Saturday 29 March 2014

Greece Allows Smoking Areas in Bars, Clubs, Casinos, Lotto | GreekReporter.com

Greece Allows Smoking Areas in Bars, Clubs, Casinos, Lotto | GreekReporter.com



I remember reading that something similar already applied - but the owners did not want to pay the administration charge (this article mentions "an annual fee of 200 euros per square metre.")

Sunday 9 March 2014

Some photos of Amorgos in March 2014

The title says it all - some photos of Amorgos in March 2014!

Katapola Bay at sunset.  Every day the clouds are different!


 

Friday 7 March 2014

Celebrating Melina's Immortal Spirit | GreekReporter.com

BBC News - Tourism helping shadow puppets come into the light

BBC News - Tourism helping shadow puppets come into the light





This video is about Indonesian, not Greek, shadow puppets.  But there are shadow puppets (Karaghiozis, Καραγκιόζης) in Greece.  There is a display of shadow puppets at the main building of the Museum of Greek Folk Art in Athens (Kidathineon, in the Plaka).  There is also the Haridimos Shadow Puppet Museum - Theatre which I must go and visit next time I am in Athens.





Read about the Greek shadow puppets at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karagiozis

Thursday 6 March 2014

Travel Bloggers Meet at TBEX 2014 Held in Athens | GreekReporter.com

Travel Bloggers Meet at TBEX 2014 Held in Athens | GreekReporter.com



"The choice of Athens as host city for the event that will take place in October 2014, is an extremely important development for the location and the city’s image in the international tourism and travel market." - See more at: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/03/06/travel-bloggers-meet-in-athens-tbex-2014/#sthash.EgxUiWuL.dpuf

Telegraph: Greek Island Among Europe's 10 Hidden Seaside Resorts | GreekReporter.com

Telegraph: Greek Island Among Europe's 10 Hidden Seaside Resorts | GreekReporter.com



The island is Kea. 

"“Now that Athens has moved its airport away from the city and Piraeus, all the more reason to take the back door route to the islands". - See more at: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/03/05/telegraph-greek-island-among-europes-10-hidden-seaside-resorts/#sthash.T2ASdn5V.dpuf"



True, the "new" Athens airport (which opened in 2001) is much further away from Athens and Piraeus than the old airport.  But the public transport from the new airport is much, much, better than from the old airport.  From the new airport there are regular buses round the clock to various places, including Piraeus and Syntagma Square.  There is also a railway station at the airport, taking you to the centre of Athens and the Athens metro system. 



The old airport had three terminals, with no obvious and easy means of walking from one to another.  I travelled to and from the old airport on many occasions, and never saw a bus timetable (at the new airport there are bus timetables immediately outside of the arrivals door).  So many a holiday was spent waiting for ages for a bus to or from the old airport.  The journey from the new airport to Piraeus takes about an hour and the fare is 5 euro.  Much less than the taxi fare the author of this article suggests from the airport to Lavrio.  Go to Kea by all means but not merely because of the location of the new Athens airport!

Or you could take a different "back door" route to the islands - by catching a bus to the port of Rafina - closer to the new airport than Piraeus but when I last checked the buses were less frequent.



Wednesday 5 March 2014

7,500 Greek Worldwide Spots on 1 Website | GreekReporter.com

7,500 Greek Worldwide Spots on 1 Website | GreekReporter.com



"In Estonia, tourists can enjoy Greek cuisine in several restaurants in Tallinn and Tartu. In Ecuador, the “Samos” restaurant offers take-away shrimp and spinach pilaf and tzatziki. In Venezuela and Uruguay, there are Greek dancing classes and in London there are three Greek bookstores. - See more at: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/03/05/7500-worldwide-greek-spots-on-1-website/#sthash.ZD7STECu.dpuf"

Saturday 1 March 2014

Mandatory Email Service for Greek Taxpayers | GreekReporter.com

Mandatory Email Service for Greek Taxpayers | GreekReporter.com



"Greek taxpayers who don’t submit an e-mail address on time will have to pay a minimum fine of 100 euros. This requirement even applies to the elderly, who may be computer illiterate and don’t have access to a computer, and to taxpayers who don’t have an internet connection and those who live in rural and remote regions."



What is an email address?  A personal email address, or the address of the closest relative, however distant, who has an email address?  I don't know about Greece, but in England there must be a large number of people without an email address.  I'd guess that in Greece the percentage of people without an email address would be higher than in England.

Naxos - photos taken in February 2014

Some photos of Naxos in February 2014.
Sunset - looking towards Paros

Carnival time - time to let your hair down



The Portara 
The church of Panagia Myrtidiotissa in the harbour at Naxos.










 




 

The Greek Carnival Season Has Arrived | GreekReporter.com