He must’ve seen my concern because he pats me on the back and says, Don’t worry, you’ll be suited up.

Paul and his friend have eight hives – four of them new – and have been keeping bees for about 3 years.

Have you ever had any honey?

According to Paul, “The last year or two hasn’t seen a lot of honey produced, not just with us, but a lot of beekeepers in Greece say the same.  Bees are sensitive to environment, and some put it down to all the negativity around re: the financial crisis.  They just stop producing.”

It’s an interesting theory.  Paul and his friend also told me that bees definitely  have their own personality.  And I can believe it.  Let’s face it, bees are what keeps us all going, with their pollination.  It was Einstein who famously said: If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.

So, back to their personalities:  there’s the Queen – who only mates once.  She leaves the hive to mate with the Drone bees outside and comes back to lay eggs in a cell in the hive.  A Queen has a lifespan of 3 years, the rest 3 months (see?  Females are stronger).

Then there’s the Guard Bee – guards the hive – Maintenance Bees, who do exactly that. In fact, if you want a perfect example of Collectivism,  you should study bees more carefully!  We could learn a lot from them I think.

Get suited and booted before going near them, especially hive 12!

I am warned.

That’s a difficult one.  So I suggest you stay back.

They’re pointing at the infamous Hive 12.  By now, we’ve sat outside on the patio and had some juice and snacks, I’m suited up and we’re in the hive. First, the hive is ‘smoked’ (think of something similar to what they use in churches when they wave around their incense). 

This calms them down.

To read more, please visit leavingcairo.com

By Bex

It had two ports, one on the eastern side of the isthmus (Lecheon) for trade with European and Northern African merchants from throughout the Mediterranean. The other stood on the western edge (Kenchreai) for trade with Aegean, Persian, and Egyptian traders.

Every second spring witnessed the Isthmian Games in honor of the Earthshaker, Lord Poseidon, Greek god of the sea. In the mythical tales of Caenus, crown prince of ancient Iolkos, as recounted in the novel Caenus and The Quiver of Artemis, Caenus sets out to prove his worth at the fictional Apollo’s Tournament in Corinth, a city that was as famous as it was infamous. While at the tournament, Caenus meets a local peasant girl named Adriande, who takes Caenus on a tour of some of the very sights I mention below.

Following are Seven Things To Do In Ancient Corinth:

1. Visit The Doric Temple Of Apollo: Apollo, one of the twelve Olympians, was the Greek god of light, truth, prophecy and archery. He shared his penchant for archery with his twin sister Artemis, whose poison-tipped arrows could kill immediately. Built on a hill overlooking the agora marketplace, the Temple of Apollo displayed exquisite craftsmanship. It included 38 Doric columns and inspired all who saw it. Strike up the lyre.

2. Stroll Through The Agora: The agora was an ancient marketplace. Surrounded by colonnades and stoas (covered walkways), the agora served as the hub of the city's political and economic life. There were shops, museums, temples, and administrative buildings. Near the agora was the Elephant’s Tusk, a local taverna where Caenus meets a local peasant girl named Adriande, whom he later falls for.

3. Climb To The Top Of The Acrocorinth: The Acrocorinth was a monolithic rock, a veritable castle fortress overlooking the city. With its secure water supply, Acrocorinth was used as the last line of defense in southern Greece, repelling foes from entry into the Peloponnesian peninsula. Legend held that, Pegasus came here to drink from a spring. The climb is definitely worth the effort. The view of both of the city’s ports is simply breathtaking.

4. Walk The Diolkos: The diolkos (Greek for "haul across"), was a stone-paved roadway that connected the Saronic Gulf with the Gulf of Corinth, effectively linking Corinth’s two ports. This overland route was highly valuable in that it allowed merchants, passengers and cargo to avoid the difficult and time-consuming trip around the southern end of the Peloponnesian peninsula. Walk a mile in the sandal prints of these ancient traders.

5. Join The Cult of Aphrodite, Attend Her Festival, Aphrodisia: Ahh, Aphrodite… The Greek goddess of love and beauty was worshipped widely. Women wanted to be her. Men wanted to be with her. The Temple of Aphrodite, at the summit of the Acrocorinth, was the site for the most active festival honoring the goddess: Aphrodisia. During this festival the Cult of Aphrodite was quite active, engaging in ritualized prostitution… all in the name of the goddess, of course. This festival was not for the faint of heart.

6. Drink From The Sacred Spring At The Fountain of Peirene: Near the north-west end of the agora was the large public Fountain of Peirene, a marvel in marble. Within, there were chambers through which the water flowed into an open pool. Seven steps led downward to the sacred spring where priests were said to consult with Apollo.

7. Attend Apollo’s Tournament: Every year the summer solstice launched the Festival of the Sun in Corinth. The prestigious Apollo’s Tournament, was the main attraction. Based upon the Isthmian Games, Apollo's Tourney was a grueling contest of skill and might, pitting princes and noble sons against one another in such competitions as bull riding, endurance running, wrestling, and sword fighting. In Caenus and the Quiver of Artemis, Caenus and his nemesis Makedon are guided by the hands of the gods toward an epic showdown in the final stage of the tournament.

Source: C.S. Ledbetter

But why are companies such as Starbucks or Costa Coffee failing in a country where people would “waste” three hours of their day sitting around in coffee shops? That is exactly the reason. Greeks need a place where they can feel welcome to sit with their friends and talk about their daily lives for hours at a time. However, self-service companies such as Starbucks do not feel so welcoming.

Furthermore, Starbucks and other foreign coffee franchises prohibit smoking, which is another major part of Greek people’s lives. Almost every group of friends in Greece has a smoker in their midst, who usually complains about not being able to smoke, and therefore they choose to visit a coffee shop with a more “smoking-friendly” environment.

In 2014, Starbucks raised its prices in the U.S., however the company was forced to drop its prices in Greece, claiming that the reason behind it was a VAT decrease. The problem with international coffee franchises is that they refuse to adapt to Greek culture, to the way people choose to enjoy their daily beverages, whether that is coffee, tea or something sweeter like a frappuchino.

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By Ioanna Zikakou