The Old Tavern Of Psaras

 

Location: Athens, Greece
Address: Erotokritou 16, Plaka
Date: February 2023
Website: psaras-taverna.gr

    The Plaka is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Athens, Greece.  It spreads out below the Acropolis from the North-East side like a maze.  We are sure that even right now, many a tourist is lost and trying to find their way through the Plaka.  If you are trying to drive a rental car and check into your hotel the streets of the Plaka can be quite frustrating.  The streets are narrow and winding and many are pedestrian only. If you are ready to take an evening stroll looking for great food and some souvenirs then the Plaka can be full of surprises.

      Around any corner could be a church or a monument. The Choragic Monument of Lysicrates above, dates from 334 BC and sits in a little square.

   In Plaka some streets are bustling and some appear deserted.  There is always the chance that coming around the corner is a bike, a taxi or a crowd of people.  We worked our way through the streets in order to find a special place for dinner.

  From the Acropolis you can look down on the red rooftops of the oldest buildings in Plaka.  Off in the distance is the highest point in Athens, Lycabettus Hill.  Near the front of the photo is Psaras Taverna which is the oldest continually operating tavern in all of Athens.

   Just in case you couldn't locate the restaurant in the previous photo, here is a close up view.  Now you should be able to find it. Using an aerial view is much easier than finding the restaurant back down on the ground.

    Psaras means fisherman in Greek so the name of the restaurant in English is the Old Fisherman's Tavern.  The restaurant has been operating since 1898.

 

     The restaurant has taken over several buildings and all of the stairs in the area.

 

     We were seated outside in a corner next to a heat lamp to keep us warm.  It was rather cool in Athens that week and it did actually snow only two days later. We appreciated being tucked in to enjoy our meal and the atmosphere.  We had a mushroom soup and a chicken gyro dinner.

  

   As we were finishing up our coffee we heard a woman speaking to the matre d'.  "Reservation for a rather large goup of kidney doctors please".  We took care of our bill and readied ourselves for the streets of Plaka.  Sure enough a line of people appeared from one of the walkways and snaked past us and up to an upper terrace seating area.  We didn't stay to count, but 165 sounds about right.

 

    As we made our way back through the streets of the Plaka we looked up at the Acropolis.  We would be back again in the Plaka the next day and end up dining at Diogenis (on the right in the photo above).  The Plaka is a great place to spend a day getting lost and seeing what you can find.

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Map of Our World
Psaras Taverna , Diogenis
Choragic Monument Of Lysicrates

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Post # 320

Thessaloniki Waterfront

Location: Thessaloniki, Greece
Address: Aristotelous Square
Date: August 2015
Website: thessaloniki.gr

    Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece.  It has a beautiful waterfront filled with interesting buildings and sculptures. When we visited we took a walk through the center of town towards Aristotelous Square and along the water.

   As you head towards the water you walk along a huge pedestrian plaza flanked by buildings on either side. As we neared the actual square we encountered a large group of pigeons and people selling balloons. The idea of the square was designed in 1918, but the majority was not built until the 1950s. In terms of Greek structures this square is just a baby. 

      The area is named after the Greek philosopher Aristotle. There is a statue of him seated at the edge of the square. Aristotle was born in 382 BC. That is over 2000 years before even the idea of the square.

  After walking through the square, you can walk along the waterfront where an assortment of restaurants await.

    One restaurant we visited was Agioli. It had planes, lanterns and deli meats all hanging from its ceiling. 

     After enjoying a meal or a drink you can continue along the waterfront towards the most recognizable structure in Thessaloniki.

     The White Tower stands over Thessaloniki's waterfront as it has since approximately 1535.  Greece regained control of the city and the tower from Ottoman rule and the tower still stands today.

    In front of the White Tower stands a statue dedicated to Nikolaos Votsis who was a famous Greek naval officer.

   If you wish to have your own adventures out on the sea there are tourist ships that will take you.  You can enjoy the view as well as a few drinks on a pirate ship.

     If you prefer you can also travel out on the sea in a replica of the Argo.  The Argo was a ship used in the story of Jason and the Argonauts on their quest to find the Golden Fleece.

   As we headed further along the waterfront we took one more look up at the White Tower.  You can see little openings where the soldiers would look out or launch their weapons from.  Today the tower is used as a museum to explain some of the history of the area.

   The next statue we encountered was of Alexander the Great.  Alexander was a king in Ancient Greece.  He was actually tutored by Aristotle when he was a young boy.

   Alexander The Great was great at battle and created a huge empire that stretched from Greece all the way to India.  He is depicted rearing up on his horse with sword in hand.

   A different work of art located next to Alexander is the National Resistance Memorial.  This memorial is dedicated to the Greek heroes who fought in World War II.

  An army of birds caught our eye as they marched over a grassy patch.  We moved closer to see who these vistors were.

  The birds in question were hooded crows.  They get their name from their black head.  They are found all across Europe and unlike their raven cousins they have grey and brownish feathers as well as black.

      A nearby statue represents another great Greek leader.  This is Konstantinos Karamanlis.  From 1955 to 1995 he was Prime Minister four times and President of Greece twice.

  Further along the waterfront was a piece of art not representing any great person but just for art's sake.

   The Umbrellas was created by sculptor Giorgios Zongolopoulos in 1997 and has become a popular photo spot along the water.

   As we looked up the street we noticed another strange tower in the distance.  This is OTE Tower and it opened in 1966. Unlike the White Tower, it was never involved in battle.  It does work as a communications tower and has a revolving restaurant inside. 

   The sun started to set as we headed back towards Aristotelous Square for dinner.  We found a nice spot on one of the balconies and enjoyed our meal as we waited for the show.

    Soon the sun started to set behind the industrial port section of the waterfront. The sky turned a bright orange as the sun slipped away.

   Soon the darkness had taken over and groups of people headed out to enjoy the nightlife. We realized we had spent the whole day exploring and admiring the sights around Thessaloniki's waterfront.  Not a bad way to spend a day.

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Map of Our World
White Tower Of Thessaloniki

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Post # 319

Kick-Ass In Hamilton

 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Address: 25 John St N
Date: May 2015
Website: capriristorante.ca

    The Capri Restaurant in downtown Hamilton has been there since the early 1960s. We have visited several times through the years and it has undergone some changes.  We were once allowed to take a peek at the famous Blue Grotto room upstairs which is designed like a blue cave.  We have also been lucky enough to visit the site of a historic ass kicking in the parking lot out back.  Sadly, this appears to have been turned into a construction site building new condominiums.

    When we first visited Capri it still had its original look.  A mural on the wall, round tables and bright colours with dim lighting.  It has since been renovated with a more modern look.  Change is always inevitable. 

     The wall at the back of the building was painted to read Capri Pizza & Spaghetti.  In the movie Kick-Ass, this is where Kick-Ass comes across a couple of car thieves and makes his first attempt to be a hero.

     Unfortunately, Kick-Ass and his baton are no match for the two thieves.  Kick-Ass ends up getting stabbed in the stomach.

    As his attackers run away, an injured Kick-Ass stumbles out into the street.  Now for a bit of movie magic.  Note the interlocking brick roadway.  A car hits Kick-Ass and he flies up over the roof.

    Kick-Ass lands with a thud on the ground.  Not only is he now lying on an asphalt road, but he is also two blocks over on Mary Street.  The car that hit him speeds away past the Hamilton Vision Centre.  The movies mix a bit of reality with fantasy.  You can visit what is left of the Capri Pizza parking lot and area, but be sure to come inside and enjoy a very real meal.

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Map of Our World
Kick-Ass In The Street , Capri Pizza Parking Lot
Capri Family Restaurant

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Post # 312

A Weekend In Paris

 Location: Paris, Ontario, Canada
Address: 106 Grand River St N.
Date: March 2022
Website: www.brant.ca

    Even though travelling is a little harder these days, we still managed to get away for a weekend in Paris. Paris, Ontario that is. Paris was not named after the city in France, but named for the nearby deposits of gypsum which were used to make plaster of Paris.  Paris has often been referred to as the prettiest little town in Canada. The restaurants and other businesses on the main street look out over the Grand River. We visited on a cold weekend in the off season and still found a lot to keep us entertained.

    Paris, Ontario is only about an hour and a half drive from Toronto.  As we approached the town even the street signs wanted to remind us that we were not really that far away.

      We stayed in the Arlington Hotel which was built in the 1850s and is now a boutique hotel with themed rooms.  The hotel stands tall and proud at the corner of William Street and Grand River Street.

   Each room of the Arlington is themed for a different artist.  We stayed in the most Parisian room of them all, the da Vinci suite.  Why not have the Mona Lisa hanging directly over your bed?

    The elevator of the hotel was decorated like a TARDIS time machine from the Doctor Who television shows.  TARDIS stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space.

    The Grand River that flows past Paris is almost 290 kilometres long and ends its journey at Lake Erie.

   Despite the cold, we decided to walk from town and check out Penman's Dam.  We could feel the warmth of Paris calling us back.

  Penman's Dam was created to run one of the mills for Penmans Limited Clothing Company.

   The area around the dam is a launching point for some of the canoe and kayak groups in the town.

    As we were leaving the dam, it started to snow. Snow in Paris, France is a rare occurrence, but in Paris, Ontario it is quite common.

  The only other travellers we saw near the dam were a pair of dogs all by themselves.  We headed back to the warmth of our hotel.

  We ventured out again to explore the town.  At the north end of town is a mural showing Hiram Capron.  Hiram was the founder of Paris and lived and died in the town he helped incorporate in 1849.

   At the south end of town is a clock and a war memorial.  "Lest We Forget" the men and women of Paris who were lost during war. 

  Paris is also known for its use of cobblestone in the construction of many buildings around the town.  Cobblestone Common is the name of a park located beside the river.

  Charles Mitchell house is a good example of cobblestone used in construction.  If you look closely you can see all the little stones mixed into the front wall.

  A local pub is even called The Cobblestone in honour of all the stones used in town.  We'll drink to that!

  The rest of town has some interesting places to visit and more interesting architecture.  You can also tell stories of your trip and dream of being in Paris, France.  "I read the most interesting book in a library in Paris".

    There are many different churches to see in Paris.  Nothing quite compares to Notre Dame Cathedral.

  The Paris Jewellers had an Eiffel Tower in their window to further make you feel like you are in a different Paris.

  Frog legs have long been a delicacy in Paris, France.  Chocolate Sensations offered many sweet treats including chocolate frogs.  They are just solid milk chocolate in case you were wondering.

  Just as we started to feel as if we were somewhere in Europe, we spotted a Canadian hardware chain.  The local Paris Home Hardware reminded us where we were.  Not a bad place to be.  We enjoyed great food, interesting architecture, a quirky hotel and more.  We were told we need to come back in the summertime when the city is filled with flowers and at the peak of its beauty. 

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Map of Our World
Paris, Ontario

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Post # 310