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Sweden: Behind the myth of the lagom utopia
Sweden is considered one of the most progressive and liberal countries in the world. It is considered one of the happiest. A number of reports, statistics and lists support this. Sweden tops the lists of the most progressive countries According to the Freedom in the World 2017 report, the Freedom House’s annual report on political rights and civil liberties, Sweden received the maximum score and topped the list. When MoveHub compiled a list of the most liberal countries, Sweden ranked 3rd. This list was based on data from three sources: the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2016, the 2016 Social Progress Index report and Yale’s…
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Watermelon & Feta: Mykonos-inspired recipes
In Greece, the flavor combination of watermelon with feta cheese has always been there, so it would hardly be considered a ‘best-kept secret’. One of my childhood memories is my grandmother’s idea of an afternoon snack: a slice of watermelon served with some feta cheese. As a child, however, I never liked the latter, so I would always eat just the watermelon (and leave the feta on the plate). I had my first taste of a watermelon and feta salad a few years ago, when I visited the cosmopolitan island of Mykonos and had dinner at the restaurant ‘Lucky Fish’. It simply tasted of summer. The sweetness of the…
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Mykonos: Top 7 tips by an (almost) local
I have to admit that I had always thought Mykonos as little more than a party island destination and a celebrity-magnet. However, the first time I set foot on this Cycladic island, Hora, the capital and main settlement, simply took me by surprise. I remember wandering around the narrow, labyrinthine alleyways, taking pictures of cats napping, or of the blushing bougainvillaeas climbing up the walls of the whitewashed houses, churches and chapels. Even though I am not religious, I was mesmerized by the Church of Panagia Paraportiani and the Life Giving Spring Orthodox Metropolitan Church. Tip 1: Stroll around Hora Start your day with a coffee at Passo…
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Koufonisia: Top 9 tips by an (almost) local
I have to admit that I had never heard of Koufonisia until a couple of years ago. Perhaps, this is because these three Cycladic islands are really really small. Actually, only one is inhabited: Ano (or Pano) Koufonisi (‘Upper Hollow Island’). Au contraire, Kato Koufonisi (‘Lower Hollow Island’) and Keros are not. Interestingly, when Greeks say ‘Koufonisia’, they usually refer to Ano Koufonisi, rather than all three. Despite their close proximity to Amorgos and Naxos, these tiny islands are considered remote and often described as ‘hidden gems’, ‘off the beaten track’ or ‘undiscovered paradise’, even for Greeks and Italians, who are the main visitors. Tip 1: Wander around Hora…
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Recipe: Alex’s portokalopita (orange pie)
Amorgos is one of the Greek islands I’ve recently visited, as well as one of my favorites. Hora, the capital of the island, welcomed me with a palette of colors: blushing bougainvillaeas climbing the walls of white-washed houses and blue-domed churches and chapels, with their doors and window shutters painted blue, red or green, matching the chairs and tables scattered around the cobblestone alleys. Lost in the snarl of these very alleys, I came across Kallisto, an inviting little café-patisserie. I had a slice of portokalopita (orange pie), which was indulgently served with vanilla ice-cream. Returning home, I set to re-create Kallisto’s portokalopita. A quick Google search brought me…
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Amorgos: Top 9 tips by an (almost) local
If you asked me which my favorite Greek island is, I would struggle to come up with an answer. Yet, Amorgos would be among the first to spring to my mind. The easternmost of the Cyclades islands may not be as popular as its famous neighbor Santorini, but, cliché as it may sound, it is one of the most beautiful and charming Greek islands. In the last few years, however, it has been popular with the French, since it featured in Luc Besson’s film ‘Le Grand Bleu’ (‘The Big Blue’). It is a medium-sized island (for the Greek standards) with a population of 1,973; it is 18 miles long and…
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Santorini: Top 9 tips by an (almost) local
Santorini (or Thira, as it is also known as) is the southernmost island of the Cyclades. One of the most famous as well as the most visited Greek islands, it can become quite hectic in the summer. Yet, this is the best time to visit. Here are my top 9 tips to avoid falling into the tourist traps, and have the best experience. Tip 1: Do not avoid Oia (but avoid the hordes of tourists) Oia is one of the two main settlements on the west coast of the island (Fira is the other one). Built on a steep slope of the caldera, this charming hilltop village is worldwide…
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Island-hopping in the Cyclades in 2 weeks
Cyclades. Probably the most archetypal Greek islands. If you’ve never been to the Greek islands, this is where you should start. Santorini and Mykonos may be the most famous in this group of 24 inhabited islands (as well as the ones easiest to get to, at least from abroad), but it would be a shame to overlook the lesser known ones. Island-hopping is an easy and fun way to explore the Greek islands and this is exactly what I decided to do two years ago, when I first visited Cyclades (it is also what I have been doing every summer since then). The 13-day itinerary I describe here is…
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Crime & Fjords: 9 Scandinavian writers you should read
As a child, I read all Agatha Christie novels during my summer holidays. When I moved to the UK, I read them all over again, but in English. Up until recently, I used to mostly read whilst on holidays, either on the go or on the beach. However, since I moved to London and started commuting on the train, I have also been reading on my way to and from work. I am ever so thankful to the Scandinavian crime writers for providing me with plenty of material. I still wonder how it happens and the Nordic countries score high on happiness with murder rates being so high, or is this…
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Hygge, Lagom & Lykke: 10 books about Scandi happiness
Denmark, Norway, Finland. According to the United Nations World Happiness Report that gets published every year, the Nordic countries are thought to be the happiest on Earth. Controversial as this may be, the Nordic countries do score highly on six key variables associated with happiness: income, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, trust and generosity. One may argue that it is the social welfare system in these countries that allows them to score so high and top the list of happiness. Yet, I think there may be something more… Could hygge be the answer? Or lagom perhaps? The Scandinavian word ‘hygge’ has recently entered the English language. Defined as ‘the practice…