Greece | Country (Week 1)

The Parthenon

It’s hard for me to believe, but it is time for us to open our 7th suitcase.  We will stay on the continent of Europe and head to a country where some of my own distant relatives live.  It is a country well known for its ancient ruins, mythological stories and Mediterranean cuisine (FYI: this means food) including a delicious breaded and fried cheese appetizer called saganaki.

Can you guess where we are?  We are in Greece, a beautiful country surrounded by estimates between 1,200-6,000 islands on the Mediterranean Sea.  Only 78 of these islands are inhabited by more than 100 people.

I have visited Greece twice.  Once after I graduated from college.  And a second time with my husband.  We lived in Spain at the time and traveled to the island of Santorini for about 5 days and then spent a couple days in the capital city Athens.  I absolutely love Greece, but while writing this post, I discovered something funny.  One of my favorite Greek traditions doesn’t actually come from Greece.  It comes from a Greek restaurant owner from my hometown of Chicago!

A couple paragraphs above I mentioned an appetizer called saganaki.  When saganaki is served at restaurants, pretty much anywhere world wide except Greece, the waiter will serve it on a sizzling platter while it is flaming.  Then he’ll squeeze a lemon over it which will ignite a quick burst of flame and then shout “Opa!”  And poof, the fire is out and it is ready to serve.  Just let it cool a bit before taking a bite.

You can actually watch this video that shows Parthenon restaurant owner Chris, whom I was talking about, cooking and eating this flaming treat.  Chris didn’t invent the phrase itself.  “Opa!” is shouted out in Greece on other occasions, but not when saganaki arrives at your table.

Country Facts

1.  Size:  50,949 sq. miles which is about the size of Alabama

2.  Population:  10,772,967 (countryreports.org)

3. Capital City:  Athens

4. Religion:  Over 97% Greek Orthodox (worldpopulationstatistics.com)

5. Currency:  Euro (EUR)

6. Languages:  Greek 99%, other (includes English & French) 1%

7. The Olympic Games began in Ancient Greece.  The first Olympic Games took place in 776 B.C.

8. Alexander the Great was a great military commander and king of Ancient Greece.  He conquered much of Asia and Europe.  He died when he was 33 years old.

9. Nearly 80% of Greece is mountainous.

10. Everyone 18 years and older in Greece are required by law to vote.

Do you know any interesting facts about Greece?  Leave me a comment to tell me a fact that you discovered!