You can't get more Greek!

Perhaps one of the major symbols of the Greek leisure mentality, an integral part of Greek life, are the worry beads, or komboloi. A popular song used to say: "I shall throw away my watch and buy a set of worry beads", which is exactly the symbolism of the komboloi. Today you will see young and old walking the streets of Athens, their hands behind their back playing around with the beads or men sitting around the kafeneion table, arguing and playing on their beads with a greater degree of agitation as the argument heats up. These beads are not religious; they are not some kind of Orthodox rosary though you will see many priests swinging them along as well. They are just a way of passing the time, keeping your hands occupied, which is why recently they have been promoted as an excellent way to give up smoking. More and more women have taken up the habit of swinging around a set of worry beads which was never done before. That is why more sophisticated fashion conscious, even designer, sets of worry beads are being produced. Have you ever had the problem you didn't know what to buy your partner, friend, family member etc? Sure you have, most of us have. Imagine you want to buy yourself or someone else something unique, something that 99,7% of the rest of the town does not have, something people will look at, admire, be jealous of you having it and, when you give it as a present, something that will make someone think of you often and smile. Of course you will find unique and hand-made presents...but don't forget to bring your bank account when you go out to buy them! Lots of low quality too expensive komboloi are being sold all over Greece, especially in the tourist areas. Luckily there also are places that will sell you original komboloi, hand-made, and thus unique in its kind, in Greece, not mass produced in India. These Greek design studios make the real thing, the ones the Greek buy. They can be made of glass or acrylic, gemstones, organic material or amber. Apart from plate smashing, a Greek fat wedding or dancing the sirtaki all night, you can't get more Greek than with an original komboloi. Panayotis Papadogonas - Athens Info Guide