Greece: Facts & Stats

CULTURE

Traditions:

To attempt an understanding of the Greek people, it's useful to realize just how recent and traumatic were the events that created the modern state and national character - the latter a complex blend of extroversion and pessimism, which cannot be accounted for merely by Greece's position as a natural bridge between Europe and the Middle East. Until the early decades of the twentieth century many parts of Greece were in Ottoman (or in the case of the Dodecanese, Italian) hands.

Meanwhile, numerous Greek Orthodox lived in Asia Minor, Egypt, western Europe and in the northern Balkans. The Balkan Wars of 1912-13, Greece's 1917-18 World War I involvement, the Greco-Turkish war of 1919-22 and the organized population exchanges - essentially regulated ethnic cleansing - which followed each of these conflicts had sudden, profound effects. Worse was to come during World War II, and its aftermath of civil war between the Communists and the UK- and US-backed Nationalist government forces. The viciousness of this period found a later echo in nearly seven years of military dictatorship under the colonels' junta between 1967 and 1974.

Celebrations:

January 6 -- Epiphany – Blessing of the Waters:
Epiphany is the celebration of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist (St. John). The day is marked by blessing the waters. Around the country rivers, lakes and oceans are blessed and crosses immersed in them. At many ports a cross is thrown into the sea and young men dive to retrieve it. Below are some photos taken 6 January on Paros plus an expat lunch on our veranda taken New Year's Day.

March 25 – Independence Day:
Independence Day and the Feast of the Annunciation ‘Evaggelismos’ On March 25 in 1821 the Bishop of Patra began the uprising that started the War for Independence. Today it is celebrated with military parades in most major cities. Independence Day also coincides with the religious Feast of the Annunciation, so it is also a religious festival.

May 1 – Wreath Day, Labour Day, May Day 'Protomayia:
On this national holiday it is traditional for people to go to the countryside, have picnics, gather flowers, and make them into wreaths for their homes. Many flower festivals take place all over the country.

August 15 – National Holiday – Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin Mary
Assumption of the Virgin 'Apokimisis tis Panagias'. Assumption Day falls within the traditional Greek vacation month when Greeks are normally on the move. It has become the time for family reunions back at the home village--no matter how many years a family has lived in the city they still identify with a village. So typically crowded ferries and buses become even more packed and highways have special lane designations. This is the largest celebration of the Holy Virgin Mary in Greece. The island of Tinos is a major pilgrimage destination for thousands go to be blessed, healed or baptized.

October 28 – Oxi (No!) Day -- 'Ohi Day':
During World War II, Mussolini issued an ultimatum to Prime Minister Metaxas demanding free Italian passage through Greece. Metaxas' response was "Ohi" which led to the subsequent battle and eventual defeat of the invading Italian army in 1940. Today, Ohi Day is celebrated with remembrance services, military parades, folk dancing, and feasting.

Alcohol:

A visitor should not leave Athens without savouring Ouzo, the renowned traditional spirit (together with scotch, to be sure) that is best enjoyed with seafood meals. Diluted with water and ice, it becomes a lovely milky-coloured aniseed-flavoured drink, but be warned: it will give you the worst hangover of your life if you consume it in excess.

Masticha is another pleasant, sweet-tasting spirit, made with the resin of the Mastic tree and is an exclusive product of Chios island.

Greece produces a plethora of international and local grape varieties, which make very good wines. Retsina is of course the most famous of these, with a pine resin flavour, which is added during fermentation. It is, however, looked down upon by modern-day Athenians, who don’t think of it as classy enough for their refined taste buds: more of a peasant or working class wine.

There is no legal drinking age in Greece if you are drinking in private. However, if you want to purchase alcohol and drink in public, you must be 18 years of age.

Sports and Hobbies:

Greece, home to the first modern Olympics, holds a long tradition in sports. The Greek national football team, currently ranked 11th in the world, won the UEFA Euro 2004 in one of the biggest surprises in the history of the sport. The Greek Super League is the highest professional football league in the country comprising of 16 teams.

The most successful of them are Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, AEK Athens, PAOK and Aris. The Greek national basketball team has a decades-long tradition of excellence in the sport. As of August 2008 it is ranked 4th in the world. They have won the European Championship twice in 1987 and 2005, and have reached the final four in three of the last four FIBA World Championships, taking the second place in 2006. The domestic top basketball league, A1 Ethniki, is composed of fourteen teams.

The most successful Greek teams are Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, Aris, AEK Athens and PAOK. Water polo and volleyball are also practiced widely in Greece while cricket, handball are relatively popular in Corfu and Veroia respectively. As the birth place of the Olympic Games, Greece was most recently host of 2004 Summer Olympics and the first modern Olympics in 1896.

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