Typically Greek.

Hello and good morning. From another day in a very rainy Germany. Yesterday it was a very confusing day, in matters of weather. The whole morning it remained cloudy and it did not rain until late at night. Fun fact, I was taking a walk around the block when it started raining and the more I walked, the heavier it got. You can imagine in what state I returned home… Nobody was too happy about it, other than myself.

A little more on that… I’ve always been someone who loved being around the water element. Whether that is in the water, by the water, or under the falling water, I have always been at peace there. And life lately has been a bit harsh, so that walk was needed. Anyway….

Today’s Saturday. A typical Saturday for me when I have no plans yet. The weather remains unkind with the possibility of rain during the day and that is one good reason for me to stay in and not venture further out into the city for an event or to visit a place. That makes me miss the typically Greek Saturdays I spent in my country back in the day. Let’s talk about them…

Now, the location we will be focusing in is Piraeus, and more specifically Peiraiki, as we call it. I grew up there in apartments with the best of views and on the sunny aspect. Naturally, I got to know those areas and neighbourhoods like the back of my hand and the older I grew, the more I ventured out by myself….

So how did a typical Saturday Greek morning look like for me there? Let me tell you all about it!

First of all, you have to know that no matter the season, weekends in Greece are – for the most part – always sunny. That’s something only I could notice after years and years. And when I share this fun fact with others, they do not believe me. But it is true! I remember weeks and weeks of bad weather. Strong winds, rain, you name it. And then, bam! Saturday and Sunday –> the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and you think ”summer is here”. Even though it is winter.

Well, fortunately for some, Saturday is the day of an open streek market close to the apartments I called home. It’s the perfect time for someone to go and browse the stalls, buy some fresh vegetables and fruit, even fish, and other things like olives, nuts and the like. That street market has always been one of the biggest I have visited and putting that little stroll through it on my Saturday schedule was needed. On a typical Greek Saturday morning, I would wake up (early – believe it or not), let the fresh and somewhat salty air in the apartment, take a well needed shower and enjoy my cup of coffee in the balcony or by the balcony’s door whilst enjoying the view. Around 9 or so, I would head out and visit that market. Of course I did some shopping. Or I went to the groceries store further down the road at the end and return home with bags full of goodies I needed for the weeks ahead. But did the day end there for me?… Is this what I wanted to share with you? No.

Saturdays have always been my most favorite days of the weekend. And that is because they are followed by another day of sitting relaxing – Sunday. So I like to enjoy the Saturdays. I like to do things on a Saturday. I like meeting friends for coffee or a snack, or going by myself. I like visiting the stores that remain open and especially the bookstores. Many times, I spent my Saturday afternoons at a local cafe of my preference (trust me, it has an amazing style) close to my home with the sea as my view, the ferries coming and going from all the islands, the people passing by and a good book to keep me company.

I mean… I cannot find a better way to spend a typically Greek weekend morning. Sure, someone can always do more than that. Visit some archaeological place in Athens, take a day trip with a ferry to another island close by or go on a day trip in the mainland somewhere… Or just sleep and recharge the batteries from a busy week. But, that is what Sundays are for – at least for the last option!

Question: How do you spend your Saturdays?

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