Today I... am in a Greek Cafe

Ironically inscribed in the table are the words 'συγνομη για το τραπεζι' (sorry for the table), my second coffee of the afternoon has just been placed carefully upon the left-hand side of my laptop and ZZ Top is belting out of the sound system. I could look up and watch the music video on the large screen, but I have seen it six or seven times before; there is only so many times a man can appreciate a crackin' example of face foliage. To me, this is as good as it gets on a Sunday evening. This is the Old Post, a chilled rock and blues cafe. I knew that this was going to be my haven for two simple reasons: on my third visit to the cafe they played 'The Bird and the Worm' by The Used' (a song that reminds me of my friends back at home), and the second reason is that the Old Post is located within thirty seconds of my front door. Plus, the staff are pretty interesting people and the owner is in an excellent metal band called Heritage.

Artwork in the Old Post Cafe. The last supper with rock icons.

If there's one thing that Greeks have got nailed down, it is how to make a great coffee joint. My town is saturated with caffeineries, pumping out gallons of cold, brown power juice to the people. There are no faceless giants like Starbucks or Costa Coffee to be found in this town. There are only local run businesses that hold their own character. Arta is practically devoid of any form of tourism, meaning that is a fairly relaxed environment and has a general air of comfort. Obviously, the economic crisis is a heavy shadow upon every furrowed brow, but people seem to manage to hide their sorrow. Probably because they are pumped to the eye-balls with coffee.

It is a daily arrangement to meet someone for a coffee. In one day I get invited to join people for a coffee at least 6 times. I know my limits. If I drank 6 coffees a day, my stomach would become so strong that I would have finely chiseled abs - and who in their right mind would want that?