Young professionals from Greece, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom have been inspired to take up the ambitious “Colossus of Rhodes Project,” aiming to revive one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue of the Greek titan-god of the sun Helios, erected on the Greek island of Rhodes by Chares of Lindos, in 280 BC, to celebrate Rhodes’ victory over the ruler of Cyprus, Antigonus I Monophthalmus. It was one of the tallest statues of the ancient world standing over 30 meters (around 98 feet) high.

The bronze structure was destructed after Rhodes was hit by the 226 BC earthquake, however, it was not until 654 AD that Saracens ransacked the island and sold the statue’s relics.

Over 2200 years after its collapse, architect Ari A. Palla, archaeologist Christos Giannas and public relations-marketing professional Dionisis Mpotsas from Greece, civil engineer Enrique Fernández Menendez and economist Matilda Palla from Spain, architect Ombretta Iannone from Italy, as well as civil engineer Eral Dupi from the United Kingdom, recommended its restoration, as part of a European initiative the financing of which is addressed to the general public.

To read more, please visit: Greek Reporter

The oldest houses in the city of Athens date back to the 17th century and tell us wonderful stories with great protagonists.

Do you know when the oldest house of modern Athens was built and who lived there? Have you heard about the person who designed half of Athens' neoclassical buildings? Do you know where he lived? The answers that follow may surprise you!   

 

 

The oldest surviving house of Athens is located in Plaka, 96 Adrianou Street, and belonged to the aristocratic family of the Athenian archon Angelos Benizelos - whose daughter would later become known as St. Filothei. The house dates back to the 16th century, but most of what we see today is from the late 17th and early 18th century. A characteristic example of it’s Ottoman architecture, with loggia, patio and well, the house has been restored in recent years and has become a museum.

 

Located in Plaka at 14B Areos Street and built in the 17th century, the Logothetis mansion only has the gate, the fountain and a small section of the yard in tact. It was the villa of the British consul Logothetis and his family that hosted Thomas Elgin when he visited Athens. Before the Parthenon Sculptures where sent to Britain, they spent their last nights in this mansion.

 

On the corner of School Street and Epicharmou, this three-storey tower with fortification that distinguishes it from all the buildings of Plaka is one of the few Ottoman buildings that survived to this day. Built in the 18th century, it was used as a post by the Ottomans before being sold to a Scottish historian and philhellene George Finley in 1835. Here stayed Finley’s comrade, Richard Church, Irish General, which gave the building the name "Tower of Church". With another name, 'House Dialisma,' the historic house became famous again in 1928, as a matter of the famous Tsarouchis painting.

 

You have probably walked passed it countless times without giving it a second look. The impressive neoclassical located at 22 Mavromichali street was designed for himself in 1882-85. It stands out for both it’s two clay Herms, which Ziller designed, and the decorated openings of the upper floor. The building was partially destroyed by a fire in 1977 (when it belonged to the National Opera and was used as a dressing room) and later plundered by burglars, who were arrested. It is currently being renovated slowly but steadily, to become an annex to the Byzantine and Christian Museum.

 

Also known as the Old University, the amazing building that now houses the Museum of History of the University of Athens on Tholos Street in Plaka was once the home of the architects Stamatis Kleanthis and Edward Schaubert. The two architects who built the first city plan of the newly formed capital of the Greek state restored the home "from the Ottoman ruins" in 1831 and stayed there until 1837. The previous history of the house is not known -the only thing we know is that the two bought the dilapidated building from the Turkish Sante Khanum, while the prevailing view regarding it’s date is the 17th century, perhaps even earlier. Kleanthis and Schaubert rented the house to the Greek government in 1837 to house the first Greek university, who worked there until 1842.

The beautiful three-storey neoclassical house on the corner of Amalia and Xenofontos now houses the offices of the European Parliament in Greece. It was built in 1870 with plans by Theofilos Hansen, architect of the Academy and the Library. It originally belonged to Kyriakoulis Mavromichalis,  grandson of the eponymous hero of the Revolution and Prime Minister of Greece in 1909-1910. It housed the Russian Embassy in 1876-79 and it was here that the ambassador Savourof organized legendary balls, which exceeded luxury like no other in the city. The gossip of the time was that Savourof cost as much as all the Ambassadors together. The Russian Ambassador had four carriages and many horses and dogs in the garden of the Palace, which he donated to the Athenians when he left to take up his new duties in Berlin.

 

Located on Feidiou Street is the residence of the Austrian ambassador, which Hans Christian Andersen in 1841 describes as isolated at the edge of town overlooking the wide desert and high mountains. It was one of the first mansions that was built in Athens in the period 1836-1837. Later he housed the Greek Conservatory of Manolis Kalomiri. Today it belongs to the Ministry of Culture, abandoned and collapsing day by day.

 

The complex currently houses the Byzantine and Christian Museum (Sofias 22) and was designed by Stamatis Kleanthis. It was  constructed in the period 1840-1848 out of the city near the banks of the river Ilissos. It was the residence of the aristocrat Sophia de Barmoua Lempren, also known as Duchess of Plakentias.

 

On the corner of Vasilissis Sofias and Herodotus, the current Museum of Cycladic Art is one of the finest buildings in the city. It was designed by Ernst Ziller and built in 1895 as a residence and headquarters of Ithaca’s shipowner and merchant carbon Otto Stathatos. It was donated by the descendants of the Greek government and subsequently housed the Bulgarian embassy, officers club of Britain (which they dictated in 1945), the Canadian embassy in 1970, and the embassy of Libya. In 1982 it was bought by the Public Real Estate Corporation and in 1991, it was donated to the Goulandris Foundation to house the new wing of the Museum of Cycladic Art.

 

The beautiful building on Paparrigopoulou street now houses the Museum of the City of Athens and the café of the Black Duck. It was one of the first houses which was built in liberated Athens in 1833. It was designed by German architects G. Luders and J. Hoffer and it’s one of the first examples of austere classicism in Greece. The house belonged to Chian banker Stamatis Dekozis Vouros (1792-1881) and hosted Otto and Amalia from 1837 until 1843, expecting to complete their palaces -the current parliament.



Originally posted in Greek on In2Life
Translated by Codico Lab

I’ve decided to go back to Lesvos for American Thanksgiving because the reports coming from the island continue to be extremely disturbing. Several friends expressed interest in going with me so we’ve formed a group to go together. Yeehaw! Life is always better in teams.

Our plan is to help address some of the basic shortages, particularly with the fact winter is coming. We’re researching viable options including tent structures, emergency blankets, jackets, waterproofing, etc.

We’ll go with at least two vehicles and our supplies by ferry to arrive in Lesvos on November 25th. We’ll stay through the 29th. While there, we’ll probably spend most of our time either on the beaches or in the camps of Moria/Kara Tepe, depending on where we feel we can do the most good. This may change as the needs and situation changes.

My brother and his family made a donation that we’ll use to buy our initial shelter supplies. We aren’t formally fundraising as we aren’t a non-profit organization but we are giving people the opportunity to join in by sending us donations if they are so inclined. For those of you who didn’t know me before the current yoga instructor era, for many years before that I was a high tech and venture capital chief financial officer. So while we may not be the most qualified to take donations, we’re probably not the least qualified either. Our commitment is that 100% of any donations go directly to help the refugees. Please contact us directly if you’d like to donate.

We’ll be posting updates here as we kick the project off.

And for anyone reading, I’ll add that before I went to Lesvos for a weekend in September, I hadn’t actually done anything to help with the crisis. I point that out just to say if you haven’t done anything to help, don’t feel guilty. We are all a bit confused about how to get involved….

For me the evolution was: do nothing–>  read the news/see the pictures of the crisis and start feeling kind of terrible–>  walk around wondering if I can/should be doing something to help–>  make some attempt to do something helpful (in my case go to Lesvos for a weekend, unsure if that was even going to be useful…)–>  refine the effort and offer some more meaningful help. You are probably somewhere on that continuum…. And this might be your moment. 

 

To learn more about Lynn visit her website here: http://www.lynnroulo.com/

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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

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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

 

On discovering that there was a political exhile museum in Athens, Dave from Dave's Travel Pages immediately wanted to find out more.  

Political exhiles?  What was this all about? As he researched, Dave learned that there is a little known part of modern Greek history that even many Greeks do not know about. Keep reading...

Dave's ongoing project to visit all the museums in Athens has led him to some interesting places.  Some have been essential to visit, like the National Archeological Museum. Others have been educational on a much deeper level, like the Tactual Museum of Athens.  Some are shocking, such as the Political Exile Museum. Let's start with some context:

Modern Greece as we know it has existed for less than 200 years.  During this period, it has endured Balkan War, two World Wars, civil war and a dictatorship.  As one can imagine, whoever was in charge at the time used a variety of methods to keep in power.  One of these was by internal political exile to the Greek islands.

From 1926 to 1967, many of the Greek islands were used to house political prisoners. They would generally be people that had opposing political views to those in power. They might include politicians, military figures, and activists, but also poets and artists. The most significant numbers of people exiled, occurred during and directly after the civil war period of 1946 to 1949.

There is a strange absence of information available to the public about the civil war period. Certainly, there is no specific museum dedicated to this. So, when I discovered that there was not one, but two political exile museums in Athens, I knew I had to visit. The museums are actually next door to each other at 31, Agion Asomaton Street 10553 Keramikos, Athens. They have really short opening hours, which are between 11.00 and 14.30 so it might be worth calling ahead to make sure they are open.

To read more, please visit: Dave's Travel Pages

A joint Greek-American expedition announced that they have just discovered 22 shipwrecks around the Fourni archipelago, one of the largest collections of shipwrecks in one single place. A find that is being described as one of the biggest discoveries of 2015!



The newfound wrecks include cargo that dates from the Archaic Period (700 to 480 B.C.) up to the 16th century. The expedition team says the finds could change the way historians think about ancient Greek trade. For example, some of the amphorae styles found around the wrecks have never been seen before on the seafloor.



The Fourni archipelago is a small group of islands, islets and reefs that lies in the northeastern Aegean Sea, in the triangle formed by the islands of Ikaria, Samos and Patmos. The region sits in the middle of a shipping channel that is believed to have been an important maritime corridor during antiquity. Though the archipelago itself wasn’t a destination for traders, it did become the final resting place for plenty of ships buffeted by sudden southern storms as they made their way from Greece to Cyprus and Egypt.

This is the first time that an underwater archaeological expedition was organized around these islands. Archaeologists from the Greek Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities and RPM Nautical Foundation worked together with local sponge divers, fishermen, and free divers. Funding for the expedition was provided by the Honor Frost Foundation, a UK charity that supports research in the eastern Mediterranean through an endowment from pioneer maritime archaeologist Honor Frost.

Sources: Smithsonian & Pappas Post

 

Qatar Airways has announced its highly anticipated daily direct services from Doha to Sydney starting from 1st March 2016, the third Australian city in the Qatar Airways network. Currently, the Doha-based carrier operates daily non-stop flights to Melbourne and Perth with a total of 14 services each week. It also unveiled yet another exciting Australian destination, with daily non-stop scheduled flights between Doha and Adelaide due to commence on May 2, 2016.

Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world to more than 150 destinations spread across six continents. Since the beginning of the year, Qatar Airways has begun services to Amsterdam (The Netherlands); Zanzibar (Tanzania); Faisalabad, Sialkot and Multan in Pakistan, and Abha (Saudi Arabia). In the pipeline before the end of this year is Durban (South Africa) and Nagpur (India). In 2016, the airline is also launching flights to three new US destinations – Los Angeles, Boston and Atlanta.

Daily flights between Doha and Sydney from 1 March 2016 (all times local)
Depart Doha QR908 at 20:10, arrive Sydney at 18:05 (next day)


Depart Sydney QR909 at 22:20, arrive Doha at 05:05 (next day)

Daily flights between Doha and Adelaide from May 2, 2016 (all times local)
Depart Doha QR914 at 20:55, arrive Adelaide at 16:25 (next day)


Depart Adelaide QR915 at 21:30, arrive Doha at 04:50 (next day)

 

 

With cooler weather on the approach, and a decidedly ‘autumn’ vibe in the air (yes, some people are already wearing hats and gloves), dining out starts to move more and more towards the ‘indoors’. Of course, the heaters are turned up high on most patios, so there is no actual need to be inside, but there is something comfy and warm about sitting indoors on a crisp autumn night.

 

I am a great fan of sushi. Somehow, a meal of ‘chunks of raw fish with a side of white rice’ really makes me happy. There are more and more options in Athens for sushi – some better than others. Always on the hunt for new sushi, I was thrilled to notice Sushimou, a tiny little sushi bar on Skoufou, in Plaka towards Syntagma.

 

This is a tiny space, with exactly 11 chairs lining a tall bar. The design is deliberately simple, elegant, with origami-style birds dotting the walls, potted lilies, and even a Japanese-Greek dictionary on the shelf behind the bar. The opera playing in the background adds an elegant touch to an already elegant experience...

 

Owner/chef Antonis has poured his heart and soul into this tiny treasure, a fact which is evident the moment you walk in the door. This is Japanese simplicity at its best. Antonis is a qualified chef who spent several months training in Tokyo on traditional sushi techniques. He returned to Athens with the dream of opening an authentic sushi bar, where he could create elegant maki and perfect sashimi in front of your eyes.

 

Anyone who has visited Japan can confirm that Sushimou is decidedly authentic, both in style and substance. This is not a see-and-be-seen spot; it is, rather, a place to escape Athens and enjoy a taste of Japanese simplicity. This is fresh, delicious, impeccable sushi. Nothing more and definitely nothing less. It’s the kind of place where you are encouraged to eat your nigiri with your fingers, in one gulp. A place where the friendly Greek server is also perfectly fluent in Japanese. The emphasis here is on quality and authenticity vs. trend and self-promotion.

 

Open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner, the 11 chairs means that reservations are difficult, so waiting for a spot on the weekend might be required.

 

A must-visit for all serious fans of real sushi.

 

Until next week,


Jack

 

Skoufou 6, Plaka

+30 211 407 8457

 

http://sushimou.gr/  (blog)

Greece is famous for its fresh fruit and vegetables and whether you live here or are just visiting, it is well worth your time (and pocket) to visit a market in your area.

The farmers markets or as it is locally known, ‘laiki agora’ (λαϊκή αγορά), which literally means ‘the people's market.’ These markets are very common all over Greece, including Athens and its suburbs!

Laiki markets happen weekly in most neighbourhoods and sell mostly fruits, vegetables, fish, flowers and plants, as well as some household items and prepared foods. The laiki agora is considered an important social custom and tradition throughout Greece.

The products sold in the people's market are typically those comprising a Mediterranean diet, known for its healthy qualities, and are key ingredients in Greek cuisine. The produce sold is almost always local, or in Greek known as ‘dopio’ (ντόπιο), such as fresh fruits (depending on the season, oranges, apples, watermelons, melons, strawberries, and others), vegetables and leaf vegetables (like cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, and lettuce), chicken, eggs from suburban farms, and fish.   

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Here are some tips for shopping at laiki:

1. You'll only find in season fruits and vegetables, so plan accordingly!

2. Take small euro notes and change with you.

3. It’s said that producers change their prices frequently within the same day, especially for sensitive products such as fish. The price is usually higher early in the morning (8-9h00) and is lowered later in the day, especially if the product does not sell well that particular day. Prices are always written on paper cards and said verbally. The lowest possible prices can be found after midday (particularly by 1-2pm); in many cases less than half the original starting price!

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Below we've compiled a list of all the farmer's markets accordingly to the day of the week. Laiki markets usually start first thing in the morning by 8 am and run until products run out (typically until 2 pm). 

We’ve done our best to provide accurate information, but this information can change every few months. However, you should be able to spot the farmer's market on the designated day by driving around the area and spotting the traffic!

 

 

 

Cholargos	Syrou Street (From 14/9/2015)
Glyka Nera	Bouboulinas Street
Kifissia	1st May Street
Nea Erithraia	Kanari & Iroon Politechniou Street
Rafina	Panousis Street
Saronida	Lefkadas & Chlois Street
Neo Psichiko	Sofouli Street (From 21/9/2015)
Gerakas	Iroon Politechniou Street
Zografou	Permanent: Giourgou Papandreou Street From 26/11: Agias Lavras Street

 

 

Alimos	Lisikratous Str. (From 9/1/2015 to 31/12/2015) Chimaras & Artemidos Str. (From 2/3/2015 to 30/9/2015)
Anthousa	Ksanthis Street
Galatsi	Karaiskaki Street (From 08/09/2015)
Kato Ilioupoli	Farmakidou Street (From 7/7/2015)
Kipseli	Sikinou Street (From 3/3/2015)
Koropi	November to February: G. Anagnostou Str. March to June: N. Konsta str July to October: Ag. Anargiron str
Malakassa	Kolokotroni Street
Melissia	Switches every 6 months between K. Tsimbriki str & Tritis (3rd) Septemvriou
Moschato	Argostoli Street (From 5/12/2015)
Nea Filadelfia	Fleming Street (From 7/7/2015 to 31/12/2015)
Paiania	Othonos Xounta Street
Pagkrati	Laertou & Timotheos Street
Porto Rafti	Leoforos Gregou
Ano Glyfada	Antheon Streer

WEDNESDAY

Anavissos	November to March: Dimosthenous Str April to October Kiprianou Str
Dafni	Eleftheriou Venizelou Street (From 14/10/2015)
Kifissia	Bakogianni Street (Permanent)
Nea Smirni	Ano Nea Smirni: Ellinospontou Street Nea Smirni: Arkadioupoleos Street Nea Smirni: Megalou Aleksandou Stree
Vari Dilofo	Kalimnou Str. (from Panos str to Vari-Koropi Avenue)

 

 

 

 

 

Elliniko	Amazonon Street (From 9/3/2015)
Galatsi	Platonos Street (From 9/9/2015)
Glyfada	Agiou Gerasimou Street
Grammatiko	Agiou Athanasiou
Kipseli	Tinou & Sporadon Street (From 2/7/2015)
Nea Makri	Dimitriadi Street
Papagou	Pindou Street (From 1/10/2015 to 31/12/2015)
Voula	Metaxa Street (From 13/8/2015)
Pallini	Eleftheriou Venizelou Street

 

 

 

 

 

Agia Paraskeui	Eptanisou Street (From 17/7/2015)
Kolonaki	Ksenokratous Street (Permanent)
Palaio Faliro	Chronopoulou Street (Permanent) K. Palaiologou Street (Permanent) Ivis Street (From 23/10/2015)
Vari	Moutousi & Anapafseos Street
Neo Irakleio	Kountouriotou Street

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agia Paraskeui Ellinikou	Kalidromiou Street
Maroussi	Gounari Street (From 7/6/2015)
Polidrossos	Rododafnis Street (From 3/10/2015)
Vouliagmeni	Thiseos Street

 

 

 

 

 

Athens Central Market

Located on Athinas street between Monastiraki and Omonia, Athens’ central market is open daily, except Sunday.  

Organic Food Markets

There are a growing number of markets where organic producers can sell their certified produce. Organic certification is regulated by the relevant law in force. At these markets, consumers can purchase fresh and manufactured organic products such as fruits, vegetables, edible olives, olive oil, wine, etc. Below is a list of organice markets around Athens.

Monday	Kifissia (Char. Trikoupi) 16:30 to 19:30
Tuesday	Palio Psychiko (Plateia Arsakeiou) 16:30 to 19:30
Wednesday	Glyfada (Plateia Xenofondos) 16:30 to 19:30  Halandri/Chalandri (Timfristou) 16:30 to 19:30  Ilioupoli (Alexandrou Papanastasiou) 16:00-19:30
Thursday	Gerakas (Ethniki Antistaseos) 16:30 to 19:30
Friday	Kolonaki (Dexamenis Square) 09:00- 13:00  Cholargos (Sirou Str) 16:30 to 19:30
Saturday	Kipseli (public Market) 09:00- 14:00  Voula (Sokratous Str) 09:00- 14:00