Her father did die tragically, as her instincts had warned her. Catapulted by her grief into a marriage with the wrong man, the author tried to ‘act normal’. The other wives seemed happy enough, so why wasn’t she? After twelve years of infertility tests and operations, the author’s depression was growing. Refusing drugs ‘to calm you down’, painting became her chosen method to free up her emotional stalemate.

Her persistence led to a brilliant painting mentor and then, by a twist of fate, she was on a flight to Greece asking herself, "What can I paint there?" She soon found the answer, and an epiphany in an olive grove gave her the perspective needed to change her life. But to leave everything, move to a foreign country and face colossal failure? It was tempting the Fates for a middle-aged woman on her own, with minimal resources, to believe she could turn her dream into reality - yet it was certainly worth a try. 

Through her diaries, poems, memories and paintings, Pamela Rogers, as the well-known artist Erin Dertner wrote, “ has woven a story based on her own life that captivates, inspires, elevates and transforms. It is filled with snippets of glory amidst the trudging through life that all of us can relate to. You will find yourself laughing and crying along the journey, as if you're alongside her on this unique path. She is an artist in every sense of the word. She paints, she draws you in, she embellishes her daily life with color and you will be the better for the reading and having gotten to know her.”

To order a copy of the book:

Paperback:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1508860564/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_E.Nmwb0VDWGMC

Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=greekscapes+illustrated+journeys+with+an+artist&sprefix=Greekscapes%2Caps%2C544

---

Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1948, Pamela Jane Rogers earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting at the UNC- Greensboro. She later studied at the New York Art Student's League, the Vermont Studio School and with renowned NC artist Jaquelin Jenkins. In 1990 her artistic, philosophical and cultural interests inspired her move to Poros Island, where she continues her voyages with art. Her paintings are included in private and corporate collections world-wide, as well as the British Royal Collection.

After many requests by readers of her first novel, GREEKSCAPES Journeys with an Artist, this new version of GREEKSCAPES is a memoir and includes illustrations of her paintings.

More information on Pamela Jane Rogers, visit her website -  http://pamelajanerogers.com

 

A sea of seperatism between Europe and not-Europe is present in the 6 mile crossing from the Turkish coastline to the closest Greek border on the island of Lesvos.  The human flood of refugees fills the channel daily.  When weary travelers, soaked by the salty sea, seeking solace and safety, set foot on dry land, they find generosity on the ground in Greece.  In the land that invented the notion of hospitality to foreigners, "philoxenia," remains alive and well on the shores of Greece as more than a million asylum seekers have crossed into Europe in 2015.  From the islands in the Aegean to the port of Piraeus to the northern border town of Idomeni, taking care of these fragile travelers has been the incentive that has created more than a hundred groups of volunteers, large and small, to soften the harsh journey.  While European governments bicker acrimoniously about borders and migration, Greek, weak from teetering on the precipice of economic collapse for more than 6 years, have opened their arms, hearts and homes to men, women and children who can no longer live in their own countries.

Generosity is not an institution that is mandated.  It grows from the hearts of the empathetic and the compassionate.  Ad hoc groups have sprung up throughout Greece and Europe to assist where governments have failed.  Their kindness and chutzpah have put them in the center of the human flood on the ground in Greece, transforming their generosity of spirit into dry clothing, good walking shoes, a warm meal, a back-pack of basic toiletries, warm gloves, on-line and printed guides to help lead asylum seekers to being properly registered and vetted. Who are these extraordinary groups and what are they doing and how can we support them?

Sensitive sould instinctively feel a call to action,  What can be done to help?  The majority of these groups are requesting monetary donations at the present time and able voluntees.  At the present moment, gathering used products-clothing, baby apparatus, etc to be shipped makes no sense.  There is certainly not the manpower to sort it or facilities to store it. It is much better to make a financial contribution, giving the volunteer organisations the ability to purchase supplies locally.  They infuse the Greek economy and they buy what is actually needed, as it is needed.

And for those who are considering giving of themselves on the front line, a qualified volunteer means several things; having language capabilities, enduring long days of physically demanding work in all kinds of weather, having a useful skill, working effectively as a team member and being self financing. 

Listed below are a few of these amazing groups, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), that have banded together to support refugees. 

On Lesvos and Kos:

Help for Refugees in Molyvos
Website: http://www.asterias-starfish.org/en/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HelpForRefugeesInMolyvos/

Founded by Melinda McRostie, the owner of Captain’s Table restaurant in Molyvos, Starfish hands out food and clothing to refugees and helps refugees with logistics at transit camps. Starfish began in 2014 as a collection of local individuals and international volunteers working together to support refugees arriving in Molyvos. Starfish has grown ever since and registered as an NGO in October 2015. Refugees arriving on the island receive a warm welcome, food, water, dry clothes, shelter, information and access to medical support. They also support refugees to access transport to Mytilini where they can access papers for onward travel. 

molyvosrefugees@gmail.com

Hellenic Post Office of Kalloni,   C/O Starfish Foundation  81107 Kalloni, Lesvos GREECE

Donations: IBAN: GR4001104070000040700115500  BIC: ETHNGRAA   ASTERIAS
National bank of Greece    Mythymna Makres, Mythymna 81108 Lesvos

Dirty Girls Lesvos
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dirtygirlslesvos/?fref=ts

When the refugees arrive on Lesvos in unstable, overcrowded boats, they are drenched in sea water. They are given new clothes and their perfectly good, but wet clothes are discarded and have mostly been trashed, therefore adding to the environmental problems of landfill on Lesvos.  Dirty Girls of Lesvos collect the clothes with are laundered commercially.  They are sorted and distributed so that they can be reused.  The project can cost up to €800 per day on laundering the clothes that refugees have to discard when they arrive wet from their dangerous journey from Turkey. 
€100 will mean that 150 warm jackets for children can be collected, washed and redistributed to keep 150 children warm as the weather is cold during the day and freezing at night.
€40 will mean that 100 people will have clean, dry socks to exchange for their wet socks.

Agalia in Kaloni
Tel: 210 69 836 01223
Email: mkoagkalia@hotmail.com

On their way to Mytilini port, the refugees can find some help in the town of Kaloni thanks to the NGO AGALIA: rest, food, clothes, transportation and so much love from a small and wonderful team.

NGO Agalia Koloni
Lesvos
GR 81107

O Allos Anthropos (The Other Human) Community Kitchen 
Website: http://oallosanthropos.blogspot.gr
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/koinonikikouzinamjt

The impetus for O Allos Anthropos, a community kitchen, was an unemployed middle aged marketer, seeing all levels of humanity sorting through the discarded seconds at Athens farmers' markets in an effort to gather food that they could not afford to buy. Kostas Polichronopoulos could no longer watch children fighting for scraps of food in the streets of Athens.  Initially food was prepared in homes and distributed for free at the farmers' markets. Vendors donated products. Eventually the food was prepared and eaten communally to combat the shame of receiving a free meal. “We eat together and we live together; lunch with our fellow man on the street.”  The volunteer operation branched out beyond Athens and traveled to Lesvos in August to assist with the ever increasing numbers of refugees. The number of meals made daily has gone from 300 to 3000.

Plataion 55 & Paramythias    Metaxourgeio    GR10435 Athens                             

Athens +30 6940 882 355, Mytilini +30 6978 550 168

oallosanthropos@gmail.com 

Donations: EUROBANK   GR 60026 0294 0000 88020 0608548 EUROBANK SWIFT ERBKGRAA, Kostandinos Chronopoulos

Proactiva Open Arms Lifeguard Beach Safety
Website: http://en.proactivaopenarms.org
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/proactivaservice

Proactiva Open Arms, an NGO from Barcelona, is a group of volunteer Spanish lifeguards, dedicated to saving lives in the sea. They came to Lesvos in September to assist the refugees that arrive on the Greek coast. They are also on Chios. They arrived in Lesvos with €15.000 from their own pockets, with no public funding. They began financing rescues for a month. With that budget they assisted in disembarking more than 20 boats per day, carrying 50 people each, including babies, kids and elderly people. In total thousands land on the beaches every day. 

Donation: ES53 0182 0262 910201668823 (SWIFT: BBVAESMMXXX)

A Drop In The Ocean
Website: http://drapenihavet.no/en/

The Norwegian volunteer group helps refugees as they arrive, including administering first aid and medical treatment. One of its volunteer nurses delivered a baby on the beach in mid-October.  There are also volunteers on the island of Chios and in Athens. A Drop in the Ocean runs its own camp for just-arrived refugees, particularly families with small children, where it provides food, tents and donated clothing.

Donations: Dråpen i havet     Account number: 1503 67 54327

BIC/SWIFT: DNBANOKKXXX        IBAN: NO3015036754327    DNB Bank ASA

Boat Refugee Foundation
Website: http://bootvluchteling.nl/en/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hulpactiebootvluchtelingen

This Dutch NGO assists refugees as they arrive on land with food, dry clothes and medical care in Lesvos, Leros, Kos and Athens. They provide emergency aid and supplies to boat refugees. They focus on the most vulnerable among them: pregnant women, breastfeeding women and children under age 9. As a foundation they work with UNHCR, Red Cross and local volunteers. 

Stichting Bootvluchteling  Postbus 214, 3890 AE Zeewolde info@bootvluchteling.nl 

Donations: IBAN-account number: NL97 RBRB 0918 9326 37

Lighthouse Relief Lesvos
Website: http://www.lighthouserelief.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lighthouserelief/

They met in Skala Sikamineas on the northeastern coast of Lesvos in September 2015. This area suffers the highest influx of refugees per day yet lacks both sufficient infrastructure and financial resources.  None of the larger organizations are based here and help is urgently needed. These volunteers decided to start their own initiative. At present they provide hundreds of refugees everyday with emergency aid such as heated shelter, healthcare, clothes, food and water. The main priority is to protect the most vulnerable groups such as children, women and the elderly

info@lighthouserelief.org,  medics@lighthouserelief.org, donations@lighthouserelief.org, volunteers@lighthouserelief.org

Donations:  Swedish bankgiro: 377-6507
International payments: IBAN SE2950000000054031040237BIC ESSESESS

Helping Refugees Lesvos Island Skala Sykamineas
Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/Helping-refugees-Lesvos-island-Skala-Sykamineas--581610095340512/?fref=ts

In the village of Skala Sykaminea there are several thousands of refugees arriving every day, with a normal population of 300 locals in the summer and 50 in the winter. The village is working hard to help the refugees day and night and at the same time trying to maintain a normal life, which can seem impossible in those conditions. But they do, and still with a smile on their face and love to give. Without any government organizations, they are alone.  Recently they have had help from private volunteers and smaller organizations who travel there to offer assistance.

Donations: Skala sykaminea Bank account  IBAN : GR5001104150000041563534522  BIC: ETHNGRAA

Lesvos Winter Proof
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/lesvoswinterproof/

Lesvos Winter Proof makes camp Moria in Lesvos ready for winter. Inspired by setting up major outdoor festivals, Lesvos Winter Proof fills the gap in terms of shelter, security, logistics, crowd management and production. It is done working in the event industry and as far as possible in collaboration with other, often small organizations. 

lesvos@10000hours.nl

Donations:  NL93 RABO 0175271658 t.n.v. Foundation 10.000 HOURS and quoting Lesvos Winter Proof

The Village Of All Together
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pikpalesvos/

The “Village of All Together” is a network of citizens, collectives, groups and other organizations in Lesbos with a common goal to act altogether. PIKPA is an open, self-organized refugee camp in Lesvos. They distribute food and clothes to the port, Kara Tepe and Moria This self-managed space has hosted more than 6.000 refugees, some for few days and others up to a year. The refugees include asylum and family unification applicants and/or vulnerable groups of newly arrived refugees e.g. people with disabilities, sick, pregnant etc. Food, clothing, medication, legal counsel and medical help as well as are offered.

 Donations: ΙΒΑΝ: GR5301107620000076200126290 SWIFT (BIC) ETHNGRAA

Coexistance and Communication In The Aegean
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/514654685298655/

It's the eldest local group for the peaceful coesistence of Turks and Greeks on both sides of the Aegean.  The main aim of "Siniparksi", as its name denotes, is the coesistence of different people, with different languages, religions, ethnicity, culture, traditions, ideas.  It is basically an antiracist organisation, which deals with refugees and immigrants and with the development of friendly and peaceful relationships with the neighboring people.

Kos Solidarity
Website: https://kos-solidarity.com/

The need for the Kos initiative was sparked by the arrival of refugees in boatloads in late spring of 2015. People were arriving from Bodrum in unseaworthy boats and dinghies in urgent need of food, water, tents, warm clothes and shoes, backpacks and help in establishing their legal status in order to travel safely by ferry to Piraeus. Kos Solidarity works in cooperation with other agencies like UNHCR and MSF etc. All the locals participate on a voluntary basis, daily and most have day jobs. Kos solidarity needs cash donations and volunteers. 

info@kos-solidarity.com    +30 6946 085 065

Donations:   https://www.gofundme.com/mcgcu6rw

Kos Refugees Need Your Help (KRNYH)
Website: http://kosrefugeesneedyourhelp.com/

Kos has been receiving daily arrivals of people mainly from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, who are in the process of making their way to Central Europe, to seek refuge. Generally, upon arrival in Kos, they begin the registration process (permitting there are no technical delays,) and refugees stay on the island for 3-4 days. Once they receive their registration papers, refugees continue their journey by ferry from the island. With the boat ride to Kos costing thousands of dollars, refugees often arrive with little money, and what they do have must last their entire journey. KRNYH offers daily distribution of hot meals (rice, vegetables, lentils) and bread/milk, provides for rooms for the vulnerable and distributes shoes and backpacks.

kosrefugees@gmail.com, communitykouzina@gmail.com

Donations: Epitopou e.V.   IBAN: DE 11370501981932915240   BIC: COLSDE33XXX   Sparkasse KölnBonn  Address: Hahnenstrasse 57, 50667 Cologne, Germany


On the mainland: Piraeus Port and Athens

Immigrant And Refugee Support Group in Athens
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/204202716585823/

The group aims at providing information about what is going on in Athens and volunteering or offering donations.  The volunteers meet at the port of Piraeus to greet the refugees disembarking ships coming in from Samos, Lesvos, Kos and Rhodes to provide them with additional clothing, a back-pack filled with essentials, toiletries and guides before they board buses headed for the next border or head onto camps at Eleona and Ellinikon hosting refugees while they complete the documentation process.  Sotiris Alexopoulos is the co-ordinator of Refugees Welcome to Piraeus.

Project Soup Port
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vereinsoliba/

The Swiss volunteers from Project Soup provide hot tea and soups - prepared and offered on the spot at the entrance of the refugee welcoming station based in E1 passenger terminal in the port of Piraeus. A group of Swiss residents in Greece have organized to bring soup to the port as a part of the meet and greet as travelers disembark the vessels at the port of Piraeus. The organization is devoted to the care of the refugees with the supply and preparation of food. 2or 3 small trucks with a mobile kitchen included go to exhausted refugees to offer a warm meal.

Donation:IBAN: Ch15 0839 0034 0179 1000 6 (note soup-Port)
Bankclearing: 8390 Bic (Swift code): Absoch22

Greek Council For Refugees
Website: http://www.gcr.gr/index.php/en/

The Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) is a Non- Governmental Organization, which has been active since 1989 in the field of asylum and human rights in Greece. On a daily basis, GCR welcomes and offers free legal and social advice and services to refugees and people coming from countries who are entitled to international protection, while special emphasis is put on vulnerable cases, such as unaccompanied minors, victims of trafficking etc. GCR’s Refugee Reception and Interpreters Unit handles the first contact with our beneficiaries since it is consisted of a group of multilingual receptionists, interpreters and political scientists. The interpreters, by conveying the social-historical-cultural features that characterize each case, contribute significantly to the proper function of the Service while they also participate in visits to detention centers, courts and hospitals in order to facilitate GCR beneficiaries’ access to services and good.

gcr1@gcr.gr

25 Solomou Str., 10682, Athens    +30 210 3800990-1   F: +30 210 3803774

Donations: National Bank of Greece  Account: 116/29606564   IBAN: GR5301101160000011629606564

METAction
Website: http://www.metadrasi.org/eng/

The Non-Governmental Organization “METAction” was founded in December 2009, its primary aim being to promote a rational system for managing mixed migration flows, while encouraging respect for human rights, national and international legislation, through the development of actions for the reception and integration of immigrants and refugees in Greece, as well as of actions of support for their voluntary return and reintegration in their countries of origin.

metadrasi@gmail.com, volunteer.metadrasi@gmail.com

8 Thesprotias, Athens, Greece
 +30 210 520 1792, +30 210 5201794
Donations: bank deposit at GR29 0140 1040 1040 0200 2019 320 of Alpha Bank

The Salvation Army In Greece
Website: http://www.salvationarmy.gr

The Salvation Army is an international Christian movement that operates in 124 countries worldwide. In Greece, the Salvation Army has been operating as a nonprofit company from January 2011, standing by the homeless, elderly, young families with infants and victims of trafficking. They are assisting refugees in central Athens as well now.

61Kodrigtonos 10434 Athens

athens@salvationarmy.gr, v.katsantonis@salvationarmy.gr         volunteer coordinator,

emily.carlsson@salvationarmy.gr program coordinator    

Donations: Eurobank IBAN  GR0602602520000120200537860    SWIFT CODE: EFGBGRAA

Home For Refugees And Immigrants Notara 26
Website: http://www.notara26.info/blog/?lang=en

This project stands for a self-organized solidarity project, wherein locals and refugees-immigrants decide together. Official “squatting” in an abandon public building in Athens at 26 Notara, volunteers cover the refugees/immigrants immediate needs: shelter, food and medical help. The decisive body is the squat’s open assembly where everyone is welcome to participate with no exclusions. 

Notara 26 runs a collective kitchen. Materials contributions are welcome and/or your help in the collective cooking.

+30 6947 908 121 +30 6978 873 643        notara26@riseup.net

Article written by Stacey Harris-Papaioannou
staceymykonos@yahoo.com

To read this article in full, please visit: Greece Is

Air France has recently announced new routes from Athens to Nice, Toulouse, and Marseille to keep up with high traveller’s demand. The new routes with start from July 24th through September 3rd.

Nice is a city where life is sweet and living is easy. The capital of the riviera stands out with its colourful architecture and its intense cultural life. Tourists come from all over the world to contemplate it and discover its impressive architectural heritage.

Toulouse is considered the pink city of a thousand flavours. This gourmet destination is brimming with natural and historical attractions. The Saint-Sernin Basilica, the Jacobins Convent, the Saint-Etienne Cathedral, the Roman amphitheater at Purpan, the Roman baths at Ancely: monuments and historic sites abound in Toulouse, the capital of the Visigoth kingdom in the 5th century.

Marseille gives us the sweet fragrance of the Mediterranean. It is the second largest city in France and it possesses a rich and exciting past.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

The sports tourism event “Patmos Revelation”, was completed with absolute success in the sacred island of the Dodecanese, between June 30th and July 2nd 2017. Patmos Municipality, Region of South Aegean and Active Media cooperated with an excellent result which was evident from the participations and the positive comments of both participants and residents of the island.

More than 200 professional and amateur athletes of all ages from 9 countries (Australia, England, France, Germany, Italy, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey and Greece) visited Patmos to live the experience of the event by swimming with absolute safety in the Aegean waters and by running in the unique routes, that passed through two UNESCO World Heritage Sites (historic center of Chora, Holy Monastery of St. John the Theologian and Sacred Cave of the Apocalypse).

The program of “Patmos Revelation” started with Kids’ Athletics (30/06) by the Olympic and World Champion, Periklis Iakovakis at the football stadium of Patmos with the participation of children who learned many of the secrets of track and field sports. The activity has been developed and established by a special panel of scientists from IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) and is officially implemented in Greece by the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

On the second day of the event, on Saturday (1/7), the open water swimming race was held at Grikos bay (distance of the 1 mile/1.6km). The route was designed by the Federal Technical Coach of Swimming Nikos Gemelos while the safety of athletes was taken care of by Katerini’s Lifeguard School, Lifeguard Patrol. The swimming race was held under the auspices of the Hellenic Swimming Federation with the presence of the Greek national open water swimming team, headed by the European champion, Antonis Fokaidis.

Right before the start of the race a warm-up was held by the pilates instructor, Mandy Persaki.

During the 3rd day, on Sunday (2/7), running races of 15km, 5km and 1km (for children) were held having Skala as the starting point. All routes were designed and edited by the top director of All About Running, Nikos Polias. The 15km running route was characterized with similar difficulty level to a marathon race by experts and experienced participant runners. Michalis Chatziioannou was the winner of the 15km route with a 01:01:34 time (who was also the winner of the Rhodes marathon race).

You may see the total results of the 15km and 5km running routes here!

Participant athletes and escorts travelled in the “sacred” island of the Dodecanese with the safety and comfort of the top Greek shipping company Blue Star Ferries, that facilitated the audience with additional ferry routes and discounts.

Vikos company supported as a sponsor all children activities and quenched the thirst of both participants and the audience with the natural mineral water “Vikos” that contributes to the good functioning of the body during sports.

Official supporter of Patmos Revelation, was the 5-star hotel Patmos Aktis Suites & Spa, of the Divine Hotels group, in which an event was held with the presence of media, ambassadors and representatives from the Holy Monastery and Patmos Municipality.

Commemorative gifts were offered by Archimandrite Father Vartholomaios to the Federal Technical Director in Swimming, Nikos Gemelos, by the Mayor of Patmos, Grigoris Stoikos, to the World Champion Periklis Iakovakis and by Patmos Municipality Head of Tourism & Sports Giannis Skebes to the European Swimming Champion of open water swimming, Antonis Fokaidis.

AB Vassilopoulos supermarket chain supported “Patmos Revelation” by offering products to participants and volunteers.

Another great shipping company, Dodekanisos Seaways, standed next to the event. With routes from and to Leros, Kalymnos and Samos, the company enhanced the tourist traffic of the island of Patmos with special discounts.

At the same time, the event was supported by Sixt rent a car, which covered the event and all visitors’ car rental needs with its fleet, while throughout the whole event vehicles moved with the excellent quality of ELIN fuel!

The event was supported by the following hospitality sponsors: Patmos Aktis Suites & Spa, Allotina Houses, Skala Hotel Patmos, Onar, Chris Hotel, Archontariki, Alykes Studios, Porto Scoutari, Stefanos Katsaros Studios, Hotel Athina, Hotel Rodon, Villa Zacharo, Grikos Hotel, Hotel Effie, while the audience was served by the official travel agent VitaNTravel.

Patmos Police Station, Patmos Port Authority, Patmos Health Center as well as the Volunteers, Rescuers and Lifeguards Corps of Hellenic Red Cross Kos helped in the smooth implementation of the races.

The event was held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization.

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Hashtag: #patmosrevelation 

Official Sponsors: Blue Star Ferries, “Vikos” natural mineral water

Official Supporters: Patmos Aktis Suites & Spa, Sixt rent a car, AB Vassilopoulos, Elin, Dodekanisos Seaways, 1001 flights

Assisted by: SEGAS, IAAF Kids Athletics, GoPro, T & G auto moto rentals, A1 yacht trade consortium, Lifeguard Patrol, Giannaros Theologos

Hospitality Sponsors: Patmos Aktis Suites & Spa, Allotina Houses, Skala Hotel Patmos, Onar, Chris Hotel, Archontariki, Alykes Studios, Porto Scoutari, Stefanos Katsaros Studios, Hotel Athina, Hotel Rodon, Villa Zacharo, Grikos Hotel, Hotel Effie

Official Travel Agent: VitaNTravel

Strategic TV Partner: National Geographic

Photo Credit: From the beginning of the 15km running route of Patmos Revelation, by Mike Tsolis

Information for the editors:
Press Office Contact:
Tel.: +30 210 9343020, fax: +30 210 9316505 e-mail: pr@activemedia.com.gr

From an ancient Greek myth is the story of how the Aegean Sea received its name. Greeker than the Greeks recounts the tale of a King named Aegeus, who failed to produce a son with his two wives, Meta and Chalciope. They called upon the goddess Themis, one of the oracles of Ancient Delphi, to see what they were doing wrong.

"Do not loosen the bulging mouth of the wineskin until you have reached the height of Athens, lest you die of grief."

Pondering upon this conundrum, while on his way home to Athens, Aegeus dropped in on his old pal King Pittheus of Troezen (a small town in the northeastern Peloponnese).

To read this article in full, please visit: Greeker than the Greeks

As a 24-year old, Charly came to Athens for the first time, unaware that the city would be the setting for a significant period of growth and discovery. As Charly puts it, "There are places we live and places we visit, and then there are the other places. Places we return to, where we put down roots, but not strong enough roots to hold us — places that change us, that we haunt and are haunted by."

Now 12 years later, Charly is back in Athens visiting her old hang-outs, seeing old friends whom she met the first time she was here, and admiring Athens for what it has become, "one of the most vibrant and significant cultural capitals."

Charly writes from her first trip to Athens, "After a week or so bouncing around the Cyclades, I arrived in Athens, planning to stay only a few days before moving on. People had told me the city was ugly and congested, basically a stopover, yet I remember the first romance of its winding, cracked stone alleyways overgrown with jasmine creepers and bitter orange trees, the roving packs of stray dogs, cats sunning on ruins, the smell of leather, honeysuckle and dust.

"One night I wandered into Kinky Bar, where the D.J. was playing obscure postpunk records I happened to love. I drank until I was brave enough to approach him. He introduced me to his friends — Athenians, a bit older than I was — and at the end of the night, they did something I couldn’t imagine happening back home: They invited me to move in with them."

To read this article in full, please visit: The New York Times

If you are planning on going on a Greek vacation this summer, take our advise and skip the tourist flocked destinations and head to some of Greece's most beautiful hidden treasures. There, not only will you discover a more authentic side of Greece, but you will get the chance to scratch beneath the surface and explore Greece like a discerning traveler! Here are 3 of our favorite under the radar Greek destinations.

In 490 BC the Persians are defeated at the Battle of Marathon, despite outnumbering the Athenians four to one. Pheidippides an Athenian messenger is sent to Athens, 42km away, to deliver the victorious news. Upon his arrival, Pheidippides manages to utter the joyful words, νικῶμεν (nikomen)—“we have won”—and then collapses. Most historical accounts suggest that he died there and then from exhaustion. This could be a romanticized version of the events; though to be fair, Pheidippides had also just legged it 240km from Athens to Sparta and back again to ask for help when the Persian fleet landed in a bay near the town of Marathon.

Today, more than 1,500 marathon races are organized around the world. However, Greece is where it all began; at the first modern Olympic Games that were held in Athens in 1896, the 42km race from Marathon to Athens was one of the defining events of the new Olympic era, a way of reviving the ancient glory of Greece. Fittingly, a Greek water-carrier, Spyridon Louis, won the race in 2 hours, 58 minutes and 50 seconds. Every year, long-distance runners from all over the world come to Athens to challenge their body and spirit to retrace the legendary footsteps of Pheidippides. With its combination of hills, heat, and history, many consider it the toughest—but most poetic—Marathon route of them all.

About a decade ago, there were 10,000 participants running through the city in various races during the Athens Marathon. In 2019, there were about 50,000 runners, and thousands cheering on the sidelines, celebrating the power of human endurance and the strong bonds of international community!

To read this article in full, visit: www.thisisathens.org

---

 

It is important to remind our readers that XpatAthens is not in any way a media source. While we do our best to keep our readers informed, we advise you to consult Greek media outlets such as ekathimerini.com, amna.gr, naftemporiki.gr, and protothema.gr and/or international news sites for up-to-the-hour updates on the coronavirus. Be wise and stay safe.