Oh no, I forgot to tell you about the ekmet

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Of course you know I have been home now for almost two months. But I'm still trying to finish some of the highlights of my Turkey/ Greece trip.

Because of all the angst going on in the Eurozone over Greece, I've been asked several times if I saw any unrest or heard anything about the situation. The short answer is no. Our guides told us that the unemployment rate is very high, that public education is not very good and that some schools had to close because salaries couldn't be paid. They also said that the Greeks don't like to pay taxes ... as if any of us do... So they have become experts at getting around the system - particularly the weathly.... hmmm , that sounds familiar. There are no local taxes only federal. They don't pay any property tax ever on their first homes. But if they have a second house, like at the beach, they have to pay taxes on that but even then they try to find ways out of paying. Personally, I think all their ruses have been used up and the piper must be paid. Greece borrowed huge sums of money from the Euro community and now they can't or don't want to pay it back. It seems ironic to me that a country of 10 million people should hold the rest of the economic world hostage because they don't like pay taxes.

I've put on some pictures of the flea market district in Athens. You can see that it is busy and full of Sunday shoppers.

Okay now to the ekmek. In Athens I stayed at the lovely and non ostentatious Hotel Hera. It is within a stone's throw distance of the Acropolis. I delighted in sitting on my tiny balcony and gazing at the Acropolis. Those were truly magical moments for me. On the sixth floor was a restaurant that featured authentic dishes at very reasonable prices (lamb stew $15, freshly made tomato soup $5). And fantastic desserts- baklava, profiteroles and ekmek. Ekmek? I asked the waitress what it was and she couldn't explain it to me other than to say "very, very good." Okay, bring on the ekmek.

The one I was served was even better looking than this one. Mine was round and layered on top of a mound of smashed down whipped cream. So first layer is whipped cream. Second layer is the thin dough that looks like a bird's nest combined with very thin noodles and shredded wheat. It is flavored with hint of lemon scented syrup. The next layer is like a yogurt custard topped with cinnamon and pistachios. All this is crowned off with more whipped cream. Swirls of a cherry or other fruit flavor syrup are painted on the plate - just in case you weren't in a diabetic coma yet. It might be worth going back to Athens for that dessert.

That's it.

Carolyn/ Gunga

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