The Skin I Live In (La Piel Que Habito)

I had the opportunity yesterday to be invited to the premiere of Pedro Almodovar's movie La Piel Que Habito, (The Skin I Live In) at the Onassis Foundation in Athens. It was the first time visiting the premises and was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was.
The movie was opened by Jan Carnet who played Vincente and the movie was in fact fantastic!

The opening scene is a shot of Toledo which looks absolutely magical only to drop you into a very twisted and mysterious story about a gifted plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) who has used this boy as a guinea pig to create this woman. The imagination of the director is truly a gift, as he has managed to execute it on screen so artsitically.
The Skin I Live In

Virgin Galactic

How exciting! Probably about the craziest concept so far right after the space hotel!
Today was the inauguration of the spaceport in New Mexico, where Richard Branson abseiled down the side of the buiding, holding a bottle of champagne in the presence of New Mexicos governor Susana Martinez and astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
This really is a point in history that will change travel forever.
The duration of the flight is two and a half hours long and your total time of weightlessness will last 5 minutes. The cost? A whopping $200,000 but I guess who can put a price tag on something that has been a dream for some people all their lives! I'm sure it will be something really extraordinary!
Tests flights will take place next year and the real deal soon after! So start saving your pennies for your next crazy whim!

You can check it out on http://www.virgingalactic.com/

Space Hotel

If you are tired of the usual holiday breaks I'm sure that this one will be out of this world! Russia has announced that it is planning to build by 2016 a space hotel orbitting 217 miles up which can accomodate up to seven guests in four cabins with bathrooms. The little catch in all of this is that it would cost you £500,000 to travel to the space hotel and another £100,000 for your stay!
Your beds can be either vertical or horizantal whichever way you choose and toilets will run with flowing air instead of water.
Your meals are prepared on earth and sent up in the space ship and heated in a microwave for you by the crew members and all beverages will be available except alcohol.

So if you have some spare cash lying around and bored of the usual holiday this would definitely be something you will never forget!

Alternative electrical provider in Greece?

Here is an interesting article I thought I would share with you about DEI and private electrical companies and what an expat may need to know if you are thinking of changing poviders.

http://www.athensnews.gr/issue/13463/48404

Greece Race for the Cure® 2011

Hi all! I know I have been MIA for a while but you know how it is during the summer...

So to start off the season, something worth doing this Sunday at Zappeion, there will be a race for cancer at 11:00am.
Participants can register for 5 euro and join in the race. This is going to be a great event as we can all show our support in any small way! So what better than to grab a couple of your friends and come on down!
Below is the link and all the details are listed

http://www.eurocharity.gr/en/story/8029

Andros

If any of you Athens xpats are planning a trip to the island of Andros this summer, you must go and visit the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chora. Who would have thought that a treasure like this exists on an island in the med!

Athens xpat travelling to Sifnos?

http://news.travelling.gr/2011/04/sifnos-holidays/

Ferry timetables

For all you Athens xpat holidayers check the open seas site for all ferry listings in Greece. Have a great summer holiday! 

Taxi Strikes

Looks like the taxi strike will be put on hold till the end of August when they will re-convene for discussions and hopefully come up with a solution!

Xpat Accommodation in Athens

If you are an xpat planning on relocating to Athens, apart from the paperwork you will require to undergo for any job positions you may be applying for, you will need to look for a home and there are plenty of ways in doing this.

A great real estate site is: Spitogatos which has full listings from private adverts and realtors in Athens.

There is the Greek version of the yellow pages Hrisi Efkairia which is quite usefull but unfortunately it is in Greek so you may need some help for the translation.

Other useful newspapers are: Athens News & Kathimerini which is great for xpats & Naftemporiki are the top Athens newspapers.

Athens Xpat Introduction

Being an Athens xpat I thought that I would start this blog as I am always trying to find out information on how to get things done as a British xpat living in Athens.

For an xpat, it's never really easy doing things without asking people a million questions as there is so much bureaucracy, so, I thought that I would share whatever information I have with you and it might make your lives a little easier getting around the hassle in Athens so you can have a little more fun!