Of Wine Jugs, Coffee Trays and Graffiti

Be sure to try the local wine in Greece which is called Hima, (χύμα). It loosely translates to bulk, unbottled or unpackaged – in other words wine straight from a barrel. It comes in various sizes, depending on how thirsty you are and it will be served in a coloured anodised jug and with glass tumblers. And remember that you order wine by the weight and one kilo is equivalent to a litre; the misokilo (μισόκιλο) is half a litre and the tetartaki is quarter of a litre of wine – but I ask you: WHO orders a quarter of a litre of wine these days?

Ask for lefko krasi (λευκό κρασί) or aspro (ασπρο) for white wine and kokino (κοκκινο) for red wine –  though I’ve found it’s more like rose. And the beauty of Hima is it’s made without preservatives, additives or pesticides – so no headaches and no allergic reactions. And, when it’s past its prime it’s still sitting on your table, only this time as red wine vinegar for your Greek salad!

 And if you see a Greek waiter scurrying in and out of people and traffic swinging a round tray with a funny handle… he’s delivering coffee and water in a traditional Greek waiter’s tray. It’s an integral part of the fabric of the coffee culture all over Greece and is designed using centripetal force and a unique triangular carrying handle. It enables one to speedily carry cups of coffee and glasses of water with one hand without spilling a drop. Ingenious!

And as for the graffitti… well that’s art in my books!

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