Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki. A summer view from a monastery
north of the city, surrounded by Byzantine walls.
This exquisite description of the fabulous Byzantine city was sent to me by a friend, a short story novelist from my hometown in Greece. Her name is Mary Toloudi - Sidiropoulou. In the current financial and social tsunami the Greek ruling class has forced the entire country into, words like Mary's feel like a fresh breath of hope... they sound like soft music in your ears. This short description of pictures of the Greek co-capital was recently published in the September edition of the 'Soul' magazine. Mary's word is extremely compact and it's got much hidden in it. Read it, and then read it again. Each time you'll discover new sights and sounds. There's far more to it than meets the eye. This is so typical of her. Typical of short story tellers. They have this rare ability to ignore irrelevant details, and only focus on the essential. I wish our politicians learned to talk like this too, instead of showering us with pretentious statements that usually mean very little, if anything at all.

Θεσσαλονίκη  Ιούλιος 2011

Είναι πόλεις παλιές με μυρωδιές και σημάδια. Αυτές που τα πρόσωπα των ανθρώπων κουβαλούν μνήμη και ιστορία. Πόλεις που η πίσσα της ασφάλτου ακυρώνεται από τον μισογκρεμισμένο πέτρινο τοίχο, την συκιά που ξεφυτρώνει πίσω από βυζαντινά τούβλα, σαν να είναι ο ιδρώτας και ο μόχθος του εργάτη που τα στοίβαξε.

Η ζέστη εκτός από σιωπές έχει και χρώμα. Όπως η σκόνη πατινάρει τα υφιστάμενα και τα κάνει κουρασμένα αλλά σεμνά, ενάντια στις προκλήσεις των καιρών. Έτσι και η ιουλιανή ζέστη.

Πόλη σαν κι αυτές, η Θεσσαλονίκη επιτρέπει το διαφορετικό, το διαχρονικό, το αέναο, το αμφίσημο να υπάρξουν. Είναι που μπερδεύτηκαν οι κανόνες με το πέρασμα του χρόνου και ακυρώθηκε η εφαρμογή τους. Νέοι παλιοί θεσμοί, νόμοι, ήθη και έθιμα καθορίζουν με αναδρομική ισχύ το παρόν. Επιτρέπουν το κομψό και το χυδαίο, το πληθωρικό και το λιτό, το αρχέγονο και το νέο, το αργό και το ταχύ, το φωτισμένο και το σκοτεινό, το γνωστό και το άγνωστο, το ορισμένο και αόριστο, το υπαρκτό και ανύπαρκτο, τη λάβα και το νερό, την μάχη  και την εκεχειρία, τον έρωτα και το μίσος να συνυπάρχουν και να κατρακυλούν τα λιθόστρωτα πασπαλισμένα κανέλα παλιού μάστορα για να ξεπλυθούν και να αλλάξουν ρόλους στον Θερμαϊκό.

Εκεί δίπλα κοιτάζοντας τον επιβλητικό πέτρινο όγκο του Λευκού Πύργου κινούνται νωχελικά ανέμελοι και ξέγνοιαστοι περιπατητές, ξαφνιασμένοι περιηγητές, ανικανοποίητοι θλιμμένοι εραστές, συντροφιά με τα κλάξον των ανυπόμονων οχημάτων, υπό το βλέμμα των θαμώνων των παρά θιν΄ αλός καφενείων. Παρατηρούν τους πεινασμένους γλάρους να ανασύρουν τους νέους ρόλους έχοντας την ψευδαίσθηση ότι πρόκειται περί τροφής. Παρατηρήτρια κι εγώ με ψευδαισθήσεις γλάρου. 

17 comments:

hema gayu said...


Thank you for sharing.please visit here for more detail:

Packers and Movers Hyderabad

Vidyabalan said...

Great blog here with all of the valuable information you have. Keep up the good work you are doing here.
Easter Messages
rose day quotes
hug day
promise day messages
valentines day 2017 quotes
Happy Father's Day

Ranveersingh said...

The bleeding edge event of Mother's Day was at first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a remembrance for her mother at St Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. St Andrew's Methodist Church now holds the International Mother's Day Shrine. Her fight to fill "Mother's Heart with delight" an apparent event in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, kicked the can. Ann Jarvis had been a peace lobbyist who directed to harmed contenders on both sides of the American Civil War, and filled Mother's Heart with joy Work Clubs to address general restorative issues.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother
https://wishesquotes.org/2017/02/mothers-day-images.html

Priyanka Chopra said...

When visiting blogs, i usually discover a very good content like yours

birthday wishes for husband
funny birthday wishes
good morning Sunday

Anonymous said...

Designer Lehenga is perhaps the desire of every single girl in this world to look amazing on her wedding day.
It is certainly important that the bride must be the star of the show.The most beautiful woman at the wedding venue.
In India,Designer Lehenga are the most obvious choice for the Young Ladies & Girls.There are many Designer Lehenga in our site...
For more...
Plz visit:- Lehenga

An adorable personality partnered with a perfect choice for designer Lehenga unbeatable.
Even before the blossom of modernization in Indian culture, kurta, sarees, and salwar kameez had been part of India's unique civilization.
In India,Designer Lehenga are the most obvious choice for the Young Ladies & Girls.There are many Designer Lehenga in our site...
For more...
Plz visit:- Lehenga

Unknown said...

Really impressive post. I read it whole and going to share it with my social circules. I enjoyed your article and planning to rewrite it on my own blog.
merrychristmasquotesimageswishes.com/2016/12/short-merry-christmas-quotes-messages.html
merrychristmasquotesimageswishes.com/2017/09/christmas-wishes-for-friends.html

packers and movers pune said...

We Provide Best Packers And Movers Mumbai List for Get Free Best Quotes, Compare Charges, Save Money And Time,
Household Shifting Services @
Packers And Movers Pune

Unknown said...

Packers and Movers in Delhi - Assurance for Local and Domestic House Shifting. Safe and Reliable Household Shifting Services in delhi with Reasonable Packers and Movers Price Quotation @
Packers And Movers in delhi

ProCrack4 PC said...

office-timeline-crackwebsiteI really enjoy reading your post about this Posting. This sort of clever work and coverage! Keep up the wonderful works guys, thanks for sharing

raheelpc said...

You are so interesting! I don't think I've ever done such a thing before. Have read It's great to find someone with unique ideas on this topic. Seriously .. thanks for starting this. This site is something you need on the web, someone with a little bit of originality! https://raheelpc.com/screenhunter procrack

freeprokeys said...

loaris-trojan-remover-crack
 Is the Best application. You can take advantage of this program to get rid of malware or trojan. While you employ an antivirus that is highly reputable though you might locate it,new crack

procrackpc-free download full crack software for pc said...

This article is so innovative and well constructed I got lot of information from this cleanmymac crack post. Keep writing related to the topics on your site. avast internet security crack

up4pc said...

This article is so innovative and well constructed I got lot of information from this post. Keep writing related to the topics on your site.hma-pro-vpn-crack/

Jonny Sin said...

cubase crack

saqlain said...

Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus Crack
SpyHunter Crack
Panda Dome Premium Crack
YouTube By Click Crack

saqi said...

Hotspot Shield Crack

tayyabjavaid said...

Axure Rp Pro Crack
Iskysoft Imedia Converter Deluxe Crack
Cracks
Roguekiller Crack
Guitar Pro Crack
Acronis True Image Crack