the CHANIA POST
February 2016, Issue No. 31 www.cretepost.gr
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Animal revenge on the neo-human race
“Sir, do you believe in reincarnation?” asked a student of mine the other day, inspired by her recent reading on Hinduism and its afterlife theories. p.8
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Read the regulation from the Official Journal of the European Union p.14
The Apokoronas Welfare Organisation and Greek volunteerism
I have not yet met anyone in Crete who can recall seeing such a thing as a food collection point, a social supermarket, a soup kitchen or a volunteer worker discretely distributing essential items to people in need before 2010, when the crisis started to bite. p.6
Hundreds of Greek hotels up for sale. 66 ads on Crete! 66 ads on Crete!.......................................p.10
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Crete... The island of history
Greek Nominees for the ‘European Museum of the Year Award 2016’. Museum of Typography is one of them
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Ergotelis... this is the end!!!
After 14 consecutive years playing in professional divisions, Ergotelis was once again relegated to amateur status. p.23
• On-site museum to host ancient Eleftherna treasures.............. p.3 • Archaeologists make exciting discovery at Aptera on Crete... p.16 • CNN: Knossos among the most fascinating ancient cities...... p.16
Why some Greek pensioners may have to forage to survive. BBC came to Crete and found out how... p.7
PUBLIC BUS SERVICE is the Best Affordable Way to Travel to Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and to all Southwestern Crete
www.gelamou.gr... only the good news !!!
“Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.” -Lin Yutang “Hope itself is a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness which this world affords; but, like all other pleasures immoderately enjoyed, the excesses of hope must be expiated by pain.” -Samuel Johnson Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops… at all.” -Emily Dickinson “Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you
Hope is...
just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come.” -Anne Lamott
CHANIA POST
“Because now that it’s finally morning, the shadows are beginning to fade, the shadows that have been coverElpida “Hope” Katsarakis ing my mind and “We always kept in by NEA TV Journalist our hearts the most my soul. Now that noble, beautiful feeling that they’re gone, I can almost sets human beings apart: start to see the way, and it’s hope.” -Manel Loureiro different from the one they’d convinced me was all I could “Without hope, there is no have.” -Vixen Phillips despair. There is only meaningless suffering.” –D. Mor- “Hope and reality lie in ingenstern verse proportions.”-Jodi Picoult “A lesson for all of us is that for every loss, there is victo- “If you have made mistakes, ry, for every sadness, there there is always another is joy, and when you think chance for you. You may have you’ve lost everything, there a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call is hope.” -Geraldine Solon
“failure” is not the falling down, but the staying down.” –Mary Pickford “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison “Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know that so it goes on flying anyway.” –Mary Kay Ash “There is neither good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” –William Shakespeare “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” –Martin Luther King Jr.
Photo of the month... by Pavlos Mpouzakis
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editorial
We can simply say implementation stupid…Frozen my pals , Maby Pandelis Spiridakis donna has already gelamou.gr said it. Where are you eventually guys , the panic is all ours , who gives a european penny for the 2016 …shhhhhhhhhhh the HAPPY HOYR is now and the only cure is make fun ! We can simply say greek inspiration stupid…could anybody answer to the smart guy. And one answer is in Rethimno, at the village Maroulas! George Maravelakis left his successful career as a mechanic and followed the way back to his village. His big dream didn’t have to do with the most popular traditional products of Cretan earth: olive oil, cheese , vegetables, meat & wine. He had strong faith, hope and passion. So he created the infrastructure to produce the magical SPIRULINA.
Live @ Love @ Laugh
In a beautiful place with view to the Cretan Sea, Psiloritis and White Mountains he visualized a seaweed tank. Cretan spirulina was out to the markets at July 2015. The next step is to create the conditions and make it a strong exportable product. Cretan spirulina is 100% natural in the form of flakes. It is collected and dried in the sun.
(All the necessary information in www. spirulinakritis.gr ) So for a another time Greeks and Crete blows their mind and create new products and exportable chances. Pure, creative implementation…simply … without stupid. Hard work pays…hard work stands itself as a good answer. So no FROZEN as Madonna said… but Freddy ΄΄Monkey Business΄΄ , a new
implementation code. Laughter , communication and hanging around Crete is the best Life Sharing to Feel! That’s the trophy. And good brains create it! February rolls and are there any plans in your crazy minds? Times bring Carnival in Rethimno , remember. Fiesta smelling . Sing , Dance, Move , Live It’s damn charming…Rantevou out somewhere! And fix your Februarian wind , it’s the will that gives the power It’s called freedom ! Rantevou out somewhere! Yabadi , Yabadi …that’s all folks Happy February ! Pantelis - spiridakisp@gmail.com - https://www.facebook.com/pantelis.spiridakis.7 - https://twitter.com/spiridakispante - https://www.instagram.com/spiridakispantelis/
On-site museum to host ancient Eleftherna treasures
eKathimerini – Even when the weather is gloomy and the sun does not shine on the centuries-old olive trees planted during Venetian rule, Eleftherna’s landscape has a particular glow. Located in the heart of Crete, near the island’s geographical center, the archaeological site is nestled in a slope of Mount Ida overlooking the sea. While time has erased most traces of the ancient city-state – with a human presence dating back to 3000 BC – from the surface, the ground itself has yielded much of interest to archaeologists, while the new year brings some excellent news regarding the area. Following Vergina, Delphi and Olympia, Greece is set to acquire another emblematic museum directly linked to an archaeological site. The Eleftherna museum is expected to open in June this year. Given that the area where excavations are conducted is enclosed within the Eleftherna archaeological park’s boundaries, one can imagine a holistic approach: history and protected natural beauty leading to the discovery of the past. Kathimerini recently caught up with Eleftherna excavator and Cycladic Art Museum director Nicholas Stampolidis. In the new museum’s storage area, among thousands of neatly organized objects which have traveled from
Rethymno and Iraklio, Stampolidis was putting the final touches to a story which began in 1985. That was when a dig by the University of Crete’s History and Archaeology Department uncovered a cemetery dating to Homeric days in a location bearing Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Early Christian and Byzantine traces. The excavation threw plenty of light on a “dark” period of history covering the 11th to the 6th century BC through the discovery of landmark offerings. Stampolidis spent three decades digging here before carrying out
his vision thanks to sheer dedication. The residents of two nearby villages have become greatly attached to the archaeological area and have undertaken its protection, hundreds of Greek and foreign students have conducted field work on Eleftherna soil, while European funding and private sponsorship have been put to very good use. It is no coincidence that Stampolidis chose two symbols for Eleutherna and the new museum. The first is a golden bee, “because we all worked really hard for this dream to come true, but also because the wor-
ship of this particular insect was spotted here for the first time,” he noted. He also chose a “shield” with a lion’s head, “to protect the ideas and values of this effort,” he added. The latter possibly dates to the 8th or 9th century BC and may have been used as a lid for a large cooking vessel. The artifact, which had been displayed at the Cycladic Art Museum for a long time as part of its permanent collection, is now heading home. It will welcome visitors to the new museum alongside a clay copy moulded by specialist Dimitris Alexandrou for the vision-impaired. Among the most beautiful artifacts going on display at the new venue are important inscriptions dating to about 500 BC, which were discovered for more n ews clic last summer. http://crete k on post.gr The exhibits reflect the different periods during which the ancient city flourished or was in decline, highlighting public and private life, religious practices as well as offerings to the dead. Among them are items imported from other Mediterranean areas, a testament to the important role of commerce in the ancient world. Spread across 2,000 square meters, the museum’s space is divided into display, storage and laboratory areas.
Exploring history and heartbreak: Stepping into the Cretan world of Victoria Hislop’s novel “The Island” (and the chilling Spinalonga leper colony) rocky outcrop. I like being out at sea for the sense of timelessness and historic perspective you get on this most ancient of landscapes. Stepping on to Spinalonga, I was immediately transported back to Hislop’s book, her story of outcasts surviving a life of isolation. During a sobering hour-long walk around the island, you can pace the grim walls and visit the dilapidated buildings – Town Hall, homes and wash-houses – to get a sense of exactly how the community existed. In its own way, Spinalonga is a life-affirming place to visit. Not quite so evocative is hiring a car to drive the switchback roads up into the mountains of mainland Crete. On our way up, we called in at the unassuming Church of Panagia Kera to be astonished by the Byzantine frescoes. And if you like arts and crafts, you’ll
love Kritsa, one of the oldest and most historic villages on the island. Here, the aptly named Panoramic Taverna looks like the film set for Mamma Mia! and serves strong Greek coffee. A feast was being prepared and the smell of home-cooked soutzoukakia – baked meatballs – was mouthwatering. Tempting though it was to stay and see if Pierce Brosnan turned up, we wanted to get to the tomato-growing hot spot of Ierapetra, and to swim from the island’s golden beaches to whip up an appetite for lunch at the scenic fishing hamlet of Mochlos. On the menu was baked sea bream, grilled sardines and salad washed down with a Boutari sauvignon blanc at Taverna Bogazi. Like so many other hostelries in Crete, the owner gave us the warmest of welcomes and found us a waterfront table – all at the mention of Victoria Hislop.
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arrived at our base, the Elounda Gulf Villas & Suites in Elounda. The Kadianakis family have created their own take on a Cretan village in the shape of 15 sumptuous suites, 18 luxurious villas with private pools, a beach club, a spa and a restaurant that combines the best of Greek cooking with world-class cuisine. The resort hugs the hillside, but luckily you don’t have to be a mountain goat to clamber up from the infinity pool to your private villa, as a team of white liveried bellboys sweep you up in golf buggies. I came to eke out the last of the summer sun, and to explore Spinalonga, which sits on the glittering Gulf of Mirabello. Boats depart daily from Elounda and Plaka for the eerie, arid and barren
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Daily Mail – I’ve wanted to go to Crete ever since reading Victoria Hislop’s novel The Island. Like a siren, she lured me to the largest Greek island and then to Spinalonga, the tiny speck at the heart of her haunting story about a leper colony in the 1930s. We drove east from Heraklion airport past the party resort of Malia, the archaeological treasures of Knossos, and dazzling white fishing villages until we
Latest update of the Greek Economy (part 2) B. Negative Household Savings Ratio in response to strong decline in disposable income During the period from Q1 2007 to Q1 2015 period, per capita disposable income declined cumulatively by 27.5%, as a result of (i) the significant tax burden due to the fiscal consolidation measures and (ii) the cumulative decrease in wages by 14.5% over the same period, in the context of internal devaluation policy. Since the third quarter of 2014 and up until the first quarter of the current year, per capita disposable income has been on a moderateon ly increasing trend for more news click (5.8% y-o-y increase in http://cretepost.gr Q12015) which is expected to be reversed in the following quarters as the economy is projected to enter a new recessionary phase while the implementation of new fiscal austerity measures will further squeeze household budgets.
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C. House Prices and Building Activity In accordance with the latest provisional data release, in the first semester of 2015, the volume of private building activity, on the basis of permits issued, recorded signs of recovery, registering a cumulative 7.7% y-o-y increase, against 1.4% increase in the corresponding period of the previous year. In June 2015, the volume of private building activity decreased by 15.1%
According to recent data released by ICAP, the consolidated balance sheet for year 2014, based on a sample of 14.223 Greek companies (excluding banks and insurance companies), recorded losses, though lower than in the previous year. On a sector analysis, it is evident that among the basic sectors of the Greek Economy, only the sectors of tourism and commerce recorded profits before taxes in 2014 in parallel with an increase in turnover. D. Fiscal position at stake as Government Arrears Accumulate While the new agreement involved the rationalization of fiscal targets on primary balances, considerably revised downwards taking into account the expected recession in 2015, the fiscal situation seems tricky. More specifically, the General Government (GG) primary surplus on a cash basis stood at €2.35 billion in January-July 2015, against a primary surplus of €2.87 billion in the same period 2014. The surplus achieved over the seven-month period is mainly due to the continuous drastic drop in primary
expenditure by 10.2%, mostly at the expense of the fresh accumulation of state arrears to suppliers, from €3 billion at the end of 2014 to approximately €5 billion at end of July 2015. GG tax revenues decreased by 10.6% y-o-y in January-July 2015, as a result of the relaxation of tax collection mechanism, due to political developments. State Budget execution in 2015 until August 2015 presents a poor revenue collection while primary expenditure continues to underperform against the targets. As a result, State Budget primary surplus continues to record higher amounts than the targets set. State Budget primary surplus amounted to €3.8 billion in January-August2015, against the target set for the period for a primary surplus of €3.26 billion and versus a primary surplus of €1.95 billion in January-August 2014.
20 things you need to keep in your car
For many people, their car is like a second home. So it is important to be properly equipped in by Stavros Tsihlis case the unexpected Insurance & Investment Advisor happens! Some of the items below have to be inside every vehicle according to the traffic law, while others are ‘’nice to have’’ just in case... 1. The car’s book manual. It might come handy for many reasons, ranging from the most important (eg what type of oil is best for your model), to the more common (eg how to change the time settings). If you’re buying a used car, be sure to check that it comes with the manual. 2. Driving license, registration and insurance policy. You are required by law to have these documents with you when you drive. Please note that photocopies are not accepted by the authorities!
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y-o-y, against the 6.1% y-o-y increase in May 2015 and the 52.7% y-o-y increase in June 2014. In the first semester of 2015, market values and rents in real estate market remained under pressure, for both residential and commercial properties, given the reduced demand and excess supply. According to the last available provisional Bank of Greece data, the drop in apartment prices continued in Q22015, registering a 5.6% y-o-y decline, at a higher pace than in Q12015 (4.1% y-o-y), albeit at a milder pace than in the corresponding period of the previous year (8.2% y-o-y). In Q22015, the decline is more pronounced in “new” apartments i.e. up to five years old (-7.1% y-o-y), compared to “old” apartments i.e. over five years old, (-4.7% y-o-y) and stronger in Thessaloniki (8.2% y-o-y) and other cities (7.1% y-o-y) compared to Athens (5.2% y-o-y) and other areas (4.0% y-o-y). It is worth noting that the period Q1 2009-Q2 2015 was characterized by a cumulative decline in apartment prices of 37.9%. Construction activity will remain a drag in the economy in 2015, while the ongoing declining trend in apartment prices is expected to continue in the coming quarters, as the recovery depends, inter alia, on the evolution of disposable income, the employment prospects and financing conditions.
by Prof. George S. Atsalakis
Consider having with you the KTEO (MOT certificate as well) 3. A bottle with water. You might be stuck in traffic. Maybe the engine has a failure or you run out of gas and you have to walk to the nearest petrol station or repair shop. You can also use it to clean the windscreen. Ideally you should have a bottle made of material that does not deteriorate when exposed for hours or days at the high temperatures developed inside the car and refresh it with fresh water frequently. 4. First aid kit. This is one of the most important items to have as in case of an emergency it can prove lifesaving! Remember to check expiration dates and renew what is in shortage. 5. Spare wheel. This is a no-brainer as it can immobilize your vehicle and the only solution is the Road Assistance... It is also important to check regularly that the tire is inflated correctly and in good condition. And if you need to use
it, make sure to replace it immediately once you find the appropriate shop. 6. Tools for changing your tire. This is something that a lot of people are not aware of but you are obliged by the law to carry with you the tools nessesary in order to be able to change a tire on your own or with a passerby’s help. 7.Replacement fuses for the battery and lights. This will enable to you change faulty fuses quickly and avoid fines if stopped by the road police! 8. Battery Cables. You might find another driver willing to help you if you run out of battery but you need the appropriate cables. You can also assist others when in need! 9. Flashlight. This is very important for
any work done in the late hours as Cretan roads are not very well illuminated. Do not forget to check the batteries (better yet, bring along and a second set of batteries). 10. Warning triangle and reflective vests. In case you are immobilised on the highway or a village road, staying safe is very important. Having a triangle and vest alerts other drivers coming towards you! The list will be continued in part two...
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The Apokoronas Welfare Organisation and Greek volunteerism I have not yet met anyone in Crete
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news & articles
who can recall seeing such a thing as a food collection point, a social by Yannis Xamonakis apokoronasnews.gr supermarket, a soup kitchen or a volunteer worker discretely distributing essential items to people in need before 2010, when the crisis started to bite. I’m sure there were homeless and destitute people then, and people who were left with no family support, but at the time, for the rest of the community they were largely an invisible minority. When the crisis started to spread however, Apokoronas was one of the first municipalities in Crete to introduce food collection boxes in local stores. As soon as it became apparent, in 2010, that the crisis was here to stay and that there was a gap in state provision and that there was not sufficient funding for supporting the rapidly increasing number of individuals in need. That early Apokoronas initiative was largely the result of the efforts of the European on for more news click residents of the municr http://cretepost.g ipality who also raised funds by organising events and car boot sales and made links with local organisations and the church in their effort to make a contribution to the increasing number of needy in their host country at a time when the state seemed paralysed by the pressures to reduce what little spending was budgeted on welfare. Five years later, with the Greek economy having shrunk by a quarter, unemployment remaining at European record levels and the main form of welfare support of the Greek family, the grandfather’s pension, being severely cut back, the number of families in need in Apokoronas increased beyond the capacity of the local European volunteer organisation to help. It was not surprising therefore, that
the incoming mayor of Apokoronas, Charalambos Koukianakis decided shortly after taking office in September 2014 to create a Social Welfare Organisation to take over the functions of the European volunteers and expand it beyond the Food Parcel Service that could not adequately provide for the increasing welfare needs of rural Apokoronas. The responsibility for managing the Apokoronas Welfare Organisation has fallen on two dedicated and energetic members of the council, Argiro Benaki and Niki Niolaki who are both committed to taking the work of the AWO forward with the help of the volunteers, both European and Greek. I met with them in their office in Vryses Town Hall to talk about volunteerism in the Greek community. It is true that volunteerism is a relatively new pursuit for Greeks but one that is experiencing a huge increase in recent times, perhaps helped by the wave of compassion generated by the plight of the refugees in the Aegean Islands. In the past in Apokoronas, the activities of the European residents to raise funds for worthwhile causes – be it animal welfare or supporting sick children – were considered an oddity by the local population, who did not understand the exact mechanics of, for example, the process of fund raising for a charity and viewed them with a certain degree of suspicion. But in the year since the AWO started its activities, Agyro and Niki have noticed how more and more Greeks recognise the value of volunteerism and ask about ways they can help. “Many people have the impression that there is very little involvement of the Greek community in the work we do here” said Niki. “This is simply not true. Since we started there have been a great many Greek volunteers who help in the distribution of food parcels, in
the Social Supermarket and the clothes store we recently opened in Kalyves” “And with donations” added Argyro. “Just the other day I had a man here who made a very generous offer of food and cash for our Feed a Family scheme that could keep three of our needy families going for weeks”. The AWO is now offering a wider range of services than just distributing food parcels to more than 400 families in Apokoronas and running the Social Supermarket and the clothes bank, Argyro said. In the past year it has started an education support service with the Social Frontistirio to offer help to pupils whose parents cannot afford to pay for extra lessons, it organises blood donations for the Apokoronas Blood Bank, it reorganised and upgraded the three day nurseries it runs, it is organising fund raising cultural events and plans to start a new help at home programme with the help of both European and Greek volunteers. The contribution of the European volunteers has been invaluable to the work of the AWO. “The Europeans gave us a lot of ideas and have organised extremely successful projects such as the Shoe box for Christmas that gave Christmas presents to children in Apokoronas. Now Greeks are following their example and have started to organise events themselves – charity basketball games and concerts – to help collect donations of non perishable food and cash for those in need”. “Our role is to coordinate the work of all the volunteers the council and the church who are involved in the distribution of help and also in the recruitment of Greek volunteers” explained Argyro. “ The guiding principles of our work is cooperation, consultation and respect for others”. One of the partners of AWO is the
Greek Church which works very well with the European community. As an example of this cooperation Niki mentioned the Christmas meeting between the local Greek priest with his Anglican counterpart and their respective congregations, and how at the end of the meeting the two clerics embraced. “A very moving moment. People wondered why was there ever a schism?” Argyro remarked, referring to the 11th century break of communion between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. Likewise, the European volunteers who prepare the food parcels work well with the Greek ones who do the distribution complementing each other’s work added Niki. But yes, there is still some way to go they admitted. For example, there are not many events that attract both communities. The Europeans prefer different events to those organised by Greeks and that gives the impression to the Europeans that the Greek community is not as involved with volunteer activity as they should. And yes they should try to involve even more local Greeks who, as the majority of the population, are underrepresented in the body of AWO volunteers. And a series of awareness raising events are planned as well as more regular updates distributed through the Church “Some of the Europeans also told us that we should give people more notice of forthcoming events to make it easier for them to plan ahead” said Argyro in her concluding remark . “But we can’t always oblige. Dates change unexpectedly and sometimes we are not in a position to know ourselves in advance . You know what is like ....”. Most of us do. And that makes their work, the work of the AWO and all the volunteers Greek, British or European all the more remarkable.
Why some Greek pensioners may have to forage to survive
OFF
tween two peaks and emerge in a fertile valley, strewn with the mauve and green striped bells of Messina fritillary and stabbed with tall pink blades of Italian gladioli. This pointillist canvas, after the long trudge through greygreen hillsides, is dazzling, but Giorgos is already at work. Nail-grimed, banana-bunch fingers clutching a spotted, notched knife, he fills his fibre sack with mustard leaves, dandelion, sorrel, and black nightshade. Pausing for breath he points out freshly dug holes in the surrounding field where rare orchids have been dug up. “We never bothered them before, but now – ti na kanoume – what can you do? People dig them up and sell them to collectors. You can feed a family for a month on what they’ll pay.” Harvest complete, we haul sacks on shoulders and jog back down the hillside. The stolen orchids have made Giorgos angry. “It’s all the fault of Eu-
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Like his neighbours, Giorgos’s life is regulated by these foraging expeditions. In February he digs up the golden thistle, askolimbi, whose scrubbed roots – said to be an aphrodisiac – taste like artichoke and are served with octo-
pus and lamb. When it rains he’s out at night with a torch fossicking for beigestriped snails that he’ll steam, stuff or serve swimming in a sea of red wine. We head out to seek the wild herbs that he’ll use to make crisp kalitsounia pies. Proof that the Mediterranean diet really works, my 80-year-old guide – his body warped like an ancient olive tree – skips nimbly as a satyr along the mountain track ahead of me, as he reminisces about war-time Crete: how he wet his pants when a German soldier caught him stealing and booted his skinny buttocks; how painful it was to be hungry. “Your belly shrivels like a sucked out askamadoura,” he says, referring to the Cretan equivalent of the Scottish bagpipes. An hour’s hard walking leads us high into the Lasithi Mountains where the Minoans once buried their dead. We squeeze through a narrow passage be-
rope. After we went into Europe in 1981 there was money everywhere,” he tells me. “My friend’s son worked at the bank. He’d call me up and say: ‘Hey Giorgos, wouldn’t you like a couple of thousand euros to buy a new car?’ Of course I did! To me it was free money. I didn’t even know what a loan was then.” Back at Giorgos’s house we prepare the horta. He lives alone in two small rooms, with an outside toilet. His wife died 20 years ago, victim of a medical error. Her black-eyed photo, dancing at the village festival, feeding her children, or harvesting olives, is pinned to every wall. The bubbling horta heats the room with steamy-bonfire smells. Giorgos prepares the wild-herb drink rakomeli, mixing the local firewater with honey and heating it over a gas burner. He is still angry. He shows me a recent electricity bill: 180 euros (£137) for two months. As a retired farmer he survives on a pension of 500 euros (£380) a month, but now, as Greece’s economic crisis for more news click on deepens, his pension is to http://cretepost.gr be reduced to 300 euros. He drains the wild herbs and anoints them with olive oil and lemon juice. “Soon this horta is all I will have to eat,” he says as I savour a mouthful of the meltingly textured, mildly astringent greens. “Soon we will return to the ways of our old folks and it will be hard for us, very hard,” he says crumpling the bill in his earth-stained hand.
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BBC – We’d been friends for several months before Giorgos invited me to join him on one of his food foraging expeditions. It was a real honour to be invited – I knew it was an honour because of the way my 80-year-old friend issued the terse invitation. “Tha pame na psaxnoume horta,” he said (“We are going to gather horta”), in the commanding way hospitable Cretans do when they give you something but don’t want the giving to be acknowledged. It was also daring of him to share his secret spots. I knew this too, because he issued the gruff invitation in the street outside his house and not in the kafeneion – that social meeting space where every event of village life is discussed to the tick-tack tune of tavli backgammon counters and evil-spirit-countering komboli worry beads. This meant that he didn’t want anyone else to hear. People often tend to forget that Greece has only known wealth for the past 30 or 40 years. The wonders of fat-tyred four-wheel drives, linoleum on the kitchen floor and self-cleaning ovens are relatively new in this country. Just 70 years ago there was widespread famine. Hardly surprising then, that the sites where you can find the wild greens that people survived on not so long ago, are very carefully guarded.
BBC came to Crete and found out how
“S ir,
Animal revenge on the neo-human race
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news & articles
do you believe in reincarnation?” asked a student of mine the other day, inspired by her recent by Panagiotis Terpandros reading on Zachariou Hinduism and its afterlife theories. “What can I say, Mary? Anything is possible. Even Plato makes reference on for more news click to the transitional http://cretepost.gr stages a soul must experience to eventually leave the material world to reconnect with its Heavenly Source. Pythagoras and the school of Orpheus also allude to the perpetuation of a soul from one body to the next.” “But, sir, how can this ‘body to body’ transition take place when only two thousand years ago the human population of our planet wasn’t even one tenth of today’s numbers? Where did all the souls of today’s existing humanity come from?” Obviously, my answer had far from satisfied the inquisitive nature of my student. Stunned by her acumen, I was rendered speechless, indeed! Before I could process some kind of viable reply, little Vasilis shot out with an answer that baffled all of us: “I know! I know! Two thousand years ago there used to be many more animals on the planet!” An outburst of laughter shook the whole class; but that which followed culminated into something that I simply had to publish for the sake of entertainment, or, if anything else, the revelation of a disturbing possibility that concerns us all. Seizing the opportunity to assign the subject as a class essay, I daresay that the harvested material not only echoes theories from antiquity to the present, but also a novel hypothesis that may very well explain many an unpleasant present-day social phenomenon. Here is the abstract of my students’ conclusions: “Just as dead leaves fall from a tree, decompose, and return as fertilizer either to the tree, to the grass, or into the grazing animals, so is everything in nature (whether tangible or intangible) likewise recycled. Not only in our planet, but in the universe at large. Nothing is lost. Our bodies are no exceptions. To say that the organic substances constituting our present forms once composed dinosaurs and have reached us through nature’s recycling process is scientifically in-
disputable. Now, if we also accept that the nervous system of every living creature hosts and processes the energy we call a “soul,” as this energy is recycled, it is possibly enriched with the experiences of its incarnate career. In fact, latest medical research is now revealing what is called “cellular memory.” Following successful transplants, it seems that many recipients of vital organs inherit many personality traits and behavioural tendencies of their donors. It is possible, therefore, that when the Darwinian evolution of the species produced humanoids, the “soul” energy that was gradually passed on to them from the animal kingdom underwent gradual cultivation through a more advanced nervous system. The savagery of primary human populations may possibly be attributed to the animal origins of their initial “psycho-synthetic” substance, bearing the memory of basic instincts devoid of the emotional intelligence and sensitivities that were to be gradually cultivated after a series of human to human transitions. This means that every time a “soul” passed from individual to individual it would be empirically enriched. Subsequently, human groups comprised of refined souls bearing the memory of many human experiences would excel in language, art and intellectuality and eventually establish flourishing civilizations. It seems that the high civilization of classical Greek antiquity is a direct result of such enriched souls as those of philosophers, artists and men of letters who left nothing unanswered around the human
freshly imported from the animal kingdom and who had a predilection for dogmatically, if not fanatically, adhering to a favourite team, persona or deity; since by doing so, with a sense of belonging to a group or team they felt less confused by the sophisticated (to them formidably chaotic) world they were to develop in. Animalistic behaviour was thus somewhat restrained by laws and, for the most part, by religious dictates. However, even if the fear of God does curb one’s beastliness, at some point, the drastic increase of “God fearers” drove civilization to a state of darkness. Schools of philosophy were shut down, the Olympics were abolished, “witches” were burned and those who clung on to ethnic identities were persecuted. Hence the reference of the Middle Ages as the “Dark Ages.” Notwithstanding a few sparks of light, such as the Renaissance, which in itself was an attempt by old souls fleeing Byzantium and settling in Northern Italy to revive Greek thought, the exponential increase of human forms that were to displace the corresponding number of animals not only perpetuated this darkness, but is now also threatening the very existence of civilization on the planet – a natural consequence of “neo-humans” who function with the basic animal
experience. Back then, however, due to the lack of modern means of transport and, therefore, mobility, there was no indiscriminate admixture to society, giving the members of each city state time to ferment into high culture – unlike in today’s multicultural cities that do not provide the feeling of security for their members to mingle and share high thoughts. This meant that those possessing old souls could, after a fashion, exercise cultural influence on their local human masses whose psycho-synthesis had been
instinct of consumption. At this point, one might object by observing that animals only consume what is necessary for survival, whilst humans are compelled to consume without restraint by gluttony and hedonism. The answer is that the latter vices are natural consequences of the animalistic souls now functioning within an advanced nervous system of these neo-humans, which affords them the dangerous element of uncultivated imagination. Is there any hope? Things do look grim when one considers that the
expansion of the neo-human species is such that it not only threatens the environment, but also, nowadays more than ever before, seems to be driving more and more animals into extinction. Ethnic cultures are no exception it seems, since dogmatic humanoids are violently forcing themselves in great numbers upon more advanced civilizations wreaking havoc in their wake. (Hint, hint…)” So, there you have it, my friends. Whilst the whole subject arose through an innocent question leading to a quasi-scientific, quasi-philosophical (albeit amusing) conclusion, the possibility of such a truth justifies more than any other possible theory the ongoing decadence of our civilizations. And by embracing this theory, one need no longer wonder about wars, hooliganism, anarchy, the degeneration of the arts and the thousands of curses that plague modern humanity (much less the inter-fan head-bashing with ripped-out stadium bleacher seats). However, there certainly is one bright side to all this: If reincarnation does exist, there is no reason to lament over the extinction of animals throughout the planet, since they not only live and reign amongst us today in human forms, but they are also taking their revenge (even if unwittingly) for their untimely death and the destruction of their former habitats by the ever-expanding, uncultivated neo-human race. And here we have the epitome of poetic justice: The revenge of the animals is levied on the very civilizations that have killed them. O tempora, o mores! (Oh, Times! Oh, morals! ) – Cicero
Evolutionary Specialisation “Planet Earth is blue and there’s nothing I can do” Space Oddity: David Bowie
I visited Samos a few years ago. I have
many memories from that visit: there was the terrifying taxi journey from the airport to the city of Samos and the beautiful wine but there are three things from Nature that remain in my memory: I was near the summit of Mount Ambelos when I encountered some Pine Processionary moth caterpillars. These caterpillars are dangerous and even touchon for more news click ing where one has r http://cretepost.g been can produce an allergic reaction to human skin. They are called processionary because they create lines with the head of one caterpillar very close to the rear end of the one in front. However, something had gone wrong; I assume the “leader” must have encountered two or three rocks. The line had turned into a circle and the animals just going round and round. As I wanted to reach the summit I did not stay to see what happened. Secondly. I remember walking to Moni Vronti monastery. I entered a small valley that was pink with the flowers of many, many Judas trees. I have never seen anything like this before (or since). The last memory was from the village of Pythagoras. After a small lunch I was on a small lane on the outskirts and saw an orchid, in excellent condition, on top of a bank. I climbed the bank and the olive grove that was being protected by the bank was a myriad of colour. The ground was covered in thousands of
orchid flowers of several species. It was like a patchwork quilt of orchids. This latter aspect always makes me wonder how many groves throughout Greece and Crete would have been similar before herbicides and manufactured fertilizers. The number of orchid plants is reducing and that is partly due to their ecology. There are a few orchid species on the island that a little showy but the majority are small plants with small flowers. However the shapes, patterns and colouring of these flowers are worth investigating even if it means getting on your hands and knees to see closely. I think that orchids are the most interesting and exquisite of plants; this is also the thinking of many visitors to the island, as many arrive in spring specifically to view the flowers and especially the orchids. But why are orchids so susceptible to human interference? There are many reasons but two or three, in particular, stand out. Some European orchids are able to occasionally self-pollinate but most require an insect to assist. At the extreme, a plant may require a specific species of insect (usually a bee or a wasp). Different species of orchid use different techniques to ensure pollination. It was originally thought that the markings on the lips of many orchids were evolved to mimic particular species of insect but it is now recognized that many orchids produce a pheromone (specific sexual scent) to attract the pollinator. The pollen sticks to the insect while searching for the elusive mate. The pheromones produced by certain members of the
Ophrys genus are specific for the pollinating wasp or bee. Members of this genus do hybridise easily but these hybrids are not as common as would be expected because each of the two species uses a different insect and because of the faithfulness of the insect to a particular plant. Listera ovata, which is found on Crete – including the Samaria Gorge, explodes pollen on to the startled insect. The insects move to another flower and the pollen rubs off at the new flower. These different, and perhaps quirky, systems of pollination do not help in expanding populations. Once pollinated, an orchid will eventually produce thousands of seeds, but these seeds are minute and have little nutrient. Orchids require the help of specific fungi to germinate, grow and survive. Without the specific fungus the plant cannot survive – the plant is dependent on its fungus. This is only part of the problem of reproduction. It may take 3 or 4 years or more before there is a sign of a plant growing: it may take from 5 to 12 or 13 years, depending on the species, for an orchid to grow from a seed to its first flowering season. Some Serapias orchids on Crete can get to flowering in 5 years. Thus they can be seen where seeds have survived on disturbed ground. From experience in my garden I know that Pyramidal orchids take 9 years from seed to first flowering. Because of this long period of growth orchids are a reasonable indicator of fairly undisturbed ground. At any time during this period the plant can be destroyed before it is able to reproduce. The dependency on a fungus also means that the destruction of the fun-
by David Capon gus means the destruction of the plant. Bulldozing will destroy the plant and the fungus, as will herbicide. Because of the relationship with the specific fungus orchids can survive on nutrient poor soils. Fertilizers, either from direct application or run-off, change the nature of the soil and can destroy the fungus or the plant – eventually both. The whole reproductive process is complicated but worked well until humans interrupted the evolutionary process with fertilizers, herbicides and habitat destruction. As with the example of the hedgehog that I mentioned in the last issue evolution cannot progress at the rate that we humans are changing the environment. In Nature there are instances of co-evolution, especially some plants and humming birds. This evolution is so specialized that at the extreme the bird can only feed from that plant and the reproduction of the plant is dependent on the one species of bird. The extinction of one species dooms the other to extinction. It is important to note that not only is it illegal to dig up any species of orchid to transplant it but, without detailed knowledge of the particulat plant, its associated fungus and environmental requirements the orchid would not survive. Humans are destroying this planet rapidly. Among the latest sad news are the rainforest fires in South-east Asia and the reintroduction, by Japan, of whaling in the Antarctic. And, through all this the quote from the late David Bowie (“There’s nothing I can do”) seems very appropriate to present circumstances.
Hundreds of Greek hotels up for sale. 66 ads on Crete! H undreds
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news & articles
of hotel owners have recently resorted to trying to sell their units, research by Greek newspaper Kathimerini has found, with at least 5 percent of Greek hoteliers having placed ads in popular specialized websites over the last 40 days to sell their assets. The number of sellers is far greater
66 ads on Crete!
when taking into account ads published earlier last year, while many other hoteliers are choosing different means to promote their hotels for sale. Sustainability issues This trend highlights the flip side of Greek tourism. While there was an all-time record in arrivals from abroad last year – benefitting specific tourism destinations and hotels– there is also a great number of mainly small and medium-sized hotels that face serious sustainability issues.
The research showed that since December 2015 there have been at least 482 ads published for the sale of hotel units in Greece, with a total value of over 1.7 billion euros. For example, in the Halkidiki peninsula in central Macedonia, 106 units have been put up for sale, asking for 406 million euros. Another 66 ads concern sales in Crete, asking for 348 million euros, including a five-star hotel in Hania. Hoteliers are also selling 53 units on the Ionian islands for 202 million euros.
What to do, who to call, which procedure to follow
Repatriation of the deceased abroad
Special Offer for transporting the body abroad from 1.600,00 € The offer includes the below services/ products: • Coffin specially designed with metal coating and wooden from the outside to meet the health standards of sealing and transport • Coffin Set (Bedsheet, pillow, shroud) • Transfer of the remains from the place of death (Chania-Crete) to the cooling chamber of the General Prefectural Hospital of Chania. (In case that there is no room at the cooling chambers of the hospital of Chania and need to be transported, in the champers of the Hospital of Rethymnon in Crete or to the University Hospital of Heraklium,there will be an extra charge, in agreement
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with the client). Transportation of the body to and from the Morgue of Chania Crete when autopsy if requested.(In case the Forensic surgeon who is on duty tha day is in the Hospital of Rethymnon or Heraklion and it is necessary to transfer the corpse there for autopsy, and Embalming if necessary, there will also be an extra charge and will again inform the client). Issuance of a Certificate of death Expenses for embalming the body to ensure public health during transportation We transfer the deceased to the airport of Chania Crete and deliver the body to the cargo to the airline we have booked. In case of repatriation,as soon as we communicate with the family, via E-mail and by the time you send us the necessary legal authorizations and also inform the consular, you should sent to our account the agreed amount om money, so that we are able to proceed with the transfer of the corpse to his country. The transfer will be made from the nearest airport with all the necessary documents and certificates accompanying the corpse, in order to help the family proceed to the burial or the cremation of their beloved at their country.
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If the family wants us to take over the cremation and the ceremony at their country, we are also able to do this in association with funerals of abroad. • In case that the family of the deceased wishes to send the body for cremation in Bulgaria, as there will be lower costs, and to receive the ashes from our offices in Chania, Crete, and then to carry home, we arrange all the necessary documents and translations needed so that they can carry the ashes home for burial, where they want. The offer does not include: • Fees of third persons such as: - Costs for translation and authentication of documents at the Embassy of the country of destination (these vary depending on the country and the Embassy) - Costs for the transfer of the body by plane(these are estimated in accordance with the airline, airport of the destination and the load weight) - The VAT on the total price * Our offer exists for cases where the deceased died in Chania Crete. In case the place of death is outside Chania Crete, you will need to tell us to give you the extra charge for the carriage to Chania, Crete. Repatriation & Interment or Cremation from abroad & the rest of Greece In case of repatriation from any for-
eign country, we are able to collect the corpse from any port or airport of Crete and given the authoriization of the family, we transfer the coffin to the desired location, where we arrange a dignified ceremony, according to the preferation of the family, as we are always trying for our prices to be competitive amongst others, and to our client’s measures We arrange the ceremonies under communicaion with our customers, and as soon as we agree for the cost and all the details for more news click on of the ceremony, we http://cretepost.gr proceed to it. The very next day of the funeral,if this is a working day, we arrange an appointment with the clients, and we deliver them all the necessary documents in order to proceed with all the legal actions to recover the costs of the funeral from the Greek State or even cancel any pension they might received. In case one of our clients faces bureaucratic issues, our experienced staff can arrange the whole process and deliver to our client all the necessary documents,with an extra charge. In case we are asked from the family to undertake the transfer of the deceased from a foreign country or the Greek territory to Crete, we arrange by working together with associated travel agencies,having the corpse transfered with safety to the desired place,in order to proceed with the ceremony and burial.
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or foreign citizen, who died, abroad we will need to make several procedures that will allow us to be secure and in time when passing from the Greek borders, customs office, and Airports of Greece. Especially on the subject of repatriation abroad, we have a long and extensive experience, as we have handled numerous cases for many countries and maintain solid partnerships with Funerals abroad that they know us well and trust us for many years.
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news & articles
To send the remains of a domestic
Kydonias & Parth. Kelaidi Chania 73100 Informations : 2821 093052
Kefalogiannidon Street Rethymnon 74100 Informations : 2831 022785
www.e-ktel.com email: info@e-ktel.gr
Μπορείτε να κάνετε και online την κράτηση του εισιτηρίου σας You can do online booking of your ticket
Protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications for Stafida Soultanina of Crete
Read the regulation from the Official
Journal of the European Union
by Petros Marinakis
Botanical Park & Gardens
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2016/80 of 13 January 2016 entering a name in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications (Σταφίδα Σουλτανίνα Κρήτης (Stafida Soultanina Kritis) (PGI))
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, on ck for more news cli Having regard to r http://cretepost.g Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs, and in particular Article 52(3)(b) thereof, Whereas: (1) Pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the application from Greece to register the name ‘Σταφίδα Σουλτανίνα Κρήτης’ (Stafida Soultanina Kritis) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. (2) On 26 June 2014, the Commission received a notice of opposition from Izmir Commodity Exchange (Turkey). This notice of opposition was followed by a reasoned statement of opposition sent by letter of 26 August 2014. (3) The Commission examined the opposition and found it admissible within the meaning of Article 10 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. By letter of 26 September 2014, it therefore, invited the interested parties to engage in appropriate consultations to seek agreement among themselves in accordance with their internal procedures. (4) No agreement was reached between the parties within the time limit. (5) Given that no agreement was reached, the Commission should adopt a decision in accordance with the pro-
cedure referred to in Article 52(3)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. (6) The opponent claims that the application does not comply with the conditions laid down in Articles 5, 6(3), 6(4) and 7(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. In the opinion of the opponent, the characteristics of the product are not distinctive, since climate and soil conditions, which are a determinant element for the product’s quality, are the same as in Turkey. Furthermore, the words ‘sultan’ and ‘sultaniye’ have their etymological origin in Turkey (i.e. in Anatolia). ‘Soultanina’ would, therefore, be attributable to Turkey. Besides, a product named ‘Aegean Sultana’, similar to ‘Σταφίδα Σουλτανίνα Κρήτης’ (Stafida Soultanina Kritis) is claimed to have been registered as Protected Designation of Origin in Turkey and to have become a trade mark. The presence of the term ‘Soultanina’ in the Greek name would accordingly pose a threat to the Turkish registered name, create unfair competition and mislead the consumers. The term ‘Soultanina’ is finally homonymous with a name already in the register and therefore may not be registered. The application therefore should be rejected overall. (7) Despite the abovementioned allegations submitted by the opponent, the PGI ‘Σταφίδα Σουλτανίνα Κρήτης’ (Stafida Soultanina Kritis) should be registered for the following reasons. (8) It is not disputed that the name originates in Anatolia. However, since ‘Soultanina’ has become admittedly the name of a vine variety which is cultivated in many countries, it is no longer linked to the place of origin. It may, therefore, legally refer to a product that does not originate from Anatolia. ‘Soultanina’ was already classified as a vine variety under Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3800/81, now repealed. In the currently applicable legal framework, ‘Soultanina’ was notified as a wine grape variety under Article 63(1),
Carob: The chocolate of Crete
There
cretan nature
is almost no carob left in Crete, as during the past 3 years, the Cretans have realized that the “Cretan chocolate”, as they used to call the fruit, has turned into a well-hidden treasure of the Cretan land. Especially this year, the demand exceeded any precedence and, as a result, there is now a shortage of Cretan carob and some local companies which use it in various products are forced to buy big quantities from the rest of Greece.
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Carobs take the world by storm Invited to “Crete Today” broadcast on Crete TV, businessman from Rethymno Ilias Manousakas, who owns a carobs processing unit producing a wide range of new products from carob, such as pasta, biscuits, hazelnut spread and balsamic sauce, explained that more and more Cretans turn to this traditional cultivation that had been abandoned during the past decades.
One characteristic is that a few years ago, just 2 or 3 bakeries in Crete produced products made of carob, such as bread, cookies and crisp-bread, not to mention that they used imported carob-flour, while he estimated that there must be about 300 bakeries using a total 100% of Cretan raw materials. Young carob farmers increase The old and sometimes forgotten carob trees, in Cretan villages, attract wannabe sellers of the product like a magnet and, as a result, their fruits are not simply harvested, but rather becoming extinct. At the same time, more and more are those who choose to cultivate carob trees, which are now considered ideal for the Cretan land and do not require painstaking work and large amounts of money. Indicative of this is the fact that carob is sold on average at 23 to 30 cents per kilo, while a tree can produce up to 300 kg.
point (d), of Commission Regulation (EC) No 607/2009. (9) As regards the specific characteristics of ‘Σταφίδα Σουλτανίνα Κρήτης’ (Stafida Soultanina Kritis) (PGI), the single document correctly and exhaustively describes the link between the specific qualities of the product and the geographical area. It is characterised by high sugar content (minimum 75 %) and low moisture content (maximum 16 %). The calcareous soils of Crete give plants that produce very good quality fruit, as it contains more sugar. The low rainfall and long hours of sunshine in July-August, when the grapes are ripening, has a favourable impact on sugar concentration. Rain during this period leads to dilution of the sugars in the grapes, which affects their quality. The hot, dry conditions and the practice of dipping the grapes in an alkaline solution before they are dried result in rapid loss of water and a simultaneous increase in sugars, so the darkening stops and the sultanas acquire their characteristic colour. Izmir Commodity Exchange has not given a valid reasoning to challenge these statements. (10) Turkey’s product ‘Aegean Sultanas’ is not a PDO registered according to the EU law. It has no specific protection under Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. In particular, it cannot be considered liable to prevent the registration of a homonymous name under Article 6(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. In any event, ‘Soultanina’ is not the name of a product which is homonymous with ‘Aegean Sultanas’. (11) The name ‘Soultanina’ in itself is not likely to mislead consumers on the origin of the product since it is commonly known as a vine variety which can be cultivated worldwide. In addition, in this specific case, the name ‘Soultanina’ is accompanied by a geographical term (‘Kritis’) which eliminates any hypothetical doubt on the origin of the product.
(12) Notwithstanding the protection granted to ‘Σταφίδα Σουλτανίνα Κρήτης’ (Stafida Soultanina Kritis), the name ‘Soultanina’ may continue to be used within the territory of the Union, provided the principles and rules applicable in its legal order are respected. (13) The opposition does not refer the exact references of the alleged registered trade mark. No mention is made of a trade mark registered by Turkey in the EU territory. (14) For the abovementioned reasons it is to conclude that the name ‘Σταφίδα Σουλτανίνα Κρήτης’ (Stafida Soultanina Kritis) (PGI) should be entered in the register of Protected Designation of Origin and Protected Geographical Indications. (15) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Agricultural Product Quality Policy Committee, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 The name ‘Σταφίδα Σουλτανίνα Κρήτης’ (Stafida Soultanina Kritis) (PGI) is registered. The name in the first paragraph identifies a product from Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals fresh or processed set out in Annex XI to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 13 January 2016. For the Commission The President Jean-Claude JUNCKER
Malotira: The mountain tea of Crete
Malotira
(Sideritis syriaca), also known as mountain tea or kalokimithia, is a 10-50cm high herbaceous plant or a bush, which grows at high elevations in western Crete (over 900m). The species is endemic to Crete and its being labeled as syriaca (instead of cretica) is probably due the confusion of the botanist who labeled it. Its leaves are small and fluffy, while spikes with yellow flowers are formed all around it in the summer. Unfortunately, malotira has dramatically diminished at mountains, mainly because of excessive grazing and harvesting. Some people claim that this population decline has coincided with the Chernobyl disaster. Thus, the amazing honey produced from its flowers until the eighties, is no longer produced anywhere. It is not only used as a beverage with an exquisite aroma and taste, but also for treating and preventing many diseases. Its attar contains 34 substances with
various antimicrobial, as well as pharmaceutical properties. It has an anti-inflammatory, bacteriostatic, antioxidant, anti-microbial, diaphoretic, restorative, anti-irritating, antianaemic, heating, diuretic and detoxifying action and is good for the stomach. It is also used against colds and respiratory ailments. Adding cinnamon sticks and honey to the beverage, we have an excellent demulcent and antiseptic against coughing. Finally, it is also believed that it is beneficial to blood vessels. checkincreta.com
A new culinary concept for a traditionally used medicinal plant A new culinary concept has been developed to praise ancient and modern uses of exclusive Mediterranean ingredients, focusing the world’s attention in a region: Crete, Greece. International gastronomy and food science are in search for appealing ingredients, new food products or new technology and methods for dish preparation. Dittany of Erontas (Origanum dictanmus) It is an endemic herb of Crete, also called “erontas” or “stomatohorto”. It has been known since the ancient times and has been used as a haemostatic and wound-healing agent. Its healing properties are mentioned also by Hippocrates. It is said that when wild goats get injured, they rub their wound against this plant and it heals rapidly. It grows only on steep slopes and cliffs, so its collection is dangerous.
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It is collected in the summer months. Currently, we mainly drink it as a tea but it is also used in the production of drinks. Cretan dittany and Martini? What a combination... Did you know that Martini Rosso includes 40 herbs from around the world, including dittany of Crete? Beppe Musso of Martini says “In a red wine base it includes dittany of Crete, Italian violets, for their sumptuous smell; iris root; distilled clove essence; and raspberries which are infused in water and then distilled in a two-step process for the lively fresh fruit flavours. Also included is cascarilla, a tree bark from the Bahamas which is dried on the beaches to allow the saltwater spray
to infuse the drying bark, just one example of the complex processes behind each of the 40 ingredients used”. The Martini makers of Italy get their Cretan Dittany from growers in Embaros, Heraklion, Crete. Where to find dittany Well, if you are not in the mood to trek into the mountains and gorges, you could head down to “Glikanisso” store, at the center of Chania. To make dittany tea: • Place 5-6 stems with leaves in a pot of cold water. • Bring to a boil and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes. Five simple recipes • Cherry pie with dark chocolate
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and syrup from Dittany of Crete [dough: cereal flour, water, egg, yeast, chopped Dittany leaves, brown sugar, olive oil, ginger, salt; filling: dark chocolate, cherries; syrup: brown sugar, one cup with infusion of Dittany]. • Beef meatballs with marinated oven leeks and béchamel sauce with Dittany of Crete [meatballs: no-crust bread, beef mince, milk, salt, pepper; leeks: marinated with salt, olive oil, red wine and chopped Dittany leaves and inflorescences, then on for more news click baked in the oven; r t.g os ep et http://cr béchamel: olive oil, cereal flour, milk, one cup of Dittany infusion, eggs, grated hard goat and sheep’s cheese, salt and black pepper]. Fish-egg salad with Dittany of Crete [leavened bread, fish roe ‘white tarama’, olive oil, one cup with Dittany infusion, chopped fresh Dittany leaves and inflorescences, lemon juice]. Marinated rabbit with pearl onions and sweet potato [marinade: red wine, laurel, one cup with infusion of Dittany of Crete; cooked in Dutch oven]. Fresh salad of climbing French beans boiled with Dittany of Crete, with Greek yogurt sauce, topped with Sun flower seeds [climbing French beans boiled with chopped Dittany leaves and inflorescences; cow yogurt with olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, black pepper].
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is famous for its aromatic plants and herbs, which grow everywhere, in the mountains, in farming areas and in coastal areas. Some of them are endemic and have been known since the ancient times for their remedial properties. Nowadays, their use is somehow limited, but everybody drinks a herb tea in winter (sage, mountain tea or dittany). Don’t forget that the exquisite taste of the Cretan dishes is owing to the use of aromatic herbs.
Cretan gastronomy
Crete
The famous Cretan dittany of Erontas
Archaeologists make exciting discovery at Aptera on Crete
ANA/MPA – Archaeologists excavating the site of Ancient Aptera in Chania, Crete, on Tuesday announced the discovery of two small yet spectacular statues depicting the gods Artemis and Apollo. The two statues, which are believed to be a pair, have a height of about half a meter, including their pedestals, and are believed to date to the second half of the 1st century or early 2nd century AD. on ck cli ws ne e or That of Artemis, the m for r t.g os ep et cr :// hunting goddess wortp ht shiped in Aptera, is cast in bronze, while her brother Apollo is carved from marble. The goddess, standing on an ornate
base also of bronze, is in an excellent state of preservation, the head of the excavation, Vanna Niniou-Kindeli, said, with all of her limbs intact and posed as though ready to shoot an arrow. The statue of Apollo, said the archaeologist, is much simpler in style – possibly denoting the god’s junior position to his sister – but well executed and with traces of rare red paint at its base. The two sculptures may have been imported to the island in order to adorn the Roman-era villa in which they were found, archaeologists believe. Aptera’s survived from Minoan through Hellenistic times, after which it fell into decline.
CNN: Knossos among the most fascinating ancient cities
The world tends to celebrate the in-
genuity and strength of great civilizations that have flourished by successfully subduing nature. But every bit as fascinating are the stories of once-great civilizations forced to submit to nature’s capricious power. Perhaps they also offer a cautionary tale for the modern world: No matter how advanced the civilization, we are often no match for nature. 6. Knossos, Greece Five miles inland from the coast of Crete, Knossos was the center of the Minoan civilization, a powerful Bronze Age culture that flourished between
about 3000 B.C. and 1400 B.C. According to myth, the god Zeus had a son, Minos, who became king of Knossos. Among the many legends about King Minos is that his wife gave birth to the Minotaur, a man-eating monster who was half-human, half-bull. Daedalus, an Athenian craftsman, designed a labyrinth in which to trap the Minotaur, and was later trapped there himself. Although there is much scholarly debate about the existence and location of the labyrinth, the myths speak of the Minoan empire’s regional influence. Fueled by trade and their mastery of the sea, Knossos to become an advanced
city with running water, paved roads and fine art, including elaborate metal work, pottery and brilliant frescoes. But when the mainland Greeks finally seized Crete, the Minoan civilization had already begun to crumble. Why? There are competing theories about what exactly brought down the Minoans. Most involve a massive volcanic eruption on the nearby island of Santorini, which sent an explosive plume of gas and ash miles into the sky. Some scientists believe the force of the volcano caused a tsunami, and it may even have altered the climate. If so, the result for the Minoans would
have been devastating: badly damaged infrastructure, the heart of its trading center destroyed, its crops ruined. Within a couple of generations, Knossos and the broader Minoan civilization was hardly capable of defending their territory.
Greek Nominees for the ‘European Museum of the Year Award 2016’
Museum of Typography is one of them
(by Niall Finn) “Evasive tactics” A landscape full of prickly pear: You go to pick them – they’re not there! They’ve disappeared, which isn’t fair, Into the thinnest of thin air. I look and peer; I stare and stare But cannot see them anywhere. I cannot spot their hidden lair, Not even standing on a chair: The countryside completely bare Of the dessert I planned to share. Perhaps – before I quite despair – You’ve got a couple going spare? ********** “Koum Kapi”
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culture
Few cities boast a little beach That’s peaceful yet in easy reach. Koum Kapi’s just a little stroll; An office worker’s lunch-time goal. A place where often housewives take A well-earned swim and sunshine break. Thin strip of beach, a harbour wall No tourist services at all. But yes in fact, to tell the truth: A single, bright blue changing booth. And in this magic breathing space You rarely see a foreign face.
Perhaps it’s in no tourist book (I can’t be bothered now to look) If so, let’s hope it stays that way But I’ll be back some other day! ********** “Rare sights in the traffic” In general Cretans rarely like To look a sissy on their bike; The “bare-head look” is all the rage No matter what the person’s age. Today, though, I was stupefied To see a different way to ride. Some 14 bikes had come and gone The riders ALL WITH HELMETS ON! Then number 15 on my street Showed me that I was still in Crete: Not speeding so his well-combed hair Would not be mussed up by the air; His helmet draped upon his arm To keep his elbow safe from harm. It was high time, I must assume For “normal service” to resume. The next few riders rarely hid Their hair style with a “safety lid”. Though one I saw had gone so far As to protect his handlebar: That’s where the helmet hung instead Of guarding his quite empty head.
The
Archaeological Museum of Tegea in Tripoli and the Museum of Typography in Chania are among the 49 nominees for the European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) 2016. Organized by the European Museum Forum, which operates under the auspices of the Council of Europe, the EMYA is awarded to a museum that has attracted and welcomed its visitors using high museum standards and innovative approaches. The award values museums whose development and innovation in terms of communication, presentation and interpretation have impacted museum standards within Europe. The winners of the EMYA 2016 will be announced at the award ceremony traditionally closing the Annual Assembly of the European Museum Forum which will take place on April 6-9, 2016, in Tolosa and San Sebastian, Basque Country (Spain). Museum of Typography The Museum of Typography, situated in Chania, Crete, constitutes the life vision of its founder, Yannis Garedakis, founder and editor of the newspaper “Haniotika nea”. The Museum of Typography officially opened its gates in May 2005. Its collection includes hard to find, cast iron printing presses and other machines, as well as tools and objects that
present the development of typography from birth, in the days of Gutenberg, up to our days. Rare books and newspapers, as well as the precious lithographies, travel visitors in the art of Typography. The EMY Award The European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) was founded in 1977 under the auspices of the Council of Europe, with the aim of recognising excellence in the European museum scene and encouraging innovative processes in a museum world which still took the more traditional view to focus exclusively on collections rather than on their use for the benefit of society. According to its founder Kenneth Hudson, the most innovative and bold museum changes take place in new small scale museums with young professional and dedicated teams, that is why small regional or private museums which opened in the last three years or reopened after a major restructuring can equally take part in the competition along with national or state museums.
The
Updated rapid risk assessment on Zika virus in the Americas and potential complications
Zika virus epidemic continues to spread in the Americas. Since the last ECDC rapid risk assessment published on 10 December 2015, 13 additional countries or territories have reported laboratory confirmed autochthonous transmission. Further information is now available on the number of babies born with microcephaly in Brazil and several Zika-affected countries have reported unusual increases in Guillain–Barré syndrome. The risk assessment concludes that despite growing evidence of a link between intra-uterine Zika virus infection and adverse pregnancy outcomes, a causal link between these events has not yet been confirmed. It also concludes that further epidemiological studies are required for more health news to assess the strength of the association beclick on http://cretepost.gr tween Guillain–Barré syndrome and Zika virus infection. No new scientific evidence about the association of Guillain-Barré and Zika virus infection has been published. As of 19 January 2016, autochthonous cases of Zika virus infection were reported from 23 countries or territories worldwide within the past two months and 27 countries or territories have reported autochthonous cases within the past nine months. The findings from investigations of an additional four suspected cases of microcephaly with a possible association to Zika virus infection were reported by the Brazilian authorities. In addition, a recent journal publication mentions six additional cases but with no further details. The Hawaii (USA) Department of Health announced a laboratory confirmed case of Zika virus infection in a baby born with microcephaly from a mother who was pregnant when she resided in Brazil in May 2015. Two new countries, El Salvador and Venezuela, have reported an unusual increase above the baseline of Guillain-Barré syndrome, concomitant with
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health & nutrition
by Miltiades Markatos Pneumonologist
the development of Zika outbreaks in the country. This observation supports a temporal and spatial association as that seen in French Polynesia. Options for mitigation The main options for mitigation that public health authorities in EU/EEA Member States should consider include the following: Surveillance Increase awareness of clinicians and travel health clinics so Zika virus infection is considered in their differential diagnosis. Enhance vigilance towards the early detection of imported cases. Strengthen laboratory capacity. Increase awareness among obstetricians, paediatricians and neurologists that Zika virus infections should be investigated for patients presenting with congenital central nervous system malformations, microcephaly and Guil-
lain–Barré syndrome. Safety of substances of human origin Blood safety authorities should consider the deferral of donors with a relevant travel history to affected areas, in line with measures defined for dengue virus. Information to travellers and EU residents in affected areas Recent trends can be used to describe the affected countries as either: • Experiencing a rapidly evolving Zika virus epidemic with an increasing or widespread transmission; or • Reporting sporadic transmission following recent introduction. The following options should be considered by public health authorities: • Advise all travellers to affected areas to take protective measures to prevent mosquito bites, including during the day. • Advise travellers with immune disorders or severe chronic illnesses to seek
A life changing visit to our pharmacy can make you change the way you see life and put your body and mind in harmony. Have you ever visited a pharmacy to taste health? A different pharmacy in the centre of the old town of Chania is waiting to share with you secrets of well being and longevity. Taste the biolo gical honey, the royal jelly, tea from plants carefully chosen in therapeutic recipes, high concentration and purity juices of pomegranate, cranberry, aloe. Orthomolecular nutrition with suggestions on detox programs and a carefully selected range of supplements, vitamins an gluten free products from all over the world. In the same premises you can find a live homeopathic lab with 6.000 homeopathic remedies in stock and the ability to produce any kind of homeopathic form i.e. pills, granules, solutions etc Evangelia Sakka is the pharmacist in charge who has created that special pharmacy and will be happy to introduce you to that fantastic world but also suggest whatever will be more settable for you. Our philosophy doesn’t stop on food and supplements but we want you to think of your mind and body as well. That’s why we have created next to our pharmacy the Green Care SPA. A SPA that helps to uplift your mind and body with biological face an body treatments, reflexology, reiky, su jok and moxa treatment, Bach flower remedies, homeopathy sessions, bowtech as well as nail therapies. We are waiting for you to restart your life at Daskalogianni 43 - 45, SAKKA Pharmacy www.my-pharmacy.gr / www.greencarespa.gr
medical advice before travelling. • Advise pregnant women and women who are trying to become pregnant, to discuss travel plans with their healthcare providers and to consider postponing their travel to affected areas, especially to areas with increasing or widespread transmission. • Advise EU citizens who live in affected areas to take protective measures to prevent mosquito bites, particularly pregnant women and women who are trying to become pregnant living in areas with increasing or widespread transmission. • Travellers showing symptoms compatible with dengue, chikungunya or Zika virus disease within three weeks after returning from an affected area should contact their healthcare provider. • Pregnant women who have travelled to areas with Zika virus transmission should mention their travel during antenatal visits in order to be assessed and monitored appropriately.
Step 1 - Uncovering the Source The first step in properly sealing a basement is to determine the source of the problem. Sometimes the leak is obvious to locate, especially if water is coming from cracks in the wall or floor. However, it is often difficult to tell the exact location of the moisture leak. If that is the case, then waterproofing the interior walls is the best way to ensure the moisture is properly handled. Step 2 - Fill in Cracks Whether or not you choose to waterproof all of the walls in the basement, filling cracks and gaps in the concrete is an important beginning step. Without these cracks properly filled, water can easily find its way back into the basement even after the walls are sealed.
Fortunately, there are a variety of products available to fill in these holes, including cement or epoxy sealers. Simply follow the instructions on the sealer and make sure it is fully dried before applying sealant to the rest of the walls. Step 3 - Concrete Sealers Once all of the cracks have been sealed
contact. For starters, ensure that there is a slope going away from the foundation that drops at least two inches for every foot. You may need to add dirt to ensure the proper slope, but make sure that the ground is not making contact with any sill plates, which can cause rot down the road.
up, it’s time to choose the proper type of sealer to waterproof the walls. If the walls have not been painted and the bare cement is exposed, there are two
concrete and silicate based sealers cannot be used on painted surfaces. Acrylic paint acts very similar to regular interior paint, only it goes on thicker. In fact,
options to choose from: concrete and silicate based sealers. Concrete sealers act like an additional layer of concrete and dry in thick layers. Concrete seal-
one gallon of acrylic paint typically covers about one fourth that of ordinary paint. Thankfully, this type of waterproof paint can be painted on with a
er should be painted on with a heavy brush. Silicate based sealant, on the other hand, uses a chemical reaction to create a solid surface on the surface of the wall.
regular paint brush, spray brush or roll. Once it is dried another layer can be added for additional coverage.
Step 4 - Acrylic Sealers If the basement walls are painted, then waterproof paint is the best option as
Step 5 - Exterior Foundation After the interior of the basement has been properly sealed, it’s a good idea to check the exterior of the home to ensure the foundation is not prone to water
Step 6 - Gutters and Plants Another way water can easily enter the basement is through a damaged or disordered gutter system. In order to fix this, make sure that gutters are clear of debris to prevent water from improperly draining and spilling into the foundation. Next, enfor more news click on sure that all gutters http://cretepost.gr are pointed away from the home and are located five feet or more from the foundation. If the gutters are all in order, check to see if any plants are less than a foot away from the house. Sometimes, plant roots can be avenues for water to reach the foundation. Step 7 - Alternative Solutions Depending on the situation, additional steps should be taken for more serious leaks in the basement. If waterproofing walls is not an option, then consider installing a sump pump. Sump pumps take out water after it reaches a certain level and pumps it away from the foundation of the house. An alternative to
a sump pump is a French drain. These types of drains utilize a series of pipes that run below the basement floor and around the perimeter of the home. Lastly, if regulating moisture continues to be an issue even after sealing the walls, then consider adding a dehumidifier to help regulate the amount of moisture in the air.
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finishing or remodeling a basement, moisture can wreak havoc on any project. In fact, moisture buildup in the basement is a serious concern. Not only can moisture damage a home’s foundation, but it can also ruin personal items if the leak is not dealt with properly. Luckily, sealing basement walls to keep out unwanted moisture is an easy process. By following these simple steps, you can rest assured knowing that your basement is free of moisture.
do it yourself
When
How to Seal Basement Walls to Keep Moisture Out
Walkies? Why your dog needs to play too
Lack of games mean animals become more anxious and aggressive
It’s a dog’s life for the nation’s mutts – who are becoming anxious and aggressive through lack of play, experts fear. A study of 4,000 dog owners has found a clear link between limited playtime and behaviour problems, such as being nervous when left alone, disobedience and snapping at other animals. And while researchers can’t be sure that playing less is directly to blame, they say that games provide vital intellectual stimulation and exercise. The Bristol University study showed that only one in five owners play with their dogs six times a day. Half play two or three times a day and 10 per cent have just one play session. Mark Evans, former chief vet for the RSPCA, said that dogs are one of the few animals to play into adulthood. He told the Sunday Times: ‘There is a clear association in the results. Own-
by Giannis Venetakis Zoo Technician
for more pets news click on http://cretepost.eu
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Tennis balls were the favourite toys, followed by soft, squeaky toys, rubber balls and rope toys. The research comes just days after an animal charity warned that millions of dogs are becoming fat, aggressive and destructive because their owners are
clueless about basic animal care. The PDSA said that treats including beer, chips and leftover takeaways are making dogs fat and unwell – and warned that almost a million are never taken for a walk. Daily Mail
Feeding tips for your dog 1. Clean, fresh water should always be available
to all pets 2. Opened cans and pouches of petfoods should be stored in the fridge and used within two days 3. Dry pet food is available in re-sealable packets, or can be stored in an air tight container up until the best before date. 4. Always be responsible when feeding treats – reduce the size of the meal accordingly and don’t feed so much that the nutritional balance of the diet is disrupted. 5. Always keep food and water bowls clean, wash and rinse them well, separately from human food dishes. Plastic bowls may have to be replaced periodically. 6. Feed an amount to maintain good body condition - use our Pet Size-O-Meter to check your pet’s size and shape.
pets & vets
ers report more potential behaviour problems in dogs that play less.’ Emily Blackwell – who conducted the research unveiled tonight on Channel 4’s Dogs: Their Secret Lives – said dogs often enjoy playing so much that they slow down or change strategy to make the fun last longer. The lecturer in canine welfare hopes that 10,000 people will eventually fill out the survey. This will enable her to firmly establish whether lack of play is affecting dogs’ moods – or if their emotional problems put their owners off spending time with them. For instance, they may slow down when playing ‘chase’, allowing their owner to catch up with them and the game to continue. Favourite games include wrestling, chase and tugging at toys, and perhaps unsurprisingly, ‘fetch’ topped the list.
7. Make looking after your pet family fun – sign up to the PFMA Family Pet Pledge and use other tools in our Toolkit section. TOXINS and DANGEROUS FOOD Many foods that we find delicious just aren’t good for dogs; here are some foods you should avoid feeding your dog. • Alcohol • Cooked bones • Chocolate • Coffee/Caffiene • Excessive fat • Green parts of tomato plants • Grapes/Raisins • Human vitamins and supplements • Licorice • Milk/Lactose • Mouldy food • Onions, chives and garlic • Slug pellets
•
Yeast
HOMEMADE DOG FOOD Any homemade pet food you provide will need to be tailored to your dog’s individual needs and should take in to consideration factors such as lifestage and lifestyle, for instance how old are your dogs? Are your dogs active? As it is a tailored approach, you will need to find a vet or animal nutritionist who can help you with this. SAFETY OF RAW EGGS FOR DOGS Eggs, raw or cooked could be suitable as part of a carefully balanced nutrition regime overseen by a veterinary nutritionist. Veterinary nutritionists wouldn’t expect raw eggs to be fed daily, however 2-3 times a week could be suitable dependent on the overall regime. In terms of safety, eggs produced professionally in Europe
should be Salmonella free. Eggs from the neighbours back garden on the other hand, could potentially be contaminated with coccidia, salmonella and enterobacteria, so potentially a risk to human and animal health. Nutritionally, eggs are a good source of protein, and whilst egg white does contain avidin which binds biotin, this is not considered a problem as eggs also contain a lot of biotin. SAFETY OF FEEDING BONES TO DOGS The veterinary consensus is that cooked bones should never be fed because of the potential health risks from splintering. We would advise pet owners to seek veterinary advice on feeding raw bones to their dog. Many manufacturers produce safe and helpful chewing products with proven oral health benefits as an alternative to bones.
Flower of the month
Osteospermum or... African Daisies
How to Care for African Daisies Osteospermum is from Africa, hence the name African daisies. Growing African daisies requires conditions similar to those found in Africa. It likes heat and full sun. It needs well drained soil and, in fact, will tolerate dry soils. Osteospermum is an annual and, like most annuals, it enjoys extra fertilizer. But the nice thing about African daisies is that they are one of the few
annuals that will still bloom for you if they are planted in poor soil. When growing osteospermum, you can expect them to start blooming about mid-summer. If you have grown them from seed yourself, they may not start blooming until late summer. You can expect them to grow to be 2-5 feet high. Growing African Daisies from Seed If available, you can buy osteosper-
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from the Greek osteon (= bone) and Latin spermum (= seed). Osteospermums belong to the daisy family ( Compositae / Asteraceae), hence their common names: African Daisy or South African Daisy, Cape Daisy and Blue-eyed Daisy. They mustn’t be confused with the annual Dimorphotheca. Although most commercial Osteospermums are labeled as annuals they are in fact half-hardy perennials or subshrubs. This means they are not entirely hardy and will therefore not survive persistent frosts. However, they can be propagated by cuttings or overwintered in a frost free environment. Osteospermum has become a very popular plant for flower arrangements in the past few years. Many people may wonder what is osteospermum? This flower is better known as the African daisy. Growing osteospermum at home is possible. Learn how to care for African daisies in your garden rather than having to pay those pricey florist costs.
mum from a local nursery as a seedling but, if they are not available near you, you can grow them from seed. Because these are African plants, many people wonder “what is the planting time for African daisy seeds?” They should be started indoors around the same time as your other annuals, which is about 6 to 8 weeks before the last for more news click on http://cretepost.gr frost in your area. African daisies need light to germinate, so you simply need to sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil to plant them. Do not cover them. Once you have them on the soil, place them in a cool, well lit location. Do not use heat to germinate them. They do not like it. You should see growing osteospermum seedlings in about 2 weeks. Once the seedlings are 2”-3” high, you can transplant them into individual pots to grow until the last frost has passed. After first frost, you can plant the seedlings in your garden. Plant them 12”- 18” apart for best growth.
plants and gardening
The name Osteospermum is derived
Prune and Armagnac tart
by Marilou - Chief executive chef at Marilou Cupcakes and more - info@marilous.gr
Ingredients For the pastry • 100g/3½oz chilled butter, diced, plus extra for greasing • 275g/10oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting • 100g/3½oz icing sugar • 2 free-range eggs For the filling • 500g/1lb 2oz prunes, stones removed • 200ml/7fl oz Armagnac • 200g/7oz caster sugar • 100g/3½oz butter, softened • 2 free-range eggs, plus 1 free-range egg yolk • 50g/2oz self-raising flour • 125g/4½ oz ground almonds • 25g/1oz whole on ck cli ws ne e blanched almonds or m for • 300ml/10fl oz double http://cretepost.gr cream • 2 tbsp icing sugar Preparation method 1.Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed, deep-sided tart tin with butter and dust with flour. 2.For the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 3.Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Crack in the eggs and stir using your fingertips until the mixture comes together as a sticky dough. 4.Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth. Flatten to a thickness of 1cm/½in using the palms of your hands, then cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 5.Meanwhile, for the filling, add all of the prunes, 150ml/5fl oz of the Armagnac, 100g/3½oz of the caster sugar, and 100ml/3½fl oz of water to a saucepan.
Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn off the heat and set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the prunes have absorbed the liquid and plumped up and softened. 6.Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3mm. 7.Carefully line the prepared tart tin with the pastry, pressing it into the edges of the tin. Take care not to stretch or break the pastry. 8.Blend half of the soaked prunes with 3 tablespoons of the soaking liquid in a food processor until smooth and puréed. Spread this mixture over the base of the pastry case. 9.Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/ Gas 5. 10.For the filling, beat the butter and the remaining caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until they have all been fully incorporated into the mixture. Fold in the flour and ground almonds carefully with the last of the Armagnac. 11.Spoon the mixture into the pastry case and smooth the top. Decorate the
top of the filling with the remaining soaked prunes and the blanched whole almonds (reserve the remaining soaking liquid). 12.Bake the tart for 25-35 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown, puffed up slightly and darker brown around the edges. 13.Just before serving, heat the remaining soaking liquid in a small pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce and simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until sticky and syrupy. 14.When the tart comes out of the oven, trim the excess pastry from the edges to give a clean edge and brush the top with the Armagnac syrup.
15.Whisk the double cream in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Gently whisk in the remaining Armagnac. Dust the tart with icing sugar. 16.Serve the tart hot or warm with the Armagnac cream. Recipe tip Tip 1: This recipe makes more pastry than necessary - freeze any leftovers for another recipe, such as mince pies. Tip 2: Once the pastry case has been filled and decorated with the prunes and almonds, it can be covered with cling film and chilled for up to 2 days perfect if you want to get ahead.
Recipe of the month
Ingredients
food & wine
½ Kg Flour 1 tsp. salt 1 cup of grated anthotiro cheese 1 glass of water 3 tbsp. of cretan olive oil 1-2 tbsp. butter Preparation
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Knead the flour with the water, the salt and the olive oil. Leave the dough for one hour and then make the macaroni. Mold the dough into finger-sized strips and cut it in small pieces (about 3 cm long).
Macaroni... skioufichta
Then put a finger in the middle of each piece and form a short and fat macaroni (like a small boat) empty in the middle. Spread some flour on the table, place
the macaroni on it and let them dry for about an hour. Then shift them and boil them for approximately half an hour.
Serve them in a deep plate with a drilled dipper and then pour hot butter (preferably “stacovoutiro”) and sprinkle the grated anthotiro cheese over them.
Tzortzoglou devised a plan that would eventually lead to the club’s resurrection. This would not only concern quality changes made to the club’s roster, but also the foundation of Ergotelis’ own training academies, intending to further boost the men’s team with promising young talent. Within a couple of years, Ergotelis grew into a strong, competitive team that would celebrate three consecutive promotions and eventually made its debut in the Greek Superleague, thus becoming the second team to have represented Heraklion in the highest professional football league in Greece, alongside club rival OFI. This historical moment for the club was achieved by winning the promotion play-out match held at Makedonikos Stadium in Thessaloniki, against Akratitos F.C., who had finished 14th in the 2003–04 Alpha Ethniki season. However, due to lack of experience, the team failed to avoid relegation in its first
season in the league, and after finishing in 15th place, returned to the Beta Ethniki once again. However, the 2005–06 Beta Ethniki season saw Ergotelis return to good form, with Greek manager Nikos Karageorgiou taking over, achieving instant promotion to the Superleague after winning the division title. The last season turned out to be one of the most difficult in the club’s recent history, as there were many open issues regarding which competition the club would be participating in at the start of the season. When Ergotelis relegated, there was much speculation on whether the club would follow in the footsteps of clubs such as AEK Athens, Larissa and local rival OFI, who chose to dissolve and voluntarily play in the Gamma Ethniki in an attempt to start anew and clear their financial debts. Despite the unebarable financial obligations tied to the decision to keep playing in the Football League, Ergotelis’ major shareholder and son of
A Football Player From Chania Goes to Australia
NSA Souda Bay
Northcote City Welcomes Michalis Karvouniaris
44 boys and girls in Chania learned the basics of baseball and softball
Ten Michalis
Karvouniaris, former player of Panahaiki, a Greek soccer team which is now facing challenging economic problems, will be welcomed to Australia in 2016 to play for Northcote City. Northcote City is a soccer team that was created in 1960 by Greeks living
in Australia. The team shares the same flag symbol as the Greek team Iraklis. The official announcement stated: “Northcote City is delighted to announce the signing of Greek defender Michalis Karvouniaris. Welcome, Michalis!”
the late Apostolos Papoutsakis Dimitrios, took the decision to keep the club in professional level and attempt a fourth promotion to the Superleague, gathering past board members and financiers under one banner. Despite high hopes however, the club soon fell behind in the League table, while its financial status worsened. As players started filing claims against the club in the winter transfer window of 2016, thus releasing themselves of their contracts due to unpaid wages, Papoutsakis announced his resignation as club president. The remaining board members along with a group of 17 players who refused to let the team die, managed to keep the club r u n n i ng until 19 January 2016, when for more spo rts news club officials finally decided click on http://cretepost. gr to withdraw the team from the competition. After 14 consecutive years playing in professional divisions, Ergotelis was once again relegated to amateur status.
volunteers from NSA Souda Bay joined 44 boys and girls from the Agrokipion Elementary school in Chania, Crete for a presentation of baseball/softball and American football. The event took place at the Nerokourou soccer field. It was a great opportunity for the children to practice American English and
play three sports which are not easily accessible in Greece. Both the sailors and the children had a great time thanks to the help of the accompanying school teachers who did a great job of translating the rules and terms used in these popular American sports. Softball gear was provided by MWR Gym Souda Bay.
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was established as an amateur club of Cretan footballers in 1929 by prominent Heraklion citizens, mainly refugees from Asia Minor. The club’s foundation, as well as its first ever recorded game, a friendly 4–0 win against local side Leon held at Chandax stadium on August 4, 1929, was reported onto local newspaper ‘Eleythera Skepsis’ on Wednesday, 7 August 1929. Since its early days, Ergotelis showed the progressive ideals of its founders, being one of the first sports clubs in Greece to allow women into its sporting divisions, as well as its board of directors. The team gradually gained its own football ground on Martinengo Bastion, located on the Venetian Era walls surrounding the city’s center, and would mostly play in local championships and Greece’s national Second Division, after the latter was founded in the early 1960s. In the late 90s Ergotelis’ owners at the time Georgios Soultatos and Nikos
sports & leisure
Ergotelis
Ergotelis... this is the end!