Visiting Ziogas Western City

If you realized that you want to be closer to Mother Nature then this place is certainly for you.

Ziogas Western City is situated around 30 km away from Thessaloniki (pretty close) and is stylized to remind you of a cowboy village. There you can enjoy a day riding horses choosing an itinerary of the length that you’d like. Though the prices are a little bit high, it’s worth trying. Before the ride you will be given instructions and if you are not sure in your skills, your horse will be held by a professional during your trip.  

The place is also excellent for families with kids who can also ride a pony or a donkey and enjoy a small zoo with domestic animals.

If you want to have a rest you can drop into a café-brasserie that is also situated there and also simulates the Wild West époque.

If you have a sweet tooth, this article is certainly for you…

Top 10 desserts and sweets that you should try in Greece

(the list is made out of my personal preferences)

1.     Glyka tou koutaliou or a sweet spoon is a sweet preserve made of different types of boiled berries or fruits. They are usually given to guests as a sign of hospitality. It can be compared to jam, marmalade or Russian varenye with the difference that it’s more liquid and the fruit piece remains firm.

2.     Kataifi is a delicious dessert made of special dough called kataifi. A Nut centre is wraped into pastry that reminds glued threads and then bathed in sweet syrup. This dessert is really luscious and toothsome.  

3.     Baklavas is a popular Greek dessert made from layered thin unleavened dough with chopped nuts and bathed in syrup. This dessert is also known in Central and West Asia.

4.     Loukoumades is a fabulous Greek desert loved by everyone made of fried dough that is usually soaked in honey, chocolate, syrup etc. and  laced with cinnamon. You can compare it with a simple doughnut but the shape of this pastry is usually round without a hole.

5.     Melomakarona is a Greek Christmas dessert made of flour, olive oil and honey syrup and sprinkled with chopped walnuts or/and a pinch of cinnamon and clove. If you have a bad mood it’s really nice to have a bite of this moist and syrupy delight.

6.     Tsoureki is traditional Greek Easter Bread. Usually it’s really soft and flavorous and a little bit sweet that makes you want to eat it not as simple bread but as a special dessert. Today it’s eaten all the year round.

7.     Milopita is a delicious apple pie that is usually made from juicy apples spiced with cinnamon and cardamom. Greeks prefer this sweet dessert for breakfast.

8.     Karydopita is a traditional walnut cake soaked in sweet syrup.  It has a rather rich taste and brilliant texture so you can surely cook it for special occasions.

9.     Rizogalo is a sweet rice pudding really popular in Greece. The two major ingredients in this pudding are rice and milk as it is indicated in the name. Though the main ingredients mixed together can bring you a thought of a gruel, this sweet and melting in a mouth dessert can’t leave you cold.

10. Galaktoboureko is a traditional Greek dessert made from semolina custard in layers of thin unleavened dough called fillo and soaked in scented syrup. Take a bite and you will never forget its wonderful taste and amazing texture.

As a matter of fact, I suppose that you’ve noticed that most of the Greeks desserts are cooked with the adding of syrups.

Greek Wedding Traditions

As summer is coming, the wedding period is also starting. If you are planning a wedding in Greece or your friends are going to have one and...
You haven’t watched “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, maybe it’s time to do it NOW…

Things that I paid attention to

1.     The Guest List

It’s time to remember all you relatives, not only the closest ones, but the ones that you have heard about once or twice in your life. Your closest relatives will certainly help you naming someone that you have no idea who it is. You can't invite less than 300 people. Why? It’s not even a wedding.

2.     A newspaper announcement

Before your wedding you should give an announcement to a local newspaper about its arrival so that everyone who wants “could” join your celebration or reveal that you are a cheater and you hide another wife/husband!

3.     Wedding preparations

The wedding preparations start at least a week before the wedding. Friends and relatives come to bride's and groom's houses and eat some sweets and drink alcohol shots with their familes. Presents are usually given before the wedding

   4.     House decorations

While everything prepared for the wedding, bride's and groom's families decorate their houses and balconies so that every passer-by could see that this house is celebraring.

   5.     A little bit of superstiotions

A little bit odd superstition... but it is regarded as bad luck to drink coffee before the wedding as it is associated with funerals.

  6.     Who will get married next?

I guess it’s a wonderful tradition for those who are not married yet. Instead of throwing a wedding bouquet, the bride should write the names of her unmarried girlfriends on a shoe sole. The ones whose names will be erased from the sole will get married soon.

7.     The couple’s bed

This tradition, from my point of view, sounds also nice. So that you could have fortune, lifetime happiness and kids, some rice, money and a baby should be put on the couple’s bed.

8.     Who will pay?

When a bride is prepared, the bride tries her shoes and to make her feel comfortable, her koumparos (bestman) and her dad should put some money in the shoes so they could fit.

9.     Something sweet…

For an endless number of guests and their relatives that couldn’t assist the wedding, the couple makes bonbonniers that usually contain an odd number of almond candies.

10. At last the bride came

When the bride finally comes to a church, she needs to be driven several times around the church so that the groom would wait and be nervous a little.

11. Greek music and dances

The wedding celebration leads to a ceaseless row of listening to Greek traditional music and dancing. People of all ages join the circle to share the joy with a couple. So you should be prepared in advance before visiting such an event. Remember to ask WHICH traditional music will be played, as couples prefer music from their birthplaces.

PS Thanks to Elise Ntoremi for these photos!!!

PPS I'm still selling my dress, if smb is interested, here is the link
http://www.xe.gr/rouxa-kosmimata/nyfika|ad-193633898.html?mode=photo

Introduction...

Hey there! My name is Maria!

Do you want to explore Greece with a Russian girl? Then join my blog and share your opinion!