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My 7 (+1) favorite books
Today is the World Book Day. A few months ago, I was nominated by my friend Haris to list my 7 favorite books in 7 days. At first, I was so excited about the prospect of looking back to the books I’ve read and reflecting on my favorite ones that I eagerly accepted the challenge. But then I realized that I had read so many books that I had a lot more than 7 favorites. Which ones to choose? To help make up my mind, I started reflecting on the reasons why I love reading books. Truth be told, I’ve not always been a bibliophile and an avid reader. As…
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10 places in Europe to visit after the pandemic
Last Saturday, the Guardian featured twenty pieces written by authors, travel writers and journalists on the places they were longing to go. Inspired by their reverie, I started daydreaming about the places I am longing to go. The realist in me quickly took charge, so I focused my reverie on those places in Europe that I would like to visit (or visit again) once the pandemic is over. So, here is the list of my top 10 places in Europe to visit after the pandemic: Skyros (Greece) Skyros is my favourite Greek island, which I last visited last summer, and I hope to visit again this summer (COVID permitting of…
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10 tips on how to break up with your phone
A couple of years ago, whilst browsing in a shop in Santa Barbara, California, I came across the book ‘How to break up with your phone’ by Catherine Price. I immediately bought a copy to give to a friend of mine, who, at that time, was addicted to Candy Crush and would spend hours and hours on her phone. Since she no longer does so, I can only assume that the book did the trick. Being a Psychiatrist specialising in the assessment and management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), I daily come across people telling me that they spend hours and hours on their phones, often to the detriment…
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10 Greek covers of Italian songs
It’s been 40 years since my home-country Greece became the 10th member state of the European Economic Community (EEC), the predecessor to the European Union (EU). The EEC was created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957; the six founding member-states were Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The first enlargement was in 1973, with the accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom (which sadly left the EU on 31 January 2020). Greece joined on 1 January 1981, followed by Spain and Portugal five years later. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Hellenic entry into the European family, I curated a playlist, which…
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Voilà: 9 Greek covers of French songs
Earlier this week, it was announced that the 65th Eurovision Song Contest would not take place ‘as normal’ this year. The organisers are currently considering 3 alternative scenarios. Either way, the event will definitely take place on 18, 20 and 22 May. A total of 41 countries will participate in the contest, five of which have already chosen the song that will represent them this year. Among these countries is France. Last week, Barbara Pravi was (rightly) chosen out of 12 participants and will now go on to represent France with her beautiful song ‘Voilà’. Since then, I have been listening to French artists, as well as to Greek covers…
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A weekend break in Norwich
It’s been almost a year since I visited Norwich, a beautiful medieval city located 100 miles (161 km) north-east of London. With a population of 143,000, Norwich is a relatively small city; yet, it used to be England’s second-largest city after London up until the 18th century it was. Norwich is the most complete medieval city in the country. Elm Hill, a historic cobbled lane located in the city centre is lined with buildings dating back to the Tudor period. Not far from there, there’s the imposing 11th-century Norwich Cathedral. The River Wensum flows through the city centre, towards the castle; founded soon after the Norman Conquest (in 1066), the castle is now a museum.…
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6 Classical Music Festivals in Burgenland, Austria
Every year on the New Year’s Day, I enjoy watching the Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert, broadcasted live from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein. In 2021, due to the ongoing high rates of COVID-19 infection, the concert took place without an audience, under the baton of the Italian conductor Riccardo Muti. Listening to the beautiful music of Johann Strauss II and other Austrian composers, I learned that, in 2021, the state of Burgenland would celebrate 100 years from when it became part of the Republic of Austria. This beautiful landlocked Alpine country is bordered by a total of eight countries: Germany to the northwest, Czechia (Czech Republic) to the…
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5 (+1) Books from the Land of the Rising Cat
When I first came across the title of the book ‘Land of the Rising Cat: Japan’s Feline Fascination’, I knew I had to read it. On the one hand, even though I have never been to the land of the rising cat… sorry, the land of the rising sun, I’ve always been fascinated by the Japanese culture and pretty much anything else Japanese (including literature). On the other hand, I have been an ailurophile for as long as I remember… About a year ago, I published the post ‘5 (+1) Japanese novels to read in 2020’, where I recommended some Japanese books I’d read and loved, and also mentioned some…
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7 reasons to follow the Traveling Psychiatrist
Hello and Happy New Year! As England has recently gone into a third national lockdown, it is a good opportunity to re-visit my post ‘Self-isolation, social distancing and wellbeing’ first published in March 2020, during the first lockdown. At the same time, as this is my first post this year, it is a good opportunity to re-introduce myself and my blog, the Traveling Psychiatrist. Or, rather, I am going to give you 7 reasons to follow the Traveling Psychiatrist in 2021: Tips for Greece & the Greek islands from a Greek Having been born and raised in Greece, I have always loved sharing tips to help people see my home country…
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Goodbye 2020: End-of-year-reflection
An eventful year, 2020, has come to an end. Over the last few days, I’ve had time to relax a little (which is why I decided not to publish a new post last week), re-connect with my family, and reflect on the year just gone (as well as on the 56 posts I published over the last twelve months). January 2020 5 (+1) Japanese novels to read in 2020 2020 was going to be the year that the Olympic Games would’ve taken place in Japan, a country that has fascinated me since a very young age, but I’m yet to visit. In the last couple of years, I have read…