Thessaloniki Trip Part 3- "Clean Monday" at Euosmos

"Clean Monday" as we call it in Greece, the end of Carnaval-beginning of fasttill Easter, is a very important day for us. I was fortunate to follow my beloved friend Rena to a celebration in Euosmos-one of the west Thessaloniki districts. What led us there was the word "Gaida", which is the blow instrument made out of the goat's belly. An ancient instrument which call we couldn't ignore. A Gaida, a Daouli (drum) and a Voice is all it takes to make people get off their seats. The cold was very strong (it started snowing in the afternoon). The crisis psycology strong too, we felt the people being quite numb, not having the feel for dance and fun. A lot of those people that day, came for the opportunity of a free meal and of some communication. We being fortunate to have food in our houses, we stood up and started the dance to raise the spirits.

Thessaloniki Trip Part 1-Carnaval fiesta for the city's children

My beloved friend Argyro Skitsa is the founder and the soul of "sxedia stin poli" (liferaft in the city) (http://www.sxediastinpoli.gr/)team. The city is Thessaloniki and the team was created in 1999. It uses art and educational play to sensitise children and the broader community, in social issues of our time. I was fortunate to visit Argyro in this Carnaval and be a part of her team in this childre3n party tat they held in the building of Thessaloniki's municipality I had such a great time beign a part of the team as taking photos, that i didn't realise how the hours passed. The kids had the chance to paint and decorate their own carnaval mask and flying kite, wach clowns and play with them. Part of the happening was the traditional Greek Carnaval game of "Gaitanaki". A game full of symbolism-13 dancers, one holding the axis in the middle, 12 holding colourful tissues and dancing around in a circle (like the circle of life, from sadness to joy, from winter to spring, from life to death and back again) until they come to meet in the eversteady center.

Haunted Greek Carnaval 2011

A carnaval shop, belonging to my beloved friend Nikos, that was closed for years and had become "haunted". Marianthi, a beloved friend and cloth designer who has been unemployed for more than a year. Their decision to haunt away that misery situation in the country. My participating in their decision and going to help them clean and set up the place. I took some pictures first as a symbol of the illusionary nirvana that we used to live in, "Greek haunted carnaval".