazi] – it’s okay;

12.Καλώς όρισες (kalOs Orises) – welcome (you);

Καλώς ορίσατε (kalos orIsate) – welcome (you);

13. Εντάξει (endAxi) – good, ok;

The words “yes” and “no” in Greek are different from the usual no, yes or si, etc. We are used to the fact that a negative word begins with the letter “n”, but in Greek it’s the other way around - the word “yes” begins with the letter “n”:

14. Ναι (ne) – yes

Όχι (Ohi) – no

Words for market and store

15. Θέλω (sElo) [θelo] – I want;

16. Ορίστε (orIste) - here you go, similar to the English here you are (for example, they give you change and say oρίστε or they brought it and say oρίστε). When you give money, you can also say (here you go) oρίστε). This is also relevant as a reaction to someone calling you by name or when answering a call instead of “Hello.”

17. Πόσο κάνει (poso kani) – how much does it cost;

18. Ακριβό (akrivO) – expensive;

19. Φτηνό (phtinO) – cheap;

20. Τον λογαριασμό παρακαλώ (tone logariasmO paracalO) – “count, please”;

Words for navigation

21. Που είναι…….; (pu Ine) - where is......?

22. Αριστερά (aristerA) – left, left;

23. Δεξιά (deksA) [δeksia] – to the right, to the right;

24. Το ΚΤΕΛ (then KTEL) - this abbreviation is the name of the Greek bus operator, but everyone understands it as “bus station”;

25. Το αεροδρόμειο (aerodrome) – airport;

26. Σιδηροδρομικός σταθμός (sidirodromicOs stasmOs) – railway station;

27. Καταλαβαίνω (katalavEno) – I understand;

Δεν καταλαβαίνω (zen katalaveno) [δen katalaveno] – I don’t understand;

28. Ξέρω (ksEro) – I know;

Δεν ξέρω (zen ksero) [δen ksero] - I don’t know;

And finally, congratulations:

29. Χρόνια πολλά (chronic pollA) - this can be congratulated on any holiday: birthday, angel’s day, etc. Literally this means “long life.”

30. Στην υγεία μας (stin Ya mas) is a toast that means “to our health.”

I hope these words will help you in your travel and communication with the Greeks. I am grateful to Anya, our Greek teacher, for her help in writing the material and remind you that since 2010, Anya has been teaching Greek on Grekoblog with everyone who wants to learn “from scratch” or improve their level of Greek. We wrote in more detail about language classes via Skype in articles and.

This is all nonsense that the Spaniards invented the siesta. Absolutely Greeks. Exactly until one o'clock in the afternoon they greet each other - “Kalimera!” - “Good morning!”, and after about six in the evening - “Kalispera!” - they want it to be as successful as possible.

It’s like there is no day. All the more kind. Kotabazilev’s “Children should sleep at night” can easily be paraphrased here as “Greeks should sleep during the day!” In any case, rest. Crazy tourists, not attached to excursions or stupefied by the sea, hang out along quiet streets and stumble upon locked doors and shutters: “Quiet, there is no one, move on.” The birds and the promised evil dogs, pinned to the fences of farmland in the form of pictures, are silent. By the way, it’s not that hot – only +23-25 ​​– why don’t they work? Very simply – because they DON’T WANT.

Dear Greek government, go make a Greek work! He has no time - he has fishing, a lot of beautiful women who are not yet available. He's finally on strike! The Greek wife is not far from her husband: from morning to night (with a break for a siesta, of course) she will chill in a coffee shop, drink cup after cup of black drink and, lighting one cigarette after another, impulsively chat with her friend. All as one, plump, in miniskirts and open tops, you meet them either sitting cross-legged or racing on motorbikes.

Do salespeople in stores and shops diligently hide behind shelves? Make no mistake, these are Aboriginal people. They do not like to bargain and to every proposed price reduction they wearily answer: “Fixed price” (fixed price). A rare Greek or Greek woman will drive you back to the shop on the way out and show you the wonders of the world that you have not discovered, and if you are going on a trip to buy souvenirs in the evening, God forbid you run into those shops where your friends have gathered. They will laugh, chatter incessantly, and not one will pay any attention to you. A very self-sufficient nation. Of course, how many thousands of years are behind us, what kind of spirits roam the expanses of ancient Hellenic... These spirits did everything to ensure that Greece did not die from its own laziness, and sent here immigrants from the former USSR. I don’t know if Mr. Gorbachev is aware that Zeus and Sparta helped him, but as a result of the collapse of our once great Motherland, thousands and thousands of Ukrainians, Moldovans, Latvians, Lithuanians, especially Ukrainians, settled here in Greece. True, they are all still Russian. They rightly note that there are already more of them here than locals, they rent, or even buy real estate, get married, send their children to schools (having visited several towns, I haven’t seen a single one) and do not dream of returning back. They say that “it’s nice here, only it’s warm all the time. Well, it can’t be so warm all the time!”

Let it be warm all the time, otherwise where can we go on vacation so cheaply? But it’s impossible for it to be SO ruined? Every town on an island (and there are about two thousand of them in Greece, it’s unlikely that the industrious Greeks could count them all) has its own acropolis. The price for the happiness of visiting freshly made ruins on the site of mythical glory costs from two to ten euros, but why pay, as they say, twice, if amazing things are nearby? Greece combines a relaxed, half-ruined, half-unfinished state and at the same time lives beautifully.

On the territory of the museum, rising above the abyss of the sea, there is an actively frozen construction site - cranes, mechanisms (maybe we are experiencing a permanent siesta?) and only young caretakers, tired of the sun, making it clear where photography is allowed and where it is prohibited. Not a single sign with a camera crossed out. Thank you. From a distance, the views of the sea and the houses clinging to the rocks are incomparable. The ruins nearby are also stunning. Crushed stone, debris, wire, God knows what in general and dust, dust, dust. Why in neighboring - just a stone's throw - Turkey (these comparisons are inevitable and unchangeable) we even broke off the shiny leaves of the orange trees standing along the road - we did not believe that they were not artificial, but here the dense layer of dust does not make it possible to distinguish where the fertile land is and where it is just road?!

Probably, the eternal siesta and the spoiled Greeks, like that little Ukrainian Galya from the joke, are to blame for everything. Yes, let him. You both marvel at this lordly laziness acquired over thousands of years and enjoy it. All of Europe regularly visits Greece, but they love exclusively Russians. Because we are brothers and sisters, “orthodox” - Orthodox. It was rare that a bartender did not want to treat us, determining our nationality from afar. You can’t offend a Greek by stopping by his coffee shop for a cup of espresso at 11 am and refusing a glass or two of Baileys. At his expense, of course. Or metaxes. Or white-red wine. In the evening, the handsome hotel bartender pours glasses of ouzo (rakia) for me and himself and winks: well, let’s have a glass each? And without a twinge of conscience, he actually slams his in front of the administrator. "You can't do this!" - I scream in horror, preventing, as I think, the inevitable dismissal. "Why?" - he asks, also in shock, choking. “Well, you’re at work...” - I mumble, already realizing that I look like a complete fool at this Greek festival of general disobedience.

Well, really, they are terribly cute, these Greeks. In order to somehow apologize for our reluctance to sit down at a table in a cafe while we were full, we tried to teach them “Russian Traditional About Gris” - something like a “Russian proverb about Greece.” Well, you know: “The Greek was driving across the river...” and so on. They repeated it with pleasure, joyfully reproducing “cancer by the hand of the Greek DAC!” and they always asked: “Wat from the mines?” - "What does it mean?". I had to compose a terrible story in long-forgotten English about the fearless “elinios” (“Greek” in Greek), conquering a stormy “riva” (river) and fighting a “big-big” (big, big) ... lobster (well, it wasn’t in school cancer program!). But national Greek pride rose from incredible to unattainable heights, and grateful waiters and bartenders let us go on our way, apparently feeling that they owed us something... some kind of equally magical and heartwarming story. From our Russian life.

Almost all of it is cats. But not our fluffy Barsiki. There are an unimaginable number of them in Greece. Terribly thin, emaciated, absolutely not prone to flirting and begging. Not yelling at each other like crazy because of the division of territory. Quiet, silent, often red or black, in groups of 7-8, cats sat wherever they could and abstractly looked at life passing by. Only the kittens looked lively, crawling straight out of the crevice in the rock towards their mother. It’s simply amazing how she managed to “put them aside” there and, most importantly, feed them to the delight of tourists?

There are no luxury hotels here: when you go out onto the balcony, it seems like you’re in a hotel. There is no Turkish importunity, no deception, no haste. There is sincerity: for example, one waitress, constantly pressing her hands to her chest and rolling her eyes, talked about the wedding troubles and even showed a mock-up of the invitation, asking for advice if everything was fine. And so she did with everyone sitting in her tavern. There is Greek friendliness and slight naivety. Sea. Another. And after the meeting, the desire for a new date remains. And don't care about this damn dust.