Leisure Time
First of all, I have to admit that I am not sure if this is an article about travel in space or travel in time. Yesterday, as I walking in downtown Athens, my eye caught a sign: buy a 10€ movie ticket and watch 3 movies! Although I had been on this street before, I had never noticed that there was a movie theater. I looked up. It was a summer cinema named Palace.
I took a closer look at the posters for the movies on, and I saw that “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was about to begin. I really wanted to watch Indiana Jones’ comeback and I hadn’t been in a summer cinema for years, so I went in. Now, I am glad that I was in the right place at the right time.
The Palace Cinema was built in 1928, and I must say, it was deluxe despite its years. Right across the entrance there were a couple of signs that looked more like the 70s advertisements: “since 1928, but still so new”. “You have never watched so many good movies in just one summer- Palace, summer 2007-2008”.
I decided to buy the 10 € movie ticket. The old lady that was standing at the box office had the kindest smile I’ve ever seen. She seemed to work at Palace all her life; she was surprisingly happy and proud of her job.
As soon as I stepped my foot on the marble stairs I knew I was entering another world. The time seemed to pass more slowly. The Palace Cinema is not big. Up to 100 people can enjoy a movie in the open air. At the time I went though, there were no more than 25. However, everything was neat and clean; everything was ready for the next screening. I thought that once, all those chairs were full of anxious viewers. I could almost see some children hanging on the walls, trying to watch the movie for free.
The Palace Cinema offers the cheapest scotch in town, but I preferred to order red wine. I also took some of the most famous cinema’delicacy, popcorn. The old man who was working at the cinema’s buffet was just as kind as the old lady. He also seemed to have been working there all his life. The mood reminded me of the Italian movie “Nuovo cinema Paradiso”, but I didn’t have time to get nostalgic. The movie had already started.
I don’t know what I loved more: was it the smell of the night flowers, the open air, or the fact that there was an ashtray on every table? I know, smoking is not good for my health – but, after all, I have the right to smoke and drink my wine as I watch Indiana Jones under the stars.
I also have the right to take a breath in the middle of the movie, during the break, just to tell my friends what I think so far about it while I listen to French music of the 50s and I see red, green and yellow lights on the screen. I deeply hate break movies without breaks, and lately I am afraid I’ll go deaf from the decibel levels of Dolby Surround Sound!
In the center of the big city, there is a small paradise where the sounds of the city seem so far and fake. Just across the new-fangled Village Cinemas, just by Starbucks, there is an 80 year old cinema waiting to be discovered, hoping not to be forgotten, and waiting to give real cinema-fun. Do you think I am getting too romantic? Anyway, I have found my own cinema “El Paradiso” and I’ll stick with it.
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