Silent Heroes
By John Thomsen This past May, I visited Northern Greece with a group of friends. After a brief stop in Veria, we arrived in neighboring Naoussa where we stayed overnight planning to do some sightseeing the next morning. I had read about Naoussa’s rich history, and I was eager to experience it firsthand. After an […]
Refining the mission of gr2me
We updated the layout of the website to simplify navigation and put emphasis on our own content By Theo Kalomirakis After having spent most of my life in the US, gr2me represents my desire to rediscover Greece and reconnect with it. Initially the site was created to introduce the international audience to Greek cinema and […]
Thessaloniki, Queen of Macedonia
Part 5: Discovering additional places of interest in the city By John Thomsen Thessaloniki has many places beyond the White Tower worth visiting. Areas like the assassination site of King George and Ano Poli are rich in history as well. The next day, our final day in Thessaloniki, being determined to honor my Danish heritage, […]
Thessaloniki, Queen of Macedonia
Part 4: The history of the St. Demetrios Church By John Thomsen A visit to Thessaloniki’s St. Demetrius Church reveals its rich history, from Christian martyrdom to Roman roots. The next stop in our trip to Thessaloniki was St Demetrios church. Of course, on the way, in respectable Greek fashion, we stopped for a relaxing coffee, […]
Thessaloniki, Queen of Macedonia
Part 3: A City of History and Resilience By John Thomsen Thessaloniki’s rich history includes Byzantium, Ottoman rule, resilience after fires, vibrant culture, art, and beautiful seaside views. After my experience at the museum, I wanted to learn a bit more about the overall history of Thessaloniki, so before falling asleep the first night I […]
Thessaloniki, Queen of Macedonia
Part 2: The Jewish Legacy: A History of Resilience and Tragedy Thessaloniki’s Jewish community thrived for centuries but was tragically destroyed during the Nazi occupation in World War II By John Thomsen Thessaloniki has for many years been a vibrant city with a keen eye for fashion, filled with beautiful people, delicious foods, great wines, […]
Thessaloniki, Queen of Macedonia
Part 1: Unveiling History and Modern Marvels A brief visit to Thessaloniki reveals a rich history, a modern metro, and Greek resilience worth returning to explore more in depth. By John Thomsen On a trip with my friends to the north of Greece, I regretted having only a few days to spend in beautiful Thessaloniki, […]
Healing Baths and Waterfalls
By John Thomsen It was a perfect May Day in Macedonia, so I decided to head with friends to the Pozar Baths in Loutraki. I was a visitor in the area, however, and hadn’t a clue as to how many happy campers between 3 and 93 had the same brilliant idea and were already there […]
From Christ to Zeus in an Afternoon
By John Thomsen The author visits Veria and Vergina tracing St.Paul’s ancient route and discovering Macedonian History Even though we spent only a short time in the city of Veria, I had the opportunity, which was huge for a Midwest preacher’s kid, to sit on the same steps where St. Paul stood nearly 2000 years […]
In Memory of Michael Gaughn
By Theo Kalomirakis In just one month, the gr2me family lost another member. After the unexpected passing of my dear friend and gr2me contributing editor writer Maureen Jensen two weeks ago, Mike Gaughn, the first editor of gr2me, sadly lost his short battle with cancer, the same illness that took Maureen. I have known Mike […]