In August 1998, this happened in the chapel of St. Vasilios, in the heart of his forest. Sheikh Su, wedding. He was married, in a close circle, a good friend and philanthropist at that time at his famous outdoor party. Modiano.

The evening was warm, the full moon began to emerge from Gortiatis, the waiters prepared a buffet table in the courtyard, and the groom was waiting with a bouquet in his hand for the bride, who, according to custom, is late.

In anticipation of the exchange of eternal vows, and just as the groom’s patience was beginning to wear thin, a red Datsun pickup appeared on the uphill dirt road, kicking up dust. Five uninvited figures rode in the carriage, except for those familiar to the groom.

They were famous Zurnan Zurnan (e.g. Duran Duran) Modiano instrumentalists. In shorts, flip-flops, some bare-chested, they jumped out of the “limousine” and began with their drums and bells to the rhythms (in their own musical way) of “today’s wedding.”

At the end of the ceremony, they had a wonderful outdoor party that lasted several hours, after which the fire department, for fire safety reasons, closed the forest from one point to another.

OUR Ali and his retinue, consisting of those whom he claimed to be his children, were invited to the wedding by a friend of the groom and hurried to “honor” him, or, in his own language, “knock”. As soon as it happened.

“We have been honoring you in Modiano for so many years. Do you think you’re going to run away from us now? Come on, give me something,” were his first words after he hugged the hand of the groom (instead of his father), who reciprocated two five thousand – in the first installment, telling him: “Grab these babies.”

Crowd for ouzo

Ali, a gypsy from Xanthi and of unknown origin, was the “maestro” of his troupe, one of the many who entertained the Thessalonians who flooded the “standing” brothels of Modiano.

Because there was a time, in the 80s and 90s, when entertainment in Thessaloniki experienced its glory days in the Modiano market.

You met Kostis Moskoff in the company of great figures of art, literature and spirit, as well as ordinary fishermen and market movers.

At noon, all roads led to the famous food market. Companies journalists, lawyers, actors, politicians, merchants, tourists they flocked to hang out for the “ouzo” which usually lasted until late at night, as at some point Modiano’s reputation had invaded the tourist attraction, and the offices would gather groups for a feast in the traditional fashion.

Anonymous and nominal have become “one”, around impromptu stalls with tsipouro, retsina and beer flows abundantly, and smoke from grills with chopsticks creates “greenhouse” conditions in the passages.

In 2006, the Modians who remained in the world held their world meeting in Thessaloniki, from where they dispersed and drank ouzo in the market that bears their legendary name, having previously visited the offices of the Israelite community across the road.

Historian and great cosmopolitan Kostis Moskov he was the one who opened the “road” and “eyes” of Thessaloniki towards the “dirty” or “copsidia” as he called them. Moskof was an entertainment pioneer, a symbolic figure in Modiano.

Where you lost him, where you found him, you will find him standing, drinking and eating “Petros”, usually in the company of some heavy name of art, letter and spirit, as well as simple fishermen and market porters. Even the famous Louis Aragon was “drunk” standing at the Petros counter with tsipouro and retsina.

“Petros” was one of the three halls of the small gallery, which had an entrance from Komninon Street. The other two were Nikos and Mirovolos Smyrni by Thanasis, and in the heart of the market was Giorgos Angelopoulos’ Shrimp Meteor Step with a barrel retsina from Thespa.

At a short distance and with access from Vassileos Heraklion were the legendary “Bombides”, which took their name from the stone-hard but delicious Thanasis suzukaki.

Mostly on Saturdays, but also on other days, the gallery was suffocatingly crowded and it was difficult to find a place on the sidewalk in the Bombidia, since there were no places.

Smoke, squeals, noise, “discussions” with screams and stutters, chatter, companies playing over each other, creating a sonic musical pandemonium, where everyone sang or swayed, not knowing which orchestra the target was, setting each other up in constant tuning. .

Ali with his “children” – no one knew whether they were his own or he got them from some tsadiri – had priority in entertainment there, he was the main musician and – according to many – a capo who decided who would enter the arcades to play, and who is not.

Little by little, as word of the Modiano revelry spread from the “walls” of Thessaloniki, bronze troops began to arrive from Goumenis, Thrace, Epirus, and even Gevgeli.

I remember a young Irish woman stirring up diners with her deep oriental chiftetelli on the table in Shrimp Meteor Step. He came to Thessaloniki with an organist from Parakalamos, Ioannina, where he was pursuing a master’s degree in continental singing. When she herself played the clarinet for continental purposes, she experienced apotheosis.

“People of the Spirit and Alcohol”

“Bomvidia” during the reign of Vasileos Heraklion was also a political hangout. The presence of PASOK offices – right across the road – which was in power at that time and became the object of political criticism fueled by the “wet fire” of ouzo and Malamatina (Thessaloniki retsina) also helped in this.

Ministers, parliamentarians, high-ranking party officials, mayors, journalists roamed animatedly politically, usually for hours, drinking, throwing bombs, singing and joking.

Poet Dinos Christanopoulosartist and poet Costas Lachas, Thomas Korovini, Dionysius Savvopoulos, Manolis Mitsiassong’s author Nikos Papazoglulegendary Thessaloniki Rebbe Lily and many other “spiritual and drunken men” – even ladies with “Rolexes in their hands and furs on their shoulders” often or occasionally appeared there.

OUR Stelios Papatemelis (first track of the table), o Akis Tsohatzopoulos, Kostas Laliotisdeputy Yannis Glavinas, Evangelos VenizelosMacedonian minister of Thrace during the ND George Tsitsikostasprefect Panagiotis PsomiadisMayor of Thessaloniki Dinos Cosmopoulosjournalist Takis Kaysiswas one of the prominent political figures in the Bombides.

I witnessed one (of many) amusing incidents in the mid-80s.

Exactly then Antonis DrosoyannisMinister of Public Order PASOK, on ​​November 17, said that we “support” a terrorist organization that undauntedly continues its criminal activities.

So when he showed up on the Bomvidia on Saturday afternoon, what is commonly referred to as a “catastrophe” happened. Visitors one after another passed by him while he was eating and drinking standing up, and … touched him. To remind him that November 17, which the police allegedly touched him, lived and reigned.

On another occasion, in the early 1990s, as the civil war in Yugoslavia was raging, a member of the Greek parliament, motivated by friendly feelings for the Serbs, traveled from Athens to Bosnia to fight with Mladic’s armed forces. and Karadzic.

En route to Belgrade, he made a stop in Thessaloniki to see friends such as the journalist Dimitris Gusidis and Moskof. He was mistaken for “ouzo in Modiano” and everyone there forgot.

After a long drinking bout with drums and bells, the future warrior abandoned the “petros”, “weapons, balaskas and gilio”, the flame of the revolution went out, and he returned “smokeless” to Athens.

The Modiano Market has countless stories to tell.

But just like “watering the pot with basil,” the entertainment stimulated a traditional but until then sluggish food market. Those who were in a hurry to have fun, going home, also made purchases, and thus the greengrocers, fishmongers and bakeries were revived, and the grocers who served “balm” to wine lovers and night owls were also engaged in the gold business.

It was only natural that the overwhelming centripetal force of Modiano tou glendio attracted other entertainment entrepreneurs. One after another, other ouzo bars, eateries and even bars, designed mainly for young people, began to open.

But the aura of the “golden age” closed at some point, and from the mid-2000s it began to slowly fade away as tastes for entertainment changed.

new era

The entertainment of “Ala Modiano” has spread to nearby areas such as Ano and Kato Ladadika, old craft buildings in Valaoritu and other points in the region.

Despite this, some establishments from that time, such as “Meteoro Vima tis Garidas”, “Bombids” and “Baz Ayazi” are still in operation, adapted to the aesthetics and modern entertainment habits.

In “Meteoro Vima tis Garidas”, which has moved a little further, but inside the portico, on Fridays and Saturdays you can get a taste of the “old fashioned” entertainment in Modiano.

Among other things, the “repertoire” includes the famous “Modiano Stairs”, following the “Milan Stairs”! At the climax of the holiday, a staircase is arranged in the portico, along which anyone who wants to climbs and sings from arias and rock songs to chieftains and pontiacs, with the participation of patrons of the soul and heart from the “square”. .

Ali and his instrumentalists are gone, some of the old regulars are stopping here and there, and passers-by are nostalgic for the Homeric gastronomic bream get-togethers they will have to tell their children and grandchildren about.

However, on New Year’s Eve, Christmas and Halloween, the truth is, moments of former glory are relived as thousands of people of all ages flock to the party.

And then Ali and his men reappear out of nowhere for a day’s wages.

Now the Modiano Market is turning the page with its renovated premises, and it remains to be seen if it will bring a new era in entertainment with it.

In any case, he initiated the era of feasting and catering in Thessaloniki, and this aroma is unlikely to fade in people’s memory.