Greek Coffee

I sit in a touristy restaurant overlooking the sea. Tied up boats are bobbing on the water, though it is eerily calm for the most part. The chap comes over suspiciously, the place is all but dead apart from some Greek guys talking/shouting over some Frappe's and a shiny red English couple who don't seem to enjoy each others company that much, they are silent.

I order the cheapest coffee on the menu, a Greek coffee at 1 Euro 50. He asks if I mean a Frappe rather than a Greek coffee but I say "no thanks, a Greek coffee for me". It turns up in a little miniature bronze bedpan with a glass of water and a little almondy biscuit....yummy! I pour some out and sip it down, its thick, grainy and sweet which is why they have iced water with it, its sort of like a hot adults slush puppy. The biscuit and thick strong coffee combo is great but sends my head whizzing within seconds.

I sort of started thinking about Greece, its history and its present. Historically of course it was one of the most advanced civilizations in history, and brought us much of the basis not only for philosophy and ethical theory but also modern science. Many values determined by Plato and Aristotle have (in whatever capacity) influenced the way we Europeans live. It seems sort of weird that one of the the primary industry's in Greece today is tourism, often from the English or the Germans for some reason. We all know this but occasionally it surprises you when a 12 year old working in a market on an island miles away from England goes "thank you have a nice holiday!" and stuff like that.

The relaxed attitude to law in Greece in the present smacks of Aristotle's virtue ethics (wont go into why) and I sort of buy into it. To be perfectly honest I sort of enjoy riding around with no helmet, up streets the wrong way, having a cold beer with my lunch and riding down dirt tracks to get to some beach with no designated parking. There are elements we can learn a lot from as the English, that nation who will lie down (as Jamie would put it) to the law at the wave of a hand. There are laws here to wear crash helmets, obide by speed limits and not smoke in public buildings but honestly...nobody cares, they all do it anyway and Johnny law ignores it unless its an extreme case. There seems to be a trust to be responsible when its required which I like. It seems like a way of life that allows more freedom, more choice. Ryan, Efi and Eddie who all live and work in Athens report no problems with binge drinking and absolutely no problems with fighting, the height of confrontation being short shouting matches.

Make what you will of the comparison between Ancient Greece and Greece today, I dunno because I am just a tourist. Might pop to the bakery in a mo for a Spanikopida (spelling?), but they might call it a 'cheese and spinach pie' to me, what can I say.

There is however, something right here even if I can't quite put my finger on it yet.