As a senior of the English Literature Department student, I set up a blog here to turn over my homework of Advanced Language Training (Ⅱ) and sharing my interested affairs as well. In this case, I seperated them into two parts-Tourism and Art: the former almost began from Oct.2009 to Jan.2010, and the later started from March,2010 to May,2010.
Therefore, I was glad and had much fun when I choosed Art (design) as my topic this semester. From the beginning, I went to listen to the outstanding Taiwan painter (and writer) Chiang Hsun talking about the famous painter Van Gogh. Secondly, I introduce the Paper Church in Naintou for memorizing the 921 Earth Quake for expiring 10 years. Thirdly, the recently popular movie directed by Sisy Chen(陳文茜) was draw into the comic pictures by Jimmy. And then, with the opening of Shanghai World Expo, I give some detail introductions about Asian pavilions and Taiwan pavilion.
These articles may help readers to learn more information around the world; besides, it can help readers to improve English reading and some of writing skills as well. As my expectation to this class at the begining of this semester, this is what I have learned from my blog. If you have any suggestions, welcome to leave the comments to encourage or interect with me! : )
It has been 5 years since the last World Expo was held in Japan. The 2010 World Expo in Shanghai starting from May 1th to October 31. Over 240 countries and organizations attend this exposition which may become the most attentive global event this year. Here I am going to introduce World Expo briefly and clearly in the following paragraphes.
Use "City" as the theme "Better City, better Life", the theme of World Expo this year, is said to be the first time using "City" as the theme. Because the urbanization around the world is so popular nowadays that it could attract attention of folks. With the international event, human beings could show their imagination of life in the future urban, and they could get theree expectations: scentific way of life, creativity of life, art of living.
Inside of Expo Axis
Night Sight of Expo Axis
Full Sight of Expo Axis
Mascot and Logo Refering to the mascot of the World Expo, Taiwaness would be proud of the "Treasure"(海寶) which is designed by Taiwan designer Wu Yong-Jian. The blue symbolizes the ocean, future and elements of technology. The design idea is based on "human" which symbolizes "the treasure of four ocean"; it represents human being are not only the creator of wonderful life but also the experienced one. Besides, the logo of World Expo is inspired by Chinese character "世", interpretated three people open thier arms to hug each others. It refers to lovely family or generanized defines human being pursuing the harmony life.
The Mascot of the 2010 World Expo
The Logo of 2010 World Expo
Pavilion There are mainly 6 areas in the World Expo from A area to E area and Expo Axis as well. Each area includes many pavilions which seperately situated nearby Huangpu River. First, I will introduce the pavilion which most relative to me:
Taiwan Pavilion
Theme Song /MV of Taiwan Pavilion_ Heartbeat of Taiwan (台灣心跳聲)
Before the opening ceremony of Shanghai World Expo, the intact theme song MV was first published; the leader singer, Jolin, mentioned that the sky latern scene in MV is most moving part. The lyric was writed by famous writer, Fang Wen-Shan. The MV recorded the beautiful moutains and rivers in Taiwan, the quaint streets, traditional custom of sky latern, and the sincere religion, that show the characteristic impression of Taiwanese. Jolin sensitively asked blessing for whole citizens by sky laterns in the MV, and expected the island where we grow could be more beautiful and peaceful. The writer of the"Heartbeat of Taiwan", Fang Wen-Shan, depicted Taiwan with the most presentative elements including: Yonghe soya bean milk, the lively night markets, old wall in Longshan Temple, Pingtung Bluefin tuna, Sanyi wood carving, Mino paper umbrella, the magnificent Taroko, the winding Tamsui River, Hongye juvenile league, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre.
---------------------- My impression:
Listening to "Heartbeat of Taiwan", my heart is beating seriously, too. I like it because Fang Wen-Shan always writes the lyrics into my heart; Lin Mike, melody. Besides, I am glad that Taiwan could attend the international envents this time. Watching the MV make me memorize the traditional aspect and hopefulness of Taiwan that differs from the topics I published last. However, I am really found of the music that could encourage Taiwanese so much. Take SARS as an example, it raged in Taiwan during 2003. At the time, many Taiwan singer gethered to sing Hand-in-hand for charity. Suffering so much disasters these years, Taiwanese help each others to survive. Admiring to this rare spirits, I appreciate those sacraficed medical heros. In this case, I am willing to introduce the characters of Taiwan to others. That is why when I saw this MV, I feel so affectived and impressed. Besides, I have a plan to go to World Expo with my friend in the end of May. In addition to enlarge my horizen, I also expect myself to introduce beautiful Taiwan to the world. Before the tour setting out on May 26, I have to prepare a lot of things: finishing my homeworks and reports, search for the pavilions information, booking the tickets and admissions, keeping in touch with tour agency, making the itinerary, preparing luggage...... Even I have a lot of things to do, I am still excited about that. Hope we could have a nice tour in Shanghai before graduating!
Other Asian Pavilion:
The following pictures are pavilions that closed to us-the pavilions in Asia including the host country Chinese and Macau, Northern Asia area including Korea and Japan, Southern Asia area including India. At the end, there is the video introduce all the pavilion of the World Expo this time.
In this class, I would like to improve my writing skills including the ability of the paragraph organizing and the grammars of my sentences. I expect not only to maintain my writing and speaking abilities as before but also could become better. Since I have an intermediate GEPT test in this June, and I really have to get this certifications to getting the job.
Besides, I want to learn more about the art design, typography, painting, and photographing. Although it seems like entertainments in our life, it is also important for us to get some creative ideals from them. Some people say that choosing English department as the major department is easier to get good jobs than other ones. Indeed, I really not agree with this saying, because English is only a tool for us now a day in strong-competitive and cruel society if we don’t get into graduate school to get professional English area. In this case, the more other skills we have, the more chances we may get. Returning to the article, I would like to choose my interest as the topic in this class this semester. In this case, I prefer to introduce something about “art” and “movie” which could always cheer me up.
2.
In this semester, I would like to know more about the topics like science fictions, photographor software, environment changing, tourism and any news interest me. Refering to the science fictions, I want to know Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon……ect. The Twilight is the story about vampires and love. However, it becomes popular and discussed widely around the world these days.
3.
The two movies I would like to see are The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel( the sequel). The first movies are fiction movie, and it mainly talked about the magician Pamassus and his imaginary theatre always brings the surprises to audiences around the world. Actually, Pamassus knows a secrete—one thousand years ago, he bet with demon and get a eternal life; moreover, few centuries past, Pamassus found out his true love, and had a deal with demon for getting the youth and take his daughter’s life after her sixteen-year-old as the price. Then after sixteen years, Pamassus bet with demon again in order to protect his daughter—who get 5 souls earlier could take Pamassus’s daughter away. …….
Another movie I would like to watch is the comedy, Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. To introduce this film in short, it is about the story of three squeals. Their lord, David, plans to send Alvin, Simon and Theodore into high school for study instead of letting them keep their musical work. The music course is forced to stopped for some troubles. Therefore, these three squeals attend a series of songs PK in order to maintain their music course. Whenever they have come across a charming and beauty girl group as their match, and all of them seems attracted by the girls…..
The first time I saw the movie ±2℃ is at the Friday meeting with classmates this March. In fact, it is heartbroken and terrifying for Taiwaness to watch this movie; not only because the reality we encountered are dangerous for living, but many people do not notice the disappear crisis of Taiwan and they still think the situation is not relative to them.
I was impressed by the experiences last summer for how 88 typhoon disaster distroyed southern Taiwan. In fact, it was not the strongest level typhoon, but it created the highest destroying in econimic lost in history. I am a southern Taiwan resident indeed. Therefore, I was locked at home for 3 days from Augest 7 to Augest 9, since the rain didn't stop at the time. I remembered the day in the mid-night about 2AM, I just finished taking a shower on second floor at home and was going to another room for drying my hair. The water has entered into my room so fast that I didn't know when it started. Later I was hurried screaming to my brother who are in third floor for help. The first floor was not overwhelm; indeed, it is because the main scupper on the balcony outside our second floor was blocked in. In this case, we just stayed up for 2 hours to ladle out water out of the house on the second floor and then we felt safe. But it is still confused for me to figure out how a mid level typhoon could make us so nervous until I watch this movie.
It is said:" Rome is not created in one day." The resault of the 88 typhoon disaster is the same. The Formosa is nowaday a hell rather than a beautiful island. Since Taiwaness didn't cherish the resources; for example, they plant betel nuts from acreages to acreages rather than plant deep-root plant, they explode mountains again and again in order to build roads or reservoirs. More and more citizens in Taiwan became so selfish only that they plan many projects only thought about benifits as their intention and not take others's benifits and safeness into considerations. ±2℃ really touched my soul and reminded me of some affairs happened last summer as well. In this case, I appreciate the famous Taiwan hand painterer, Jimmy make the scences of the movie into cartoon and ad. I'd like to show you below: Video Ad. about±2℃ "Overwhelming" draw by Jimmy
New vocabulary world: 1.overwhelm 淹沒 2.betel nut/ betel palm 檳榔 3.acreage 畝 4.reservoir n. 水庫 5.ladle out v.舀水
The Japanese architect Shigeru Ban is one of the international and famous architects of the world. We could see his composition around the world: Tokyo, Paris, German, New York, Rwanda (in Africa), Kobe(in Japan), Nantoa(in central Taiwan), Turkey, India.
Shigeru Ban is famous for his using with paper tube as building structure to combine nature environment and wisdom. The
paper church composed by Shigeru Ban shows the inventiveness; the background why Shigeru Ban creates the church impressed me more. He devises shelter for refugees in Inner War of Rwanda, earth quake in Turkey and Kobe(in Japan) made of slender paper tubes. This contribution of making temporary
housing for disaster victims first in response to the 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan, where he also build a paper church, and later his idea was spread to Taiwan.
The paper church in Taiwan located in Taomis ecology area in Nantou of Taiwan which was build ed after the 921 Earth Quake happened in 1999. In this case, Taomis's Paper Church is a symbol of rebirth which passing the humanitarian spirit from the paper church in Kobe in Japan.
Opinion: I know the Paper Church from one of Taiwan dramas called "桃花小妹". It impressed me for bringing the hope to people no matter what they suffered. At first, I didn't understand why it constructed with paper, and then I google it. What make me admired is Ban not only overcome the difficulty of against the nature principle for using this kind of materials to construct, but also gives the holy meaning to the church. I really hope one day I could visit this outstanding and special Paper Church in Nantou!
Two weeks ago, I went to a lecture talking about Van Gogh. It's a wonderful speech not only because the lecturer is the famous litterateur but also he has a attractive voice! Indeed, I have read 蔣勳's composition before, so I decide to go to the lecture right away when I heard Patty tell me the lecture information in DonHua University.
The topic about Van Gogh is very popular recently, so I expect to know more about how the outstanding litterateur introduce Van Gogh. When he talked about the outstanding artist Van Gogh, I am surprised even Van Gogh is not living in our time, he could describe him so detail and touchful like he is Van Gogh's closed friend. This is the first time I am so familiar to Van Gogh even I have imitated to draw Van Gogh's pictures before. Van Gogh has the qualities we don't have that he always feels lonely when he was creating. Thus, most of his lanscape painting like The Night Cafe in the Place Lamartine in Arles and most of his self-portrait reveal the depression he suffers. An artist like Van Gogh never consider to compromise to reality; in this case, he get into a difficult lifehood because of not indentified by the people at the time.
Nowaday, many audiences who claim he or she admire Van Gogh so much; actually, it is so ridiculous for us to make friends with a schizoid, isn't it? However, I dare not to declare how I like Van Gogh but I feel sorry and pitty for him having frustrated talent until his passed away. What I learn from this lecture are abilities of emotion expression and having a different viewpoint on depressed person or schizoid. Which means I would like tp try to find a suitable way to express myself and also help the sick people who are in need.
New Vocabulary: 1.schizoid精神分裂症患者 2.have frastrated talent 懷才不遇
Information about Van Gogh:
1. The Famous Picture File http://www.ss.net.tw/art/
2.Van Gogh's exhibition from 2009.12.11-2010.0318 at Taipei
To promote the ecotourism, the author Lucy Siegle mentions about the truth that many people use ecotourism as the way to make money indeed; for example, swimming with captive dolphins in Japan actually accompanies with the annual dolphin slaughter. Besides, it provides us the ideas about the typical eco-traval holiday may include to introduce the Amazon rainforests with a simple and easy way or staying in a lodge in Peru built with native materials and owned by the local commuity.
In Ecotourism and Sustainable Development:Who Owns Paradise?, the book writed by Martha Honey argues the real ecotourism should be aware on how many tourists a habitat can sustain. The attitudes to promote the ecotourism should be democratic and spontaneous, thus, even use the simple and nature way travelors could not only enjoy a high quality trip and also protect the environment at the same time.
Greece has many festivals (Panagiri) throughout the year and most of the Greek Festivals have a religious basis. The Festivals are usually celebrated in accordance with the Greek Orthodox calendar which is similar the Catholic calendar, with the exception of Easter. There are also many cultural festivals with theatrical and musical celebrations during the summer as well as National Festivals celebrating Greek victories. There are far too many festivals to mention them all but below is a list of some important Festivals.
Religious Festivals
January 1: New Year’s Day
The feast of Ayios Vassillios or Saint Basil is celebrated with a church service. On this day children are given gifts.
January 6: Epiphany
The feast of Fota celebrates the banishing of hobgoblins into the netherworld. This is done by a priest who blesses the waters (seas, rivers and lakes).
March 25:Feast of Annunciation
A Celebration of the angel Gabriel, telling Mary about the incarnation of Christ.
April to May: Easter
Easter is the most celebrated of all the festivals in Greece. All the radio and TV networks are taken over and filled with beautiful religious programs during this time. It is a wonderful time to be in Greece because every village celebrates Easter with joy and sumptuous meals. On Good Friday the villagers carry candles and follow in a procession of the Epitaph. On Saturday there is a ceremony to remember the resurrection of Christ and the streets throng with people carrying candles, making their way home for the traditional feast and the breaking of the fast. The feast consists of red Easter eggs and Mayervtsa soup. Easter Sunday is the biggest church holiday in Greece and enjoyed with the traditional lamb roasted on a spit, washed down with gallons of red wine.
December 25: Christmas
A Celebration of the birth of Christ. The Greeks enjoy musical festivals as well as shopping festivals over Christmas. The children traditionally sing carols and go from door to door asking for money.
National Festivals – Greek Victories
March 12: Greek Independence
This day is celebrated all over Greece as the start of the Greek revolt against the Turkish rule in 1821.
May 1: Labor Day
An urban holiday celebrated by flower picking and picnicking in the countryside.
October 28: National Anniversary
This is the Greek Independence Day celebrated by military parades and folk dances. This is also OXI Day which is the day general Metaxa’s famously said Oxi or No to the Italians demand for occupation during World War II.
November 17: Student Uprising
The day the students rose up against Junta in 1974. Many students lost their lives on that day as they stood firm against the military dictatorship. It is celebrated with marches and the stoning of the American Embassy.
Cultural Festivals
June – July: Athens Festival (tell: + 30 210 928 2900)
This festival features famous Greek and foreign artists who perform a mixture of symphony orchestras, classical drama and dance at the Herodeion (amphitheatre – the Odeon of Herodes Atticus)
June – August: Epidaurus Festival (Tell: + 30 210 327 2000)
During summer on a Friday and Saturday night you will be able to experience the most passionate and expressive Greek drama’s which is held at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus. The dramas performed are a re-creation of ancient Greek classics and the Theatre is well known for its beauty and acoustic quality.
July: ‘Musical July’ (+30 210 331 0392)
This is the little Epidaurus theatre and has gained popularity over the last 10 years. It hosts events every July which range from Greek folk songs to art and a variety of theatre performances.
Dates could vary from year to year. For exact dates of these festivals see: http://redirectingat.com/?id=191X308&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.greekfestival.gr%2Fsite%2Fevents%2Fprogram_en.php
from http://www.indigoguide.com/greece/festivals.htm
The official demographics of Greece is the National Statistical Service of Greece (NSSG). According to the NSSG, Greece's total population in 2001 was 10,964,020. That figure is divided into 5,427,682 males and 5,536,338 females. As statistics from 1971, 1981, and 2001 show, the Greek population has been aging the past several decades. The birth rate in 2003 stood 9.5 per 1,000 inhabitants (14.5 per 1,000 in 1981). At the same time the mortality rate increased slightly from 8.9 per 1,000 inhabitants in 1981 to 9.6 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2003. In 2001, 16.71% of the populations were 65 years old and older, 68.12% between the ages of 15 and 64 years old, and 15.18% were 14 years old and younger. Greek society has also rapidly changed with the passage of time. Marriage rates kept falling from almost 71 per 1,000 inhabitants in 1981 until 2002, only to increase slightly in 2003 to 61 per 1,000 and then fall again to 51 in 2004. Divorce rates on the other hand, have seen an increase – from 191.2 per 1,000 marriages in 1991 to 239.5 per 1,000 marriages in 2004. Almost two-thirds of theGreek people live in urban areas. Greece's largest municipalities(自治區) in 2001 were: Athens, Thessaloniki, Piraeus, Partas, Iraklio, Larissa, and Volos.
Throughout the 20th century, millions of Greeks migrated to the US, Australia, Canada, UK and Germany, creating a thriving Greek diaspora(民族的)大移居 The migration trend however has now been reversed after the important improvements of the Greek economy since the 80's.
Greek demonstrates several linguistic features that are shared with other Balkan languages, such as Albanian, Bulgarian and Eastern Romance languages (see Balkan sprachbund), and has absorbed numerous foreign words, primarily of Western European and Turkish origin. Because of the movements of Philhellenism and the Diafotismos in the 19th century, which emphasized the modern Greeks' ancient heritage, these foreign influences were excluded from official use via the creation of Katharevousa, a somewhat artificial form of Greek purged of all foreign influence and words, as the official language of the Greek state. In 1976, however, the Hellenic Parliament voted to make the spoken Dimotiki the official language, making Katharevousa obsolete.
era, itself brought only partially to a close two centuries later with the establishment of Roman rule over Greek lands in 146 BC. Many Greeks migrated to Alexandria, Antioch, Seleucia and the many other new Hellenistic cities in Asia and Africa founded in Alexander's wake.
The subsequent mixture of Roman and Hellenic cultures took form in the establishment of the Byzantine Empire in 330 AD around Constantinople. Byzantium remained a major cultural and military power for the next 1,123 years, until the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. On the eve of the Ottoman conquest, much of the Greek intelligentsia migrated to Italy and other parts of Europe not under Ottoman rule, playing a significant role in the Renaissance through the transmission of ancient Greek works to Western Europe. Nevertheless, the Ottoman millet system contributed to the cohesion of the Orthodox Greeks by segregating the various peoples within the empire based on religion, as the latter played an integral role in the formation of modern Greek identity.
e, successfully waged against the Ottoman Empire from 1821 to 1829, the nascent Greek state was finally recognized under the London Protocol. In 1827, Ioannis Kapodistrias, from Ionian Islands, was chosen as the first governor of the new Republic. However, following his assassination, the Great Powers installed a monarchy under Otto, of the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach. In 1843, an uprising forced the King to grant a constitution and a representative assembly. Due to his unimpaired authoritarian rule, he was eventually dethroned in 1863 and replaced by Prince Vilhelm (William) of Denmark, who took the name George I and brought with him the Ionian Islands as a coronation gift from Britain. In 1877, Charilaos Trikoupis, who is attributed with the significant improvement of the country's infrastructure, curbed the power of the monarchy to interfere in the assembly by issuing the rule of vote of confidence to any potential prime minister.
As a result of the Balkan Wars, Greece successfully increased the extent of her territory and population, a challenging context both socially and economically. In the following years, the struggle between King Constantine I and charismatic Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos over the country's foreign policy on the eve of World War I dominated the country's political scene, and divided the country into two opposed groups.
In the aftermath of WWI, Greece fought against Turkish nationalists led by Mustafa Kemal, a war which resulted in a massive population exchange between the two countries under the Treaty of Lausanne. According to various sources, several hundred thousand Pontic Greeks died during this period. Instability and successive coups d'état marked the following era, which was overshadowed by the massive task of incorporating 1.5 million Greek refugees from Asia Minor into Greek society. The Greek population in Istanbul had shrunk from 300,000 at the turn of the century to around 3,000 in the city today.[19] On 28 October 1940 Fascist Italy demanded the surrender of G
reece, but Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas refused and in the following Greco-Italian War, Greece repelled Italian forces into Albania, giving the Allies their first victory over Axis forces on land. The country would eventually fall to urgently dispatched German forces during the Battle of Greece. The German occupiers nevertheless met serious challenges from the Greek Resistance. Over 100,000 civilians died from starvation during the winter of 1941–42. In 1943 virtually the entire Jewish population was deported to Nazi extermination camps.
After liberation, Greece experienced a bitter civil war between Royalist and Communist forces, which led to economic devastation and severe social tensions between its Rightists and largely Communist Leftists for the next 30 years. The next 20 years w
ere characterized by marginalisation of the left in the political and social spheres but also by rapid economic growth, propelled in part by the Marshall Plan.
Karamanlis was invited back from Paris where he had lived in self-exile since 1963, marking the beginning of the Metapolitefsi era. On the 14 August 1974 Greek forces withdrew from the integrated military structure of NATO in protest at the Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus. The first multiparty elections since 1964 were held on the first anniversary of the Polytechnic uprising. A democratic and republican constitution was promulgated on 11 June 1975 following a referendum which abolished the monarchy. Meanwhile, Andreas Papandreou founded the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) in response to Karamanlis's conservative New Democracy party, with the two political formations alternating in government ever since. Greece rejoined NATO in 1980. Traditionally strained relations with neighbouring Turkey improved when successive earthquakes hit both nations in 1999, leading to the lifting of the Greek veto against Turkey's bid for EU membership.
Greece became the tenth m
ember of the European Communities (subsequently subsumed by the European Union) on 1 January 1981, ushering in a period of remarkable and sustained economic growth. Widespread investments in industrial enterprises and heavy infrastructure, as well as funds from the European Union and growing revenues from tourism, shipping and a fast-growing service sector have raised the country's standard of living to unprecedented levels. The country adopted the Euro in 2001 and successfully hosted the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
According to the Constitution, executive power is exercised by the President of the Republic and the Government. From the Constitutional amendment of 1986 the President's duties were curtailed to a significant extent, and they are now largely ceremonial; most political power thus lies in the hands of the Prime Minister. The position of Prime Minister, Greece's head of government, belongs to the current leader of the political party that can obtain a vote of confidence by the Parliament. The President of the Republic formally appoints the Prime Minister and, on his recommendation, appoints and dismisses the other members of the Cabinet.
Legislative power is exercised by a 300-member elective unicameral Parliament. Statutes passed by the Parliament are promulgated by the President of the Republic. Parliamentary elections are held every four years, but the President of the Republic is obliged to dissolve the Parliament earlier on the proposal of the Cabinet, in view of dealing with a national issue of exceptional importance. The President is also obliged to dissolve the Parliament earlier, if the opposition manages to pass a motion of no confidence.
The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature and comprises three Supreme Courts: the Court of Cassation (Άρειος Πάγος), the Council of State (Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας) and the Court of Auditors (Ελεγκτικό Συνέδριο). The Judiciary system is also composed of civil courts, which judge civil and penal cases and administrative courts, which judge disputes between the citizens and the Greek administrative authorities.
Some dishes can be traced back to ancient Greece like skordalia (a thick purée of potatoes, walnuts, almonds, crushed garlic and olive oil), lentilsoup, retsina (white or rosé wine sealed with pine resin) and pasteli (candy bar with sesame seeds baked with honey). Throughout Greece people often enjoy eating from small dishes such as meze with various dips such as tzatziki, grilled octopus and small fish, feta cheese, dolmades (rice, currants and pine kernels wrapped in vine leaves), various pulses, olives and cheese. Olive oil is added to almost every dish. Sweet desserts such as galaktoboureko, and drinks such as ouzo, metaxa and a variety of wines including retsina. Greek cuisine differs widely from different parts of the mainland and from island to island also uses some flavorings more often than other Mediterranean cuisines do: oregano, mint, garlic, onion, dill and bay laurel leaves. Other common herbs and spices include basil, thyme and fennel seed. Many Greek recipes, especially in the northern parts of the country, use "sweet" spices in combination with meat, for example cinnamon and cloves in stews.
* Moussaka. There are other variations besides aubergine/eggplant, such as zucchini or rice, but the aubergine version ("melitzanes moussaka") is most popular, so "moussaka" alone is assumed to mean "with aubergine/eggplant".
* Kleftiko: lamb slow-baked on the bone, first marinated in garlic and lemon juice.
* Stifado: beef-onion stew with red wine and cinnamon. Rabbit or game (e.g. hare) are also cooked stifado-style
* Souvlaki, lamb and vegetables grilled on skewers, or in general, anything grilled on a skewer (chicken, pork, swordfish, shrimps).
* Gyros, meat roasted on a vertically turning spit and served with sauce (often tzatziki) and garnishes (tomato, onions) on pita bread; a popular fast food. Sometimes confused with souvlaki served in a similar way. The same dish is called döner kebab in Turkish.
* Boureki, similar to kreatopita, from Turkish börek.
* Pastitsio, a macaroni, meat, and Bechamel sauce casserole
The time of day when the Greeks gather around a table to enjoy a meal, or some appetizers (mezedes) with ouzo, is a time held in reverence by all the inhabitants of this country. For the Greeks, sharing a meal with friends, either at home, at a restaurant or a taverna, is a deeply rooted social affair. The Greek word symposium, a word as ancient as the country itself, if translated literally, means drinking with company. The atmosphere in typically Greek restaurants and tavernas is very relaxed, informal and unpretentious. Food preparation, on the other hand, has its own sacred rules. Good amateur cooks are held in great esteem in their social circles. A good housewife, in Greece, means a good cook. And a good cook can spend days preparing a meal for his or her friends.
Greek wines
Apart from giving birth to Dionysus, patron god of wine, Greece is the birthplace of the first VQPRD wines in history. They were the wines of the islands of Chios and Thassos, renowned in the entire ancient world. Due to various historic and social reasons, as well as natural disasters, the art of wine-making was neglected from the middle of the nineteenth century until the early sixties. It was then that the ancient traditions of wine-making started being rediscovered and today one can find many excellent Greek wines produced all over the country. When tasting Greek wine, bear in mind that it is a product of a distinctive environment and of grape varieties unknown to western wine lovers. The wines of Greece are divided into 4 distinct categories: 1) the Controlled Appellations of Origin, 2) the Appellations of Origin of Superior Quality, 3) local wines and 4) table wines.
