The Sunday Getaway - 05 02 2023 - Chionophiles

It's Sunday lunchtime in the cosy seafood joint of?Kanaria?south in Athens?(writes?Dimitris Kossyfas). An unassuming taverna tucked away in the corner of a rather quiet neighbourhood, with a lush patio full of plants?and an inviting indoors almost from a different era. It's been more than 50 years that they offer?the same classic menu -think double tomato salad and golden light-fried shrimps. As it's still a bit early for lunch, there's a good vibe with only a few patrons around.

Spyros the waiter, also member of the family running the show for decades now, brings the starters our way. He sets the table, cracks open the beer for us and lays down a beautiful tomato salad and some big chunky olives. We snap a few photos, commenting on the photogenic?backdrop of this lovely place and dig in. We're now halfway through our lunch when my partner in crime looks for some loose?tobacco, inviting me to jolt?out for a small break. Rolling paper and filters on hand, we find ourselves outside and next to a table with a family that upon seeing us immediately offers some tobacco and a light.?

Much obliged for their offer, we linger a bit and start chatting. Turns out, they're from my hometown?Thessaloniki, visiting just for the day for some football shenanigans. We get into our whereabouts, what we do and where we like to eat and just like that we're into a fast-flowing, amicable convo with a bunch of strangers. The waiter comes outside calling us for dessert and as we thank them for the little impromptu meet-up, I think of small places and the effect on people. Be it the place you were brought up in, the one you live or the next you'll visit.

It's a winter Monday back in 2022?when snow starts blazing?Athens. By lunchtime it has already piled up some of the streets up north, making its way south to the city centre. 7am the following day and the wake up call finds us literarily snowed under in the middle of Athens. Light is not up yet and looking outside the window, feels like snow is calling you to grab your coat and step right out into it. A few moments later you can hear the swooshing sound of flakes in the crisp air or what the Japanese call?shinshin?- the sound of silence, or to be more precise, the absence of sound?where there was sound before.

Back to the present day and everyone is bracing for this year's snowfall in Athens. And along with it, the chance of retreating to the cosiness of our homes and the proximity of the neighbourhood around them. The familiarity and warmth of small places.

Also a chionophile??Cue up our brand new playlist?and enjoy the snow.

Travel On.

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