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Athens part one
I love Athens for her bloodiness. She is the most blooded city I have ever been. Not like Rome, where everything is perfectly cute, even the ugliness and neglect. In Rome, the chaos is sophisticated, there is an order of no cappuccinos after eleven, of primi, secondi and dolci courses, of impeccable dressing and well-orchestrated operas. Athens has none of this. She just is. If Rome has amore, Athens has érota. Rome is beautiful, delicious,…
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Athens part two
Athens is honest. To be honest is more than not lying, it is a man’s pride, and a woman’s too. Being honest is being free. Being dishonest is making a disgrace of yourself. Honesty is a sign of courage and respect. It is something that goes without saying, not a favour you do someone. When I tried thanking people for complimenting me on my Greek proficiency, I almost insulted them: “I am not giving you…
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Athens part three
Athens is simple. There are no hidden messages. Athens is more direct than Amsterdam, where people do not hesitate to ask you how much money you make, but shrink from showing their true emotions. With a Dutchman, it is hard to tell if he likes you, let alone respects you, with a Greek man, there is no doubt about it. He will have no problem yelling at you, if he is angry. And if he…
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Athens part four
If generosity is one art to admire in Athens, music is another one. The secret to Greek music is conviction. To love without shame, to love to the brink of madness, to love for the sake of love. You will wish you were horribly lovesick at least once in your life in order to fully enjoy, in order to fully revel in Greek music. Love is beyond romantic, sex is beyond physical, it is a…