European heat wave and a Greek delight

ATHENS, Greece – A heat wave has struck most parts of the European continent, but despite the unbearable weather there is no stopping locals and tourists alike from strolling outdoors and taking advantage of the unusual temperature highs. But there are some days that even I, Manila girl that I am, can’t take the scorching heat. Unfortunately for me, air conditioning is not a common fixture in many homes or commercial establishments here. So when it’s a hot day, there’s just no escaping it.

I have noticed that most Europeans seem to welcome this extraordinary summer, a drastic change from the bitter winter months. People seem to have found ways to cope, even enjoy the weather. Holland is looking more like Beijing, with bicycle lanes more in a jam than motorways. The Belgian seaside along the coast of Oostende, right across England, is looking more and more like Ibiza in Spain, with people in skimpy suits and bikinis partying the weekends away by the beach. There are long queues for a table in any of the cafes along the Champs Elysee in Paris, everyone just wanting to sit outdoors, drinking tall, cold drinks, while people watching.

I was dreading to fly to Athens, Greece since I had imagined that if it was burning in Northern and Central Europe, it must be hell down in Greece?! I was pleasantly welcomed by a cool breeze when I landed at the newly-constructed Athens International Airport, built especially for next year’s Athens Olympic Games. After checking in at the Holiday Inn in downtown Athens, I took a leisurely walk around the Plaka and Kolonaki areas, the most popular tourist spots this side of town.

I made my first trip to Athens four years ago, and I could still remember its famous landmarks – the Acropolis, Parthenon and other ancient sites around the city. Not that Athens was particularly dirty in the past, but just like any typical metropolis, some areas were polluted. Seemingly, the Greek government has made moves to clean up the 2004 Olympic host city – and cleaned it good.

I don’t remember Athens having as many outdoor restaurants, bars and cafes as Paris, but it looked to me like every corner and sidewalk of the city is now bursting with such establishments. Despite the chaos, the atmosphere did not feel chaotic. In fact, the contrast of the ancient sites looming over the city with the modern architecture and deco of the new cafes below gave me an ethereal and serene impression.

Since I take my meals very seriously, it was not easy to make a decision of which restaurant was best for a good meal, especially knowing that I only had one chance to a yummy dinner, as I was flying out the next morning.

As I was wandering in and out of cafes, reading the menus posted outside the doors, I noticed that each table in every restaurant had a plate of olives, some in plain oil, others mixed with red peppers and onions. I saw waiters constantly carrying trays of olives from the kitchen to the tables and back. Some menus even carried a brief history of the olive tree and the benefits of olive oil. Apparently, the Greeks pride themselves on the discovery of the olive tree through myth and history.

The ancients honored the olive tree in many interesting ways, as it symbolizes love and peace. A wreath made from wild olive leaves called kotinos is used in crowning Olympic victors. Olive oil also played a distinct role in the Christian Orthodox religion, the dominant religion in both ancient and modern Greece. The ancient Greeks would smear olive oil over the bodies of the dead in order to protect them.

But today, there is proof of the true blessings of olive oil for the prevention of illnesses such as heart diseases, diabetes, breast and prostate cancer. Like red wine, the Greeks believe that oil truly has a great contribution to a longer life. Olive oil contains only mono-unsaturated fatty acids as well as oleic acid, making it an irreplaceable food.

Since most people in the city’s restaurants seemed to be nibbling on these green and black delights, I did as the Greeks did. Before I knew it, I had wiped out all the olives served on my table and the waiter was only too eager to replace all the seeds with a fresh plate. The Greeks must really take their olives seriously just like in ancient times. Taking the word of their ancestors to heart that olive oil made wrinkles disappear and delayed hair loss, I was not surprised, but amused, that between the pages of a restaurant menu there was a flyer on the "Beauty Benefits of Olive Oil." I haven’t tried any of their suggestions and used this magical oil in the name of beauty, but perhaps you could try them and see for yourself:

• For wrinkles: Prepare a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice and massage gently into your wrinkles before going to bed.

• For soft hands: Heat a bowl of olive oil and lemon juice and massage gently into your wrinkles before going to bed.

• For shiny, healthy hair: Mix the juice of one lemon with a little olive oil and an egg yolk. Lightly massage the mixture into your hair.

• For dry hair: Mix some olive oil with a little rosemary and massage lightly into your hair for five minutes.

• For tired feet: Lightly massage with olive oil and rosemary.

• For softer skin: Mix equal amounts of olive oil and salt. Massage all over your body, then rinse off.