Why
are the tree trunks painted white?
The white paint is there for one of two reasons. It is either an insect
repellent or a way to reflect light in the night. Greek roads are often not
illuminated, and by painting the trees you can see where you are at night.
What
are those little, blue eyes for?
To protect you from the Evil Eye. For more about the Evil Eye, click on
the option to the left.
What
are the little roadshrines?
There are different kinds of roadshrines. The smaller ones that usually
look like little boxes on long legs are often put there in honour of victims
of road accidents. Sometimes there is a picture of the victim(s), a few icons
and a burning oil lamp.
The bigger ones are either monuments of prominent citizens that lived in the
village or town, and their names are inscribed on plaques on the shrine, or
belong to a nearby church or monastery.
In the latter case, the shrine is
something like a sign telling the traveler that a church is nearby.
Sometimes Greek families also put a shrine outside their houses in order to
bless it.
If you look inside these shrines, you will see that they always have some
icons inside, a burning oil lamp and Coke-, beer- or water bottles These bottles
contain the oil that keeps the lamp burning.
Can
Greek priests marry?
Yes, but only if they marry before taking the vows. A married priest can
not make a "career" within the church.
Greeks and animals - what's the matter?
Good
question! Well, it is a very sad facts that animals in Greece often are badly
treated. Everywhere there are dogs locked out on balconies and rooftops in
the boiling heat, animals being poisoned, hit by cars and left to die, starving
donkeys, stray animals etc. Of course, not all Greeks treat the animals like
this, but there is a frightening amount of them that do. There is no real
explanation. It is basically a matter of lack of education and respect. Anything
else is just a bad excuse. There are several organizations in Greece that
do their best to take care of stray animals and improve the situation. You
can look some of them up in the Business Index.
What does "yamas" mean?
The
well known expression for "cheers" ,"yamas", which you
encounter in bars and restaurants consists of two words: "eyeia"
(health) and "mas" (our). In other words "Our health".
If you say "yasou"
it means "your health" since "sou" means "your".
More info in The
Greek Language.
Why
do Greeks sometimes make the cross sign for no apparent reason?
The
cross sign is made in church, before meals and sometimes when paying a compliment
in order to ward off the Evil Eye (see The Evil Eye).
When Greeks talk about something terrible that has happened, they might also
do the sign. If they pass a church they will also do it, regardless if they
are walking or traveling by bus or car.
Are
there any internationally known Greeks?
Yes,
many.
Just a few names: Vangelis, composer, Nana Mouskouri, singer, Olympia Dukakis,
actress, Melina Mercouri, deceased actress and Minister of Culture, Jennifer
Aniston, actress (Greek roots), Eirene Pappa, actress, Demis Roussos, singer.
Is there really animosity between the Greeks and Turks?
Sensitive
question!!! On the one hand the Greeks blame the Turks for Greece's situation.
400 years of enslavement has taken its toll. They also feel very strongly
about the Turkish government policies of persecuting authors that express
criticism, the torture and treatment of the Kurds.
On the other hand, Greeks and Turks often join hands as peoples. The two countries
worked hard together after the great earthquakes in Greece and Turkey in 1999.
But in general, Greeks are more negative towards the Turkish government than the
Turkish people.
How
do the Greeks feel about foreigners?
The
Greek word for foreigner, xenos, also means guest. Hospitality is very important
to the Greeks, and has been since ancient times. On the other hand, the Greeks
often feel that their country, especially the summer resorts, are losing their
originality because of the tourism. This is a dilemma, tourism brings money
but also commercialism. Foreign people that own businesses in Greece are often
subject to both envy and boycottage
by the locals, but that often applies
to Greeks from other places than the resort as well. It also depends where
you come from. Scandinavians are often appreciated but also considered a bit
alcoholic and "loose". British people are well liked, but a bit
too heavy drinkers as well. Greeks often feel that the British
are a little
bit stingy when it comes to tips as well.
Italians are very popular.
What
are those dried flower wreaths on the doors?
The
wreaths are put on the front door on the 1st of May, and supposedly fall off
at the end of the summer when they are all dried up. Thus it is a kind of
time measurement. This is believed to be an ancient custom that has survived,
and the Orthodox church consider it pagan.
Are
Greeks really as macho as their reputation?
Yes
and no. The Greek society is still very male orientated, and the attitude
that the woman should stay home and that the man can do whatever he likes
is still quite dominating. A quite common problem is that foreign women fall
in love with and marry Greek men a little bit too fast, only to discover that
the liberated summer Adonis really is a total male chauvinist. Nevertheless,
younger Greeks are often much more modern, and it is very common today that
both the man and woman work.
Many
houses have gargoyles in each corner - why?
Many
houses with tiled roofs have a little head in each corner. This is supposedly
a custom dating back to Mediaeval times when the Venetians ruled in many parts
of Greece. They would attach these heads in order to protect the house from
evil spirits, and the custom still prevails. Few Greeks actually believe they
will protect the house, nowadays it is more an esthetic practice.
Why
are there black crosses in the doorways?
On
the Easter Sunday the Greeks celebrate the Resurrection. They all gather up in
and around the local churches, and at exactly midnight the priest comes out
with a lit candle with the Holy Fire from Bethlehem. He then lets the
surrounding people light their own candles, and they in turn pass it on, until
everybody has a lit candle. While doing this, the exclamation CHRISTOS ANESTI
(Christ has resurrected) is made. Then everybody goes home, and they try to
keep the candle lit all they way back. If they make it, they make a cross
of soot in the doorway, to protect the house until next Easter.
Which
are the major political parties?
NEA
DEMOCRATIA is the leading party, and it's leader Kostas Karamanlis is the Prime Minister
of Greece. It is a liberal party. Second largest is PASOK which is a
socialist party. All other political parties, KKE, SYNASPISMOS etc. are much smaller. For more info, have a look at Facts
about Greece.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Below
is a list of FAQ's that are either questions I have gotten from holidaymakers
when working as a tourguide, or from visitors to this site. If you have a
question about Greece and the Greeks, feel free to send and e-mail and we'll
try to answer it.