Halara!

Surreal blue

2010-08-22T02:36:00.003+03:00

No words needed - just enjoy this amazing video!

Roadtrip to Peloponissos - Day 1

2010-08-13T10:59:00.011+03:00

The first day of our trip we loaded the car and left Athens at about 8 a.m. We quickly took the highway and in 3 hours we were already in the centre of Perloponissos, in the mountain village of Karytaina, where we decided to stop for a short coffee break.

Karytaina is a wonderful quaint village hanging on the slope of the mountain in Arcadia prefecture, sometimes known as the "Greek Toledo". Its castle was constructed in 1245 and was reinforced in 1826 by Kolokotronis, one of the major generals of the Greek revolution, to use it for military headquarters. We had a coffee at Toledo cafe in the main square, watching the endless view from the balcony. On the square were sitting several old local people as well as tourists, chilling in the shade of the morus trees.

Continuing our journey, we decided to make a small change to our initial plans - instead of going to Ancient Olympia and Kaiafa lake, we headed instead more south towards Neda.

On our way, on one of the highest points of the area, we paid a vidit to the Temple of Apollo Epicurius, built in the 5th century BC, now under restoration. Following the snake-like greek mountain road, we passed the ancient fountain of Figaleia and finally drove down the muddy road from Platania to the waterfalls of Neda river.

Neda is a wonderful river to walk through and the only Greek river with female name. To get to the waterfalls you have to walk down the river from where you parked the car or cross the small stone bridge and follow the left path. We played a bit in the waters, but finally decided to follow the path, which was easier and faster if you are not prepared for canyoning.

The waterfalls of Neda are really wonderful, with a small blue lagoon under the first one. This lagoon is perfect for from the surrounding rocks, with a depth of about 2-3 meters. You can go up or down the large waterfall with the help of the ropes that are there. Next to it is a cave with bats through which the river is passing - quite a rush!

After the mountain day, it was time to head down to the beaches of west Peloponissos to cool down and find a place to camp. Due to the itinerary change, we had no idea where to sleep now. We passed Kyparissia and finally stopped at the sandy beach after Filiatra. Apparently there were more free-campers there among the cedar trees and even a small hippie tree-house with a hammock inside! The beach among the trees was a bit dirty, more like a toilet in some parts, but the sunset made up for it!

That concludes our first day of the roadtrip. To be continued! :)

Roadtrip to Peloponissos

2010-08-10T22:01:00.000+03:00

One of my dream trips finally came true this summer! My car, a good travel companion and we are off to tour the southest region of mainland Greece: Peloponissos.

Some fast facts about the trip:

Days: 5
People: 2
Car: Peugeot 106
Distance driven: around 1200km
Expenses: 400 euros

Route:

Show large map

Itinerary:

Day 1

Karitaina
Temple of Apollo Epikourios
Neda river and waterfalls
Filiatra

Day 2

Boidokoilia
Pylos
Methoni
Foinikounta
Koroni
Petalidi

Day 3

Kalamata
Kitries
Kardamyli
Paralia fonia
Agios Nikolaos/Dimitrios/Trahila

Day 4

Diros Cave
Gytheio
Elia-Glyfada
Elafonissos

Day 5

Monembasia
Sparta

Since the article will be quite long, I decided to split it in separate days this time. Read on! :)

Get the local tips!

2010-08-10T21:07:00.003+03:00

Here is a website for the travellers who prefer to get the local taste, rather than just do sightseeing: SpottedByLocals.com

They publish experiences and places shared by locals, right now only in large European cities. To sustain the site, they seem to sell complete city guides for a low price and also cooperate with partners to provide side-services, like booking.com.

Latest article is about the Top 10 open-air cinemas around Europe and I'm happy to see Athens and Barcelona in the two first spots :)

Guy walks across America

2010-07-27T03:34:00.004+03:00

Very well-made video of a trip across USA. You can see their journey on Google Maps.

Sunset in ferry boat

2010-04-11T19:50:00.002+03:00

Sunset view in the ferry boat from Eretria to Oropos, Greece.

Lunch in Zagreb center

2010-03-31T11:04:00.004+03:00

Here are some recommendations from friends of good restaurants in the city center of Zagreb, Croatia:

Leonardo
Skalinska 6 (small allay that connects Tkalča with the market) - Great Italian food, cheap, good waiters (5 euro for meal+drinks).
Nocturno (hostel)
Close to Leonardo - Cheap, big meals, but too much waiting, loud and crowded.
Pivnica Mali Medo
Tkalčićeva 36 - Quite cheap and good food (sausages, meats, pizza), beers from Pivnica Medvedgard
Boban
Gajeva 9 - pasta, fish and meet, especially "biftek"
Caramba
Savska cesta 30 - mexican, great food but with a very bad entrance.
Va piano (chain-restaurant)
Radnička Cesta - salads, pasta and pizza, dishes are prepared in front of you! They make their own pasta.
MU
Vukovarksa ulica 72 - steak house

Thanks to Marina from Zagreb and two other BEST friends for these tips! :)

Not enough for you? More recommendations can be found in Tripadvisor.com

Philosophy and Happiness

2010-03-25T21:39:00.006+02:00

A recent study by Matthias Mehl, a psychologist at the University of Arizona, claims talking about deeper issues rather than small talk makes people happier.

It seems the happiest person in the study had twice as many substantive conversations, and only one-third of the amount of small talk as the unhappiest.

“By engaging in meaningful conversations, we manage to impose meaning on an otherwise pretty chaotic world,” Dr. Mehl said. “And interpersonally, as you find this meaning, you bond with your interactive partner, and we know that interpersonal connection and integration is a core fundamental foundation of happiness.”

So can people actually get happier by just talking more about meaningful things?

Full article by NYtimes

Living upside down?

2010-03-24T10:00:00.005+02:00

How would you feel living upside down?

Life in the world's first upside down house has something from Alice in Wonderland! Everything inside the house is basically hanging overhead, including the dining table and the toilet.

The house is obviouly not made to be lived in, but is located in a local zoo in Gettorf, Germany.

Article by Mail Online

Change of domain > harilaos.eu

2010-03-11T10:53:00.002+02:00

Recently there was a change of domain name for this blog.

The new domain is "www.harilaos.eu", instead of the old "halara.eu". This is more coherent with the actual base domain of the blog "harilaos.blogspot.com" to which it redirects.

If you have links to my blog in your own websites, please update them amigos! :)

Thanks and expect a new post from me within the next weeks!

Storm in Santorini

2010-01-23T13:25:00.003+02:00

Oktapodi

2009-11-19T17:10:00.004+02:00

Two octopuses in love straggle to escape a tyrannic taverna cook :)
Oscar 2009 - Animated Short Film

If you can't see the video above click here or visit the blog.

Zero star hotel

2009-11-14T14:15:00.007+02:00

Do you want to spend a night cheap in your roadtrip?
Do you want to sleep (and not only sleep) underground?
You don't care much about comfort?
Or are you just missing your army days?

Then Null Stern Hotel is the choice you MUST take when you're having holidays in Switzerland.

A converted nuclear bunker in the Swiss town of Sevelen, embellished with artistic decoration and real hotel duvets, is aimed at guests with a modest income. The price per night is between €7 and €20. The shared bathroom has been converted into a fountain with swimming flowers, and a live cam is sending images from the outside onto a large screen in the windowless building.

"Using the weapon of art, we have created a low-budget hotel, which has charm, takes into account guests' individual wishes and thus becomes quite something," said the artistic twin brothers Frank and Patrik Riklin, who were given the project.

The Null Stern Hotel can host 14 guests in a configuration of 6 single beds and 4 double beds. Larger groups (from 14 people) can also be accommodated in an adjacent room with original military-style bunk-beds.

In case of emergency, the hotel could be converted back into a nuclear bunker within 24 hours, in line with a Swiss law that says all civil defense buildings have to be ready for use within one day.

Optimism

2009-05-11T12:44:00.003+03:00

I liked this definition of optimism, by Noam Chomsky:

Noam Chomsky

“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, it’s unlikely you will step up and take responsibility for making it so.
If you assume that there’s no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunities to change things, there’s a chance you may contribute to making a better world.
The choice is yours.”

Are you optimists?

Want to be Halara?

2009-04-29T17:42:00.003+03:00

Dear friends and readers,

I would like to invite you to be guest-writers in the Halara blog!

Do you like to write about:

Your trips and odysseys
Experiences in other countries
Culture of your country
Nice places you have been, that are worth visiting
Cool things you have done
Tips about improving life

Contact me and let's join forces! ;)
You can leave a comment below or find me on Twitter.

How long is 5 Greek minutes?

2009-04-25T10:48:00.004+03:00

It's a very good question, don't you think?

Well some friends of mine just invented a formula to calculate Greek time approximately!

GT = T*[1 - T/(HS*60)] + HT*dwf*ff

Where:
GT - Greek time[min]
T - Time as the rest of the world understands [min]
HS - Hours of sun [hours/day]
HT - Halara time needed for average Greek native [min/day]
dwf - day of the week corrective factor [0; 1]

As an example, on a normal Friday in August after lunch/dinner, 5 Greek minutes would actually be...

GT = 5*[1-5/(12,08*60)] + 240*0,9*0,2
GT = 48,17 min

I'd say it's pretty accurate ;)

Driving on ice!

2009-04-08T21:13:00.002+03:00

If you've been to Estonia, or the nearby Baltic countries, you might have heard a lot of times about it. Well a friend of mine has the luck to actually try driving on ice!

Check out the video Driving on Ice in Estonia from Joao Rei on Vimeo.

According to Joao, "you’re not allowed in if your car weighs more than 2 tons. Also, once you start driving, you can’t stop and you must keep a constant speed of between 10 and 25 km/h or you must drive above 45 km/h.[...] You’re supposed to drive without a seatbelt, so that, in case the car goes under water, you can get out quickly. But today’s cars start beeping if you remove the seatbelt, so you have to attach it behind your back."

I'd love to try it! Any others had similar experiences?

Mirrors of rice

2009-04-07T10:30:00.004+03:00

What has saved the rice terraces built by the Hani people in China’s Yuangyang County so far is their relative remoteness. They are located in Yunnan province in southwest China, a region not easily accessible and therefore not exploited for tourism but rich in natural beauty and untouched scenery. The spectacular rice terraces drop from almost the summits of the nearby, 2,500-m-tall Ailao Mountains to the bed of the Red River.

The rice farmers who built the terraces almost by hand more than 1,000 years ago had to know about ecology and land preservation long before those concepts had names. Otherwise, without the hard work of maintaining the terrace walls as well as the ancient irrigation system, the precious top soil would have washed down the hillsides into the rivers.

Even today, the Yuangyang rice terraces are a self-sustaining eco system, perfectly in sync with nature like it was a thousand years ago. Just like the Banaue rice terraces, the Yuangyang rice terraces are irrigated with spring water from the rainforest above. The water then evaporates from the rice terraces and forms clouds whose rain water is collected and trapped by the rainforest, from where it is used for the irrigation of the rice fields again.

Article and photo taken from "20 Incredible Pictures Of Rice Terraces From Above" by EnvironmentalGraffiti.com

What is the Halara spirit?

2009-04-03T09:14:00.004+03:00

Lately I'm getting this question by a lot of people, so I decided to answer them all here. I'm actually honoured to have the chance to answer this question on behalf of all Greeks. I will not pretend that my answer is the absolut truth - on the contrary, it's my own perception of the halara spirit that I will present.

For me, Halara is:

to drink a coffee with friends in a cafeteria under the sun for 3 hours
to arrive 10-15 mins late at a friends' meeting and no one complain
to play tavli (backgammon) for 5 hours in a row with your best friend
to drink hot chocolate and read a good book next to the fireplace in a cold winter night
to walk slow along the beach side
to swim under the rain
to watch the sunrise on top of a mountain
to watch the sunset in the sea
to find that shaking Nescafe with cold water and icecubes is better that the hot one
to drive in the traffic jam without getting angry while listening to music
to ride a bike or go jogging with your MP3 player in the ears
to go out for clubbing at midnight and come back at 7am
to dance and sing with every chance you get
to say goodmorning to everyone you meet with a smile
to love someone for what they are and enjoy every moment with them
to be on time with work deadlines but not stress about them
to find a smarter way to do something
to work with a laptop and wifi on a hammock under the shade of a tree
to have time for your wife and kids every day
to enjoy life in all aspects!

Now it's your turn: What is "halara" for you?

The Love Matress!

2009-03-31T09:07:00.003+03:00

Now here is a concept mattress all couples will want!

Designed by Mehdi Mojtabvi, the "love mattress" is actually made up of single slats, each covered in with a smooth fabric. The slats allow you to dip your arms to better hug your partner in bed.
Fragmented bands design lets you easily mattresses will be “separated” from the pitch arm in the gap. This mattress was designed for those people who want to hold their partner in their arms all night long without feeling the pressure in the arms. You can also pitch feet in the slot and easily find the most comfortable sleeping position.

Found and copied from freshhome

Garfield forever!

2009-03-17T11:00:00.004+02:00

Coming back from work

2009-02-16T12:33:00.003+02:00

Can you imagine coming back from work like that?

Barclay card advertisment video

Living life backwards!

2009-02-13T11:07:00.003+02:00

Woody Allen

We all know the new movie these days "The curious case of Benjamin Button" where the boy is born old and grows younger and younger until he dies a baby.

Well there is a wonderful quote by Woody Allen long time now that he describes how he would like to live his next life... backwards!

"In my next life I want to live my life backwards. You start out dead and get that out of the way.

Then you wake up in an old people’s home feeling better every day. You get kicked out for being too healthy, go collect your pension, and then when you start work, you get a gold watch and a party on your first day.

You work for 40 years until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement. You party, drink alcohol, and are generally promiscuous, and then you are ready for high school. You then go to primary school, you become a kid, and you play. You have no responsibilities; you become a baby until you are born.

And then you spend your last 9 months floating in luxurious spa like conditions with central heating and room service on tap, larger quarters every day and then Voila! You finish off as an orgasm!"

Confess online!

2009-02-01T12:50:00.003+02:00

You did a bad bad thing? Now you can confess your sins online!

I don't need to tell you more... Just write what you did in ComeClean.com and it will tell you what to do (in a funny sarcastic way)!

P.S. No need to say that I tried it already, but I ain't gonna tell you what I confessed!!

Your slogan, your T-shirts!

2009-01-26T12:16:00.003+02:00

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeAfter a notion from a friend, I joined Threadless.

Threadless is an online T-shirt store with a unique quality: anyone can submit their own design or slogan, which is then voted publicly. Only the best voted designs get printed!

I submitted some of my own slogans, not too successful for now. You can join and vote for them!

Here is the one slogan-Tshirt for you: Halara! :)

Imrov Everywhere: "Life's for sharing"

2009-01-22T10:49:00.004+02:00

Have you heard about Improv Everywhere?

After the Freezing stunt in New York station, the hit again this time in Liverpool, UK! ;)

If you can't see a video above, click here

Submachine: dive into the adventure!

2009-01-20T17:01:00.003+02:00

I like games! :)

Here is a small online puzzle game, called Submachine.
You're "lost" in a silent place with rooms and you're trying to figure out how to get out. It's supposed to be one of the most popular flash games lately. Enjoy and leave me a comment how much time it took you!

Ice windsurfing!

2009-01-18T18:28:00.002+02:00

Guys doing ice-windsurfing in the middle of winter in Maine, USA.
I wouldn't want to fall doing that!

If you can't see a video above, click here.

IT vs SALES: the war

2009-01-05T20:06:00.002+02:00

Wouldn't YOU want to work in such a company?

Thnx to orck

4 days in Finland: Tampere

2009-01-03T12:34:00.000+02:00

The 2nd day of our trip in Finland we took a train and landed in Tampere, a bit more north and into the mainland.

Tampere is mainly an industrial city built between 2 lakes, Pyhäjärvi and Näsijärvi. The remarkable thing is that the two lakes are connected by rapids. This uniqueness, apart from a charming environment, it has also attracted industries, who take advantage the "green" power from the rapids using turbines.

The nicest part of Tampere centre is the main street, Hameenkatu, full of lights and stores. Starting from the train station and passing by the bridge with the huge worker statues and the central square, it is definitely the most lively place in Tampere in all seasons.

A walk between the rapids and the old industrial buildings is a must. At night the red-brick buildings shine magically above the waters.

Find some time for a small walk a bit outside the centre: there is a wonderful viewpoint on the top of the Pyynikki Observation Tower, located in the park-forest area in the west of the centre between the lakes. The 360 view is just amazing, not to mention the home-made tea and donuts with herbs!

In Tampere there are plenty of places to eat and drink. We took advantage of the cheap "lunch-time" for the company employees to eat the cheap buffet (around 8 euro per person) at the Viking Restaurant Harald (named after a Viking cartoon hero). For lovers of Chinese food, there is a great place with very good food and good prices called Nguyen Cao Su or "that tiny Chinese restaurant". Finally if you like a cozy bar to play some table games, I totally recommend Konttori bar (which means Office). A combination of Railroad game and a glass of good beer is perfect to conclude a nice day.

How to serve chicken wings

2008-12-24T12:24:00.003+02:00

I guess you get the point ;)

4 days in Finland: Turku

2008-11-22T16:33:00.009+02:00

Turku was our first city of the trip. We flew from Gdansk with Wizzair and landed in Terminal 2 of Turku airport, which was nothing more than a warehouse roughly converted to a gate/check-in/duty-free/baggage-claim building!

We stayed at a wonderful Finish couple that we found from Couchsurfing, who were a bit obsessed with squirrel-dolls and treated us like kings! Kaatja and Jaakko, thank you so much for everything :)

A walk around Turku is a nice idea (even better if it doesn't rain, like it did with us). You can see the beautiful Cathedral, walk along the river with the old sailing boats and the windmill. You can also pass through the oldest road in Turku and the old prison. Turku is the oldest city in Finland, believed to have been settled in the 13th century.

Turku has a very cool castle. Unfortunately it has been destroyed in the past so inside it's a bit empty of old furniture, but they have made a good restoration so it still gives you this old-times feeling. The Historical Museum is there also, included in the ticket of 7 euros for entrance. Advice: be prepared to go up and down a lot of steps and go through the castle quickly to have more time to see the wonderful exhibits of the museum.

At night, you can visit the most original bars ever. Fins have the good tendency to re-use old buildings in new ways. This is exactly the case with the bars called School, Toilet, Bank and Pharmacy! We especially liked and spent a good 1 hour in "Koulu" (=School) which is also a fine brewery.

We had the luck to try some delicious typical food made by our hosts. Juustoleipä is a white cheese with almost no taste (like mozzarella) that they eat with orange cloudberries. Fins eat a lot of berries, and believe me they have a LOT of kinds!
One of most delicious dices, especially for breakfast, was the Rice pies (Karjalanpiirakat). Bake them, put Munavoi on top (boiled egg and butter mixture) and a slice of cheese if you want.
Finally, Fins' usual fast-food is Makkaraperunat, which is basically a dish with fried sausages and potatoes. It's a bit fatty and unhealthy, but that's why it's called "fast-food"!

Flight search? Easy!

2008-10-27T13:45:00.004+02:00

From time to time, people have asked me how to look for cheap flights. I'm not an expert, but here are my recommendations:
Image via Wikipedia
Skyscanner is the best flight search website existing now (for Europe). You can use the interactive map, or search prices through a whole month or to a specific country. My favourite feature is that it helps you look for flights for weekend breaks from specific place to anywhere possible! It doesn't let you book in its system, but checks live prices and has direct links to the relevant websites.

There are also other flight search websites, most of them targeted to a specific country:

Greece - airtickets.gr
Spain - terminalA.com
England - opodo.com & ebookers.com

Backgammon tricks

2008-10-14T13:49:00.004+03:00

ΤΗΕ END! :Ρ

If the video above is not viewable, click here.

My new sheet... ;)

2008-10-10T14:44:00.003+03:00

No comments ;P

How to cook Chicken Curry in 10'

2008-10-09T16:10:00.003+03:00

Because life is also about good food, here is what I'm making today - quite simple recipe (if you ignore the weird indian spices) and delicious! :)

Here is how to make it:

Indian Cuisine:How To Cook A Chicken Curry In Ten Minutes

If you can't see the video, click here.

When the logo doesn't turn out the way we planned

2008-09-30T13:31:00.006+03:00

No comments... ;P

Giving 10 mins of my life

2008-09-11T12:50:00.003+03:00

Yesterday I went to the hospital to give blood for a relative that needs it. It was a very fast decision, the way it should be. Actually, I don't find this experience "thrilling"... and that's probably the good thing!

I was feeling very nervous in the beginning. I had never given blood before, not even had a proper blood test since I was 10!

The doctors gave me a free general blood test and told me that I have a bit low blood pressure but everything is fine with me. Then they put me on the big chair (god, now THAT was a great chair, I want one for my desk :P) The needle for the blood test was nothing compared to the needle of the blood-transfusion!! So I kept focusing at the TV, which was showing the Paralympics (ironic, right?).
All that's left (Wikipedia)
The whole deal took just 10 minutes. The nurse told me I had a "good vein"... Well, thanks very much ;P I did get a bit dizzy for a few minutes afterwards, because of my low blood pressure, but I stayed laying on the comfy chair and then drank some juice and crackers. That was it! :)

My conclusion was: I should do it more often! At least once or twice a year.

I also learned that if you are a volunteer, you can have a card with how many times you have given blood. Then if you or someone you know needs it, you can "give" it from the card. Quite useful, if you ask me - otherwise you have to "fund-raise" blood from other people.

It's a bit disturbing to know how many people need blood and how few people give blood... So if YOU are reading this boring post, then do the boring thing and donate some blood :)

What do you do when your dad adds you as a friend in Facebook?

2008-08-28T22:23:00.003+03:00

The signs were there...

Your father tells you that he has been getting some "strange" invitations for joining a "sth-book" site. You reply "It's called Facebook, Dad"
He tells you again about the invitations again - you mock lightly that he's ages behind and "everyone is there already"
Some months later, he sees you in it and you show him the latest pics. He starts asking questions.
Then one day, he asks you what name to put in his account... quickly, pull the master-switch of the house and run away yelling "FIIIIIIRRRRREEEEE!!!!!!!" (if he has a laptop with a 3G connection, the above method doesn't work - my case)

Now what???
Is there a way to restrict the privacy of just one "friend" in Facebook, e.g. not let them get news from you, or see your photos?
(As you see I'm terrified...!!)

God is a DJ

2008-08-16T16:29:00.001+03:00

If you can't see the video above, click here.

My new office ;)

2008-07-16T21:26:00.004+03:00

no comment ;D

For more pics with my new double hammock, look here.

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

2008-07-11T02:57:00.003+03:00

I think I never written a movie review before... and actually I am not going to write one now either. I don't want to call this a "movie review". A review is what a professional movie critic would write about how nicely produced or ingeniously directed or well performed a movie was, sitting behind his desk, drinking his afternoon coffee in a grey office...

I just want to share my feelings and first thoughts after watching probably the best love story ever:

"The eternal sunshine of the spotless mind"

Where to begin... It's 3:05 in the morning. Writing this, I'm replaying again and again the song at the end of the movie, just to keep the feeling awake.

How two so weird people met and clicked together... how shitty they treated each other in the end of the relationship... both deciding to erase the memories one of the other... and then, as the memories went backwards to happier moments, realizing the big truth about life: No matter how bad memories you have, there are also good ones, and both of them are precious to keep.

But the cherry on top of the cake was that, even though they had erased each other's memories, they still fell in love again. Even though the end can be bad, the trip is still worth it...

Tales of Mere Existense

2008-07-08T20:38:00.003+03:00

Lately I've been more and more interested about good comedy. A friend showed me these animations on YouTube and I just loved them. The guy is called Lev Yilmaz. It is not so elaborate humour, it's just so funny to see real-life situations of the author through his cynical eye. It's remarkable how similar are to our lives!

Here is one of his best stories:

"How we didn't date each other"

If you want to see more of Lev's videos, go to here.

How Mens Underwear Should Be Advertised

2008-06-16T18:59:00.001+03:00

If you can't view the video, click here.

Play, play, play!

2008-05-19T18:42:00.002+03:00

I discovered the whole new world of online flash games! :P

Here's a really cool one for lovers of extreme sports...

Base Jumping

...and here is one for Troy lovers:

Achilles

Halara! @ VerveEarth

2008-05-16T14:42:00.003+03:00

I received a very nice email today :)
Halara! was invited to join other blogs from around the world at VerveEarth.

Here an excerpt from the email I got:

Your blog Halara! caught our attention. I'm the founder of a recently launched startup for bloggers. We are searching the internet for the world's blogs by geography, and we found yours for Greece. I would like to invite you to our site which plots the content of the internet on an interactive map of the world. VerveEarth is an entirely new way to surf the net. It shows spatial and geographic connections that a blog search engine could never reveal.

I guess I should keep on blogging... ;)

Wraia.gr - friends around you

2008-04-20T15:08:00.003+03:00

As you might have noticed I'm a bit inactive lately... this is because I got a job! :)

I'm working almost full time on a new Greek social website www.wraia.gr

Wraia.gr differs from the international websites in the fact that it's local and it has a bunch of cool features:

The site is popular with teenagers and the youth and growing daily! :)

For those interested for more info, please contact me.

CU@wraia.gr!!

Aesop's Erotic Fables: "The Tortoise and The Hare"

2008-04-10T20:27:00.002+03:00

There once was a hare who bragged about how fast he could achieve climax. "I can get there four times before you could even pull your turtle head out of its shell," boasted the hare. Tired of hearing his banter, and longing for the touch of another, the tortoise challenged the hare to a race to the proverbial finish line. The other animals of the forest did not consider this a wise decision. You see, the tortoise was a dried-up aged old man who hadn't been sexually active since a confusing and strangely erotic encounter with a teenage mutant ninja turtle nearly a decade ago. He didn't have much gas left in the tank, one might say. Or, rather, he didn't have many swimmers in the pool. No bullets left in the gun. No broth left in the turtle soup. You get the idea.

The animals of the forest gathered to watch the competition on a cold, wet Tuesday... the kind of day that makes a young robin's nipples poke ever so slightly out from her feathery bosom. As soon as the creatures decided the race would start (and the National Geographic cameras were rolling) the hare jumped out to a lightning pace. The hare was virile- young, strong, and stout of the carrot. It seemed as if he was born to breed, and the hare did not disappoint. In fact, he had produced two dozen offspring before the tortoise had even managed to become erect.

Basking in his initial victory, the hare stopped to rest in the thick brush along the side of the road where he had just impregnated a young bunny with sinewy legs and a cute, cottony backside. The hare looked back to the tortoise and cried out, "How do you expect to bust one when you are fornicating at such a slow, slow pace?"

The hare lit a joint and fell asleep, fantasizing about Lola Bunny and an Easter basket filled with Cadbury Eggs. He drifted off, thinking, "I'm like the fucking Energizer Bunny."

The slow and steady tortoise plodded along, humping methodically to a Styx melody playing softly in his Dolby Turtleshell Surround Sound. He thought about those vixen tortoises in the NES Mario games, shamefully avoiding eye contact with the lady-turtle he had just paid 5 lettuce leaves to screw. He fought back the tears of a wasted youth spent hiding in his shell, the long nights spent alone with a box of turtle food and a copy of "The Notebook."

The tortoise abandoned his partner and made his way over to the resting hare. He approached slowly and carefully nudged his turtley-beak-like-thing over the hare's legs. The hare did not stir. The animals of the forest quickly realized what was happening, and they began to cheer for the old tortoise. Before he even knew what he was doing, the tortoise was atop the sleeping hare, penetrating him with an urgency unparalleled in his sexual career. The hare awoke- stretched, and yawned, but it was too late. The tortoise had already climbed to the top of Mount Everest, so to speak. Or, rather, he achieved the big "O." He launched a man rocket. He delivered the payload to the back door. Got it?

The hare was embarrassed and humiliated. He had been defiled by the old tortoise. The triumphant shouts from the old tortoise could be heard across the forest; "Don't brag about your lightning pace, for slow and steady won the race!"

The hare lived with the shame for three years, but then eventually filed a lawsuit against the tortoise. The poor old turtle was convicted of rape and sentenced to the death penalty.

The moral of the story?

Never challenge a turtle to a sexual competition of any sort. 'Cause it's weird.

By The Gerk
from Arabian Monkey

When I grow up, I wanna be an iPod!!

2008-02-02T13:21:00.000+02:00

Marisa Miller Wearing Only an iPod

Men's rule for women!

2008-02-01T13:19:00.000+02:00

The Man Rules

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down

Finally , the guys' side of the story.
( I must admit, it's pretty good.)

We always hear 'the rules' From the female side.
Now here are the rules from the male side. These are our rules!
Please note... these are all numbered '1' ON PURPOSE!

1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat.
You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down.
We need it up, you need it down.
You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon
or the changing of the tides.
Let it be.

1. Shopping is NOT a sport.
And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want.
Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work!
Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work!
Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do.
Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a Problem.

See a doctor.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.
In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.

1. If you won't dress like the Victoria 's Secret girls, don't Expect us to act like soap opera guys.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are.
Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of them makes you sad or angry, then we meant the other one

1. You can either ask us to do something
Or tell us how you want it done.
Not both.
If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.
Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. IF IT ITCHES, IT will be scratched.
We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say 'nothing,' We will act like nothing's wrong.
We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle, besides we know you will bring it up again later.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really .

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as a) sports, b) cars, c) sex.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Thank you for reading this.
Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;

But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping !!

TOP 10 hangover cures

2008-01-20T11:15:00.000+02:00

I bet you all have had crazy nights with tough mornings after...
Here are the TOP 10 hangover cures, according to Forbes:

Water (Lots Of It)
Sports Drinks
Pain Relievers
Vitamins B6 and B12
Berocca
Prickly Pear
Tripe Soup
Haejangguk
Rosiglitazone
Breakfast of Champions

Read the full article here for more info.

Well I couldn't help adding the Greek recommendation for a bad hangover: Patsas soup (similar to #7). It's served hot and spicy, with garlic and vinegar, in the early hours of the morning. Guaranteed results!

What's your local hangover recipe?? I want to hear! :)

Greek broadband war - TV spots

2008-01-13T20:04:00.000+02:00

Background: Broadband services were introduced lately to the Greek market and the National Telecom (OTE) together with the other private companies (e.g. HOL) are fighting to win the war of impressions through TV ads.

Here are two of the funniest ones that also come with embedded subtitles in English - enjoy :)

The attack from HOL (regarding the high fixed fee and slow internet speed of OTE):

The reply from OTE (claiming they're blaming them for all the problems):

Some more spots on the same humour:

Bed-time stories by Acrobat

2007-12-11T12:08:00.000+02:00

Don't you miss someone telling you a story or reading you a book for falling asleep? Reading a book in bed is cool, but having the book read to you is even better! ;)

Well if I attracted your attention, I have some good news for you:
Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 can Read Out Loud your PDF e-books!

I used it yesterday while reading George Orwell's "1984" and it was such a pleasure!! The reading quality obviously was not the best, but the female voice was quite a nice added-value to the moment!

Viva for better text-to-speech services!!

P.S. I'm using Windows Vista. I'm not sure if the feature is embedded in Acrobat or makes use of Windows reading service, neither if it works in XP or other platforms.

Safe sex = happier life

2007-12-03T18:16:00.000+02:00

As you might know, 1 December 2007 was the World AIDS day. (so this post comes somewhat delayed, honouring the Greek spirit!)

So as a tribute, I give you this little videoclip I had seen some time ago and I found really cool :) ...and don't forget to wear your "hats"!

The World has new Wonders!

2007-11-25T14:02:00.000+02:00

For the past year there was an online voting on the new 7 World Wonders. The nominees were many, including some Greek monuments, but the winners could only be 7. In total 100.000 people voted from all over the world and the results were released on 07.07.07 in a spectacular ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal.

Here are the winners!

The 7 World Wonders of the Ancient World were the Great Pyramid of Giza, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Temple of Artemis, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Mausoleum of Maussollos, Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

A fortnight in Novi Sad, part 2

2007-11-06T20:04:00.000+02:00

After a week in Novi Sad, I can say with confidence: Novi Sad rocks!! It is a really nice city, calm and beautiful.

- What to see:
The city centre is closed for cars, full of neat pedestrian ways, cafeterias and shops. when the sun is out, everybody is out! The central square is surrounded by the Catholic Cathedral and the Town Hall, with a huge iron statue in the middle, all beautifully lit at night. In this period there was this famous exhibition of painted cows, really giving a unique touch to the city.
If you walk a bit further, you can find the Jewish synagogue, which looks more like a library. Close to it there is kind of a Chinese gate, which really catches your attention! I later found out that people tend to marry below it, making a ceremony after having a civil marriage nearby.
On the other side you can find Dunavski park, really beautiful with a couple of swans that the legend says they are gay!

A MUST see in Novi Sad is the Petrovaradin Fortress! It's on the outskirts of the city, on the opposite side of Dunab river. The building is very well preserved, hosting a hotel, restaurant, cafeteria, artists gallery and other. The view of the city from it is wonderful. The clock there is especially peculiar. If you notice the time, you'll see that the clock arms have been switched! The story goes that when the Germans invaded Novi Sad and had planned some operation, the Serbs switched the clock arms thus confusing the Germans who never managed to coordinate the attack. Smart Serbs! However the fortress is more well-known as the host place of Exit festival which takes place every summer.

- What to eat:
In the corner of the square you can find Foody!, a local fast food place but with cooked food.
Almost opposite to the Orthodox Church and next to the amazing-looking gymnasium, you can also find a small Italian style pizzeria that also makes home deliveries, while a few metres down the street there is the best bakery ever, open almost 24 hours/day!
If you combine that with the open market that is in the next street every day and is ridiculously cheap, you understand that food is NOT a problem in Serbia! Just beware of the chilli peppers!
If you really want to try some traditional food though you have to go to Zlatiborsko prozorce, at Stadion Vojvodine opposite to SPENS.

Food you should definitely try is kaimak, which is like butter. It goes great inside a potato in the oven!
If you're hungry at night then you can grab a burger, called pljeskavica. But get ready to be REALLY hungry, because these things are huge!

- Where to go out:
For clubbing I have only one but very good suggestion: Baltazar! All the best people meet there and the party is hot as hell. It is located under Hotel Park, probably the best hotel in town, if you ask me!
Another great place to go out is Laze Teleckog str. in the centre. There are more than a few bars there, most of them Irish style, with different music and many times with live bands playing!

P.S. A visit in Serbia cannot be left without noticing the millions of Yugo cars around the city! I actually found my dream car too...

A fortnight in Novi Sad, part 1

2007-10-14T21:55:00.000+03:00

On Friday morning I got the train from Athens, changed in Thessaloniki and Belgrade and on Saturday I was in Novi Sad, Serbia! The trip by train is kinda long but you can sleep or chat with other travellers all the way through it.
I was unlucky not to get a seat in the train from Athens to Thessaloniki, which meant that i had to be standing for about 5 hours. However I was in the back of the train which has an awesome view of the rail tracks and lots of people coming for a sigarette or just a walk to stretch their legs.
After a nice coffee in Harry's Spot in Thessaloniki, a really student-friendly cafeteria, I took that train to Belgrade where i found some friends from BEST going to Skopje for the weekend. From the borders of Serbia till Belgrade I slept all the way through in my cabin. No need to mention that the borders were a piece of cake: being Greek and a student they don't really bother you with the check.
In Belgrade I had a short coffee with a couple of medicine girls from Germany and took the train to Novi Sad. The funny thing in Belgrade was that there was no noticeable arrival-departure board in the train station, so I decided to do the Balkan thing to find my train: follow the crowd and ask. That also settled the last part of my trip, since I was chatting all the way with a Serbian mathematics girl, who despite her "geeky" appearance she had a nice sense of humour.

I have to say that even though I haven't seen much yet, Novi Sad looks great!
I did have the chance to enjoy a Saturday night out, the Serbian way! The Bar Baltazar is under Hotel Park. The party started from about 1:00 and ended at 5:00, leaving us totally wasted, in many ways! The bar was red, the music was pop-dance-house style, the drinks were cheap, the girls were tall and beautiful and the people were all dancing wild! The useless detail of the night: the owners, two huge Serbian guys, were wearing red boots and silver shoes... Kinky!!

Jeff Dunham - Achmed the Dead Terrorist

2007-10-13T18:27:00.000+03:00

UPDATED: The BEST Jobs in the World

2007-10-08T13:35:00.000+03:00

After a recent discovery, we have a new ranking of the BEST jobs in the world a man could do... and it even reaches #1 !!

So here is the updated TOP 3 list of jobs:
3. Bikini models reflector holder
2. Lap-dance laws enforcing officer
1. Official women's "un-virginizer" !!

The story behind #1:
Apparently, in Guam there are men who their sole job is to travel the country and deflower virgins, for which service they get paid!
The reason is that according to Guam laws, virgin women are not allowed to marry.

Can you find a better job in the world than this??

I'm preparing my CV for Guam right away!! :)

An exit to eternal summer slacking...

2007-09-29T21:23:00.000+03:00

...every man's dream!! Leaving all the stupid obligations of our world behind and hitting the road to a warmer, happier place! :)

This phrase comes from the song "The way" by Fastball. I'm not going to say anything more, the lyrics are enough. You can hear the song from here, or buy it if you like it!

Fastball - The Way
-----------------------------------------------------------------

They made up their minds and they started packing
They left before the sun came up that day
An exit to eternal summer slacking
But where were they going without ever knowing the way?

They drank up the wine and they got to talking
They now had more important things to say
And when the car broke down they started walking
Where were they going without ever knowing the way?

Chorus:

Anyone could see the road that they walk on is paved in gold
And its always summer, they'll never get cold
They'll never get hungry
They'll never get old and gray

You can see their shadows wandering off somewhere
They wont make it home, but they really don't care
They wanted the highway
They're happy there today , today

The children woke up and they couldn't find them
They left before the sun came up that day
They just drove off and left it all behind them
But where were they going without ever knowing the way?

Chorus

-----------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. Who knows... maybe one day I'll do it too...

The first day of the rest of your life

2007-08-15T18:19:00.000+03:00

Halara has been out for a while, mostly due to summer holidays. I hope you all enjoyed the holidays. Now we're getting back, a fresh new year with a lot of motivation!

Here's some motivation for you too: 2 desktop posters I made to keep me going in the tough period of exams. Keep the spirits up!

Couchsurfing: you can do it too!

2007-05-29T02:00:00.000+03:00

There are many reasons why I love Europe. One of them is that it has a "connecting people" culture (remember the Nokia slogan?).

Recently I found this hospitality community which seems quite popular in Europe and around the world, called CouchSurfing. In the beginning it's the usual stuff: you subscribe, make a profile, put a load of info about yourself inside, play a bit around with the features. The surprising thing is that it actually works!

The aim of CouchSurfing is hospitality and traveling. You offer your couch for travelers who pass by your town to crush for a night or two. The same way, if you are on the road, you can find a free place to put your body at night. The extra benefit is that you meet interesting people in both cases and that you get to know a bit the local life or you get some stories from the far land of the stranger-in-your-couch.

I actually just had my first CouchSurfing guest, a guy called Seth (veeery Star Wars name, ain't it?) from Georgia, USA. He's also a student engineering and around my age, so we had a lot to talk about. Seth stayed for 2 nights in my house and then continued his trip around Greece. He did a bit of sightseeing around town, I took him a bit out at night, went for the typical frappe coffee. The overall experience was extremely positive! :)

All in all, I strongly recommend you to try CouchSurfing! It's very safe and it's a nice way to escape a bit from the daily routine.

Similar communities: Hospitality Club

The art of coffee

2007-05-05T15:00:00.001+03:00

Coffee is most probably the national drink of Greece. Greeks tend to spend hours sitting and chatting in well-decorated cafeterias with beautiful waitresses, under the sun or with the sounds of trendy music.

Many things have been said about what is a good coffee and what is not. Nowadays there is a huge variety of coffees from which you can choose from and I think Greece holds the 1st place in this field.

Hot coffees:

Nes (instant)
Cappuccino
Espresso
Greek coffee, aka turkish
French (filter)
Caffee Latte
Moccaccino (Latte with chocolate/cocoa)

Cold coffees:

Frappé (instant)
Freddo (Cappuccino on a tall glass with ice)
Freddoccino

Relaxing on May Day...

2007-05-01T21:11:00.000+03:00

1st of May

The day of workers rights, a day to hate your boss openly and of course the day of "working less, living more"!

So for all of you that you took this opportunity:

to just sleep more than possible,
to have breakfast (or more probably brunch) in bed,
to watch all your favorite TV shows plus some that you just discovered,
to catch up with the movies you wanted to see lately,
to listen to your favorite latest music hits,
to make love more than 4 times with your partner,
to write to your blog,
to have a drive,
to take a long walk,
to have an even longer coffee,
to finish the book you've been trying to read for months now...

...for all of you halara lovers, I dedicate this day to you! Cheers!! :)

Affordable Europe

2007-04-29T18:56:00.000+03:00

Luxury vacations are cool: 5 star hotel, full meals, having a cocktail near the pool, an evening spa maybe... But not everyone can pay for all this!

Students that want to travel cheap, but also all alternative travellers, now there are guides to major European cities made for us: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Copenhagen, Florence, Istanbul, London, Moscow, Paris, Prague, Rome, St. Petersburg, Vienna!

And since a cheap trip is only possible with a cheap flight, here are a few sites and tips to find good offers:

Europe flight map: Sky scanner
Flight search engines: airtickets.gr (Greece), Terminal A (Spain)
Some cheap airlines don't allow (the above) search engines to look into their flights, so you have to search on their website: EasyJet, Ryanair, Virgin Express (Brussels airlines)...

Travel around Europe and spend very few money while maximising the experience!

Earth album

2007-04-20T17:23:00.000+03:00

I give you this question:

How can you travel all over the world while never leaving the coziness of your home's couch (cheaply)??

Well, it's called earth album!

A fairly simple system for the user (although I cannot imagine how tough it may have been to make it), it allows you to browse the world for photographs and videos!
Click a place anywhere in the Google world map and photos (Flixter) or videos (YouTube) from that country appear. Add a keyword, like a city name or an event and the results become relevant to what you're looking for!

Just try it! It's an addiction...

Greek Easter: spike the lamb!

2007-04-14T13:38:00.000+03:00

Until now I have been posting about my trips abroad. This time I will do something different: I will tell you about how exotic it is to spend Easter in Greece!

The Orthodox Easter is probably the most celebrated religious festivity in Greece. This year me and my family went to Eretria, a city in Evia, an hour north from Athens by car.

For 40 days until Easter Sunday, there is a "fast": the people are not supposed to eat meat and anything that comes from animals (milk products, eggs, fish...). In the final days they are even withdrawn from oil. It can be a long process that tests your patience and self-control, since you have to deny your normal eating habits. Most people nowadays do it only the last week and not on all products, though.

All in all, this is a good process to follow, even just for the last days. It brings you closer to the spirit of Easter, the passions of Christ and makes you longer for the Resurrection. The most important days on Easter Week are usually Thursday and Friday. Thursday is the Crucifixion and on Friday is the Sepulchral, both with very dramatic Masses.
The Resurrection usually takes place at midnight (although this year we did it in a small church at 22:00!!). When you finally arrive to that moment, you really enjoy it: having the candles lit, fireworks being thrown, the family around, eating red-painted eggs and "mageiritsa" (meat and herb soup) afterwards... you really feel the resurrection in your stomach!

Easter Sunday is a family holiday! You know, you´ve seen it on italian and greek movies: family gathers, kids play, adults discuss, etc. Good weather is useful to have on such a day, because you might want to spend it in the open air.
The best thing is the lamb, though. We bought an 8 kilo lamp, prepared it, put it on a spit and then roasted it on carbon for 4 hours. It was simply heaven!!

So if you get the chance to have Easter in Greece, take it and get ready to spike the lamb!!

An extended weekend in London!

2007-03-27T13:46:00.000+03:00

I've been in many European cities but London is something different. I only have 3 words to describe it: London is great!

In my opinion, there are 2 driving forces that shape the character of London: business/money and multiculturalism.
On the one hand you have huge skyscrapers, like the 30 St Mary Axe, and office buildings of big corporations with a lot of people in suits walking around in haste or driving in their fancy sports cars. This is actually something I have never felt in any other city... you stop on the sidewalk or even walk slowly and you feel that you are a nuisance, you feel that people automatically recognise you as a tourist, a stranger, someone that does not really belong there - everyone around you is almost running! A busy bee-hive!
On the other hand you have a lot of different cultures from around the world working in "lower" jobs or opening their own kind of stores and restaurants. Before I went to London I imagined going down the street and seeing it full of British people, hearing the distinctive british accent everywhere...but no! You go around London and you see so many different nationalities speaking different languages! The great sink of cultures!

You might wonder why am I not mentioning the weather?? Well that's because on my first days there, the weather had been extremely good, sunny and everything. However my lucky day was 1 day before I was to leave. Weather starts fine, sunny with a few clouds and a bit of wind, nothing to indicate we would not enjoy a walk around the city. Afternoon passes and the clouds start to gather rapidly. The wind picks up, a cold, frosty wind. After a couple of hours it starts to rain, slowly in the beginning a bit harder soon. But the frosty wind wouldn't let things easy! The show-rain didn't take long to arrive too. I can tell you I've never seen so many seasons changing in one day!

If you wanna go around in London, forget about cars and taxis. The best way is walking and using the public transport. You can buy a pre-paid Oyster card. It's more or less like a debit card. You put some money in it, you pass it from the gates in the metro, you're through! Easy! It's cheaper that buying a single ticket each time, plus you can give it back when you are leaving and get refunded of the money you didn't use. Don't you love the British?
I used the Metro more ofter, or Underground or Tube as the British like to call it. The trains pass almost every minute, which really makes you wonder how they can plan the schedules so tight without crushing... However the London Underground is not as reliable you might think at first. There are often some delays, either of arrivals or even when you are on the train in-between stations.
Not to mention the best part: measures against terrorist attacks! I was on my way to get the Metro in order to reach the bus to Luton airport on my departure day. So I arrive in the Liverpool metro station 10' late, like a typical greek, and I hear some sirenes going on... I walk closer to the entrance and I see it closed with a lot of people waiting outside...I was totally stressed and confused. I thought there was an accident inside, a fire or something. So a policeman comes and tells us that there is a "suspicious pachage" in one of the wagons and they are currently checking it. Oh my God! Now, that can never happen in Greece. You leave a bag or anything in the Metro? Next minute someone else "discovers" it and it's gone forever. No time for the police to notice it, arrive, etc. No one will see your bag again! :P

One of the bad things in London (and England I guess) is the prices. First of all, the British still have the pound £as currency... 1 pound = 1,5 euro. Secondly, all the prices in pounds are the same as they would be in euro in another country. This automatically means that everything is more or less 1,5 times more expensive. For example, a main course at a restaurant is 7-8 pounds = 10-12 euro, a draft beer in a pub is around 3 pounds = 4,5 euro. If you are not careful, you can easily spend 100 euro in a couple of days!
There are some things cheaper than elsewhere though. I saw a full formal outfit (suit, shirt, tie) for around 80 euro and some nice-looking leather shoes for around 40 euros. And finally coffee: 2,5 pounds for a big special cup of cappuccino in a cafeteria. Almost like Greece even a big cheaper and very good quality! :)
There are some markets, like the one close to Liverpool Street, that you can find various stuff in various prices, including cheap fast food of various origins: Indonesian, Mexican, Arab, etc.

Finally, a visit to a place is never complete without experiencing the nightlife! Britain has pubs. Repeat with me: pubs! There are almost always open in the day but close at midnight, which is a shit for a mediterranean, since we're used to go out late at night. In the pubs there are many people going early, after work or early in the evening, they drink pints of beer, chat, watch rugby, sing, get drunk, dance (almost)... the regular stuff.
On the 17th March was St. Patrick's Day, a very special celebration for the Irish (don't know why!). We went to an Irish pub downtown at about 7 and finished already tired at 10, heading directly home. Due to the weather, the work and the schedule of the pubs, the daily schedule of the people is quite different than the south. Wake up early, sleep early!
Another great thing in London is the live stages. There are lots of bars that have live bands playing, maybe not famous ones but with good music nonetheless. We happened to go to Vibe Bar which turned out to be a very good choice afterall. Entrance 3 pounds, Bacardi lemon for 3 pounds, with a live band playing in one stage and an extra stage with dancing music. The only bad thing was that it was bloody hot in there. The BBQ in the courtyard gives the final touch. Did I mention it had cool people too? ;)

Must see in London:

Trafalgar Square
Piccadilly Circus
Buckingham Palace (on the change of guard)
St Paul's Cathedral
Tower of London and the Tower Bridge
St. Katherine Docks
High Court
British Museum
Natural History Museum
Hyde park (or any other)
Madame Tussauds wax museum
...and the list never ends!

So when are you planning your next trip to London?
As for me, I think next time I'll prefer going for a job there and not as a tourist!

GTD: Work smart!

2007-03-07T14:19:00.000+02:00

GTD stands for Getting Things Done. It is a popular book by David Allen about time-management and working effectively.

I first heard of this concept from a friend's blog. It is based on the observation that we usually waste too much time planning things than actually doing them!

The implementation is very simple and can be done in many ways - you can view it in this flowchart. This is how I implement it: I use a calendar and 5 notes on my PC desktop, each for a specific purpose of grouping tasks:

the "Bucket"
the "Next actions"
the "Projects"
the "Waiting-for" group
the "Later/when i can" group

Then I work like this:

New idea or you remembered something to do? --> In the Bucket right away!
Every day, preferably before finishing work or going to bed, clean the Bucket*.
Every day, starting from the morning, do what is your Next actions and check your calendar for scheduled things.

*How to clean the Bucket
For each item, ask: Can you do something about it now?

If not now but maybe later, put it in the Later group.
If not at all, through it away.
If yes, move it to another group.

If it's a single small task, deal with it now.
If it's a single task but not short, then it depends. If you have to do it ASAP, put it in the Next actions. If it's for a specific time in the future, schedule it in the calendar (and put a notification). If it's for someone else, ask him to do it and put it in the Waiting-for.
For big projects, that include many tasks and take time, use the Projects group to keep track of them and their tasks. Check for needed actions for each project and follow the same process as above for each action.

Believe me, after a week or two you'll see your life becoming much easier! You won't be frustrated about forgetting to do things or new ideas. You will start being more on time. You'll see yourself doing more stuff you want to do each day. If you really follow it, then you'll manage to waste less time on useless un-important things.
My advice: use it not only for your work, but customise it for all your life (e.g. songs that I want to find, movies to watch, dates, birthdays, etc)

Related links:
Black Belt productivity
Lifehacker

Reject them back!

2007-02-22T14:56:00.000+02:00

Dear sir/madam,

Thank you for your letter rejecting my application for employment with your firm.

I have received rejections from an unusually large number of well qualified organizations. With such a varied and promising spectrum of rejections from which to select, it is impossible for me to consider them all. After careful deliberation, then, and because a number of firms have found me more unsuitable, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your rejection.

Despite your company’s outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet with my requirements at this time. As a result, I will be starting employment with your firm on the first of the month.

Circumstances change and one can never know when new demands for rejection arise. Accordingly, I will keep your letter on file in case my requirements for rejection change.

Please do not regard this letter as a criticism of your qualifications in attempting to refuse me employment. I wish you the best of luck in rejecting future candidates.

Sincerely,

Harilaos Vasiliadis

--
found at John Kador's website

Put some fun in your life!

2007-02-21T16:59:00.000+02:00

Are you still stressing over trivial things?
When are you going to start enjoying your life more?

Check out The Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun.

You might find them silly initially, like the spam emails being forwarded around the world each day... but you know that, in principle, they are right!

It is time to live your life more fun, more halara!

"Don't take life too seriously.
You will not get out of it alive."

Elbert Hubbard, publisher

HALARA goes on STRIKE !!

2007-02-15T12:40:00.000+02:00

After such a long time of oppression and unfair treatment, "Halara!" has unanimously decided to go on strike!

We demand:

The greek government to recognise us as an official promoter of the Greek spirit.
Every internet user to subscribe to our newsletter or RSS.
The direction of blogger to pay us a 2% of all profits.
World peace.

In parallel with the strike, there will be a public protest in many big cities of Greece (Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Kozani, Rethymno) and the world (Venice, Rio de Janeiro,...). We will be dressed wih fancy clothers to make an impression, shouting our demands and singing revolutionary songs - you can't miss us! Everyone is welcome to join our cause!!

We will not give in unless all our demands are satisfied.
HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!!

(The truth is I'm just going to Athens for a few days for the carnival... Enjoy!)

Garfield forever!

2007-02-10T00:19:00.000+02:00

A nice way to pass my name's day! :)

What sign shouldn't you date?

2007-01-31T19:51:00.000+02:00

Never Date a Cancer!

Clingy, emotional, and very private - it's hard to escape a Cancer's clutches. And while Cancer will want to know everything about you, they're anything but open in return.

Instead try dating: Leo, Sagittarius, Gemini, or Aquarius (...now you tell me!!)

Well, that was the advice that I got... How about you??
What sign shouldn't YOU date?

Slow down week!!

2007-01-19T14:29:00.000+02:00

Well it seems the halara lovers around the world have a week dedicated to their art!

Don't YOU think it's time to slow down a little and enjoy your life more?

The perfect couple & Santa Claus

2007-01-16T20:19:00.000+02:00

A short christmas story to make you laugh! Enjoy!! :)

http://www.flashfunpages.com/couple.swf

Christmas in Malta!

2007-01-08T12:24:00.000+02:00

Choosing your Christmas trip destination is not an easy thing. Enjoying the Christmas spirit in another country might not turn out right. Malta, however, is a cool destination to visit at all seasons!

Basic info about the Republic of Malta:
Consists of the islands of Malta, Gozo and Camino
Currency: Maltese lira (= €2,3) - adopting euro in 2008
Languages: a mixture of Maltese (similar to arabic but with latin characters) and English
Weather: usually wonderful, warm but humid.
Typical dish: rabbit

Valletta: the capital
A very picturesque city where many movie scenes were taken.

- St. John's Co-Cathedral
Simply wonderful! Great architecture and decoration. The building was divided in 8 chapels for the 8 houses of the knights in the old times. This way all the different nationalities of the knights could co-exist together under the same church. The floor is covered with the tombs of knights. Don't miss the amazing painting by Caravaggio!

- Public Garden
Simply beautiful, but the best thing is the view from its side: you can see all the Grand Harbour with the 3 cities on the opposite side.

- Palace
Originally the house of the Grand-Master, currently housing the Maltese Parliament. You will see the emblems of each house of knights, as well as their typical armors. The 3 coloured rooms are wonderful, yellow, green and especially the red room.

- Malta Experience
Nothing more and nothing less than a small underground cinema where you can use a short documentary about Malta: history, culture and sights in a very pretty presentation translated in your language. It's worth watching it, just make sure you've had a good night's sleep otherwise you're likely to miss most of Malta's conquerors!

- Buses
Maybe the first thing you'll notice when you arrive in Malta. Doesn't it feel like Cuba suddenly?
All the buses gather in the City Gate of Valletta around the Triton fountain and they go all around the island - pretty comfortable!

- Coffee at the Biblioteca
If you're feeling kind of tired from the walk, then a coffee in the square outside the Biblioteca is just perfect! The pigeons can be a bit annoying, but with the sun shining down and the wonderful traditional maltese sweets... who cares!

Around the 3 cities: which cities?
A nice tour is to go around "The Three Cities" on the other side of the harbour from Valletta: Vittoriosa, Cospicua and Senglea.
In fact the cities in Malta are not really separated or large. In the old times, they used to be separate cities but through the ages they grew and eventually they came touching one the other. It is funny that you might go a few kilometres and then see a sign: Welcome to ... and you're in the next city!

St.Julian's: the party is here
It's THE place to go when going out. At nights, especially Fridays and Saturdays, it's full of teens looking for a party. There is a big variety of different bars and clubs, all close together - just choose the one you like. Be careful though, the entrance to some clubs is 7 liras (= more than 15 euros!) and you might not like what you find inside. So before going into a club, make sure it's the one for you.

- PLUSH
Maybe the best bar in St.Julian's for people in their 20s! Warm atmosphere and nice music with a more lively underground floor. Did you notice the black chandeliers?

- HILTON
You might find it expensive to stay there, but for sure you can go for a drink in its spectacular round bar or take a dive in the super swimming pool and have a taste of wealthiness!

- Dragonara Casino
If you want to try your luck, this next-to-the-sea casino is the best spot. Be careful not to spend too much though!

Sliema: shopping
Lots of stores close together where you can find anything you like! The Plaza shopping center is definately a place to enter.

Mdina: medieval city
Enter the gates and you are tranferred into the medieval ages! Take a slow walk around it's narrow stone streets. Don't miss the cathedral in the middle of the city and the view from its walls. No wonder it was such a good fortress!

Mosta: the dome
The church of St Mary, Mosta Rotunda as it is called, is supposed to be the 3rd largest unsupported church dome in Europe after St Peter's in Rome and St Sophia in Istanbul.

Gozo & Camino: the sister islands
The two other islands of the Republic of Malta, totally green and full of wonderful nature, a "must" place to go. Visit the Citadel, the Cave of Calypso (Odyssey), the ancient Temple ruins of Ggantija but don't forget to relax taking walks in the nature , going diving or swimming in the Blue Lagoon of Comino.

Malta is a wonderful place to visit. A few days there for stress-free vacations are just the thing for you: HALARA!

Resumes from Hell!

2006-12-14T23:30:00.000+02:00

Have you applied for a job or currently writing your CV?
Then you know how tough it can be to put the right things in that piece of paper!!

Here are some real abstracts from CVs that can easily lose you the job... Enjoy! :)

Animator VS animation

2006-11-27T17:38:00.000+02:00

No words needed - just two cool animations that you must see! :)

Part I | Part II

Mentos + Diet Coke = BOOM !!

2006-11-08T01:09:00.000+02:00

Have you tried putting a packet of Mentos into a 2-litres Diet Coke??
Well here's what happens and how people around the world are being creative with this reaction!!

Scientifically, it seems that the gums and proteins of the Mentos lower the surface tension of the Coke, thus letting the carbon dioxide expand rapidly and make this amazing explosion!

P.S. Do NOT try this experiment inside your stomach!! :P

Garfield forever!

2006-11-06T20:14:00.000+02:00

What's the latest trend?

2006-11-06T01:45:00.000+02:00

The world is moving and developing rapidly nowadays. You need to be up on your feet if you want to keep on track with all the new trends.

Well here's a website dedicated in "sniffing-out" and reporting the latest corporate trends from around the world, mostly concerning marketing and innovation.

If you are a young enterpreneur, then you should definately keep an eye on TrendWatching.com.

Need a hug?? :)

2006-10-19T19:17:00.000+03:00

It all started when a guy called Juan Mann (pronounced "one man") was standing with a poster that had written "FREE HUGS" on it in Pitt Street Mall, Sydney. It took some time for the first person to take the initiative, but afterwards it just happened on and on.

Now the Free Hugs Campaign is spreading as fast as light all around the world. People, mostly younger ones, from different continents are going out on the streets with a "free hugs" banner and are gladly offering a warm hug to anyone who wants one!

It seems that a bit more love and compassion is what the world mainly needs...

The future of airport security...?

2006-10-15T19:53:00.000+03:00

Airline tickets may soon be RFID-enabled and contain a snapshot of you that was taken at check-in. So everyone working in the airport, from the security guards to the gate attendant, will be able to identify you instantly.

Nicole Tricoukes of Symbol Technologies describes the process:
"At the kiosk you get a boarding pass and you get your photo taken. As you approach the boarding gate, you can be verified by your pass and your face, and enter the gate. This is great for security, and for the passenger."

Pioneer ideas (from a Greek!) at NextFest in New York.

Article from BBC News.

Proud to be Greek!

2006-10-15T13:42:00.000+03:00

Why we can be proud for being Greek...

Because we are European Champions in Soccer
Because we were European Champions in Basketball
Because Paparizou (singer) made us Eurovision Champions
Because we buy whole watermelons and not in slices
Because we buy whole lambs and not in pieces
Because when we buy feta we buy at least a kilo and not 150gr.
Because nights in Greece finish in the morning
Because flirting is our national hobby
Because we are world champions in sex
Because we always moan about the public sector and everyone seeks to get a job in it
Because we go out almost every night even if we are penniless
Because we know how to spend better than we know how to save
Because we never visit others empty-handed
Because there is no way to explain to foreigners what "kapsoura" is... (a burning desire for someone)
Because we do not share the cost of petrol with those we give a ride
Because for the sake of a woman we would wage war for 10 years (Trojan war)
Because we are everywhere around the planet
Because we love and hate with passion
Because the word "filotimo" (a synonym of honor, helping someone because it is the right thing to do) doesn't exist in any other language
Because whenever the foreigners cannot find a word, they bloody steal one of ours
Because we spend our high and low times with our friends and family, not with therapists and counsellors
Because Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were Hellenic and the whole world still quotes them
Because we invented theatre
Because we gave birth to Democracy
Because we discovered logic
Because we jump started science
Because we are proud of our culture, not of our wars
Because Jesus Christ's best friends were Greeks
Because when others were discovering meat, we already had
cholesterol! !
Because when we were building the Parthenon, the others were still sleeping under trees
Because when others created wars, we created Games to stop wars
Because we have a distinction between Eros (falling in love) & Agape (innocent love), while we feel both passionately
Because we don't use ketchup or mayonnaise with our food . It tastes damn good anyway!
Because we tossed our ancient alphabet to the Romans and our medieval alphabet to the Slavs
Because we get angry quickly but forget all about it even quicker
Because we are not ashamed to cry
Because we dance when we are sad and party when w e are happy
Because we work to live and we do not live to work
Because 97% of the stars' names are Hellenic
Because we always talk about getting in a diet after we had our meal
Because although we know danger well, we dare
Because when you shout "brother" in the streets, everyone turns around
Because "Greeks do not fight like heroes, heroes fight like Greeks" (Winston Churchill, 1941)
Because we speak loudly and laugh even louder!!!

Madrid and its angels

2006-10-11T13:02:00.000+03:00

Madrid is a rare mixture of people, from elegant businessmen to total freaks. It's kind of like the New York of Europe, I dare say!

Things to see and do in Madrid

Tour of the city:

You can take a tour of the city with the tourist bus that goes around.
If you want to try a new alternative way, try a tour on Segways.

Buildings and Museums:

Prado Museum & Reina Sofia Museum, with a wonderful collection of paintings, including Picasso (Guernica), El Greco, Rembrand, and other famous artists.
The Egyptian temple of Debod!
The Royal Palace, the Opera, the Cathedral and its crypt, all located next to each other.

Parks:

El Retiro park, for a walk in the afternoon - don't miss the Crystal Palace. If you are with your couple take a romantic rowing boat trip into the small lake.
Botanic Garden, an amazing park-museum with plants and flowers from all over the world, scientifically named, orderly categorised and beautifully distributed.
Casa de Campo, a huge area-park in the outskirts of the city with various things to do.

Shopping:

Gran Via, THE place to go for clothes, going through Zara, Springfield, Berska, Lefties and other shops.
EnJabonArte, a very small colourful and full of smells shop in Gran Via selling natural soaps, that look more like cheeses to me! - Half a kilo please!!
Rastro bazaar in La Latina area during Sunday mornings - you can find anything you can imagine! Be careful of your wallet and bag though...

Restaurants:

The best Chinese food around is actually underground... Look for the Chinese restaurant under Plaza de Espana, with very good and cheap Chinese food, which many Chinese people trust.
La Gracia de Montera (near Metro Sevilla), as a non-expensive choice for nice food. It's usually full but service is fast.
Madrilia,for a more expensive and classy dinner. Don't miss trying the carpaccio.

Going out:

Museo del Jamon, in various locations around the city, a cool and cheap place to taste some Spanish "jamon" and have a few beers at any time.
El Tigre in Chueca, known as the gay area of Madrid, is a famous for generously providing you with very good tapas when you order beers or cider.
El Imperfecto, a very small but cosy bar that makes incredible mojitos and other unique drinks, alcoholic or not.
If you are feeling your throat a bit soar, a large Caipirina full of slices of natural lemon is the best medicine! You'll find it in a small, traditional looking bar in Huertas area.
Palacio de Gaviria, probably the best club you can go in Madrid, is using an old building that looks like a small palace still preserving its original decoration, having several rooms with different music and changing themes every night.
Chocolateria de San Ginés, the best place to go to have "churros" with a hot chocolate drink, especially in the morning after a long night partying out.

Links about Madrid:

A day in Toledo

2006-10-04T17:49:00.000+03:00

A strong and rich city inside the clouds, Toledo is one of the most pretty towns in Europe. No wonder why El Greco chose to live and create there, as shown in his relevant painting.

A day around the narrow streets with some clouds running through the sky is a wonderful experience. A tourist can visit the breathtaking cathedral, the jewish synagoges and muslim mosques, characteristic of the cultural mix in the old times. Be careful of the knights!

In the restaurant opposite to the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, a wonderful example of peaceful and medieval architecture, you can try the delicious traditional plate "carcamusa".

And of course do not miss visiting the House-Museum of El Greco, containing his paintings of Christ and the 12 Apostols, and seeing his famous painting "El entierro del Conde de Orgaz" in the Church of Santo Tomé.

Garfield forever!

2006-09-29T14:04:00.000+03:00

Structured chaos

2006-09-28T21:50:00.000+03:00

You might wonder how Google can produce so many and extrordinary results... After only some years of life, it´s one of the most profitable and fast-growing corporations in the world.

It´s no secret that the engineers at Google are like in a playground - they are allowed almost anything. From decorating their office as they want, to cafeterias and courtyards they are some of the most spoiled employees in the world. Even million-dollar mistakes are being treated with a pat-in-the-back.

All this small chaos is meant to increase creativity and growth and until now has lead to extrordinary results. And they believe it´s all part of the plan...

The "structured chaos" culture in Google is mostly coordinated by Shona Brown, the author of the book "Competing on the Edge: Strategy as Structured Chaos".

The latest Google products, although extrordinary, haven´t faced the success of their core business, the ad-enhanced super search engine. Is this risky playful culture going to provide them with another "bang" in the market soon or is it all going to fall apart?

Read more about it in the latest article at Fortune magazine.

Mpalos, a corner of paradise

2006-09-24T14:25:00.000+03:00

The beach of Mpalos is in the north-west corner of the Greek island of Crete. It is unique for it's picturesque island and its crystal blue waters and white-pink sand.

Due to its remote location, the beach is quite well preserved almost like no man has laid foot there.

There are two ways to arrive to Mpalos:

You can go by car up to the hill right behind the beach, park there and then walk down the path to the beach for about 30'.
You can arrive to the port of Kasteli (in Kissamos), by car or by bus, and then catch the boats to Mpalos beach and Gramvousa island. However, the boat ticket is expensive: 20 euros!

Be Provocative!

2006-09-23T22:21:00.000+03:00

Have you noticed how difficult is to get a horse pay attention to you and do what you want? Well, guess what... humans are even worse!

Either you are talking to your kid, or you are making a presentation, or you are designing a poster, or trying to get a girl to notice you, you need to be provocative!

The Road Not Taken

2006-09-23T22:18:00.000+03:00

I like to believe that I take my own decisions in life and making my own destiny. At least I try every step of the way.

When I was around 14 my english teacher gave my class a poem to read and keep, which really struck me. It was a poem of Robert Frost called "The road not taken".

I don't think that this poem changed my life, but for sure it's a moment I will always remember...

Inspirational Courses and Creativity in Management

2006-09-23T22:15:00.000+03:00

Tired of these boring university courses?

Well, some management courses have went beyond the normal standards! They try to inspire the MBA students and broaden their view on the "art of management".

But is creativity the absolute solution to all managerial problems? Some debate No. We need to correctly manage our endless ideas in order to be successful!

Articles by Business Week online

Europe's Beauty

2006-09-23T22:11:00.000+03:00

From left to right: Miss Spain, Miss Greece and Miss Beligum.

Need I say more??... Enjoy! :)

Easy Way to Fold a T-shirt

2006-09-23T22:10:00.000+03:00

Problems folding your t-shirts? Do you get them always rinkled after a trip? Does it take you ours to pack your suitcase?

See this practical guide: Fold your T-shirt in 2 seconds!

You want to do the same with other clothes? Check here!

The BEST Jobs in the World

2006-09-23T22:06:00.000+03:00

3. Mobile games tester
2. Bikini models reflector holder
1. Lap-dance laws enforcing officer

Wanna see the real Top 50 jobs in the USA? CNN Money has a ranking for you!

What is a Project Engineer?

2006-09-23T22:04:00.000+03:00

It sounds like an interesting field in Engineering. It has been mainly applied in construction and architectural projects, but the principles can easily be applied anywhere. However project management is quite general, so one needs to specialise on a certain field to be successful.

If someone knows the definition or is an actual project engineer, please write a comment to this post!

Permission Marketing

2006-09-23T22:00:00.000+03:00

The latest concept in marketing by Seth Godin, one of the marketing and enterpreneur gurus of our century.

Check his speech at Google.

Frappe coffee

2006-09-23T21:54:00.001+03:00

The greek invention!

How to make it:
You take a tall glass. Put inside 1 spoon or coffee and 1 of sugar and a little water. Mix with a mixer until it gets thick and light brown. Add icecubes, concentrated milk and water. Put a straw and enjoy the original ice coffee!

Chania, my city

2006-09-23T21:50:00.000+03:00

Discover the beauty of Crete. Visit Chania!