You can take a peaceful walk through the shaded, green valley with its small river and beautiful waterfalls. You are permanently surrounded by butterflies camouflaging themselves against the tree trunks as you walk up towards the monastery at the top, or rest for a while on one of the wooden benches along the way.

Visitors can witness a spectacular phenomenon which occurs only rarely in nature. Huge numbers of butterflies congregate in this small valley during the final stage of their life cycle. Every year, at the end of the wet season (late May), thousands of butterflies attracted by the scent of the Oriental Sweetgum trees cover the entire landscape. They are actually adult insects that follow the waterways and migrate here to reproduce (females leave for other suitable areas to lay their eggs in the early fall) due to the high humidity of the area.

Hush, hush..butterflies are resting here…The moths cannot eat during this final phase of their life cycle, so they rest here to conserve energy. Any loud noise would force them to fly away, thereby consuming valuable energy. Observe them as they “sleep” well-camouflaged in black and yellow; in flight their cherry-red overwings flash. If you are quiet and still, they may even land on your arm –that would make a wonderful photo!

To read more, please visit visitgreece.gr

With 70 media representatives accredited and two political leaders present during the pre-election period (Mariano Rajoy and Pablo Iglesias), Spain followed the political developments in real time and up close.

The 2015 Elections Press Center of the General Secretariat for Communication and Promotion was hosted at the Zappeion Conference Centre, the same venue which served as the headquarters of Greece’s presidency in the Council of the European Union during 2014.

To read more, please visit greeknewsagenda.gr

• 1/4 - 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds (1- 1/2 kg) pumpkin
• 2 medium onions
• 8-9 ounces (200-250 grams) crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint or 2 tablespoons dry mint
• Salt/pepper
• 1 egg
• A pinch of cumin
• 12 phyllo sheets

To view the full recipe, please visit: Olive Tomato

There’s been a lot of talk recently about freelancers disrupting the workforce and existing markets. A 2016 McKinsey Global Institute report found that a huge 20-30% of the workforce in Europe and the US engage in some form of independent work – and its more than just new players like Uber making up the numbers. We’re seeing a broader shift in both corporate strategy and workforce attitudes that’s changing the way we do business, for the better.

Empowering Individuals

A big factor in the rising freelance workforce comes from an increasing desire for more freedom and control. Around 61% of respondents to our Great Big Survey, which included 40,000 workers from around the world, said that work-life balance is the main driving force behind flexible working.

Workers also want greater autonomy to forge ahead on their own path. You can see this in the OECD’s Entrepreneurship at a Glance 2015 report, which surveyed people aged 18-64 from 41 different countries. This study found that 48% of men and 36% of women would rather start their own business than work for someone else.

Spotting The Trend

The people behind the gig economy (using freelancers on an ad-hoc basis) were early birds: they recognised a rising value for independence and entrepreneurial spirit and they leapt at the chance. All companies have the power to respond and integrate this system to benefit their own workforce, and there’s evidence they’re starting to do so. Around 42% of executives surveyed by Deloitte in their Global Human Capital Trends 2016 report said they planned to employ more ad-hoc workers over the next three to five years.

This isn’t simply a response to worker demands. 58% of businesses told us that reducing permanent staff overheads is key to their post-recession plans. It also helps them work in a more agile way, scaling their workforce up and down to meet changes in demand and new industry developments.

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Explore Regus' flexible workspace locations to help increase business productivity!

This content has been sponsored by IWG - an XpatAthens Brand Partner.

More specifically, here’s what now open (or about to open) in Athens this month:

• Restaurants and bars have reopened their outdoor spaces.
• Open-air archaeological sites such as the Acropolis and the Roman Agora are open with strict protocols.
• Organised beaches are operating again with strict health protocols.
• Hairdressers, barbers, beauty, and nail salons are open (by appointment).
• Parks have reopened and fishing in coastal municipalities is permitted again.
• Museums and conservatories are operating with visitor quotas and protocols.
• Summer cinemas and outdoor cinema screenings recommence on 21 May with 75% capacity.
• Live shows in outdoor spaces and theatre venues resume on 28 May for seated attendance only, with a fixed occupancy rate of 50%.

Originally published on: thisisathens.org

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

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Attica regional authorities pledged this week to cover the costs of a theme park for people with disabilities (AMEA) to be constructed in the coastal suburb of Elliniko.

 The new 9,000m2 park will include pools and treatment areas and will be able to cater to the needs of some 500 children with disabilities and people with multiple sclerosis.

The project, to be funded by the Attica Region, will go up at the former Athens airport at Elliniko near Glyfada and will be accessible via Metro among other means of mass transport.

To read this article in full please visit news.gtp.gr