Thessaloniki - Seattle: Twin cities?

Well, that's what the New York Times thinks. I just came across an article entitled;

"Greek Youth remake "Seattle of the Balkans"


Photo by Yiannis Kolesidis

"Greek Youth remake "Seattle of the Balkans"

"NEAR the seventh-century Church of Aghia Sophia in the northern Greek city of Salonika, prides of revelers are filling art-grunge bars like Urban and Pastaflora Darling! on lively Zefxidos Street. It's a weeknight — a Monday going on Tuesday, in fact — but it feels like a Saturday. The tsipouro is flowing, the New Pornographers are blaring, and the people, a blend of wispy artists bobbing to the music, balding academics recalling their anarchist years and caffeinated students now living theirs, are energized."

OK, considering the gorgeous weather we've been having lately I'm finding this a little hard to envisage. However, it's great to see an article about the city that doesn't drone on about its history using the same old tired cliches that people trot out when they can't be bothered to actually find out about the place for themselves.