February2018

February 2018, Issue No. 53 www.cretepost.gr

the CHANIA POST

Ving Research:

91% of Swedes have vacationed Greece and want to return

Nine out of 10 Swedes (91%) have traveled to Greece for vacation and 92% want to return. This is the finding of a survey conducted by the big Swedish tour operator Ving – belonging to the Thomas Cook group – on a sample of 23,025 Swedes.

Out of those, 13% have traveled only once in Greece for holidays, 27% two to three times, 23% four to five times and 37% more than 6 times. Only 6% are not sure they want to do holidays in Greece, and only 2% refuse to.

More than 6 out of 10 (67%) said that (48%) prefer smaller islands such as Skiathos, Lesvos, Thassos and Skopelos, 8% prefer the hinterland including the Olympic Riviera (8%) and the popular islands of Crete and Rhodes while 5% elect large Greek cities such as Athens and Thessaloniki. Greece is most popular with Swedish families, couples and young travelers and Ving offers for the first time, this year, travel programs at the Olympic Riviera.

Reach thousands of readers every month

your monthly independent free newspaper of Chania

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Offering a selection of local interest articles, interviews, news and views from around the region of Chania and Western Crete

With a local services section, a range of advertisers and pages of free classfieds, Chania Post is an essential resource for anyone living in or just visiting this area

Just like Paris! Love locks in Chania!

In Chania, it is possible to hold the lock

on the fence at the old swimming pool of the demolished “Xenia” hotel, in the west side of the Venetian Harbor, just a few meters away from Firkas.

May be it is time to put Chania in the top10 awesome love locks locations around the world! Lock your love in Chania!

RYANAIR RETURNS TO CHANIA FOR SUMMER 2018!

ANEX Tour:

Air connections to Crete in 2018 Russian tour operator ANEX Tour announced that the flight schedule for Crete from Moscow provides frequency of 5 flights per week from Krasnodar, Kaliningrad and Rostov-on-Don every 10/11 days and from St. Petersburg twice a week.

Ryanair adds extra flights to Chania, as part of its’ peak summer 2018 schedule Thomas Cook:

28 new hotels in Greece for the 2018 season with 19 of them on Crete!

Thomas Cook has signifi-

Also, its airline, Condor adds new flights to Sitia cantly expanded its portAirport this year, ensuring folio in Greece for the a shorter trip to Sentido summer of 2018, with 28 Mikri Poli Atlantica, Smartnew hotels being offered line Arion and SunConnect by the Thomas Cook SigOstria Beach. nature and Neckermann In Kos, the newly built fourReisen brands, including star Sunprime Pearl Beach 7 hotels owned by Thomwelcomes exclusively visiare added this year. Among the as Cook. tors over the age of 16. new ones are the four-star SunAvailable for reservation in 2018 are the destinations of Santorini, Connect Marina Beach in Gouves, On the mainland, the Olympic Mykonos and Halkidiki through Heraklion and smart Mama Lem- Riviera is a new addition to the program with the new hotels for on in Hersonissos.

Thomas Cook Signature.

In Crete, the most important Thomas Cook has expanded the the 2018 Sentido Mediterranean Greek destination for Thomas number of flights to Chania and Village (plus four stars) and the Cook with a total of 97 hotels, 19 added 12 new hotels, such as the SmartLine Mediterranean (three star plus). newly built Casa Cook Chania.

PUBLIC BUS SERVICES - KTEL

is the Best Affordable and Safe Way to Travel to Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and to all villages of Southwestern Crete

Photo of the Month (by Stratos Solanakis)

CHANIA POST

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Rethymno Carnival 2018

CHANIA Municipal Market, Airport, Public Bus Central Station, Old Harbour, Municipal Tourist Information Desk

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news & articles

“Be

Your Best Self” is the motto of the Rethemnian Carnival 2018, whose celebrations begin on Saturday January 27 and will last until February 19, 2018.

The great institution of the Rethymno Carnival is also organized this year by the large family of carnival groups, with thousands of volunteers from Rethymno, the rest of Crete, all over Greece, and many supporters from abroad, in collaboration with the Municipality of Rethymno and its Welfare Corporation.

It’s been one century, since a group of people from Rethymno – with optimistic mood and open heart to every pleasant challenge – decides to put some colour to the everyday life of the city, during the Carnival

PLATANIAS Central Square Infokiosk, Botanical Park, Italian Factory Outlet and selected shops in Platanias

KISSAMOS Gramvousa and Balos boats, Elafonissi, Falassarna KANDANOS-SELINO Paleochora Info Desk, Sougia, Kandanos

season.

So, in 1914 the first Carnival of Rethymno was organized, bringing the original mark of the intentions of the people of Rethymno. Through the years, these intentions turned into actions that exceeded every time the expectations of their inspirers and finally turned to be an amazing event: the Carnival of Rethymno, a live organism, tending to reverse the natural

route of life: the “older” it’s getting the better it is becoming!

This year’s carnival subject is focused on this inversion and invites whoever deeply hopes for better days, whoever sees rainbow colors beyond grey to be part of the large, emotional and fresh Team of the Carnival of Rethymno and share, create, have fun and experience things that nobody wants to miss.

We invite you to create and

CNN Travel: 18 best places to visit in 2018. One of them is Crete sandy shores lapped by the AePlanning your 2018 vacation cre cocktails? and starting to think about just going back to that place you went last year with the OK-ish beach and the medio-

C’mon, you know you can do better.

CNN Travel has been looking to the year ahead to pick some of the best destinations worth visiting in coming months.

Crete is one of them How do you like your Greek gods? Fantastical heroes of ancient legend, or sun-kissed beauties atop powder-soft beaches? Either way, Crete has you covered.

Heraklion, the Cretan capital, was Europe’s fastest-growing tourism destination of 2017.

Those visitors are coming to Greece’s largest, most diverse island to enjoy 3,000 square miles of mountains, valleys and

SFAKIA Hora Sfakion Infokiosk, Loutro, Agia Roumeli, ANENDYK boats APOKORONAS Georgioupolis, Kavros, Vamos, Kalyves, Vrysses ...and also in more than 100 points throughout Chania Prefecture!

share this experience, having in our mind and our heart the fact that when people cooperate, every day becomes special and life itself becomes more beautiful.

It is as simple as that. around 30 gorges, the most famous of which is the 16-kilometer-long Samaria Gorge.

Crete enjoys balmy temperatures April through October and is ringed with a host of impressive beaches. Diving trips in the clear, warm waters allow guests to view underwater canyons, World War II wrecks and a rich variety of marine life.

The most celebrated beach is Elafonisi on the southwest coast, renowned for its delicately hued pink coral sand.

Don’t miss: Heraklion restaurant Peskesi serves prehistoric recipes from Minoan times. Pork roasted with honey and thyme never gets old.

gean and Libyan seas — as well as 3,000 hours of sunshine a year.

For history buffs, there are the archaeological treasures left by the Minoans, Europe’s oldest civilization, who flourished here in 2,600 BCE. Heraklion’s Archaeological Museum is a useful primer before visiting the sprawling Palace of Knossos, once home to 100,000 people and the mythical halfman half-bull Minotaur.

Western Crete has the Venetian splendor of Chania and Rethymno, while the skyline is dominated by the limestone peaks of the Lefka Ori, or White Mountains.

The mountains are slashed with Maureen O’Hare | CNN Travel

Ryanair adds extra flights to Chania. One new route from Manchester to Rhodes back in Travel Credit to reRyanair, Europe’s favour-

ite airline launched 1 new routes from Manchester to Rhodes, which will run two times weekly, as well as extra flights to Chania, as part of its’ peak summer 2018 schedule (June-October), which went on sale on the Ryanair.com website by January 26.

This new route and additional flight is aiming to help Greek consumers and travellers enjoy even lower fares and the latest “Always Getting Better” • improvements including: • Reduced checked-in bag •

fees – one €25 fee, one 20kg size Connecting flights at Milan, Rome & Porto • A new partnership with

deem in flight reservations Ryanair’s Nikolas Lardis said: “We are pleased to launch 1 new routes from Manchester to Rhodes with a two times weekly service, as well as extra flights to Chania, which will operate as part of our peak summer 2018 schedule (June-October).

These routes of our peak summer 2018 schedule were launched in January 26, and Erasmus Network offering Greek consumers and travelstudents discounts & a ded- lers can look forward to even icated booking platform lower fares and the latest “AlNew Ryanair Rooms web- ways Getting Better” improvesite & app with 10% cash ments.

My quest journey to Nepal! A man from Crete will build schools for children people were 6515 and “Live in a land of offerings

come one with the locals and Greek volunteers for such an important purpose and gave hope and happiness to the residence of the village.

On their first trip due to time pressure and work I couldn’t go with them so I got a message recently to become a part of their effort and I did it without thinking twice about it.

How your donation will help You contribute to make that project a real thing for the reconstruction of 20 new houses and the boosting of the local community.

More specific: Building new houses for the local people of Takure.

The deadly earthquake in April 2015 destroyed all the 240 houses in the area. The injured

Crete Travel Agencies Call for Actions Ahead of New Year T he Western Crete Trav- a pillar of support in terms figures at 1,093,455 against a el Agencies Association is calling on all stakeholders in tourism to focus on addressing pending issues in view of the new year and the forthcoming tourism season.

“Another good year for Greek tourism has come to an end and once again in times of crisis, the sector has become

of revenue, employment and social cohesion.

The time has now come to examine ways to make our product more competitive, more profitable for businesses and for society as a whole,” the association said in a statement.

Citing 2017 tourist arrival figures and Chania’s 10-month

total of 1,048,872 in 2016, the association is also forecasting a record year in 2018 for the island.

Top priorities for 2018 include increasing average traveler spending, extending the tourist season, improving infrastructure and services and safeguarding resources.

For the Chania region, the

travel agents are calling for dialogue and cooperation on issues such as traffic management, the promotion of locally produced goods, and tapping into the town’s cultural offerings and sites of interest.

Other pressing issues include urban sanitation and upgrading Souda port infrastructure in order to tap into to marine tourism and cruise travel.

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stroyed from the fierce earthquake in the beautiful village Takure. There we will work with the local villages whom I have heard are very welcoming people and we will co-operate with the organization Conscious impact and 25 other wonderful volunteers from Greece.

The Conscious impact organization produce with nature materials bricks safe from earthquakes and eco-friendly which are cheaper and stronger from the regular traditional bricks which where developed and polluted the atmosphere. The CSEBC bricks cost 0,12 cents each one and it estimated that about 450£ is needed for about 3750 bricks that are needed for one house.

The idea was born inside me, when I saw Elpis and Dora be-

What to expect from us : • The ten largest offers will be lottery for a unique gift from Nepal and a picture from beautiful places of Nepal.

• When I will be back , I will represent to you my work and my experiences with photographs.

• Those who will offer, you will have a gift from me.

I will be always available for you so I can provide any information in case to decide to participate in a similar project.

The more money will be gathered will be used for my personal expenditure for staying there and the rest for the project in Takure.

I want to thank you from my bottom of my heard for reading my story and your support, please share this message to your friends.

news & articles

What I am going to do and how I came up with the idea of going to Nepal ?

I am going to put my own little rock in the rebuilding of the homes that have been de-

ews click o n

http://cre the long term cost of tepost.gr reconstruction of Nepal is up to 5 millions dollars.

The government few days ago announced that the families who want to take the allowance of 3000£ , should built their home until June 2018 !

That means that the help is needed immediately.

and solidarity” / Become a member of my mission in the village ‘’Takure’’ of Nepal and discover more.

Name: Sarantis Simakis / Founder and creator of the volunteer team “A.T.A.X.T.O.I.” , which is in Heraklion, Crete.

A few words about who I am ‘’Travelling is the driver of explorations and my compass is the unresolved. ‘’ Each one of us defines how he wants to live his life and what he wants from it. For me offering and creating different projects has become an inseparable of my life.

On one of my journeys of volunteering in Greece while trying to network I met my friends Elpidoforo. I was enchantingly inspired by their efforts and I wanted to become a part of this journey.

I reply the amazing experience of the voluntary journey in Nepal, that took place in April of 2017…

for more n

The Yesterdays of Crete (part 5) - Ottoman Rule by Hobson Tarrant Whilst Crete was still un- sals (holders of land, but be- to achieve a union with the This pact was signed in 1878,

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news & articles

der Venetian control the Ottomans (Turks) attacked and conquered Crete in 1669 after laying siege on Candia (Heraklion).

Many Greek Cretans fled to make escape to other regions of the Republic of Venice as a result, however there was already a significant Islamic presence on the island that dated back from the Arab occupation, these in-bedded Muslims found reassurance with the Muslim Turks which helped cement ck on li c r s the Ottoman conquest .g re new epost for mo ttp://cret h from the inside.

Most Cretan Muslims of the period were local Cretan Greeks who had been converted over to Islam, but in the island’s 17th-century political context they became viewed by the Christian population as Turks.

In fact the island of Crete was declared an Ottoman province as early as 1646, after the Ottomans managed to conquer the western part of the island in what was called the Cretan War, but the Venetians maintained their hold on the capital, Candia, until the 1669 siege.

After the siege, a Francesco Morosini, surrendered the keys of the town to the Turks, yet the offshore island fortresses of Souda, Granvousa(near Chania) and Spinalonga, would remain under Venetian rule until in 1715, when they too were captured by the Ottomans.

During the Easter of 1770, a little documented revolt against the Ottoman rule of Crete was started. This was led by a man called ‘Daskalogiannis’ who was a ship owner from Sfakia. He had previously negotiated with the Russian Empire and had been promised support from ‘Orlov’s fleet’(The Russian navy), but sadly this never arrived and so Daskalogiannis was eventually forced to surrender.

Keen eyes will recognise that the Chania airport of today is named after him.

In 1821 the Greek War of Independence started on the Greek mainland. The Greek forces were aided by the Russians, Great Britain, France and several other forces, whilst the Ottomans were only supported by their vas-

holden to the greater power), the Eyalets of Egypt, Algeria, and Tripolitania, and the Beylik of Tunis.

Crete for its part rose up together with the rest of Greece, but despite successes in the countryside, the Ottomans held strong in the four fortified towns of the northern coast (Chania, Rethymno, Irakleio and Agios Nikolaos) and the Cretan resistance was eventually quashed by 1828.

The Cretan uprising was suppressed by the Ottoman’s with the aid of Muhammad Ali of Egypt. Muhammad Ali’s Egyptian forces were vassal’s of the Ottoman Empire, a powerful yet semi-independent group with its own military strength.

Greek National Day – Mainland Greece As a side issue of this time and following years of negotiation, the three ‘Great Powers’, Russia, Britain and France, decided to intervene in the conflicts that involved mainland Greece and the Ottoman Empire. Τhe Great Powers on learning that the Ottoman and Egyptian fleets were about to attack the Greek island of Hydra, each sent a navy to Greece to intercept the enemy fleet at Navarino (modern day Pylos) and after a week long standoff they resulted in totally destroying the Ottoman-Egyptian fleet.

By 1828 the Egyptian army was also forced to withdraw from mainland Greece under pressure from the French expeditionary force which made the Ottoman garrisons in the Peloponnese surrender.

Then, followed years of Greek negotiations with the allied forces, Greece was recognised as an independent nation under the ‘Treaty of Constantinople’ which was signed in May 1832. Τhe ‘Greek War of Independence’ or ‘Revolution’ is to this day still celebrated in Greece as a ‘National Day’ on March 25th of every year.

independent Greek mainland.

A further uprising followed in 1858 which was yet again unsuccessful but the Ottoman rulers realised that some concessions must be made to the Cretan people to maintain peace and so as a sweetener they awarded certain privileges to smooth the waters.

These privileges included the right to bear arms, the accepted equality of Christian and Muslim worship, and the establishment of Christian councils of Cretan elders with jurisdiction over education, customs and family law.

Although these concessions were satisfactory to the Cretan Christians, the Muslim community resented them as being preferential to Christian needs. As a result a deep level of friction began to build between the two religions.

Meanwhile the Christians had seen their chance to monopolise the situation and continued to put ever greater pressure on their Ottoman Rulers for still more powers with the ultimate aim of ultimately achieving a reunion with the Greek mainland.

The Cretan Revolt 18661869 As tensions continued to run ever higher on the island, several petitions to the Sultan (Ottoman ruler) were sent but they were never answered.

Initially the Christians formed armed bands for self defence, but then the friction became so bad that an uprising was officially proclaimed in advance to start on the 21st August 1866. Word of this revolt spread rapidly and was met with immediate sympathy from not only the Greek mainland, but also from elsewhere in Europe.

When the fighting broke out, the Cretan rebels quickly gained control of most of the inner rural parts of the island, but they were incapable of ousting the Ottoman forces from the four main fortified towns of the north coast, or the town of Lerapetra in the But back on Crete... south.

In 1840, Crete was returned The revolt eventually ended from Egyptian control to di- in a stalemate and a conclurect Ottoman rule. sion finally found in an agreeBut this was soon followed by ment with the Ottoman leadan unsuccessful uprising in ers which was called ‘The Pact 1841 which once again tried of Halepa’.

the name Halepa, being the town where it was signed.

Halepa is now a district within the modern day city of Chania.

The pact secured wide-ranging autonomy for the islanders of Crete, alas it did not run smoothly as the Ottoman’s violated many of the agreed statutes.

This deceit only acted to strengthen the Cretan resolve to find a way to achieve a re-union with the Kingdom of Greece and thus another Cretan Revolt ensued which lasted the year from 18971898.

In this revolt, the Greek mainland forces joined Crete in support, which then developed into the Greco-Turkish War of 1897.

This war was now principally between the Kingdom of Greece and the Ottoman Empire, (it was also called the Thirty Days’ War, Black ‘97 or the Unfortunate War).

This conflicts primary objective was to decide the status of the Ottoman province of Crete, with respect to the Cretan citizen’s desire for reunification with Greece.

The war was won by the Ottoman forces.

But within a year followed an arrangement for Crete to become an autonomous state as long as they continued to accept a form of Ottoman suzerainty(sovereign authority), but the relationship was never a happy or stable one.

Eventually the ‘Great Powers’ (France, Great Britain, Russia, Austria-Hungary and the German Empire) intervened and changed the structure to include a High Commissioner as an overseer of all interactions. This was Prince George of Greece and Denmark, who was appointed as the arbiter of relations between the Ottoman and Cretan people.

Crete finally became effectively an autonomous state within the year of 1898 as according to the Great Powers dictate.

However the Cretan people would have to wait until 1912/1913 for the Ottoman Empire to be stripped of its territories by the Balkan States in a conflict that acted as a prelude to the troubles that started the First World War. (To follow – part 6 – World War 1)

Crete Region ‘Star of the Show’ at Vienna Holiday Fair It’s a promising year ahead

for Crete in view of the increasing interest and growing number of pre-bookings following the Crete Region’s participation in the Ferien-Messe Wien, Austria’s largest travel show.

Held annually in Vienna, this year’s Ferien-Messe featured some 800 exhibitors from over 70 countries.

According to local tourism and travel professionals including the Verkehrsbüro-Ruefa travel ck on li c r s group, Greece was the .g re new epost for mo ttp://cret h star of the show, with pre-bookings for Crete marking an increase of 32.2 percent.

TUI Group, meanwhile, said

the rise in pre-bookings for Crete was at 45 percent, adding that it had planned to extend its offerings there.

“The rate of pre-bookings is very positive, this is very important because it serves as a stabilizing factor in view of last-minute reservations,

which are open this year due to the gradual recovery of Turkey and Tunisia,” said Crete’s commissioner of tourism, Michalis Vamiedakis.

During the fair, Ruefa also presented the results of its annual survey (Ruefa Reisekompass 2018) with import-

ant data concerning Austrian travel habits, according to which 88 percent of Austrians make plans to travel abroad more than once a year thanks in large part to a robust economy, and are among the highest spenders. news.gtp.gr

Fraport Greece appoints Ilias Maragakis -from Chania- as new Chief Operating Officer

Fraport

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news & articles

Greece appointed Ilias Maragakis, who until recently served as Director of Safety and Performance, as its new Chief Operating Officer, the company announced in a press release, according to ANA. He succeeded Ian Matheson, a senior executive with international experience in airport concession projects, who successfully fulfilled the challenging task of setting

up operational processes and managing the first months of the concession.

Maragakis has more than 20 years of aviation experience having worked at the European Aviation Safety Agency for nine years, and prior to that, as a consultant for the expansion of regional airports in the UK. He holds an MSc in Airport Planning & Management.

Crete Region Taps into Mitsotakis Foundation Funds for Nature Preservation The region of Crete aims to

tap into and double funds from the Konstantinos K. Mitsotakis Foundation in order to move ahead with plans to preserve and promote the natural offerings of Crete and particularly of the island’s Lefka Ori (known as the White Mountains).

“The natural environment is life for our island, and its protection, restoration and promotion is a priority for the region, which is cooperating with local stakeholders and environmental organizations in this direction,” said Crete Regional Governor Stavros Arnaoutakis during an event on the preservation of the Lefka Ori, at the Chania Cultural Center over the weekend, jointly organized by the Konstantinos K. Mitsotakis Foundation, the Chania Educational Department and municipal authorities.

The Lefka Ori mountain range is a central feature of Western

Crete, and considered to be of great natural beauty with over 30 summits (the highest at 2,453m) and many plateaus.

Crete’s White Mountain range is primarily known worldwide for its 50 or so gorges, the most famous being the Samaria Gorge.

Addressing the event, Arnaoutakis said that regional authorities are looking into

ways to materialize and add to the foundation’s plans to give prominence to the Lefka Ori. This includes 10 million euros in funding to go towards the development of geoparks, a network of 15 walking paths and a Botanical Garden of Pharmaceutical and Aromatic Plants and Herbs. Arnaoutakis also reiterated his pledge to support the foundation’s proj-

ect by doubling the 215,000 euros in funds already collected.

The foundation is working with the Hellenic Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage, the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for the protection, restoration and enhancement of the Lefka Ori range.

The Red List by David Capon I finished off the last article mings and Snowy owls as one of between 50 – 79% over the • Habitat loss (through defor-

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news & articles

with the words “So I finish the year with optimistic considerations…….”.

Around Christmastime I received the latest updates to the IUCN Red List and there have been additions that may surprise you.

The IUCN is the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and the Red List is for species that are vulnerable or close to extinction. Very occasionally species are removed from the list or the level of threat reduced but usually the on s click ost.gr w e n e r List adds new species ep for mo ttp://cret h or increases the level of threat. Even worse is the situation where a species is removed because it has become extinct.

None of the three new species that I have selected to mention from the list is a visitor to Crete.

They are from different ecosystems that are under threat.

I shall mention two bird species and one mammal. And, of course, these ecosystems are being damaged by human activity or the effects of human activity.

The first bird is one of the most spectacular birds. The Snowy Owl is a beautiful owl and the male is especially striking, as he is almost totally white. However its status has changed and is now considered Vulnerable.

Because of where it lives (in the cold, barren north) population levels are difficult to assess.

Recent research indicates that earlier population estimates have been exaggerated and the levels are already low. This research also expects the population to decline by between 30 – 49% in the next three-generation cycles.

The population (and also its range) fluctuates in response to the availability of its prey, which during the summer consists of lemmings. I remember studying, in detail, the linked population cycles of both lem-

of my examples in the branch of ecology population dynamics – I suppose that also provides an extra affinity for me with that owl.

“Snowy Owls may also be undergoing high rates of population decline due to illegal hunting, and collisions with vehicles and power lines. The effects of climate change are also likely to be a significant threat, as changes to snowmelt and snow cover can affect the availability and distribution of prey.

On the basis of these apparently rapid rates of decline, the species’ global threat status has now been uplisted to Vulnerable.

“These ongoing – and, in the case of climate change, potentially worsening – threats, are driving declines that have resulted in the Snowy Owl having its global threat status upgraded, which means that this species faces a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future. The dramatically revised population estimates are a further source for concern, and the species must now be a high priority for further research and conservation action,” says Andy Symes, Global Species Officer, BirdLife International.

The second bird that I am highlighting is sometimes called The Clown of the Sea because of its large coloured bill, which seems outsized for its body, and its comic appearance. The puffin is a member of the auk family and the Atlantic puffin has now been classified as Vulnerable. The puffin catches fish usually within 30 metres of the sea surface but can dive to 60 metres or more. Photographs often show the adult with sandeels in the beak but they also feed on other fish, such as juvenile herring.

Europe has more than 90% of the world’s population and projections indicate a decrease

next three generations. This species is highly susceptible to the impacts of climate change, such as sea temperature rise and associated shifts in prey distribution and abundance.

These problems are exacerbated when its prey species are exploited unsustainably, leading to prey reductions and subsequent unsuccessful breeding.

It is vulnerable to oil spills and other marine pollution.

Extreme weather events, such as storms pose another threat.

At the breeding colonies the species is vulnerable to predators, such as rats, cats, and mink. The species is susceptible to being caught in gillnets, although other fishing gears may also catch significant numbers. Increasing numbers of offshore wind farms may result in displacement from habitat, although the risk of collision is considered very low. The species is hunted for human consumption in Iceland, and in the Faroe Islands. Puffins breed in holes in the ground, often rabbit holes so harvesting, livestock grazing and tourism at its breeding grounds pose additional threats.

I am going to stick my neck out and consider that no one reading this will guess the animal, I have selected, that has been categorized as Vulnerable. I am assuming that everyone reading this newspaper is fully aware of the threats to the existence of elephants and rhinoceros in the wild. But another of the ‘Big Five’ has joined the ranks of threatened species and that is the Giraffe. The population has decreased by 36-40% over the last three generations and it is anticipated that this level of reduction may continue.

Four major threats to Giraffes have be identified, although the severity and presence of these threats varies by region and population:

estation, land use conversion and expansion of agricultural activities and human population growth) • Civil unrest (ethnic violence, rebel militias, paramilitary and military operations) • Illegal hunting (poaching), and • Ecological changes (mining activity, habitat conversion to agriculture, climate-induced processes).

In Southern Africa, the main perceived threats are habitat loss and conversion of land for human development, as well as illegal hunting. In West Africa, the main threats are habitat loss due to increasing human populations and human-wildlife conflict. In Eastern and Central Africa the main threats are habitat loss through rapid conversion of land for farming and increasing human populations, drought, illegal hunting for meat and hide, and armed conflict throughout unstable regions.

Some of the highest human fertility rates in the world occur where Giraffes are present.

Natural habitat changes from weather irregularities result in situations generating human movement, sometimes into protected, or semi-protected, areas. Drought conditions have become more common and increase the prospects of bush fires, loss of habitat, and human population movements There are a few areas where giraffe populations are stable at the moment but overall the future for this animal is questionable.

These three animal examples that I have chosen are a carnivore, an herbivore and a piscivore. They inhabit very different habitats in different parts of the world. But for each of them the existence of their species is being threatened because of the severe damage to the planet caused by Man in recent times.

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On Black Achilles

The “Numinous Negro” and BBC’s Blatant Racism Against Greeks and Everyone of European Descent

I greatly respect black peo-

ple, for they have a noteworthy cultural background of their own, tremendous athletic prowess and have excelled in innumerable genres of art, especially with their global contributions to music and rhythm.

However, they must understand that they are being overtly exploited to serve the dubious interests of those behind an inhumane one-world-government scheme; that is, an oligarchic regime that can only rule over an aron r s click re new cretepost.g o m tificial, dumbed-down r / fo http:/ mono-culture.

The only way to turn humanity into such a manageable herd is to destroy cultural and racial diversity.

This truly racist attack on ethnic and racial groups is insidiously being implemented through a so called “anti-racist” media

by Panagiotis Terpandros Zachariou

campaign under the ironic guise of an “embrace-diversity” mindset.

And it is ludicrously contradictory, to say the least, since the same well-financed media labels as “racist” any ethnic group that wants to retain its uniqueness by resisting its dilution through “imposed” admixtures.

The media tools used by the demolition experts of the ethnic diversity of Europeans are now all too evident: One such tool was legislated in the U.S. in the 1980’s. It was euphemistically called “affirmative action,” compelling producers to use blacks and other minorities in “prestigious” roles as problem solvers...

Now it is being taken to the next level...: Tarnish any prestigious white mythological or historical figures with a bit of ebony!

The idiots who want to establish a New World Order with

the subservience of a human quagmire with no ethnic or racial identity and, therefore, no orientation, to be exploited like docile cattle, have been using the “Numinous Negro” as the mixing spoon to blur out national identities.

Who is the Numinous Negro?

In his 2001 article, Richard Brookhiser explains: “He is everywhere, especially in our hearts, and if we are lucky he is our friend. The dictionary defines “numinous” as “of or pertaining to a numen,” which was a Roman term for “the presiding divinity . . . of a place.”

“Numinous” also means “spiritually elevated.” Jungians and literary critics love the word, but normal theologians use it too. The Numinous Negro is a presiding divinity. The place he presides over is America, and contact with him elevates us spiritually.”

When we see a Negro in movies

or television, we not only know he is Numinous, we can judge the other (white) characters by how they treat him.

There is no better representative of this than the saintly Death Row hero of The Green Mile...

Whether it is black Cinderellas or black Greeks, blackness is methodically being used to weaken whiteness and turn a once colorful world into grey.

By the way, the ones financing such productions are the same idiots who are filling Europe with culturally and racially incompatible Afro-Asiatic populations to dilute the racial character of its indigenous peoples; and the very same idiots who have been spearheading anti-racism and all the -ism suffixed political correctness in the West’s Educational systems and the Media to turn Europeans and white people, in general, against themselves.

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news & articles

Glam Events Chania in The Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Show in NEC Birmingham

The Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Show is the essential event for all couples planning a wedding or honeymoon abroad.

Meet over 50 specialist overseas wedding and honeymoon experts, ranging from wedding planners and venues overseas, tourist boards, tour operators, to photographers, videographers, bridal and groomswear, stationers and cake makers who are there to help create your tailor-made wedding and honeymoon packages.

Be inspired by our range of wedding experts from the key locations from across the world; from rural Italian and French weddings, stunning city locations, luxury vineyards or tropical beach resorts we have something for everyone at The Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Show.

Whether you know where you want to get married abroad or you simply want inspiration for your dream honeymoon our suppliers are there to help you plan your unforgettable wedding!

Gain insider top tips and expert advice from our handpicked selection of overseas wedding specialists at The Experts Island. You’ll be able to sit back and listen to our experts’ talks taking place across the weekend and find the answers to any questions you have, however big or small.

Relax and indulge in a cocktail or two with your partner and bridal party at The Destination Beach Bar. Plus complimentary access to The National Wedding Show, taking place next door in Hall 6, where you can shop more wedding suppliers and visit the stunning Catwalk show.

About Glam Events ’Glam events’ has been organizing weddings and social events for over 15 years, while its founder, Mr. Takis Zervoudakis has been experienced in the field of social and corporate events for more than 30 years. The multiannual experience, the innovative ideas and the personal relationships

with the public institutions and the professionals of tourism in Crete guarantee the perfect outcome.

We would strongly advise you to take into consideration a significant difference our company has to offer you, which no other weddings company in Crete is able to arrange.

The amazing island of Crete offers great advantages for a wedding to take place, as well as for the couple to spend the rest of its stay in the island with its guests. Crete is famous for its warm climate for more than 8 months per year, its amazing landscapes next to the sea or by the mountains. The renowned Cretan cuisine with the delicious tastes, the historical val-

ue places such as; Knossos, the Venetian ports of Chania and Rethymno and the traditional villages. Moreover, in Crete you can find three of the most internationally award-winning beaches: Balos, Falasarna and Elafonisi. The biggest tourist organizations and sites, as well as the visitors themselves have voted repeatedly these beaches as ’the best of the best’.

Our company is able of organizing ceremonies in these beaches and of course, in all the other wonderful and unique areas of the island.

Stand A212 +302821181798 info@glamevents.gr http://www.glamevents.gr/

Greek Hoteliers Send Minister Notes on Tourism Bill Greek hoteliers are calling 31-article bill aims to lay out sios notes that on Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura to re-examine a series of revisions to a draft bill which includes a provision on special tourism infrastructure.

Titled “Modifications for the Modernization of the Institutional Framework Regulating the Tourism Sector”, the

the guidelines and bring legislation covering tourism-related issues up to date and in line with international standards in view of the sector’s leading role as a driver of the economy.

In a letter to Kountoura, Hellenic Hoteliers Federation (POX) President Grigoris Ta-

the right to construction should only be granted to hotel ventures in order to secure quality standards; the classification of facilities as “rooms to let” must be approved by the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and be included in its registry.

Tasios notes that POX sees the establishment of co-

owned hotels as a positive step which can contribute to the development of the country’s tourism product as long as quality services are guaranteed.

The federation has requested a joint meeting with environment ministry officials to resolve licensing issues faced by hotel businesses.

German Travel Interest in Greece Soaring. Two New Hotels on Crete Greece is winning over Ger- cruise travel sales, which are tion the German tour operator first 11 months grew by an exwill launch its first two hotels in Greece on Crete through its Allsun brand.

Allsun operates a total of 34 hotels, 26 of which are in Spain and six in Majorca. Alltours recorded a 30 percent rise in sales for Greece, last year.

Greek tourism is reaping the rewards due to the escalating interest, breaking all records in terms of revenue, which came to 14.4 billion euros in the January-November 2017 period, driven primarily by the German market.

Greek tourism revenue for the

Greek Gods: Five New Hotels That Promise Heavenly Holidays.

One Of Them In Chania With a batch of exciting new renovations, is wellness resort who want a little more from

openings on the cards for the summer ahead, it looks like Greece is back in the spotlight (or should that say, sunlight?) for those seeking hassle-free holidays.

Found on Crete, and re-opening this March after extensive

Cavo Spada Luxury Sports & Leisure Resort & Spa. The glitzy beachfront property will have a new, minimalist design with all rooms having beachfront views across the Med. Aimed at families, or couples

destinations for this summer are Spain in second place followed by Turkey, Egypt and Italy which ranks fifth. Thailand is the fastest growing long-haul destination after the Maldives and the US. Early bookings, high demand for travel The trend for early bookings was evident in 2017 and continues this year. “Currently, 20 percent of summer trips are already booked. Last year it was

news.gtp.gr

and cultural concerts.

Wellness at Cavo Spada is also key with beach yoga classes, hydro-massage facilities, Turkish bath therapies and a packed menu of beauty treatments. It’s all about the feel-good factor.

their holiday, it will have an emphasis on learning.

Forget about your school books, however, this is all about offering an immersive experience into local culture.

Expect wine and olive oil tasting classes, cooking lessons Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes

TUI: Greece Top Choice for Austrian Travelers in 2018 Greece continues to top the

preferences of Austrian travelers, with many destinations recording a double-digit increase in bookings for summer 2018, according to TUI Austria.

Greece has been the most popular destination for TUI guests since last summer. “That’s why we have increased our flights by 25 percent for the summer of 2018 and expanded our hotel portfolio,” Lisa Weddig, managing director of TUI Austria told reporters during a recent press conference in Vienna.

In addition to large islands such as Crete, which has reported a double-digit increase in bookings, smaller Greek islands are popular as well.

Following a strong previous year, TUI Austria is currently recording a double-digit increase in overall bookings for 2018.

Other countries included in the list of the most popular holiday

tra 1,387.7 million euros compared to the corresponding period in 2016, with German travelers accounting for for more news click on http://cre almost half at 614,2 miltepost.gr lion euros, according to tentative data from the Bank of Greece.

More specifically, 3.66 million Germans visited Greece in the January-November 2017 period, up by 569,000 compared to last year, spending 2,539.1 million euros against 1,924.8 million euros in 2016.

15 percent,” Weddig said. Many TUI summer flights start in early May this year, some even in March, and continue until the end of October.

For example TUI guests will be able to fly from Vienna to Crete on March 24 or to Rhodes on March 25 – two weeks earlier than last year.

TUI has also extended the flying season for the federal provincial airports. As a result holidaymakers can fly from Graz to Heraklion, Crete, until the

end of October instead of the end of September. Furthermore, flights from Salzburg to Corfu start in May. “Compared to the previous year, 35 percent more summer trips are already booked in the off-season months of May and October, ” Weddig said.

In relevant news, TUI Germany also announced that bookings to Greece for this summer season have increased by 16 percent. news.gtp.gr

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bound to benefit Crete and the South Aegean Region, where TUI is also boosting its presence.

Indicatively, German sales for Greece have risen by 30 percent. Fiebig notes that Egypt and Tunisia are set to return to the market as is Turkey.

Thomas Cook Germany statistics bear this out, with bookings for Greece, as well as for Spain, Bulgaria and Turkey on the rise.

Alltours meanwhile, also expects Greece to be a major player this year. In this direc-

news & articles

man travelers pushing rival Turkey aside and climbing to the No 2 choice in 2017 after Spain with tourism professionals there saying 2018 will break all records.

German tour operators are expecting Greek destinations to gain even more ground this year, with Greece joining Spain as the top two most popular options for German holidaymakers, according to Norbert Fiebig, president of the German Travel Association, DRV. At the same time, Fiebig said he expects an increase in

Scan the QR to book online your ticket !

www.e-ktel.com

email: info@e-ktel.gr Kydonias & Parth. Kelaidi, Chania 73100 |Information : 2821 093052 |Storehouse : 28210 97497 Kefalogiannidon Street, Rethymnon |Information: 2831 022212| Storehouse : 2831 022659

Artificial Intelligence and Games 2018. International Summer School in Chania The first international sum- in his areas of research activity Past work includes specialized ior and to predict accurately

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news & articles

mer school on Artificial Intelligence and Games will be held on Crete (Chania), Greece, from May 28 to June 01, 2018.

The summer school is dedicated to the uses of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in and for games. After introductory lectures that explain the background and key techniques in AI and games, the school will introduce participants the uses of AI for playing games, for generating content ck on ws cli .gr e n e r t for games, and for modfor mo /cretepos http:/ eling players.

This school is suitable for industrial game developers, designers, programmers and practitioners, but also for graduate students in games, artificial intelligence, design, human-computer interaction, and computational intelligence.

The main lecturers are Georgios N. Yannakakis and Julian Togelius, co-authors of the AI and Games textbook (http://www. gameaibook.org), the first comprehensive textbook on the use of AI in games. During the first phase of the school theoretical lectures will be complemented by guest lectures on special topics in game AI and by hands-on workshops given by world-leading practitioners from DeepMind, Ubisoft, Yokozuna Data, and other partners.

For the second phase of the school, we plan a game AI jam on the taught material.

Georgios N. Yannakakis Georgios N. Yannakakis (yannakakis.net) is an Associate Professor and Director of the Institute of Digital Games, University of Malta. He is a leading expert of the game artificial intelligence research field with core theoretical contributions in machine learning, evolutionary computation, affective computing and player modelling, computational creativity and procedural content generation. He has published more than 200 papers and his work has been cited broadly. He has attracted funding from several EU (mainly FP7, H2020) and national research projects and received multiple awards for published work in top-tier journals and conferences. His work has been featured in New Scientist, Science Magazine, The Guardian, Le Monde and other venues. He is regularly invited to give keynote talks in the most recognised conferences

and has organised a few of the most respected conferences in the areas of game AI and game research. He has been and currently is an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games journals and the IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing journals. He is the co-author of the AI and Games Textbook.

Julian Togelius Julian Togelius (julian.togelius. com) is an Associate Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the New York University Tandon School of Engineering.

Previously, he was an Associate Professor at the Center for Computer Games Research, IT University of Copenhagen and among the founders of the procedural content generation research field. Togelius has introduced core procedural generation paradigms and frameworks for game content such as the Experience-driven Procedural Content Generation (EDPCG) framework and the Search-based Procedural Content Generation (SBPCG) paradigm which define two of the leading research trends within procedural content generation. EDPCG couples player experience modelling and procedural content generation so that game content is generated in a personalised manner for affecting the experience of the player and SBPCG offers a taxonomy for the generation of game content through search.

He co-edited the first book on Procedural Content Generation in Games. Togelius’ research has appeared in respected international media such as New Scientist, and Le Monde. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Games (launch in January 2018) and the co-author of the AI and Games textbook.

Guest Levturers Matteo Hessel Research Engineer at DeepMind Matteo Hessel is interested in building general artificial agents, capable of learning to perform a variety of complex tasks at the same level of humans. He believes that the combination of Deep Learning techniques with Reinforcement Learning will be a crucial component in order to achieve this.

deep learning architectures for Reinforcement Learning (Dueling Networks, PopArt and Prediction), and the combination of multiple algorithmic components in a single powerful integrated agent (Rainbow). He loves teaching.

Dr. África Periáñez Chief Data Scientist at Silicon Studio Manager of Yokozuna Data (yokozunadata.com) Dr. África Periáñez leads a team of data scientists and engineers who develop a state-of-theart machine learning platform that predicts individual player behavior. She is a senior data scientist and researcher with 12+ years of experience. África holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Reading (UK), a Master of Advanced Studies in String Theory Physics carried out at CERN and an MSc in Theoretical Physics from the Autonomous University of Madrid.

She has worked as a research scientist in renowned institutions such as CERN (under a Marie Curie Individual Fellowship), RIKEN in Japan (working with the world’s fourth-fastest K-computer), DWD in Germany (German Weather Service, working in Satellite Data Assimilation) or the University of Reading in the UK. She is the co-author of multiple peer-reviewed articles and has been a speaker in more than 20 international conferences and many regular seminars. She also has significant industry experience at SPSS Inc., IBM and now Silicon Studio. África has a goal in mind: to democratize Game Data Science (so that it can be used in operational business settings) and push the frontiers of this field to new heights. Using cutting-edge machine-learning and statistical techniques, she aims to obtain a thorough understanding of players’ behav-

their actions in order to contribute to the development of amazing data-driven games.

Her main research interests include ensemble-based methods, deep learning applied to time-series forecasting and Bayesian approaches to predict player reactions.

Dr. Alessandro Canossa Senior User Researcher and Data Scientist at Massive Entertainment.

Dr. Alessandro Canossa has been straddling between the game industry and academia for many years.

As Associate Professor at Northeastern University he employed psychological theories of personality, motivation and emotion to design interactive scenarios with the purpose of investigating individual differences in behavior among users of digital entertainment. His research focuses heavily on these topics: a) developing behavioral analysis methodologies that are able to account for granular spatial and temporal events, avoiding aggregation; b) design and development of visual analytics tools that can enable any stakeholder to produce advanced statistics, predictions and datamining reports.

As Senior User Researcher and Data Scientist at Massive Entertainment he enjoys tremendously investigating occult behavioral patterns and is happiest when he can triangulate data-driven insights with surveys and lab observations to provide reports for productions teams. At the same time, he is involved with the Live Ops team to improve data culture and devise novel player segmentation approaches. He also established a workgroup to identify the best processes for transferring knowledge from academic research to industry practices and to bring Ubisoft at the cutting edge of the game analytics culture.

Greece in 22nd position in 2018 Environmental Performance Index Greece ranks 22nd among by researchers at Yale and Co- India and Bangladesh come in egories:

Air Quality, Water & Sanitation, Heavy Metals, Biodiversity & Habitat, Forests, Fisheries, Climate & Energy, Air Pollution, Water Resources, and Agriculture.

These issue categories are then divided into two policy objectives ? Environmental Health and Ecosystem Vitality ? and then finally the overall EPI.

EIB approves 85-mln-euro loan for renewable energy investment on Greek islands, including Crete The European Investment This includes repowering of velopment, construction and ropean Investment

Bank (EIB) will approved an 85-million-euro loan to fund renewable energy projects of PPC Renewables, making it the largest ever support for renewable energy investment in Greece by the EIB. The funding will support both the repowering of wind parks and small hydropower stations and construction of new hydropower plants and wind parks across the country.

The new renewable energy program will support investment at small scale wind farms at sites across the country, including on the islands of Cephalonia, Chios, Lesvos, Crete, Mykonos, Samos, Evia, Limnos, Karpathos, Ikaria, Tinos, Psara and on the mainland in Karditsa.

existing wind farms, some of which have been operational for more than 25 years, as well as construction of small scale wind farms at new sites. Additionally, the new renewable energy program will support the repowering of two old small hydro-power stations, (one located in Arta -the Louros projec- and one located in Vermio, northern Greece as well as two new small hydro power stations, one located in Smokovo and the other in Makrohori, central Greece.

Once complete, the new scheme will increase generation of renewable energy in Greece by 90MW and make a significant contribution to both national and European renewable energy objectives, EIB said in a press release. De-

operation of the individual renewable energy projects are expected to be completed over the next two years.

“New investment in renewable energy is essential to cut carbon emissions and support for renewable energy investment is a priority for both the Greek government and the European Investment Bank.

The EIB is pleased to expand our long-standing partnership with PPC to harness clean energy across Greece through this first engagement with PPC Renewables. As the EU Bank, the EIB supports climate related investment worldwide and this scheme is already being examined by others as a model to demonstrate the potential of renewable energy on small islands,” said Jonathan Taylor, Eu-

in obtaining a Greek residence permit through the Golden Visa program. Given that the country’s market prices have stabilized, buyers can look forward to capital gains thanks also to the growing tourism interest in Greece and the rise of shortterm letting via home-sharing platforms.

Chinese investors are also eyeing Greece: Carrie Law, CEO of Chinese real estate website Juwai, told Bloomberg: “We have

some buyers who are very interested in Greece’s e-auction process. They believe it will offer opportunities to purchase at the bottom of the market.”

According to Kachmazov, Greece’s low threshold for a Golden Visa is another advantage: In Greece, investors are required to spend at least 250,000 euros, while, for example, in Portugal, the figure is 500,000 euros (or 350,000 euros for properties older than 30

ews click o n http://cre tepost.gr

Bank Vice President.

“This loan will bolster the generation of electricity from renewables in mainland Greece and on the islands. It will also support the change of the energy mix generated at Group level and will make energy supplies in Greece more sustainable and more secure. The PPC Group has an excellent long standing cooperation with European Investment Bank, since 1963, building a relationship of trust. Today, EIB’s financing to PPCR, under the current challenging financial conditions, underlines EIB’s catalytical role to boost investment in renewables,” said Manolis Panagiotakis, Chairman of PPC Renewables.

AMNA

Online property auctions attract interest from Russians, Chinese There is growing international interest in the acquisition of properties in Greece via online auction and other sales that local banks are resorting to in a bid to reduce their losses from nonperforming loans.

The low prices and the prospect of future capital gains, as well as the timing of Greece’s expected exit from the bailout program, have boosted the appeal of the local property market, not only in the eyes of foreign investment funds but also individual foreign investors from Russia and China.

George Kachmazov, chief executive officer of Russian real estate platform Tranio, told Bloomberg last week, “We aim to participate in Greek real estate e-auctions and to acquire properties directly from banks.”

He has already bought a building in Athens and is planning to purchase five more with the aim of reselling the apartments to foreign investors interested

for more n

years).

The rise in demand from non-European Union citizens is reflected in data by online ad website Spitogatos: This year, searches for Greek property have soared from China (203 percent), Turkey (90 percent), Germany (68 percent) and the United Arab Emirates (50 percent). eKathimerini

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near the bottom of the rankings, with Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nepal rounding out the bottom five.

The index is calculated by gathering data on 24 individual metrics of environmental performance which are then aggregated into a hierarchy beginning with ten issue cat-

news & articles

180 countries in the 2018 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) which compares, analyzes and understands environmental performance for those countries, presented at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Tuesday.

According to the data compiled

lumbia Universities in collaboration with the WEF, Greece came 18 in its regional standing (Europe & North America).

Switzerland leads the world in sustainability, followed by France, Denmark, Malta, and Sweden.

European countries lead the EPI?s top performers, occupying 17 the top 20 positions.

Revenues, visitors to museums, archaeological sites up in Jan-Sept 2017 The increase in total visitors to museums included a 11 pct hike in free-admission visitors, while museum revenues increased by 15.8 pct in the same month, the report said. For the nine-month Jan.Sept. period, there was a 16.8 pct hike in total visitors to

museums, a 18.2 pct increase in free-admission visits and a 20.7 pct increase in revenues.

For archaeological sites, ELSTAT said that there was a 12.1 pct rise in total visitors, a 20.2 pct increase of free-admission visitors and a 9.5 pct jump in revenues during the month of

The Architecture of Agia Triada Monastery The Patriarchal Monastery of for Patriarch of Constantinople. The church is a very good ex-

Agia Triada Tsagarolon (Holy Trinity) located in the Akrotiri Peninsula, on the island of Crete, was built back in the seventeenth century by two brothers, Jeremiah and Lorenzo who belonged to the old, noble Venetian family of the Tzagaroloi. Both were monks that had converted to the Orthodox faith.

According to the tradition one of the brothers, Jeremiah traveled to Mt. Athos to copy the construction plans for the new monastery but the final design and architecture of the complex was very much influenced by the work of Italian builders.

Jeremiah was a famous scholar of his era and also a candidate

The monastery is one of the most representative examples of the Cretan Renaissance, and it is located very close to the Stavros mountain chain, in an area known as “Tzompomilos” in the cape of Meleha (Akrotiri).

The location is surrounded by olive groves, vineyards and cypress trees. It was built on top of a pre-existing church.

The church of the monastery has three high domes visible from a long distance.

There are two chapels in the church also with beautiful domes.

This main church is dedicated to the Agia Triada and the two side chapels to Agios Ioannis Prodromos.

AMNA

atiki Scholi).

In the premises, it is also possible the old cellars where very ancient stone mills are exposed. There’s also a small museum that exhibits pictures and icons, among which the for more n http:/ ews click on icons of St. John the /crete post.g r Theologian (16th century) and St. Nicholas (17th century).

The monastery is directly managed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

It is open to the public and produces some of the best wine labels of the island, it also exports organic olive oil, honey, vinegar and olive oil soap of unique quality.

ample of the heavy, decorative architecture.

A large bell tower was added later.

The monastery was one of the most important religious centers of the island and it was an important theological school as well, during the nineteenth century.

During the Revolution of 1821, the Ottomans set the building on fire and it was abandoned for a few years.

During that period the documents kept in its archives were lost. The whole complex was renovated in 1830. The Church School was founded in the premises in 1892 and 1930 it was turned into a seminary (Ier- Greek Reporter

Abandoned Village in Crete Makes it All the Way to LA Kalami, an abandoned vil- International Film Festival. lage located in the prefecture lage made of stone buildings, open doors, and broken windows, currently home to only 8 inhabitants, has made it to the finals of the Los Angeles

Nikos Sarantos filmed “Kalami, The Face of Abandonment” using aerial filming technology.

The short documentary portrays the ghost mountain vil-

of Heraklion, in the southeastern of the Municipality of Viannos.

The village, which is surrounded by a breathtaking scenery,

A grim tale (by Niall Finn)

past Few days preparing their surprise Of making them a smaller size.

But then I caught one! Not red-handed – Their hands are purple to be candid – But I could see what he had done And swore that I would end his fun.

They’re sneaky so I took some pains To wrap him round and round with chains, Drove to a cliff and there I stopped – Planned to watch him as he dropped.

I don’t speak Rary but his cry On seeing how he was to die Meant that to kill him I was chary: “It’s a long way to tip a rary!”

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Athens (by Niall Finn)

I never did believe in fairies, Pixies, goblins – just in raries.

For you for whom this dreadful word Is one you’ve never, ever heard, They’re monsters, just about knee-high, Who wreak their havoc on the sly.

They pack great mischief for their size And, sadly, humans they despise.

They live in wardrobes, does a rary, Unseen – in darkness – so they’re scary.

At Christmas, they are at their worst: The next week, when you’ve pulled and cursed To get your trousers on at last It’s raries who have spent the

August. Over the nine-month period, meanwhile, there was 18.2 pct increase in total visitors, 22 pct increase in free-admission visitors and a 18 pct rise in revenues.

The landing may be bad or good But here in Greece it’s understood The airline’s rules for in the sky Cease on touchdown to apply.

The wheels hit concrete – when that’s felt, A signal to unclip your belt; So many clicks, the non-Greek gets The sense of hearing castanets.

Drowned out at once by myriad tones Of re-emerging mobile phones.

The plane is still at F1 speeds But now, right now, is when one needs Coats and hats and duty-free – From my seat at the back I see Luggage locker lids gape wide Like wings of vultures when a

lies at 480 m above the sea level. Despite the impressive views and the closeness to the sea, the inhabitants started to abandon the place during the early 70’s.

pride Of lions comes back to their kill.

In this case, though, the vultures still Are pulling out the bin’s entrails With all the vigour that entails.

A general stampede then is sparked The instant that the plane has parked: Some rather vivid words are said As careless bag meets hapless head.

So many passengers meanwhile Are standing that they’ve jammed the aisle And even then can’t stand up straight So I prefer to sit and wait Until they’ve gone, since I know well I’ll meet them at the carousel. **********

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to Greek museums and archaeological sites in September 2017 jumped 13 pct and 12.1 pct, respectively, in comparison with the same month in 2016, the Hellenic Statistical Authority ELSTAT.

culture

Visits

The Sweet History of the Oldest Bougatsa Shop in Chania Greek heritage is made

from the traditions that the culinary culture of the country has passed down from one generation to the next.

One such culinary landmark is the flavor of Bougatsa.

Bougatsa is a dish made with filo pastry and with fillings that can change from region to region. In Chania (Crete), the most famous pastry shop, Iordanis Bougatsa has been baking fresh bougatsa on a daily basis since 1922. Through the years, the uniqueness of his shop has been published in endless food and travel magazines.

on r s click re new cretepost.g o m r o / f :/ p t t h

The Story of Iordanis Iordanis Akasiadis and his wife, Ioanna, are the current owners of Iordanis Bougatsa. They carry with them a tradition that’s over 95 years old.

Iordanis’great-grandfather was a baker who arrived in Chania from Ortakoy, a village near the ancient Greek city of Nicomedia, completely burnt back

in those times. He was forced to relocate to Chania during the compulsory population exchange between Turkey and Greece.

Upon arrival, he bought a bakery shop from a Cretan Muslim who also had to move to Tukey.

The original shop was in the heart of the old town, on the streets of the knives, Maxaradika (Sifaka st.). Now the shop is in a more modern venue, just a few steps away from the Municipal Market of Chania.

to work the filo dough.

Fillings, on the other hand, can vary from meat to spinach or onions, while some bakers in Greece serve it sketo (or empty). Iordanis now cooks only on one flavor but used to serve bougatsa with different fillings in the past.

Iordanis Bougatsa is on Apokoronou street, downtown Chania, and it’s open every day from 6 in the morning, when their oven starts producing this sweet treat every half an hour. People arrive from the airport and the port directly to the shop for a delicious breakfast.

Others, going to bed at about the same time, also pay a visit to Iordanis.

They are open until 14.30 on weekdays and close an hour earlier during the weekend.

One more tip: Even when bougatsa is their only specialty, their Greek coffee the best in town.

authentic ingredients to produce a real success. And a traditional recipe. Iordanis Bougatsa is not made with cream, but with local myzithra.

The olive oil and the flour they use also come from Chania. Besides, they only use handmade filo pastry produced by themselves.

This bougatsa only needs five ingredients: flour, water, olive oil, myzithra, and salt. Sugar is only added before serving it.

Iordanis and his wife explain that, in fact, the name bougatIordanis Bougatsa sa does not stand for the dish by Gabi Ancarola / Greek Reporter There is no other secret than in itself, but for the technique

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food & wine

The world’s top-10 wine destinations for 2018. Crete is one of them!

It’s 2018, which means top 10 destinations that wine the pack to the tourist-filled Many of the grapes found in there’s a 12-month-long blank slate in front of you.

Why not make this your year of wine travel?

Nothing beats the experience of visiting a wine region in person.

Winding through vineyards, meeting winemakers face-toface, and sipping a wine on the grounds where it was grown provides a deeper understanding of that area and its grapes.

The world of wine is vast, but some regions are particularly worth exploring now, thanks to their emerging producers, under-the-radar cuisine, and unique cultural attributes.

That’s why we compiled the

lovers should put on their dockets for 2018.

Options for adventurers, urbanites, and beachgoers stretch from South Africa to Spain to the South Pacific.

If you get to all of them this year, well, consider us wildly jealous. (Also, can we come?)

And if you can’t get to all in 2018, good news: There’s always next year.

Crete, Greece Local winemakers and chefs return to ancient roots on this affordable island Greece remains an affordable destination for world travelers, but instead of following

(though wonderful) Santorini, head to Crete instead.

Greece’s largest island has the gorgeous beaches and iconic stone architecture of other islands, but its cities tend to be more cosmopolitan, filled with nightlife and restaurants.

The port city of Heraklion, on the northern coast of Crete, anchors the main wine-growing area of the island, where locals place new emphasis on ancient grape varieties and cuisine.

Unlike Santorini, which focuses on Assyrtiko, Crete is still experimenting with its local grape varieties, and for good reason:

Crete are unknown to any other world region.

Tongue-twisting names like Thrapsathiri, Kotsifali, and Mantilari may seem intimidating, but the wines are wild, varied, and worth exploring.

This goes hand-in-hand-with Cretan cuisine, which is founded on foraged ingredients like herbs, seeds, olives, and even snails. Restaurants like Peskesi in Heraklion newly emphasize the Cretan diet, similar to the broader Mediterranean diet but with a wildness and aromatic intensity not found elsewhere in Greece.

VinePair.com

Making Enotourism Happen! Greek-wineries.com Shows the Way eries open to the public as well A new site in English aiming

to inform and guide travelers with a soft spot for the vine, lists 180 visitable wineries across Greece complete with exact location, contact details and opening hours.

Greek-wineries.com, the brainchild of Dimitris Kymiatzis, aims to offer insight into the Greek wine experience and serve as a data base of sorts which will contribute to the establishment and growth of enotourism.

Having worked for 12 years at a

as wine-producing regions, small-scale wineries, food and wine festivals ahead of their visit so that they can include it in their itinerary. They can also book wine tours online.

The site currently hosts 180 wineries located in the country’s main wine producing large winery on Santorini, I re- already drawn up their plans,” regions including Santorini, alized that our country’s future Kymiatzis says speaking to Pro- Nemea, Crete, Naoussa, Drama, Halkidiki, Samos, Limnos, Zitsa visitor will learn about Greek to Thema. wine tourism after reaching He adds that the idea behind and Metsovo. their holiday destination. By Greek-wineries.com is to offer that time it’s too late, they’ve travelers information on all win- news.gtp.gr

Mediterranean vs. Scandinavian diet Numerous research studies

suggest that a Nordic diet may indeed be one of the world’s healthiest.

This is the New Nordic Diet, which actually isn’t so new anymore. It was designed in 2004 by a cohort of Danish chefs and nutritionists, and built on concepts that are all-too-familiar now, including local, seasonal, simple, rustic, and fresh.

It’s not so different from the Mediterranean diet in the sense that it promotes moderate consumption of fat, protein, and antioxidant-packed ingredients.

What olive oil, nuts, beans, and sardines are to the Mediterranean, canola oil, berries, root vegetables, and cod are to Scandinavia.

Let’s see what each one has to offer: Mediterranean Diet What it is: A traditional Mediterranean diet, eaten by people in Greece, Italy and Spain,

puts emphasis on seasonality, local produce and traditional preparations.

Meals are often community or family events.

Signature foods: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and olive oil are the chief stars of the show.

Fish, poultry and red wine make moderate appearances, while red meat, salt and sugar are bit players.

What the research says: Where to begin with this one.

The benefits of a Mediterranean diet have been studied since the ’70s, and researchers have found that olive oil can help people lose weight, lower their cardiovascular disease risk and reverse diabetes.

As for ease of adherence, U.S. News & World Report ranked it third (out of 35 considered diets) and called it “eminently sensible.”

cent less meat than the average Danish diet, more whole grains and locally sourced produce, and more than 75 percent organic produce.

Known also as the New Nordic diet, it’s similar to the Mediterranean diet in that there is a big emphasis on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, eggs, oil and seafood, while foods like meat, dairy, dessert and alcohol are eaten sparingly.

It’s different from the Mediterranean diet in that the Nordic diet uses rapeseed oil instead of olive oil, and the produce is native to the Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Signature foods: Whole grain cereals like oats and rye; local fruits and berries like rose hip, lingonberries and bilberries; cruciferous and root vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, turnips, parsnips and beets; rapeseed oil, vegetaScandinavian Diet ble-oil-based margarine; as What it is: Experts designed well as low-fat dairy like milk, this diet to contain 35 per- fermented milk and cheese.

Meats include beef, pork, lamb and reindeer, while seafood includes herring, mackerel and salmon.

The few desserts in the diet include baked goods made with oat bran, or jam for putting on top of cereal. Herbs include parsley, dill, mustard, horseradish and chives.

What the research says: A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recorded that a healthy Nordic diet seemed to have an impact on genes in abdominal fat, turning off genes related to inflammation. fo rm It’s also helped study httpo:/re news click on /crete post.g participants lose r weight (while still providing “higher satisfaction” than the average Danish diet), and cut down on type 2 diabetes risk. Scientists are also praising it for its ecological and socioeconomic benefits, as it cuts down on meat production and long-distance imported foods.

Huffington Post

food producers can meet and promote Greek products, both in Greece and abroad, and a communication hub between representatives of the agricultural production chain and consumers. The producers took on the creation of their own campaign platform with which to promote the products they produce.

The initiative started with olive oil, with other sectors gradually following suit. The first step was the creation of a series of humorous videos starring olive oil producers from around the country (performed by well-known Greek actors), which demonstrate the characteristics of each place and

the love its producers put into their products, while poking good-hearted fun at their rivalries.

The story line is that the competition was sparked by British journalist who wrote a report that was critical of everything Greek – which only made Giorgos, Fatouros and Manolios all the more determined to prove him wrong. (You can watch the videos in Greek at foodz.gr/olive-oil-battles.)

Although the olive oil industry is one of the strongest sectors of the Greek economy (and one of the few that has not contracted significantly during the financial crisis), a lot about it remains unknown even to local

consumers, who tend to only appreciate the olive oil from their village as good. The industry, moreover, provides jobs for over 450,000 families, mainly in poorer rural parts, with over 157 million olive trees around the country.

Greece is the third largest producer of olive oil internationally (with 355 million tons), after Spain and Italy, with Crete and the Peloponnese accounting for 75 percent of total output.

Greek olive oil is renowned for its superior quality, with 75-80 percent of output considered extra virgin olive oil, compared to only 50 percent of Italy’s output and 35 percent of Spain’s. eKathimerini

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on the main square but his greatest passion is Greek olive oil, especially that from Laconia in the southeastern Peloponnese – he takes any perceived slight against the local product very personally. Fatouros is a Kalamata native who takes pride in the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) distinction bestowed on the virgin olive oil produced in the southwestern Peloponnese.

Manolios, meanwhile, like every Cretan producer, believes his olive oil is the best in the world – and definitely better than that made by the guy next door. The three of them, along with their families, neighbors and village priests, have gone head-to-head in a new reality show to determine who produces the best Greek olive oil.

They are also fictional characters – but certainly inspired by real people – in Olive Oil Battles, an initiative aimed at showcasing the fascinating world of Greek olive oil. It is the brainchild of entertainment platform Foodz.gr, established

by Food Standard SA in cooperation with several major organizations in the agricultural sector. The aim was to create a multifaceted platform where

food & wine

Greek olive oil campaign draws on the passion of its producers Giorgos runs the coffee shop

Hay Fever in February Hay fever in February always

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health & nutrition

heralds the start of the following symptoms:

by Miltiades Markatos • Frequent sneezing Pneumonologist • Blocked nose • Runny nose • Itchy eyes and/or nose • Red watery eyes Then the chances are that you have seasonal allergic rhinitis – commonly known as hay fever.

If the symptoms last all year round (all the time or on and off ) then you have non-seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Rhinitis is inflammation of the nasal passages and it has many causes, of which the most common is allergy to a substance like pollen, house dust mite or pet dander. In the case of hay fever, on s click ost.gr w e n the problem allergen e r ep for mo ttp://cret h is pollen from trees, grasses or weeds.

If you only have hay fever in February (maybe clearing up within a few weeks) then it is most likely that you are allergic to pollen from a tree.

The tree pollen season goes from early January to late April and each tree species produces pollen for three to four weeks in all.

The following tree species (in the order in which their pollen appears) can cause hay fever in February: • Hazel • Alder • Poplar • Ash • Birch • Oak The exact time of year when particular tree pollen is around depends very much upon winter weather, location of the tree, hours of sunshine in the day and temperature.

Tree pollen is carried around

by the wind (unlike pollen from flowering plants, which is carried by insects and far less likely to cause an allergy problem), which is why it is present in the air. Pollen grains are small (between 10 to 40 microns in size).

They can be carried through great distances so you might not even need to be in the presence of trees to experience Hay Fever in February.

Moreover, they sometimes break up into tinier fragments which remain airborne for longer.

Pollen grains contain specific proteins which cause a response in an allergic person but are harmless to those who are not allergic.

The response causes the immune system to produce histamine and that is responsible for the typical symptoms of hayfever.

These symptoms can interfere with work, study and social life, and if they are severe it is worth asking your doctor to refer you for skin prick or blood tests to pinpoint your allergen, so you can work towards avoiding it.

It is certainly possible to reduce laundry with Anti-Allergen your hay fever in February to Laundry Detergent. tree pollen by adopting the fol- • Similarly, change your clothes and wash your hair lowing tips. when you come in from outOutdoors side.

• Always check the pollen • Brush pets thoroughly forecast. Plan your activities when they come indoors (or accordingly. keep them outside) to re• Consider installing air conmove the pollen that clings to their fur. ditioning and filtration in • Keep windows and doors your car. shut during peak pollen • Use a face mask when you times. cycle and wrap a scarf over your nose when you walk at If you allergies are strong, then it will be difficult to completely peak pollen times.

• Try Haymax, a natural pollen avoid hay fever in February, so barrier or a dab of Vaseline it’s also important to have some just inside your nose to trap effective medication on hand.

The new generation non-sedatpollen grains. ing antihistamines (like Claritin) Indoors are useful against the symp• Clean the air in your home toms of hay fever in February, 2-3 times per hour with an because they block the action effective allergy air purifier. of histamine.

• Pollen grains tend to settle You may find short-term use of and not remain airborne for a decongestant helpful as well. too long so focus on not let- Most hay fever medications are available over the counter these ting pollen indoors.

• Don’t dry clothes outside days. during the pollen season, Always read the label and, if as they will collect pollen you have questions, do ask the grains and bring them in- pharmacist about the medicaside. Make sure to was your tion.

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

How to Grout a Tile Backsplash ened. This will avoid negatively affecting your grout lines, as excess water will do this, but will ensure that there is no dirty haze over the tiles, which would result if the sponge is not rinsed regularly.

Step 6 - Let the Grout Dry Further Now that you’ve cleaned up the tiles, let the grout fully dry, either overnight or for several hours. Once this is done, go over the area again with a soft cloth as an extra measure to avoid a film from forming on your backsplash.

Apply the mixture by spreading the substance over the Step 1 - Protect Your Counter- tiles using a float. Working at a 45-degree angle, spread the tops The first step in this process is to grout upward. take measures to protect your Firmly press the substance becountertops. Do so by covering tween the tiles where the empthem with plastic sheeting, se- ty space exists. curing the protective layer at As you do this, ensure that you’re not grouting the space its corners with painters tape. too closely to your kitchen cabinets or surrounding windows.

Step 2 - Mix Your Grout Once your counters are ready This is because these spaces for the project, mix your grout. will eventually be caulked.

Take one bucket and mix the grout using a putty knife, Step 4 - Let the Grout Dry carefully following the direc- Your grout will dry quickly. tions on the grout’s packag- It only needs about 10 to 15 ing. When the substance is the minutes until it will be firm same consistency as peanut and dried into the space it was butter, you’re done mixing and molded into. your grout is ready for use.

Step 5 - Remove Excess Grout Fill your second bucket with Step 3 - Apply The Grout Someone using a grout float warm water and use a sponge to carefully wipe away any on a tile wall.

This is probably the most im- excess grout that is sitting portant step—actually apply- on the tiles. You should rinse ing the grout to the backsplash. your sponge clean as needStart by mentally breaking ed throughout this process, the backsplash into separate, although the sponge should smaller sections, focusing on not be soaking wet. Instead, it should be only lightly dampone section at a time.

for more n ews click http://cre tepost.gr

Step 8 - Caulk Your Backsplash Finally, it’s time to take the last step in this process: caulking your backsplash.

Do so around your countertops, where the backsplash meets any windows, and so on.

Apply a bead carefully along the edges, continuing over the line using a damp sponge.

Use your finger to delicately press over every caulk line, finally running over it with a sponge once again to ensure it is all secure.

Once the caulk dries, your backsplash and grouting process has come to a close.

It’s as easy as that! Grouting your backsplash is a painless process that will make a big difference in the appearance and lifespan of your backsplash.

This is a DIY project that can certainly be completed in a weekend, but will have lasting results.

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An intricate, textured, or colorful backsplash can make a world of difference in your kitchen or bathroom.

Installing a backsplash is also a relatively simple DIY project that can completely alter any given space.

Grouting a backsplash, though, is a separate process that requires different materials, tools, and steps.

Don’t worry—this process is simple too, and it’s easy to do on your own.

Read the below tutorial to learn how to do it on your own to finish off your beautiful backsplash and your kitchen or bathroom will be well on its way to having a whole new

look.

do it yourself

What you ‘ll need • Plastic sheeting • Painter’s tape • Grout mix • Grout sealer • Caulk • Grout float • Putty knife • Two buckets • Sponges • Soft cloth

Step 7 - Seal Your Grout Wait 24 hours before you complete this next step. Once the allotted time has passed, use sealer and a clean cloth to protect your grout against stains and natural discolorations over time.

How Much Should You Feed Your Dog in Fall and Winter?

Winter is here. Do you plan ing that. But shivering uses Less exercise means less caloto feed your dog the same amount of food as you did this spring and summer?

Why? Do you plan to feed the same food? Why? Is your dog as active in the winter months when the temperatures are low and the daylight limited? Is your dog housed outdoors in the winter cold?

Why are these questions important? Dogs need the same seasonal adjustments in their food amounts as we do with seasonal changes. If housed outdoors during the winter, they may also need a different food.

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pets & vets

How Cold Temperatures Affect Weight n o k c As temperatures are low, s cli .gr re new epost for mo ttp://cret owners are less inclined h to exercise their dogs due to their own discomfort in the colder weather.

Less exercise means less calorie expenditure. When dogs are expending fewer calories they need less dietary calories and less food.

Continuing to feed the same amount of food will result in “winter weight gain” that is unhealthy.

But what about the dog that is housed outdoors during the cold winter months? A key biological imperative of all animals and humans is to maintain a constant core body temperature.

Shivering is a means of do-

large amount of calories. Even non-shivering calorie expenditure increases in the cold.

Fat deposits and fur density help insulate and decrease the calorie expenditure of shivering. Also, active animals and those acclimatized to the cold are better protected from the bitterness of cold.

Studies suggest that dogs subject to low temperature exposure need two to three times the normal calories as they need at a more moderate temperature.

The increase in calories leads to more fat accumulation and insulation and decreases or compensates for the amount of calorie loss from shivering and non-shivering. Without the extra calories these pets actually lose weight.

Pets subjected to cold also have an altered metabolism.

They use fat preferentially to glucose for metabolism. Dogs housed outside in the winter need more dietary fat.

This may mean changing from their present dog food to a food higher in fat.

rie expenditure. The quantity of food needs to be decreased.

But the shortening of daylight hours causes other change in your dog’s metabolism. Shorter days signal to the dog brain that winter is coming.

This sets off hormonal changes to slow metabolism and conserve calorie expenditure.

These changes also promote the deposition of fat. This phenomenon is a result of a genetic adaptation called the “thrifty gene.”

The thrifty gene prepares the dog for the harsh winter and allows for normal performance in harsh conditions.

For dogs housed inside, this genetic adaptation is disadvantageous to their health.

Inside dogs are not subject to the harshness of winter.

A decreased metabolism will mean they gain weight if fed the same as other times of the year.

Dogs protected from the harshness of winter need less food to compensate for this hormonal metabolic change.

body fat of pets. A dog or cat should be fed to maintain a perfect 4-5/9 BCS. These dogs have a nice hourglass waist line when looking from above, a tight tummy tuck when looking form the side, and ribs that cannot be seen but can be felt. Dogs that are 1-3/9 are too thin and those 6-9/ are too heavy.

The recommendations that follow for feeding dogs during seasonal changes only apply to fit dogs. Any dog or cat with a BCS equal to or greater than 6/9 needs a supervised weight loss program no matter what the season.

If your dog progresses from a 4-5/9 to a 6/9 during the winter, then reduce the amount you feed by 10 percent. Continue the reduction in 10 percent increments until your dog is back to a 4-5/9.

If your dog slips to a 3/9 then increase feed in 10 precent increments until he/she is back to a 4-5/9.

Make the appropriate changes and feed to maintain that perfect BCS. My motto is “score a four and live some more” and is based on research that has confirmed that dogs kept in a fit condition their whole life live almost two years longer than their overweight littermates.

Embrace changes in seasons.

Feed your dog differently as needed. Use the BCS.

How to Feed Dogs During How Less Daylight Affects the Winter Weight Dogs (and cats) should be fed Decreasing daylight means to their Body Condition Score, less opportunity to exercise or BCS,year around. The BCS is and has the same effect as an observational assessment lowered temperatures. Own- of a pet’s fitness. ers are more reluctant to pro- The system has been proven vide the same level of exercise to correlate with the most soas when there was more day- phisticated X-ray technology light. for determining the percent www.petmd.com