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Showing posts from 2014

Germany: A surreal, dark and sensual fairy-tale in Berlin!

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BIRKE vol.II "the watchful tree" by  "Forvitinn" Aris Chantzopoulos For those lucky enough to be in Berlin during November and December, a unique fairy tale- exhibition is taking place in CELL63 Art Platform , in Neükolln.  In the heart of the cold winter, a world of mysterious sylvan beings is being brought to existence by the genuine imagination of a young Greek artist, Aris, known as “ Forvitinn ”.  It is as if the woods and their majestic spirit come alive to share with us their inner secrets, dark and mischievous, like the human soul.  At the end, it is nature that reflects our inner beings and only through nature can we sometimes conceive our deepest and darkest desires. "Hybrids, half human-half birch tree figures, in their everyday habits, are placed in between the barks of a forest, spreading their branches trying to show us their presence.. Creatures of high sexual  behaviour , emotional, curious, social, lonely, eccentric, aggress

Greece; TAF, a small temple to worship the best coffee in Athens!

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Visting TAF in Athens, Eharcheia downtown district and finding out the secrets of the finest coffee in the city! by Kon Hans At a recent article in Buzzfeed.com , a big praise was given to the coffee culture (among other things!) of the Greek capital: Athens has more cafes than Paris and Rome have, and even a greater worship towards the fresh aroma of the coffee and its strong flavor.  After being to TAF at Benaki Street, a small café and a coffee grinder at the same time, and meeting Christos Loukakis, an awarded barista, I could only agree to the above statement after drinking the third espresso! Q. How long have you been a barista? A. I have been a barista for about 14 years. It has been a conscientious choice; I have even abandoned my studies to follow my vocation, as I believed it to be back then.   Afterwards, I have realized that it was the right choice for me, and TAF has played a significant role in this. Q. What is being a barista for you, what is you

Greece: Serifos, the Island with the haunted mines

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A family-vacation island of mysterious beauty (updated with links!) by Kon Hans The "Chora" of Serifos (main settlement on a Greek island) gazes from up the hills the vast blue horizon and defies the winds with its pure white graciousness.  Around it, the imposing arid landscape of the Aegean island is littered with deserted mines and rusty machinery, like huge iron talons popping out and grapping the earth, mechanical ghosts of a bygone era, carrying still the lost voices of the miners.  These otherworldly industrial monuments, the smooth lines of the landscape, the sandy beaches, the bustling port and the local rich cuisine have blessed Serifos island with a unique beauty, sought out by many travelers of the Aegean Sea, in Greece. As the boat passes by Sifnos, the great sister of Serifos, the beautiful port of "Livadi" will welcome you to the island with all its colorful shops and taverns parading by the sea.  Some nice hotels and beautiful studios can

Italy: Visiting the Biennale di Venezia

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La Biennale di Venezia:  An inspiring visit to the 14th International Architecture Exhibition by Kon Hans Canal in Venice (photo by Kon Hans)    The famous vaporetto boats traverse the Venetian canals, while the serene waters reflect the flashes and the smiles of the tourists in a sunny, summer day.  As always, every summer gives to the Serenissima a unique cosmopolitan shine, as the greatest cultural event in the world opens its doors to the lovers of art from every corner of the earth:   The Biennale di Venezia, with the 14th International Architecture Exhibition, welcomes you. Rem Koolhaas is the maestro of this architectural "symphony", its central theme being the Modernism in Architecture in a conceivable period from 1914 until 2014.   The sixty-five countries participating with their National Pavilions, are invited to show their architectural wealth and its advance under the dipole of Historicism and Modernism.  An interesting theme indeed, as it escape

Upon the MH17 flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok

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*everything in the following story is fictional,  Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental by Kon Hans She was smiling.  Not because her company was telling her so, but because she was genuinely happy.  Her face was shining as she was boarding the plane as she did a hundred times before.  Only this time, she was about to be married.  It has been a year following their decision, hers and Dany, until she finally managed to find some time and organize everything so that her annual leave and her roster could agree with the date of her marriage.  The life of a cabin crew has obvious difficulties but can also be rewarding in so many other ways.  Like now, for example, as she was welcoming aboard this beautiful family with their small cute child, with eyes of the deepest blue of the ocean.  Could she and Dany, make such a pretty family? She was sure of it! "Dany", she thought, "here I come to you to be your future wife", and sh

Spain: A medieval town and a lake of eerie beauty, hiding a dark secret

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Puebla de Sanabria in Castilla y Leon, in northern Spain, reveals a landscape of stunning beauty and a proud medieval history by Kon Hans Gazing through your aircraft's window as it descends to Madrid's airport, red and ochre patches will dominate your view; like a colorful canvas of a passionate painter, the land of Spain is a surrealist work of art.  A land of art, beauty, contradictions and surprises, the Iberian peninsula is not only about sea and sun, fiesta and crazy summer nights, it is also about dramatic landscapes, forged by the brutal power of nature.  And, up there, in the north, deep in the rocky bosom of the mountains, there exist such a place of serene and eerie beauty, with a tragic secret hidden deep in the cold embrace of a beautiful lake. Lake of Sanabria In the mountainous region of Castilla y Leon, after passing the famed towns of Salamanca and Zamora, one can find a medieval small town of a unique character, called Puebla de Sanabria. I