the CHANIA POST
October 2015, Issue No. 28 www.cretepost.gr
Read also in this issue:
Fraport presented the business plan for the Greek Regional Airports
Stefan J. Rüter (Head of Finance & Investor Relations of Fraport AG) presented the business plan for the 14 Greek Regional Airports at Baader Investment Conference in Munich a few days ago. >>p.6
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EC wants Greece to increase taxes on tsipouro and tsikoudia
The European Commission has requested that Greece amend the consumption tax on traditional Greek sprits tsipouro and tsikoudia >>p.6
Is this an animals s-HELL-ter?
Open letters from tourists to the Mayor of Agios Nikolaos >>p.12
“You’ll never feel safer than you do in Greece”
Ryanair launches Chania Summer 2016 schedule One new route to Rome, 28 routes in total and 935,000 customers
>>p.8
You’re sitting under palm fronds at a beachside cafe in Tertsa, a tiny village on the south coast of Crete. You’re gazing out over the sparkling blue waters of the Libyan Sea as a gentle breeze tousles your hair on an 85-degree afternoon. There’s not a cloud in the sky. >> p. 10
Municipal bike sharing system in Chania
>>p. 3
PUBLIC BUS SERVICE is the Best Affordable Way to Travel to Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and to all Southwestern Crete
...a lesser-known song that
www.gelamou.gr... only the good news !!!
takes a simple approach like Bob Marley. Sheryl Crow sings “Out of our heads” s Crow and croons about a better tomorrow that can be accomplished when we “get into our hearts.” Bit touchey-feely? Perhaps. But too much logic kills optimism. It defies logic. It takes belief. That’s what this song is about. Take a look at the lyrics and then listen to the song . It will be revealing!!! “If you feel you wanna fight me There’s a chain around your mind When something is holding
Hope is...
CHANIA POST
anger Someone’s been whispering in your ear You’ve seen his face Losing babies to before genocide Elpida “Hope” Katsarakis You’ve been played Oh where’s the by NEA TV Journalist before meaning in that These aren’t the words you plight Can’t you see that we’ve really need to hear bought into Every word they proclaimed Through the dawn of darkness blindly and every lie, oh You have blood upon your If we could only get out of our hands All the world will treat you heads, out of our heads kindly And into our hearts But only the heart can underSomeone’s feeding on your stand, oh understand you tightly What is real is so hard to find
If we could only get out of our heads, out of our heads And into our hearts Children of Abraham lay down your fears, swallow your Tears and look to your heart Every man is his own prophet Oh every prophet just a man I say all the women stand up, say yes to themselves Teach your children best you can Let every man bow to the best in himself We’re not killing any more We’re the wisest ones, everybody listen ‘Cause you can’t fight this feeling any more, oh anymore”
Photo of the month... by Pavlos Mpouzis
Your local free paper by FTP Publications 73, El. Venizelou str., Chania, 73100 Tel. +30 6977 295075 Owner/Publisher: FTP Publlications Web: http://www.chaniapost.eu E-mail: info@chaniapost.eu FB: http://www.facebook.com/chaniapost Twitter: @chaniapost Editors: Pandelis Giaitsis, Elpida “Hope” Katsarakis, Pandelis Spiridakis, Petros Chatzistavros, Giannis Kriaras, Nicos Lazakis, Miltiades Markatos, Giannis Venetakis, Giannis Xamonakis, Petros Marinakis, Antonia Tsakirakis., Giorgos Atsalakis, Stavros Tsihlis, Manolis Karpadakis, Katerina Polizou. Advertising: Chania Post, 73, El. Venizelou str., Chania Tel. +30 6977295075 DTP: FTP Publications Printed in:
CHANIA POST... on the go Android Mac OS ECO friendly paper - Please recycle When you finish reading... give it to a friend Find CHANIA POST at the following points: CHANIA Municipal Market, Airport, Public Bus Central Station, Old Harbour, Municipal Tourist Information Desk PLATANIAS Central Square Infokiosk, Botanical Park KISSAMOS Gramvousa and Balos boats, Elafonissi, Falassarna KANDANOS-SELINO Paleochora Info Desk, Sougia, Kandanos SFAKIA Hora Sfakion Infokiosk, Loutro, Agia Roumeli, ANENDYK boats APOKORONAS Georgioupoli, Kavros, Vamos, Kalyves, Vrysses Also in Chania taxis, Limnoupolis Water Park and in selected cafes, businesses and shops throughout Chania Prefecture.
Hey
Live @ Love @ Laugh
fellows, what’s the October story? Is it ok to check our YIN & YANG?
…cause we won’t enjoy the first fireplace chance, if we will not clear up our mind… by Pandelis Spiridakis gelamou.gr
editorial
Pure pre – winter homework…Don’t duck your heads when you get Chania Post in your hands…You bring me big , big trouble! They accuse me from the local insurances companies that the biggest financial damage is ‘Live, Love, Laugh’!
The need to invent something Cretan but affordable and closer to the today style.
ly. But we have to let him breath, some space and the final path is like chocolate: irresistible!
The material comes from the sheep wool that she works it on her broadloom.
She realizes that industrial products were top but the crisis eventually changed our brains and our buying habbits…And that gave space to tradition create its new part in the world!
This way the broadloom can stand next to design, e-shop και social media. Could you ever believe it? Foreigners from other countries, especially young women, love the style and
If love raise our rebel, life builts it and laugh rewards… Homemade, handmade is the rantevou with future… I kind of love it, question it but …eventually expect from it. Big deal …just a check on our YIN & YANG and you really fancy it.
SO …did you ever listen that the 1st Handicraftour Award lives and works in Argiroupoli, Rethimno. In my sleep …I had no idea either… Mrs Eleni Kouidi creates women bags at her broadloom. So a forgotten cretan tradition was reborn and refreshed.
p. 2
She loves fixing handbags a nowadays woman will hold or traditional old cretan house carpets sewn from patchs of cloth. She also creates pillows, jewells adjusted in the present’s sense. Her motivation?
Hopeful but trouble…eventually. Where does my, your, ours eventually starts and how strong can it be?
the procedure of making the bag they finally pick up. Her facebook account is here (if you can’t believe it) : LOOMhandmade. It’s the rebel we carry inside…eventual-
So guys , women …hang around with your inside rebel. I really can’t get enough of this guy. He is totally mad and I am having the time of my October . Life… Stand up and Roooooooooll Pantelis
(CHANIA) Furnished ground-floor apartment close to the APTERA archaeological site, and the national Chania-Rethymnon high-way. 110 m2, on a 1000 m2 plot, large living room, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, parking, autonomous heating (oil-heated radiators), air-conditioning, view to Souda Bay and back-land, 5 minutes drive to Souda Port and 13 min to Chania hospital, Telephone (0030) 6980569733.
Municipal Bike Sharing System in Chania
• Step 1: Borrow a bicycle To borrow a bicycle you must be a registered user of the system. If you are not a registered user, click here to see “How do I Sign-up”. Insert your CycloCard in the reader (or type your CycloName) and press “next” on the screen. Enter your PIN. Choose “Get a bike”. On the screen you can see your bike’s stand number. Walk to the bike stand and press the flashing button. Pull the bike backwards. • Step 2: Use a bicycle Check the tires, brakes, the bell and adjust the height of the bicycle you have bor-
rowed. Read our tips for safe cycling, which are indicated on the station’s kiosk. You are ready for the bike ride! • Step 3: Return the bicycle Push the bike in the free slot of the station. The system is automatically informed. Locking is confirmed by changing sound and the blinking green light. Please Confirm that the bicycle is locked properly, otherwise it remains indebted to you! System sign up procedure In order to register in the system you have three choices: • A. Station-kiosk (pay once 1,00 € ) 1. Press «Subscribe» 2. Follow the instructions on the screen. 3. An sms with your passwords will be sent to the address and mobile – number you have provided. • B. Webpage ( pay once 1,00 € ) I. Subscription 1. Click Here or go from homepage www. chania.gr/bikes at the top right, «Sign up». 2. Fill in the registration form. 3. To the e-mail provided, you will receive a message with a link in its content. Follow
osk, Web or ADS.
What happens if there is no bike available at the Station? Alternatively you can see on the map if there is an available bike at another station. Where can I see if there are available bikes and spaces? In the Map Stations or the screen at Sta-
Can I lend the bike or my card to another person? It’s forbidden to lend or give away your card to another person. In any case, you remain responsible for uses that are made with your own card or your personal passwords. Can I rent more than one bikes with a single card?
•
C. Citizen’s Office of Municipality of Chania (FREE) 1. Make a Photocopy of a) your Passport or Greek national ID b) Greek official document with Tax Registration Number (E1, etc) 2. Go to the Citizen’s Office of Municipality of Chania (Ypsilanton & Mylonogianni). 3. Fill in the application form, read the terms of use [ See Terms of Use] and sign. 4. Receive free CycloName & CycloPin.
You are ready to borrow a bike and enjoy your ride! Terms of Use To use the Bike Sharing System you must be a registered user of the Automatic Bike Sharing system (subscriber). During the day, you can borrow the bike as often as you wish and use it, for free, for three (3) hours at a time. The stations’ operating hours are 9:00 21:00. Bicycle returns are up to 24:00. You can return the bike to the same or any other System station. If you exceed the three (3) hours of free time, it will be imposed to you a “ Late Return “ fine depending on the delay time and further use of the system will be prohibited to you until the payment of the fine. The map below shows the locations of bicycle stations. Clicking on each station (via the web page) the number of available bicycles, capacity and free places is displayed. FAQ What is a subscriber? A subscriber is a registered user of the system. Registered User is a person who has made the registration process from the ki-
tions. Which bank cards are accepted? Credit or debit Visa, MasterCard, American Express.Prepaid banking cards are not accepted. Does the free three-hour period apply for each bicycle I borrow? Yes, every time you use a bicycle , you are entitled to three ( 3) hours of free use. I lost my card, what should i do? Contact the [Service] to cancel the old one and receive instructions for issuing a new. There is a bicycle malfunction, what should I do? Return the bike to the station and declare the damage to the screen kiosk (log in with your passwords (CycloName & CycloPIN or CycloCard & CycloPIN) and select “Reference Harm”. How long after returning a bike, can I unlock another? There is no restriction. You can immediately unlock another bike. Can I borrow a bike for several days? The Common Bike System is designed for shortterm rentals.
The user can not borrow for more news click on more than a bike with a sin- http://cretepost.gr gle card. CycloCard/CycloUser what’s the difference? CycloCard and CycloUser are the same. Both of them Pin is the same. The station does not have free position to return the bike, what should I do? Normally, the maintenance service would ensure that there are both available bikes and available seats at the stations. However, if there are on available seats at a station you could lock the bike at a nearby station (there is a station map at the kiosk). I had an accident with the bike, what should I do? Please contact our support team at the number: +30 2821 821 726. The bike that I borrowed was stolen, what should I do ? Please contact our support team at the number: +30 2821 821 726. I found an abandoned bike, what should I do? Please contact our support team at the number: +30 2821 821 726.
p. 3
Use the system within three simple steps!!!
the link to confirm the registration. II. Account activation 1. Type the cycloname / cyclopin and then click «Log in» at the top right of the homepage www.chania.gr/bikes. 2. Click «Activate Account», then «Account Activation» and then click «Purchase now via card». 3. Type your Credit / Debit card number or pay via Viva Wallet. 4. Wait till you receive a confirmation mail sent upon completion of transaction.
news & articles
Get on board and check the new personal transport system! It brings a modern way to move throughout the city - more healthy, cost-effective and convenient. Enjoy the new service of Chania Municipalityfor just... 1 euro!
Property transfer tax The property transfer tax rate on transfer of real estate property of up is 3% (instead of 10%) of the real value. The new provisions apply to transfers of real estate taking place from 1.1.2014 onwards. So the total cost of the buyer will be reduced almost 7% in comparison with the past. In addition land register fees, notary fees, lawyer fees, etc. must be calculated. This tax is paid by the buyer of the property. New houses that will be bought from the developers are liable in 23% VAT on ck cli ws (in this case no transfer for more ne r t.g os ep tax is applied). http://cret
What will you pay in taxes?
owners must ensure that they will obtain the bill from the web and pay the car tax on time (before the last working day of December) in any bank or post office. Otherwise, the tax office issues a 100% fine. The car has to be tested for emissions and also for mechanical check –KTEO, (for more information: www.ikteo-chanion.gr)
Inheritance tax Inheritance tax is applied to Greek property according the degree of relatives. For the A’ degree of relatives (children, parents, wife or husband) the follow inheritance tax bracket is applied:
Different car tax rates are applied to the new ppassenger cars registered for
Car and bike tax (road tax) Every November-December the car and bike owners must pay car tax for the following calendar year. The tax office doesn’t send car tax bills so the car
the first time in Greece from 1/11/2010 onwards, exclusively based on carbon dioxide emissions: Incremental emissions CO2 (g. / Km.) Annual Circulation emissions per gram
in euros:
fiscal year 2014 according to article 44
Luxury tax (is valid since (01/01/2012 - fiscal year of 2013) The provisions for the application of luxury tax on the deemed income value of cars, airplanes, helicopters, gliders and swimming pools take effect for revenues declared on tax returns of fiscal year 2013 onwards, as opposed to the original entry into effect envisaged as of
of L. 4111/2013. Car owners with engines of 1,929 c.c. or more, are liable to pay luxury car tax according the following table, if the age of the car is less than 10 years. This tax is paid after the submission of the annual tax return.An individual, who is tax resident in Greece is liable to pay car luxury tax as follows:
news & articles
What you should do if you are involved in a road accident abroad! In
p. 4
this short article we will outline all the things you need to keep in mind in order to have a pleasant by Stavros Tsihlis as well as safe jourInsurance & Investment Advisor ney with your vehicle outside of Greece. A few days before your travel you should contact your insurance advisor and ask him to provide you with a Green Card. As long as your insurance premium is paid it is a simple certificate which can be issued on the same day (some insurers charge extra for this service). The Green Card is an important certificate which is widely accepted. It facilitates the claim process as it contains important information in order to settle a potential compensation. It will cover third party liability due to an accident (material damage and bodily harm) and not any extra protection that you have in Greece (such as cover
from fire, own damage etc). If you wish to have these covers abroad you should discuss and agree this with your insurance company, usually at an extra premium. In case of an accident you should contact the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of the country where the accident occurred for further assistance. Keep in mind that at the rear page of your Green Card you may find contact details of the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of the countries participating. If you are responsible for the accident: You should provide to the other driver a copy of your Green Card or insurance policy, and contact your insurance company or the Bureau of the country of accident to declare the accident. If you are not responsible for the accident and wish to claim: Make sure that you keep all the details of the other driver (insurance policy, driving license, ID) and ask him on the
spot to contact his insurance company and declare the accident. Needless to say, if the other driver has no insurance, call the local police! If the accident, for which you are not liable, has occurred in an EU country, you may claim compensation upon your return to Greece by contacting the Greek Auxiliary Fund where the Information Centre operates, and provides information about the claims represen-
tatives of the companies of EU member states, or the Motor Insurers’ BureauGreece in case no claims representative has been appointed. You may find the representatives of foreign insurance companies in Greece at the website of the Hellenic Information Centre at the following link: http://www.hic.gr/hic/EN/Search_ Repr.aspx
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news & articles
In the past few years the Greek crisis has, with predictable regularity, dominated European headlines and there is by Giannis Xamonakis hardly anyone who in the last few years apokoronasnews.gr has not heard or talked about the situation in Greece. The crisis brought with it its own vocabulary; so apart from Grexit, a recent addition to the Oxford dictionary, many other words – ones of very specialised usage that were part of financial speak jargon - became part of the everyday popular parlance. After five years of being exposed to explanations about the Greek economy the great public, at least here in Greece, does not bat an eyelid when they hear reports about ‘spreads’, ‘stress tests’, loan sustainability’, and ‘capital controls’. Terms which have entered the Greek language in their English form, probably as a payback for the generous contribution of the Greek language to English. But Greek language purists need not worry. The on Greek language has for more news click r t.g os ep et cr :// still got a number of http distinctive words that are exclusively Greek and characterise the Greek culture. Words like the old familiar filotimo, the unique Greek value that I would personally argue is at risk of extinction not because of the crisis but rather because of the years of affluence and greed that preceded it. Still, in recent weeks a parallel crisis hit the already exhausted Greeks, that of the Syrian people fleeing war and the refugee camps in Turkey, Jordan and the Lebanon partly because of the worsening conditions in these camps and partly encouraged by Mrs Merkel’s announcement that Germany will accommodate 800000 people displaced by war. Incidentally, and without denying that the large numbers of refugee arrivals have stretched small island communities to braking point, the mere mention of the word refugee is enough to bring the best and the worst in people. So, on the one hand we have the kindness of people like the baker of Kos who donates 100 kilos of bread a day,
and the army of volunteers who went to the entry islands to help, while on the other we have the vast and rather unpleasant volume of blatant hostility, racism, verbal violence and fabrication of immigrant myths designed to scare the public. To be found in both social media and in a real life conversation somewhere near you. Still, the Greeks, who in their long and troubled history have often been at the receiving end of a refugee crisis themselves, have words like xenophilia and xenophobia in their language to describe the whole range of reactions to the refugee crisis. And while these words have an equivalent or have been incorporated in other languages, I have written before about the many other, truly unique words in the Greek language, not so much because they cannot be translated in other languages but rather because of the uniquely Greek concepts they represent. Words that vaguely translate as nominal values, assumed incomes, taxable horsepower and many more, all of which have a shared meaning for all Greeks, but make little sense to people from other countries. But it is now time to add another word
to that list, one which came out of political discourse in the pre election campaign. The word being AFTOFORAKIAS (αυτοφωράκιας) as used by the leader of New Democracy, Mr Meimarakis when referring to his opponent, Mr Tsipras, in the phrase “he wants me for AFTOFORAKIAS”, by which, in this context, he meant the ‘fall guy.’ “AFTOFORAKIAS? What does that mean?” wondered great many of the Greek public who had never heard the word before. The Greek press obligingly printed a few pages of explanation the next day. Apparently the word has its origins in the shady world of the night club tax evasion schemes. Aftoforakis describes a job. It is the person who sits in an office in the establishment at night, with only one responsibility: When the financial crimes squad make a visit and find that an infringement, such as the use fake invoices or some VAT offence – offences that call for an immediate appearance before the court (aftoforo)- the aftoforakis takes the blame and often spends the rest of the night in custody until the courts open. The going rate for the job is 40 to 60
Fraport presented the business plan for the Greek Regional Airports
Stefan J. Rüter (Head of Finance &
p. 6
The Language of Greek Politics
Investor Relations of Fraport AG) presented the business plan for the 14 Greek Regional Airports at Baader Investment Conference in Munich a few days ago. It seems that Fraport is looking for private investment funds, in order to continue the privatization procedure. Fraport AG will have the majority of
EC wants Greece to increase taxes on tsipouro and tsikoudia
The
shareholders (67%). Mr. Stefan J. Rüter said during the presentation that Greek Regional Airports have large international passenger traffic and there is a big potential for raise of their income by building shopping malls or other infrastructure. (the photo above is from the presentation of Mr. Stefan J. Rüter)
euros a night and 100 for spending the night in prison. The owner’s lawyer then gets an adjournment of the case, with a trial date set in 2-3 years time, and when a number of hearings accumulate, the owner changes the fall guy. The practice has been in existence for over a decade now and I am told that conviction usually carries a fine and a criminal record. The use of the term by a respectable politician impressed a lot of people: The man who by the time you read this will be either the prime minister or the leader of the opposition, is sussed and street wise, they mused. Missing the point that a situation has been revealed where the police, financial authorities and evidently the politicians who use the word for making a pre election point, all know about an apparently widespread practice which allows tax evaders to get away unpunished. And yet, none of them in all the years they have known about it, made any effort to change the law and close a loophole that allows the guilty to carry on with impunity. Full marks to the Greek language for originality. But is there any hope for the country?
European Commission has requested that Greece amend the consumption tax on traditional Greek sprits tsipouro and tsikoudia (strong distilled spirits containing a high degree of alcohol). Specifically, the Commission called on Greek authorities to increase the tax coefficient on the spirit, as under current law tsipouro and tsikoudia are taxed half the rate (6%) compared to other alcoholic products using ethyl alcohol. EU laws provide that spirits using ethyl alcohol should be taxed by the same coefficient, expect on strictly rare occa-
sions. Both the spirits do not fall under the EU exceptions, and the EC deems the tax status of these beverages in Greece are a violation of the relevant EU laws. The Commission’s demand took the form of a is a reasoned opinion, which means that if Greece fails to comply within the next two months it could be referred the EU Court. Both tsipouro and tsikoudia are similar spirits and are produced in Crete, Macedonia and central Greece and enjoy a ‘protected geographical indication’ status.
lounger
stock clearance in all our summer furniture! aluminum
28,90
aluminum
33,00
35,90
Max
69,00
59,00
49,00
79,00
39,00
59,00
life L194xW65,
69,00
49,00
99,00
L140xW80, H72cm
89,00
109,00
119,00
L160xW90, H72cm
199,00
139,00
* 25,00
W55xD68, H95cm
* The price of the chair is valid set with the table. Otherwise the price is 25€
279,00
15,90 69,00
169,00
89,00
149,00
219,00
18,90
ivi W58XD47,
expanding
L180/240xW90, H72cm.
Φ120, H72cm
99,00
L197xW74, H33/83cm
23,00
L160/240xW100, H74cm
L200xW90, H72cm
59,00
89,00
L200xW67, H55cm
L196xW62, H30cm
expanding
79,00
acacia
poll
ενζα
H36/52/100cm
L192xW71, H31cm
aluminum
aluminum
aluminum
Trevi
STillo L176xW62, H68cm
L173xW63, H65cm
life aluminum series
acacia wood furniture series
aluminum
49,00
39,00
Spello
L110xW63, H97cm
55,00
189,00
47,00
65,00
45,00
63,00
29,00
55,00
H86cm
39,00
L50xW50, Y45cm
L100xW50, H43cm
L100xW60, H72cm
L80xW80, H72cm
L140/180xW90, H75cm
cream wood white efkaliptos
wood Copda-Garuga
cream
cream
cream
brown brown
69,00
53,00
89,00
L158xD63, Y88cm
39,00
32,90
69,00
14,90
49,00
iSola L138XW88, H72cm
69,00
39,90
18,90
riMini L79XW72, H70cm
14,90
20,90
18,90
49,00
45,00
65,00
99,00
49,00
25,90
59,00
GroMo L180XW100, H72cm
4,50
15,90
Cushion 2 positions 20x45cm
Cushion 3 positions 50x45cm
W58xD51, H107cm
MaZZo L137XW88, H72cm
14,90
18,90
roCKer
W66XD51, H117cm
TrenTo L80XW75, H72cm
39,00
69,00
89,00
berKeleY
W56xD63, H97cm
L119xD58, H88cm
steel furnitures
plastic furnitures
aluminum
6,90
5,90
piColo L43XD38, H56cm
11,90
19,90
Cushion armchair 5 positions 115x50cm
5,90
8,90
6,90
Savona W56XD55, H78cm
piColo M55XB50, Y44εκ.
12,90
polypropylene
169,00
SiCilY L120xW70, H70cm
expanding
21,90
209,00
elba L150/200xW90, H75cm
29,00 29,90
shading and fence items metal
279,00
419,00
349,00
Two-seater sofa with storage L150XD88, H66cm
759,00
189,00
959,00
Corner with storage L230xW230xD88, H66cm
219,00
Armchair L87XD88, H66cm
bahama set of Copda-Garuga wood in natural color and cream cushions.
with separable armrests
259
,00 339,00
Two-seater sofa W152xD70, H90cm
189,00
with separable armrests
259,00
Corner 90x90, Y90cm
169,00
219,00
Armchair W83xD90, H90cm
choose one up to five pieces and create your synthesis!
109
,00 119,00
Coffee table L120xW70, H46cm
aluminum aluminum
99,00
129,00
GaZebo 1 300x300cm with sliding ceiling and anthracite frame
349,00
Two-seater sofa W176xD82, H75cm
189,00
139,00
aluminum
179,00
GaZebo 2 300x300cm with sliding ceiling and anthracite frame
59,00
69,00
GaZebo 3 300x300εκ. with fixed roof and anthracite frame
parasol in white color mechanism and white polyester cloth
24,00 49,00
34,00
Φ200cm
59,00
Φ300cm
69,00
79,00
SKuGGa paralol made of laminated bamboo square 300x300cm
ventura of Copda-Garuga wood in natural color and beige waterproof cushions.
269,00 119,00
36,00
areS W48xD58, H82cm
Capri W52.2xD63.1, H86cm
Maya series living room of mango and weave of natural reed (kubu).
Three-seater sofa with storage L196XD88, H66cm
14,90
Savona W75XD86, H86cm
SiCilY L100xW70, H70cm
359,00
13,90
Cushion armchair 95x43cm
55,00
65,00
liTen SKuGGa parasol made of laminated bamboo square Φ300cm rounded
3,70
/τεμ 4,90
239,00
Plastic floor clip 39x39, Υ2.5cm
Armchair W86xD82, H75cm
149,00
2,90 9,90
Coffee table L122xW80, H32cm
10,90
14,90
Base for parasol16 kg of cement for parasol Φ200, Φ270cm
18,90
2290
Base for parasol 27 kg of cement for parasol Φ200, Φ270, Φ300cm
5,90
Wattle 100x300cm
229,00 aluminum
179,00
329,00
MiKe SerieS Three-seater sofa L194XD67, H65cm
aluminum
249,00
MiKe SerieS Two-seater sofa L134XD67, H65cm
V. A . T d i s c h a r g e f o r U. S N a v y p e r s o n e l Daily:
The prices are valid while stocks last
9.00-21.00 | Saturday: 9.00-15.00
Mournies interchange, Chania | Tel.: 28210 99411-99421 | info@simple-city.gr
07_KTX_29x42.indd 1
14,90
Wattle 200x400cm
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“They used his head as a human football” A mum’s harrowing ordeal after her son’s attack on Crete
Maggie Hughes received a phone call
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in June 2008, which turned her life upside down. Her son Robert, who was 27 at the time, had been savagely assaulted by four men outside of nightclub in Crete and was now fighting for his life. Fraught with worry, she caught the first available flight to be by his bedside. Maggie, 60, said, “I rushed to Crete as I feared he was going to pass away. When I saw him his injuries were literally bouncing out of him. His attackers had used on for more news click his head as a human footr http://cretepost.g ball. “He was in a deep sleep, but moving around and mumbling. He wouldn’t wake up. I was pleased he was alive but his injuries were horrific. His nose and ears were bleeding, his eyes were black and blue, and there were bruises on his arms. I put my hand of the back of his head and felt blood ooze out. There was blood everywhere.” Maggie struggled to communicate with hospital staff because of the language barrier. But she managed to discover that, due to the extent of his brain injuries, Robert only had a 10% chance of survival. “I just went cold. Everything was going through my head: shock, horror, pain. It was overloading. I was crying, howling. I had to stick my head out of the window to get some breath. It was like someone had punched me in the chest.” Robert needed major brain surgery, which involved removing half of his skull. Against the odds he survived but he needed another three operations. “The doctors called him the miracle man. He shouldn’t have pulled through.” Maggie found herself constantly fighting for support she desperately needed in a country that was not her own.
“I didn’t know where to turn. I thought you may be a mum but you’ve got to be more than that you need to be a nurse, doctor, reporter, a police officer, an investigator. It sounds stupid but that’s what I became. I wanted action.” Maggie, from Wallington, Surrey, began channeling her grief into helping other families in the hospital. Three months after the attack, she brought Rob home and began petitioning MPs to tell them how hard it was for victims of crime abroad to know where to turn. She addressed the EU Commission Cabinet and, in 2012, her testimony to the House of Lords helped establish a new law to improve the rights of families affected by violent crimes or serious accidents abroad. “When this law is implemented I’ll take a big sigh of relief. I didn’t want someone else to be in the same position that I was.” The four British men who attacked
Robert were convicted of causing grievous bodily harm, but they have appealed. Their case will be re-heard later this year. Robert has no memory of his life before the accident. He is able to live independently, but still relies heavily on Maggie, both physically and emotionally. “The attack robbed him of his past. He didn’t remember me, his brothers and sisters, his fiance. He didn’t remember being a professional footballer and playing for Fulham. He couldn’t walk, talk, or even put his hands up. We had to retrain Robbie like a little baby. He remembers 2008 onwards. He’s reconnected with the family as we are today but he’s still a bit confused. We don’t talk about the past with Robbie because it upsets him. But if you took about football there is something in his brain that still has that connection where he can take his mind back and remember snippets.”
Mum-of-eight Maggie says Robert has no sense of smell or taste and has very severe OCD. He also has tinitis in both ears and gets agitated easily. Maggie’s campaigning have seen her be awarded the Tesco Achieving Mum of the Year Award. “I didn’t believe it when I first got the phone call. I thought a friend was playing a joke on me to cheer me up. I am so proud to accept this award. Many people who’ve been victims of crime abroad contact me for help. I’ve worked with families who had problems in India, Jamaica and all over Europe. Time and again I hear families say: ‘No-one cares about what happened to us,’ but I do because I’ve been there. There is help available, but you have to know where to look for it.” The judges said, “Margaret’s tenacity in tirelessly campaigning for better help for victims of crime amazed us.” express.co.uk
Ryanair launches Chania Summer 2016 schedule One new route to Rome, 28 routes in total and 935,000 customers
Ryanair, Europe’s favourite airline, today (15 Sep) launched its Chania Summer 2016 schedule with a new route to Rome and 28 routes in total, which will deliver over 935,000 customers p.a. and support 700* “onsite” jobs at Chania Airport. Ryanair’s Chania summer 2016 schedule will deliver: • 1 new route to Rome: (3 x weekly) • 28 routes incl: Athens (3 x daily) & London (4 x weekly) • Extension of Pisa route to full season • Increased frequency to Dublin during peak season ( 2 to 3 x weekly) • 100 weekly flights • 935,000 customers p.a. • 700* “on-site” jobs p.a. Crete consumers and visitors can choose from 28 low fare Chania routes next summer and can look forward to further improvements, as we continue Year 2 of our “Always Getting Better” programme, which includes a new website, new app, new cabin interiors, new crew uniforms, improved inflight menus and great new digital features such as ‘hold the fare’. In Chania, Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer David O’Brien said:
“Ryanair is pleased to launch our Chania summer 2016 schedule, which includes a new 3 x weekly route to Rome, extension of Pisa route to full season, increased frequency to Dublin during peak season and 28 routes in total, which will deliver 935,000 customers p.a. and support 700* “on-site” jobs at Chania Airport. We are pleased with our continuing growth at Chania and are delighted to announce that we have passed the 2 million customer milestone in Chania since commencing
operations here in 2010”. Ryanair on privatization of regional airports: A bad idea During a press conference in Athens, Ryanair’s chief commercial officer Mr. David O’Brien warned about upcoming hikes at Greece’s regional airports after the completion of the privatization process and criticized the government’s attitude towards tourism, which contributes some 20 percent to the country’s GDP. Mr. O’Brien said that a private monopoly will only increase costs at the
regional airports and ultimately have a negative impact on Greek tourism. He also said that private parties will only focus on the three-month summer season and added that the government should have launched a bid with the increase in passenger traffic as a prerequisite. According to data presented at the press conference, Ryanair holds 16 percent of the market share in Greece and is ranked second following Aegean Airlines. By 2024, Ryanair expects to have 520 aircraft.
by Dave DeLand
“You’ll never feel safer than you do in Greece”
You’re sitting under palm fronds at a beachside cafe in Tertsa, a tiny village on the south coast of Crete. You’re gazing out over the sparkling blue waters of the Libyan Sea as a gentle breeze tousles your hair on an 85-degree afternoon. There’s not a cloud in the sky. You’re sipping an impossibly cold Alfa beer, noshing on fresh fish and lamb and gigandes, and dragging your toes through the warm sand. Well, you aren’t. But two weeks ago, yours truly was. And as my friends and I immersed ourselves in everything this incredible country has to offer, the question I heard repeatedly b e f o r e leaving St. Cloud for a mid-September trip to the Greek islands kept popping into on ck for more news cli my head. r ost.g http://cretep
Do you feel safe? It seemed wildly ironic on this idyllic afternoon, when the only threat to my health was a little sunburn. And yet, Do you feel safe? was perhaps a fair question, given everything that’s been going on in Greece this year. Financial crisis. Bank crisis. Government crisis. Immigration crisis. We’ve seen televised images of political protests … of Greeks standing in line to draw a few Euros out of cash machines … of boatloads of refugees from Syria and elsewhere washing up on the shores of Greek islands — some alive, some not. Do you feel safe? It all paints a grim picture. Even the people who live there and depend on tourism know this all too well, and aren’t convinced things are going to change. “We are all watching the same episode again,” said Lambros Angelopoulos, an Athens native who runs the beachside cafe
Associate Professor Amélie Charles, Associate Professor Etienne Redor, Audencia Nantes School of Management
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Professor Constantin Zopounidis, Academician, Technical University of Crete, Audencia Nantes School of Management
The
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Do you feel safe? With Greece hamstrung by crushing debt, Tsipras was elected in January on the strength of his anti-austerity platform. But in order for the country to remain in the Euro zone, Tsipras was forced to accept draconian conditions for Greece’s latest bailout. No country can austerity its way to economic health, and Greeks are faced with harsh realities — layoffs, cuts to pensions, rising taxes. “Nothing will change. He will have to do what he signed for,” Angelopoulos said. “After the result, and after even voting for Tsipras, hope is gone.” Do you feel safe? Greece now faces a situation where its assets are being bought by companies from the richer countries in the Euro zone, primarily Germany and Holland. “We say here, the Germans didn’t conquer Greece and Crete during the second World War with guns. They do it now with money,” Angelopoulos said. “And they do. Like it is a plan — (an) organized one, a hostile take-over.” Do you feel safe? The immigration crisis isn’t as immediate in Crete, which is a long way from Syria.
Boatloads of refugees aren’t landing on the shores, although a cargo ship loaded with weapons headed for Libya was intercepted by the Greek coast guard Sept. 3 near Ierapetra, on Crete’s southern coast. But this is a very real crisis on Greece’s northern and eastern islands, and a huge burden on a cash-strapped economy that isn’t getting nearly enough help. “Borders were opened the last four months. Refugees welcome. Illegal immigrants come on in. We are the entry point,” Angelopoulos said. “If they try a different country, they (are) being shot. And nothing (in the way of help) so far.” Do you feel safe? Faced with all of this, Greeks simply keep going, just as they’ve done throughout their history. That history is visible everywhere, which is one thing that helps keep tourists flowing. And that may be the best thing anybody can do for Greece. Keep going. Don’t be scared. Don’t fear for your safety. Help stimulate the economy while taking in everything Greece has to offer. In between trips to Tertsa, a group of us chartered a boat for a day trip to Koufou-
nisi — an uninhabited island 30 minutes off Crete’s coast that features the remains of ancient Roman baths, an ampitheater and astounding beaches. Our crew included 10 people from seven different countries: Three Norwegians, two Americans, a German, an Italian, an Irishman, a Dutchman — and a Greek, piloting the boat. Safety was the last thing on anybody’s mind. Our only focus was enjoying what Greece has to offer. And that’s a lot — whether it’s the Parthenon in Athens, or breathtaking sunsets in Santorini and Mykonos, or the rustic charm of a quiet little village on the south coast of Crete. The best way to help Greece? Don’t be afraid. All I know to do is keep coming back, keep spending money and supporting the amazingly generous people I’ve met over there. “Well done, my friend,” Angelopoulos said. “We love you too.” Do I feel safe? Halfway around the world, on a sandy beach in the middle of nowhere, I’ve never felt safer. Or more at home. sctimes.com
Where, why and how Women become Directors
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in Tertsa along with his parents. Angelopoulos, 35, is actually in a much better place than a lot of young Greeks: He has a job. Greece’s youth unemployment rate earlier this year exceeded 50 percent. The country just elected its third government in nine months. Alexis Tsipras, leader of the leftist SYRIZA coalition, was re-elected Sept. 20. But expectations are modest, even among many of his supporters. “Well, people gave Tsipras second opportunity to do what he could not do last month, when he had to resign,” Angelopoulos said. “I don’t think much will change.”
female board member has become a reality of today’s global business world. In almost every country and every sector, the number of female directors has increased in recent years. Last year, in a study of 3000 firms across 40 countries worldwide, Credit Suisse found that gender diversity on boards had progressed from 9.6% in 2010 to 12.7% in 2013. While such wide-ranging results tend to hide big differences between nations such as Norway (40% of female board members) and Pakistan (less than 2%), there seems little doubt that women now have greater access to the top of the company tree. In the past, research on this subject has dealt mostly with whether the presence of female board members improves a firm’s results. The findings on this are far from conclusive. However, one aspect of the subject that has seldom been addressed is that of the factors which create the sort of context in which female directors find their place and then look to flourish. To explore this question more deeply we analysed the boards of the firms that made up the Standard & Poor’s 500 on the US stock market from 1995 to 2010. Through this research we wished to test a number of theories that could have an
effect on the reasons why women get to board level. Size was one major characteristic to take into account. The size of the board may impact on the number of women that sit on it as in larger boards there are more potential places for female directors. Likewise the size of the firm concerned might exert a certain influence. Given that larger firms are subject to more scrutiny by analysts and shareholders they may seek to make their boards more diverse. A critical mass of women on boards might be also be linked to higher board independence. Existing research suggests that women are more likely to be directors sourced from outside the firm. This means that it may be less likely for companies with a high number of dependent directors to appoint women to the board. CEO gender may also come into play. A Wall Street Journal article of 2014 stressed that many US firms run by women have female board members. This seems to be backed up by research into the number of female directors and the number of female members of senior management in a sample of Fortune 500 firms. Another theory to be tested was that of resource dependency. Devised back in1978 by researchers Pfeffer and Salancik, this argues that because firms are dependent on resources they have to develop links with the external envi-
ronment to survive. In this way, greater board diversity raises overall board expertise and the number of important external links to the firm’s environment. Having both men and women on the board might ensure that a variety of views and ideas is aired at the top. Thus, gender and ethnic diversity may be complementary. Finally, since qualified women keen in serving on corporate boards are scarce, they may be able to choose to join better performing firms. Moreover, better performing firms may have more freedom to focus on diversity goals. Such an effect could give the impression that female directors make firms perform better. So, what of the results? Sifting through 15 years of company board records both confirmed and debunked certain assumptions about how and why women get to be directors. Perhaps the most interesting finding concerns larger firms run by female CEOs whose larger boards include at least three women. Basically, for a female manager looking to scale the upper reaches of business it is this type of firm that is a near-perfect match. While it may at first seem that to find a company that ticks all of these boxes would be a challenge this is far from the truth. Those firms researched that had at least three female board members were run much more often by women CEO (in 16.8 % of the cases). Those with less
than three female directors only had a women at the top in 0.43 % of the cases. Similarly, firms with a critical mass of women on boards had a larger board (13.37 directors on average) than firms with no critical mass of female directors (11.75 directors on average). In this way, the results show that a female CEO and bigger board are the strongest pointers towards a healthy number of women directors. The positive signs indicate a positive relationship: firms with a critical mass of female directors have larger boards and are more likely to be run by female CEO. The research also showed that in such firms it is not just in terms of gender that the board is more diverse. Having more female board members also seems to go hand-in-hand with a larger number of directors from ethnic minorities. On the contrary, we were not able to show any clear link between a firm’s performance, the independence of its board and the number of women directors. In the same way, no new proof came to light that having more female board members led to a company posting better results. All of this means that the mere presence of women on boards may not be enough to bring about changes to the boardroom and improve corporate governance. The debate seems likely to go on.
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Is this an animals s-HELL-ter?
Open letters from tourists to the Mayor of Agios Nikolaos Our readers M.K. and C.P. sent us a video from Facebook, showing a place in Agios Nikolaos, with many dogs in a fenced area, having no food or water. They made us the following complaint: “…there used to be a known hoarder in Agios Nikolaos called Billy! He collected dogs, let them have puppies and some of them he sold to hunters, others threw in the bin… He used to live with his dogs in an unfinished building but when the neighbours complained to the police the public prosecutor ordered the dogs to be transferred on elsewhere.. without even for more news click asking where..The muhttp://cretepost.gr nicipality offered to help with the transfer and took the dogs to a field that someone offered temporarily for the dogs..the dimos plan was to transfer the dogs to their public shelter in September..but that was only words.. they never took care of the dogs..no food and water..no sterilisation..puppies everywhere.. Now that the weather has changed the dogs will die! The vice mayor kept adding to the problem by taking more stray dogs that he had complaints about to the shelter… the dogs were 2530 at first and now they are about 50 (I don’t know their real number)…We have filled a suit against dimos and the hoarder Billy and waiting for the district attorney to start the procedure… the dogs can’t wait though… they will die… If anyone of you can help in any way they
eo… they had to come to the City Hall and discuss the issue”. Chania Post newspaper and CretePost. gr received a letter from a couple of tourists in Sweden, after the disclosure of the animals s-HELL-ter in Agios Nikolaos. Read the letter of Roland and Maria Kristiansson: Open letter to Mr. Mayor, Antonis Zervos, Municipality of Agios Nikolaos
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“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way it’s animals are treated (Gandhi)”
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think please do it!!!” CretePost.gr asked the Mayor of Agios Nikolaos, Mr. Antonis Zervos about this matter and told us “we transfer the dogs in this area and we gave tehm food and water, but we are not responsible for everything. We are trying to make our own animals shelter, but it is very difficult under those economic circumstances. Web users should not upload this vid-
We protest to your total ignorance of the dogs in the shelter figuring on Facebook and on the TV the last days. How you can sit and do nothing for this animals is for us a mystery. You are for us a very, very small man. The locals and the tourists do not accept this anymore. Seriously, many tourists are fed up with this and are reevaluating Crete as a tourist destination. You need to take action against the poisoning of dogs and you need a neutering program. You can´t solve this over night, but at least do something! We will make it to our mission for life to tell the world that you dont care. Our family has already taken action. We
have contacted Tv-stations and newspapers in our country. We will also contact our Swedish travelagencys and tell them about the situation and ask them to put pressure on you. We will tell them that you, mr Antonis Zervos don’t care. Everybody saw this when you appeared on TV yesterday. You will be exposed! We visit your Island at least twice a year and we spend a lot of Money there. Maybe you care if you start loosing money. I will not spend a cent in your municipality!! We would rather starve to death than spend any money in Ag.Nikolaos!! Remember Gandhi. We pity you. Roland and Maria Kristiansson “Look after the animals on Crete” Dear Mayor Antonis Zervos and the media, I was planning on spending 12 days on Crete with 3 of my friends in March and April 2016 and had hotel bookings. I have cancelled those bookings now. I am so shocked by the photos and reports of neglect of the animals on Crete that I cannot bring myself to go and view the atrocities going on on your island. The conditions in the dog shelter in Agios
Nikolaos are utterly unacceptable. The general care and wellbeing of the stray animals are equally unacceptable. The pictures on Facebook and in the press are a shame for your district and for all of Crete and Greece! Please immediately do something to drastically improve the life of these poor animals (food, water, parasite medication, shade, protection from rain and wind, etc.). They need proper medication and vaccinations! Furthermore, neutering and spaying of the dogs is absolutely essential - not just in this shelter but for all stray dogs: male and female! I plan on sharing this news far and wide and fast. If and when there is good news, I will share the good news equally as far and wide and fast. Please, please, please do something about the condition of the animals on Crete, they do not deserve to be neglected or treated badly. As a country that depends on tourism for a huge proportion of its GDP, animal care is as important as beautiful beaches and scenery. Nobody wants to go to a place where animals are neglected or treated badly. Nobody wants the beautiful holiday spoiled by the heartbreak of animals in pain or distress. Animal neglect is a crime. Animal lover, Lynette van Duyn
Tsunami in Mediterranean would turn parts of Crete into an Atlantis
A large tsunami in the Mediterranean has the potential to turn a large part of Crete into an Atlantis with 3.5sq km of land submerged beneath the sea, scientists have found. Researchers said their model showed that a tsunami could also pose a risk to 130 million people living along the coast and, with little advance warning, would only have to travel a short distance before hitting land. Publishing their findings in the journal Ocean Science, the team from the University of Bologna, in Italy, created two simulations showing tsunamis generated by earthquakes with a magnitude of seven on the Richter scale. The simulations were located off the coasts of eastern Sicily and southern Crete, areas chosen because they were the most tectonically active. Their findings showed that Crete would not fare well, with a tsunami causing 3.5sq km of land being plunged under water. They found in both cases that tsunamis
would inundate low-lying coastal areas up to around five metres above sea level. Although the Mediterranean is not well known for its tsunamis, around 10% of all tsunamis in the world take place there, with around one large one happening every 100 years. In 1908, an earthquake of a magnitude of seven on the Richter scale hit the Messina region causing a tsunami that reached 10m in height and killed thousands. A cluster of earthquakes between eight and 8.5 magnitude occurred off the coast of Crete in 365AD. They created a tsunami that destroyed ancient cities in Egypt, Greece and Italy, and killing at least 5,000 people in the ancient city of Alexandria. Achilleas Samaras, the lead author of the study, said: “The main gap in relevant knowledge in tsunami modelling is what happens when tsunami waves approach the nearshore and run inland. We wanted to find out how coastal areas would be af-
fected by tsunamis in a region that is not only the most active in the Mediterranean in terms of seismicity and tectonic movements, but has also experienced numerous tsunami events in the past. “We simulate tsunami generation by introducing earthquake-generated displacements at either the sea bed or the surface. The model then simulates how these disturbances – the tsunami waves – propagate and are transformed as they reach the nearshore and inundate coastal areas.” Speaking to IBTimes UK, Samaras said the scenarios they simulated were realistic and that real-life events could be even worse: “The scenario we simulated, it’s not really small, but it’s not big. Some in the area have experienced bigger tsunamis and earthquakes in recent times. It’s not the biggest we can expect.” He said the problem with tsunamis is the huge amount of energy they contain and while there would not be a huge wall of wa-
ter propagating towards them, the inundation to coastal areas would be devastating. They now plan to study the damage tsunamis could cause. “The results we presented were based on the morphology and the extent of inundation,” Samaras said. “At this stage we did not take into account loss of life, loss of property or damages, but this is something to work on next. “The basis was to have a reliable model to simulate the process. Now we have done that we can see what implications this will have on loss of life and properties.” This, he said, will help authorities better prepare and plan for tsunamis. By establishing which areas are most vulnerable, local officials could establish defence structures and tsunami warning systems that would allow for evacuation plans if necessary. ibtimes.co.uk
Nursery teacher is banned from flying home from Crete holiday after she opened her own miniature bottle of vodka on flight out • • • •
Xanthia Morrison flew from Glasgow with Jet2 for friend’s wedding in Crete She and friend bought alcohol from duty free and started drinking on flight 34-year-old says she handed it over to staff when told she could not have it She was then banned from flying back amid claims she was ‘aggressive’
A nursery school teacher was banned
OFF
In the recording, which was made on a mobile phone, the stewardess can be heard telling the pair that the incident ‘should not ruin their holiday’. They were also assured that the passport numbers were just for information and would not affect their return journey. The woman was also heard accepting the couple’s claim that they had not known they were acting against the rules. But, while they were in Crete, Ms Morrison received a phone call from Jet2 to say she and her friend were not allowed to return home because they had displayed ‘aggressive behaviour’. The company also claimed the pair had continued to drink their own alcohol even after being told to stop – a claim Ms Morrison strongly disputes. Ms Morrison added: ‘These allegations are completely untrue and, frankly,
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quite frightening. I can’t believe Jet2 staff can make up lies and leave customers stranded in a foreign country. for more news click on ‘We had to cut our holiday http://cretepost. gr short and pay £400 for a new flight. This has put me off flying again.’ A Jet2 spokesman said: ‘Having carefully consulted the cabin crew report, we took the decision to refuse carriage for two customers returning from Crete to Glasgow.’ ‘We understand Miss Morrison is unhappy with this. We have explained the actions taken by her party that have resulted in this decision. We take a zero-tolerance approach to aggressive behaviour on our flights.’ Daily Mail
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cohol on board. When a stewardess told them they were not allowed to have drinks, the pair apparently apologised and handed over the bottles. They then purchased food and alcohol from the airplane trolley. But, according to Ms Morrison, another staff member then handed the pair a threatening letter and warned that police would be called if they did not co-operate. ‘She asked for our passport details and began threatening that if we did not hand them over, the police would be called,’ Ms Morrison said. ‘We then gave our details to another stewardess, who apologised for her colleague’s behaviour. She told us that we would be able to fly with Jet2 on our return and not to worry.’
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from flying home from a Greek island holiday because she opened her own miniature bottle of vodka on the flight out there. Xanthia Morrison was due to return to Glasgow on a Jet2 flight after spending a week in Crete for her friend’s wedding. But the airline banned her and a friend from the return journey amid claims she had become ‘aggressive’ when warned not to drink her own alcohol on the outbound flight. The 34-year-old had to buy an alternative flight home and was left £400 out of pocket. She has now accused the airline of making false allegations and using heavy-handed tactics. She passed a recording of the incident to MailOnline in which the pair were assured it had been a misunderstanding and that they would be able to fly home. She told us: ‘I have been left disgusted and upset. I just can’t believe the airline were allowed to do this to us and how easy it is for staff to make up lies leaving passengers in foreign countries.’ Ms Morrison and her friend had bought a four miniature bottles of alcohol before boarding the Jet2 flight from Glasgow on June 21. She claims she had ‘no idea’ that they were not allowed to drink their own al-
The Guardian: Be a farmer for a day in Crete
An organic farm near Rethymno in the island’s north-west, teaches visitors traditional skills (by Emily Payne)
Shy, directionless squeezing is not the way to bountiful buckets of milk. That’s what occurs to me, high in the sweet and fertile heartland of Crete, as I try to get to grips with the ancient art of goat-milking. Retaining a purchase on the teat while avoiding being nipped or kicked demands a lot of concentration. But eventually, the liquid comes spurting out, hitting the tin bucket with a loud ping. I’m at Agreco, a stone-by-stone replica of a 17th-cenon for more news click tury farm in Adele, a http://cretepost.gr village in the hills above touristy Rethymno, on Crete’s north coast. It has a dairy, a watermill, an olive press, beehives and 11,500 vines – and visitors are invited to come and play farmer for the day. Crete’s economy once relied on fertile plains and mountains. Now these areas attract those looking for a dose of country living; agritourism is on the rise, with farm stays and hands-on rural experiences popping up all over the island. Open to members of the public for day
visits, farm tours and dinner, Agreco was created in 2002 by Nikos Daskalantonakis, founder of the Grecotel hotel chain, as a tourist attraction and to encourage local farmers to use organic methods to grow produce for the area’s hotels. Depending on the season, wannabe farmhands can tread grapes in an old stone vat, harvest wheat, help make olive oil, bake bread in a wood-burning oven and pick vine leaves for dol-
U.S. Congressional Delegation Visited Crete
On September 20-23, 2015, U.S. Con-
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gressman Steve Scalise, U.S. House of Representatives Majority Whip and Representative for the State of Louisiana, led the visit of a U.S. congressional delegation to Athens and Chania, Greece. The delegation met with the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos, with a wide range of Greek contacts, and visited the Naval Support Activity at Souda Bay, Crete. Accompanying Congressman Scalise on the official visit to Greece were Congressman Henry Cuellar from Texas, Congressman Lynn Westmoreland
from Georgia, Congressman Patrick Meehan from Pennsylvania, Congresswoman Kristi Noem from South Dakota, Congresswoman Martha Roby from Alabama, and Congressman Mike Bishop from Michigan. The delegation met September 21 with President Pavlopoulos to discuss energy, economic developments, security, and migration issues as part of a wide-ranging discussion on topics of bilateral and regional interest. On September 22, the delegation concluded their visit to Greece with briefings at the Naval Support Activity at Souda Bay, Crete.
mades. Down below, on the main drag of Rethymno town, tourists mill, postcards gather dust and the sea laps the sand. Up here, where I’m “working”, tiny Byzantine monasteries cling to the mountains, thyme and mint sway in the breeze and birds twitter. I meet Alexis, the strapping farmer in charge, who learned his trade from his grandparents at the age of 10. Now, his own two-and-a-half year old son, Stefanos, gads about the farm laughing
at goats, peering into the cobwebby olive press. “He’s learning everything I know,” Alexis says, as he steadies a sheep for me to shear. I take the shears to the animal and its organs are almost visible through thin and wrinkly skin. It’s faintly terrifying, but with a snip-snip, fluffy clods of wool land on the ground. The Association of British Travel Agents reports that tourism to Greece – specifically its islands – is up 2% since last year, though Crete’s robust farming sector means it doesn’t rely on tourism as much as some other islands. At Agreco, everything is organic: duck droppings are used as fertiliser and old feta cheese tins reused for growing herbs. It’s the kind of place where one feels meditative, separate from everyday life. In one afternoon I watch goats’ milk turn to cheese with the addition of hot water and lemon; bite into wild artichokes fresh from the ground, knead bread at the watermill and learn how to shear a sheep. We then sit down for a 30-dish meal in which everything from the boiled eggs and chicken to the plump tomatoes, honey and wine was produced just metres away. Rural, sustainable Crete is flourishing, proving that tourism and the simple life can live side-by-side. The Guardian
Survey: Booking on Mobile Goes Mainstream for Greek Hotels
2015 seems to be the year when book-
ing on mobile goes mainstream for the Greek hotel industry, according to eBusiness consulting company Nelios. Hotel bookings made through mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) this year are up by 135 percent, compared with last year’s levels, according to a survey conducted by Nelios Insights based on a sample of 100 of its partner hotels. Out of total web bookings this year, mobile bookings saw a 35 percent increase year over year. Nelios Insights also showed the vast increase not only in mobile visits and bookings, but also the rise in mobile’s share on booking revenues. “As indicated by the insights, compared
to last year’s equivalent period, people search and find a hotel on their mobile devices, but this year they also book through them”, Nelios said in an announcement. Countries that top Nelios’ list of mobile conversions for Greek hotels are Europeans, Australia, USA and Canada. “But this is about to change as smart devices reach more and more hands every year.” The following infographic sums up the importance of mobile in today’s Greek hospitality industry. “The ‘mobile trend’ is no longer a trend in tourism, but a reality that Greek hotels have to adjust to”, Nelios added. news.gtp.gr
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“Cape to Cape” biplane arrived in Chania Airport
An adventure where just one man in an old biplane dares the elements of nature, to explore untapped parts of Europe and Africa from the sky and ground. That’s “Cape to Cape”… the 1935 De Havilland 60 Moth biplane made a stop in Chania Airport “Daskalogiannis”. Stockholm to the Cape of Good Hope Gösta Emil Andrée was a Swedish pilot born January 18, 1899 in Stockholm. In 1929, flying a De Havilland Cirrus Moth (SE-ABS), he was the first Swede to carry out a long-haul, round-trip flight from Stockholm to Cape Town.
The Grand Adventure Beginning in Septemon ck cli ws ne e ber 2015, Swedish pilot or for m r t.g os ep et cr Johan Wiklund will fly http:// a 1935 De Havilland 60 Moth biplane from Stockholm Barkarby Airport to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. This modern-day challenge echoes the pioneering flight of another Swede, Gösta Andrée, who flew a Moth from Stockholm’s Barkarby airfield to Cape Town, South Africa, in 1929. The first phase of the adventure actually already started in July this year, when Johan took off from North Cape in Norway. At the time, Andrée’s journey was an unprecedented feat – a lone aviator flying an open-cockpit plane over the vast deserts and jungles of the African continent, equipped with the most rudimentary of navigational instruments: a map and a compass. Johan Wiklund will repeat Andrée’s adventure, flying a similar aircraft and following the 1929 route as closely as possible. He’ll also use the same navigational tools, and even a copy of Andrée’s flying costume.
About 400 people were at the Town
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news & articles
Hall in Paleochora visiting the opening party of the Paleochora Art Week 2015. The visitors were excited by the quality of the artwork. What is the Paleochora Art Week? In the Art Week 40 Artists display their artwork at 20 Art Points, which means in tavernas, hotels, bars and at the beaches of Paleochora. And the big surprise for all was for the very first time there was an underwater exhibition at Art Point Methexis Beach. “I was at Methexis Beach and when I stood at the footpath I didn’t see anything”, said one local woman. “Yes, this is right, because you have to take your snorkel and go into the water and there you will find sculptures, photos, paintings and another surprises you don’t except there,” explains Gerhard Stelzhammer, Sculptor and the creator of the Underwater Exhibition. “It is amazing
Johan Wiklund wants to prove that it is still possible. Using the same technology used by his compatriot Gösta André in 1935. This is an adventure where just one single man in an old technology biplane, despite a previously experienced crash, dares the elements of nature, to explore untapped parts of Europe and Africa from the sky and ground. To get the ultimate perspective. The Mission The goal of Johan’s adventure is not just flying from the North Cape to the Cape of Good Hope. While he hopes to cover the costs of the trip itself through private funding and sponsors, he also aims to raise money for the “Make reading cool” project. More information about the “Make reading cool project” This program is designed to help the Children’s Book Network support schoolchildren with
limited resources in Red Hill outside Cape Town. After completing this journey, Johan plans to share his story through lectures and films from the trip. It is also hoped that the adventure will result in a book. Who is Johan Wiklund I’m a 47-year-old Swedish airline captain at SAS, flying out of Copenhagen, Denmark. I live with my wife Lena and our two children in Malmö, Sweden. Adventure is nothing new to me. I have a military background from the Swedish submarine force, and was also trained as a helicopter pilot in the Swedish Army. In 2000-2001, my brother Anders and I took a leave of absence and sailed round-trip across the Atlantic in a 35foot sloop, the Röde Orm. It was on this trip, while in the West Indies, that I met my fantastic wife – who was on a sailing adventure of her own!
Underwater at the Paleochora Art Week
to see so many people snorkeling, some of them the first time in their life”, said Gerhard. And there are many things to explore: A huge mandala, an underwater kafenion, a tree of love and wishes, photos of a bike in a desert, paintings of
people in love, eyes which are looking at you, sculptures on the ground and in caves… If this was not enough there was also music in the sea. Hans Mannooh, who has made the colourful mandala also
My passion is to build, fly and maintain antique aeroplanes. I specialize in English “Moths”, a series of small biplanes designed by Sir Geoffrey de Havilland and manufactured between 1924 and 1935. These aeroplanes were used as trainers during World War II and then as sport aircraft. Combining my roles as father and husband, SAS airline pilot and spare-time adventurer couldn’t be done without the help and support of family and friends. Thanks to them, I can look forward to sharing the fun of Cape to Cape with all of you! The Team The team behind Cape to Cape consists of family and friends who are supporting me with their technical skills, networks in Scandinavia, South Africa and beyond, and their sound advice. They are also an infinite source of encouragement and inspiration.
played music under water. For this he had built underwater loudspeakers. And for people who didn’t like to snorkel they could see films of the underwater exhibition in the Town Hall. “The film is like a piece of artwork. I haven’t seen a film like this before. The film shows wonderful colours of the sea and the amazing artworks. It is very exciting”, said a visitor coming from Leeds. And on Saturday the 12th and 19th there was an event, where people were invited to come with floating clothes or costumes and take part in a floating happening beneath the horizon. It was filmed and later you could see the film in the Town Hall. The artwork of the underwater exhibition was made by Gerhard Stelzhammer, Efi Fiotaki, Elena Strubakis, Kostas Liatakis, Silvia Forrer, Smaragda Smaragdi, Sofia Markoulakis and Vasilis Patsourakis.
Greece’s Domes of Elounda Joins Marriott’s ‘Autograph Collection’ The award-winning Domes of Eloun-
da on Crete, Greece, has joined the Autograph Collection Hotels, a brand within Marriott International’s global portfolio comprised of upper upscale and luxury, independent, hotels with distinctive personalities in major cities and desired destinations worldwide. The Domes of Elounda, a member of the Ledra Hotels and Villas group, is the first Greek and Mediterranean resort included in the Autograph Collection. The resort boasts 78 luxurious suites and 40 villas and recently completed an expansion of over 10 million euros which included 28 Domes Luxury Residences with private swimming pools and a brand new family area offering an array of activities for all ages. An evolving ensemble of strikingly independent hotels, the Autograph Collection selects each destination for its quality, bold originality, rich character and uncommon details. “From near to far, iconic to historic, the result is an array of properties that is nothing less than unique, nothing short of collectively exceptional”, it is noted on the Autograph Collection website. According to John Licence, brand leader for Autograph Collection Hotels in
Europe, the Domes of Elounda has established itself “exceptionally well in the luxury Greek market” and its unique attributes make it a perfect for the brand. “Domes of Elounda really is the ideal Greek addition to Autograph Collection Hotels, and contributes to ensuring that the brand’s offering is nothing short of collectively exceptional”, Mr. Licence said. George P. Spanos, vice president of Ledra Hotels and Villas, said that Domes
of Elounda enters dynamically into a new era of further developments through the strategic partnership with the Autograph Collection Hotels. “For Marriott International to join forces with Domes of Elounda under the umbrella of Autograph Collection is an acknowledgement of our efforts and commitment to offer distinctive hospitality experiences”, he said. Domes of Elounda recently celebrated a double victory at the prestigious World
Travel Awards announced in Sardinia. On September 5 the resort was voted Greece’s Leading All Suite Hotel for the second year in a row and also scooped the prize for Greece’s Leading Luxury All Suite Hotel. It is reminded that Marriott International had withdrawn from the Greek market in late 2013. for more news click on news.gtp.gr http://cretepost.gr
Health and Safety: Two sectors of paramount importance for Creta Maris Beach Resort in seminars and trainings, involving the use of a simulator. More than 30 members of the Creta Maris Beach Resort’s emergency team (a team consisting of volunteers – employees) were informed about the use and maintenance of the automated external defibrillators and were trained on an immediate intervention in order to save a human’s life. This seminar is considered as one of the most important in first aid, as the participants are now able to face successfully a sudden cardiac arrest. Moreover, in order to ensure everybody’s safety, Creta Maris Beach Resort
purchased an automated external defibrillator. Furthermore, the hotel introduced its new special fire club-car. This special vehicle is fully equipped with all necessary tools for fire extinguishing.
The two aforementioned actions aim at assuring the safety of Creta Maris Beach Resort’s guests and employees during emergencies.
CFS is now operating online only, but always from Kalyves, Apokoronas, Crete.
With so much of our business now operating purely online we have made the hard decision to close our shop and focus on the success of our online webshops. We are now operating from our admin office in Kalyves which will also be a click and collect point for online orders.
Please do Visit Us, Call us, Email us or visit our webshop at www.cfshome.com for further information.
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and safety of its guests and employees, Creta Maris Beach Resort organized a special training seminar regarding the use of defibrillator (AED), which is now available on its premises. In addition, the hotel introduced its new special hotel fire club car, which was created by the resort’s maintenance team in order to take precaution of the guests’ safety in case of fire. More specific, the hotel organized a “Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)” seminar with the cooperation of Vasco Medical, a company specializing
news & articles
Always concentrating on the health
Botanical Park & Gardens of Crete The
Botanical Park & Gardens of Crete grew from the ashes of that devBotanical Park & Gardens astating fire. My village, Skordalou, lies at a distance of 20 km away from the city of Hania at the feet of the White Mountains. It is one of the greenest villages in Crete with the oldest olive orchards in Crete and in Europe and the main income of its people comes from olive oil (tsounati variety). I remember the summers in my village when I was a young boy; many children would come here from Athens and other parts of Greece for holidays with their families. It would strike me that they knew nothing about plants, not even olive or orange trees, to say noth- ing of the loquat or the carob tree for example. But then again, growfor more nature news ing up in a large city click on http://cretepost.gr by Petros Marinakis
The idea...
or in a place with different plants does not leave room for much. By the end of October 2004, a sudden hot wind storm from Africa caused an electricity pole wire to break. This started a wild fire, which very quickly spread around so much that no one could control it. Twenty-four hours later, the whole region around the village had burnt almost to the ground. The damage was unprecedented: sixty thousand olive trees over 400 hundred years old had been burnt. My village had been ruined both financially and ecologically. My family had many or-
ange and olive trees in an area with a surface of about 150-200 square kilometres, which was also ruined. After this destruction, I thought that all
Our Avian Friends?
that burnt land could become a botanical park for trekking, education and recreation. My three brothers all agreed to this idea.
by David Capon
I regularly mention birds in my arti-
cles and there are valid reasons. Birds are great indicators of the health of the planet and of an area. There are not many places in the world where birds cannot be found, although in less numbers than in the past. For example, there are penguins that breed in the Antarctica; a place where little life can survive. Some species eat fish, others eat mammals (dead and alive) and other birds, some eat nuts and others seeds, while many rely on insects to survive. During the last couple of weeks I have seen two articles that indicate how birds are being greatly affected by Modern Society.
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cretan nature
1.Illegal Hunting in the Mediterranean There is always concern over the number of birds killed by hunting and it is a very emotive subject. But a new report on illegal killing from Birdlife International does not make comfortable reading. The review published on 21st August estimates that the number of birds shot, trapped or glued illegally in the Mediterranean is 25 million annually – and I repeat this is only the number that are killed illegally. One of the problems with conservation and the policing of conservation is when there are economic pressures (such as in southern Europe recently) less money is passed to the authorities who must oversee the regulations. Similarly, in areas of conflict conservation finds itself a low necessity. Countries where there is conflict (e.g. Syria and Libya) feature highly in the rankings but so do European nations. Italy is second to Egypt for the estimated mean number of illegal killings. The Famagusta region of Cyprus is the single worst location in the Mediterranean. Of importance to us is that other countries in the top 10 are Greece, France and Albania. Malta has the highest number of birds illegally killed per square kilometer. Some of the common methods of killing include illegal shooting, capture in nets and recordings of birds used as a lure. Many of the cruel methods that are used, such as lime sticks that glue the birds to branches, cause huge suffering to the bird before its death. The chaffinch comes top of the list (an estimated 2.9 million killed illegally each year); the blackcap, which has such a lovely song and resident on
Crete, 1.8 million; the quail 1.6 million and a winter visitor to Crete the Song thrush with an estimated toll of 1.2 million. A number of species on the Red List (species considered vulnerable to possible extinction) are also affected. These figures, which are on top of the so-called ‘legal’ killing, are alarming. If you would like to read more details about this please see http://www. birdlife.org/sites/default/files/attachments/01-28_low.pdf 2. Plastic Researchers from CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation; the governmental agency for scientific research in Australia) and Imperial College London have assessed how widespread the threat of plastic is for the world’s seabirds, including albatrosses, shearwaters and penguins, and found the majority of seabird species have plastic in their gut. A study by Dr Chris Wilcox with co-authors Dr Denise Hardesty and Dr Erik van Sebille published at the end of August in the journal (PNAS: the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) found that 60% of all seabird species have plastic in their gut and that there has been a huge increase in the number of birds affected from 1960 (5%) to 2010 (80%). The estimate is that by 2050 99% of seabird species will be
affected. Birds can mistake brightly coloured items for food or swallow them by accident. The effects are gut impaction, weight loss and even death. I presume the life expectancy of the birds is reduced for those that do not die soon after the ingestion. The extracts have been taken from “Threat of plastic pollution to seabirds is global, pervasive, and increasing” PNAS, August 31, 2015 DOI (by Chris Wilcox, Erik Van Sebille, and Britta Denise Hardesty). Plastic is a huge problem for all marine life, not just birds. Plastic particles have been found in crabs and other small marine animals. It is essential that we dispose of all plastic properly. Back in 2008 a scientific paper was published that painted a very pessimistic picture. It related to the effect of climate change on bird species. The estimate is that a 2.8C increase in temperature would produce between 400 and 550 landbird extinctions and that by 2100 a further 2100 would be at risk. These numbers are huge but the extinction numbers indicate that most bird species will be greatly affected by the global climate change. Birds are very important to ecosytems. Birds are important in many areas of life, besides their aesthetic appeal to
so many people. They are important in the processes of decomposition, pest control, pollination and seed dispersal and changes in the proportions of species result in imbalance in and damage to ecosystems. I will just highlight two instances in the area of ‘pest control’ to give some idea of the effect that birds have on our lives. In Sweden, predation by birds was found to be the main reason behind the non-cyclicity of small rodents with more than half of the rodents being consumed by raptors. If we concentrate on just Crete, consider how many more insects and infestations there would be without the insect eating birds: of which many are being illegally killed (see the note re blackcaps above). Birds are a very important natural means of pest control. Combine the effects of legal and illegal hunting, plastic pollution and climate change (as well as habitat destruction and fragmentation, general soil, water and air pollution) and in a few decades we could find a world with few birds and few bird species. Just as bad we may find a huge increase in insect and rodent pests of either health or crops. I do not think I need add much more to that, except that we, the Human Race, seem to be rapidly sending our planet into a sad state of affairs – and the damage is manmade, of course!
On the up and up by Niall Finn I might be wrong but now the sea Seems higher than it used to be. Money by Anthony M. Whateley
Hound Tor by Anthony M. Whateley
Cool place to eat by Niall Finn
Georgeoupolis, the northern beach, The shower tap is hard to reach.
Did you see a full moon cast a silver path across the shining sea, and did you see a thousand stars scattered in the sky? Or did you think of money?
High windswept tor, my father’s favourite on the moor. Through Devon’s sunken winding lanes he showed me Dartmoor’s many names.
Tree-shaded in the green and cool Beneath an arch there is a pool That’s full of fish all sleek and fast. At first we missed it, driving past
The blue paint on its wooden stand Stops now a metre from the sand.
Did you watch the swallows skimming meadows green, and did you feel a balmy breeze lightly through the trees? Or were you busy counting money?
A tor, the hills eroded core, through wind and rain and ice, yet more. A ragged hawthorn blasted tree, with raven’s lonely croaking plea.
Did you notice fading light and silent flitting bats, and did you hear a fox’s cry calling to her mate? Or were you busy spending money? ws ne re ltu cu e for mor epost.gr Did you hear the click on http://cret merry brook, laughing through the wood, and did you smell frail violets on cushioned mossy banks? Or were you talking money? Did you know nightingales have just arrived from France, And did you see new beech leaves bursting from each branch? Or did you want for money? And will you notice all these things now the money’s gone? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ever since a baby is born, numerous
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culture
by Elis. Pramateftakis Teacher
wishes are heard upon his/her tiny little bed. If the baby is a boy, then most blessings are related to his good health and successful life. “Na einai gero”people wish in Greek, meaning that he leads a life with no health problems. But if the baby is a girl then the wishes are a bit different. Everyone of course prays for her to grow up well but at the same time they also wish she has a good marriage. For them it is of outmost significance that she meets the man of her, or their, dreams and together they live happily ever after. So the baby girl grows up really fast and all she hears around her is still “me ena kalo gampro”, which means hoping you find a good husband. In every occasion of her life she keeps hearing the same utterance. When she buys new shoes, others say “hope you get them from the groom”, when she passes an exam at school everyone congratulates her and at the same time reminds her of her purpose in life. She even wears a beautiful new dress and everybody says ‘kai nifoula”, meaning hoping you become a bride soon!!! So the girl becomes a young woman believing in fairytales. She has been hearing about this knight coming on a white horse in shining armour all her life. All the stories she had been told had a happy ending – except for the little mermaid perhaps who was not lucky enough to marry the love of her life. So she inevitably expects him to come – sooner or later! She studies at university, becomes a great professional but she
Short-cropped grass and springy heather, in summer walking at our leisure. Across the moor where buzzards mew, And Devon rivers take their cue.
In search of “Lapa” up the hill Through Argyroupoli but still No sign of Lapa’s ruins there Until, returning, in the square We stopped the car, went for a stroll And found we’d parked beside our goal! A small and weed-strewn piece of ground (Perhaps there’s more we never found).
So tons of beach have gone - what’s more The waves are breaking close to shore. At Almiritha, further west The sunbeds are the litmus test: One spot last year had several rows But now just one, where no one goes Because the wavelets still have strength For foaming halfway up their length And so will swirl their way around All bags and shoes left on ground.
Wild winter cold and virgin rime, we walked and talked to catch up time. I spent my life in foreign land, the years slipped by like blowing sand.
Then, simultaneous, “I’ve a hunch It’s time we found ourselves some lunch.” Back down the hill to where we’d seen Tavernas hidden in the green.
It’s natural for a beach to change; But now in summer? That is strange.
A brother too, I left behind, the missing years had marked their time. But family ties so surely strong and childhood days of memories long, with summer days upon a beach.
That’s when we found the pool, the fish; With some being caught to grace a dish. However fond of trout I am I opted for the slow-grilled lamb
In summer, though, they usually build Till winter gaps have all been filled
We took our father to his tor, his favourite place upon the moor. There was no talk or walk that day, the raven croaked a sad dismay. We left his ashes on the moor, wild, windswept, at Hound Tor. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Called “Antikristo” and this meant The lamb in chunks, all succulent And salty, lean and mountain grown The flesh just falling from the bone.
I hope next time I stop to look The sea’s returned the sand it took.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In winter, waves will pound ashore Eroding sand and sometimes more.
With smooth, soft sand - a beach remade Without the need of human aid.
Happily ever after?
is never completely happy. Something is missing in her life. Even if she happens to forget, others soon remind her of her mission by asking “have you found a good boy to marry yet”? And then she must figure out what “good” actually means. Well, according to them, a “good” husband must be wealthy, maybe educated (doctors and lawyers are always preferred!!!) and of course a member of a good family. If he happens to be something else, then he does not fulfill their expectations!! In any case, the girl will eventually get married and then she is in for a big surprise. In some cases, prince charming turns out to be a real frog because
appearances can be very misleading. In other cases, prince charming lives up to her expectations but life becomes so complicated from that point and on that it hardly reminds her of a bed time story. All the obligations she has, the different roles she takes – that of a mother, a great housewife and an excellent working member – create tremendous frustration and anxiety in her soul. Of course a woman is born to be a fighter – by nature – so in most circumstances she stands up to the demands of her life. Yet, she realises there is no such thing as, what they call, an ideal life. At that point she finds out that happiness lies in small things and a happi-
ly ever after ending is something you achieve only if you try really really hard. She keeps on dreaming of course, for this is the only way to succeed and move on, and she still believes in fairytales because they are the salt and pepper in her life. So be realistic and be a fighter in life because success is highly unlikely to come by chance. Never give up and keep on dreaming…You never know. One day all your dreams may come true as long as you believe. PS: Dedicated to all my friends that share the same opinion!!!
The Natural History Museum (Uni-
versity of Crete) has recently released the long-awaited book on the nature of Crete, entitled “Crete, a continent in an island” translated by Ben Petre. This publication is an essay by Dimos Tsantilis, a writer and communicator of science, in cooperation with scientists working at the museum, containing more than 350 color photographs (and drawings). In 280 pages, the author presents the complex geological history of Crete, its past and modern geodiversity, the plants, the animals and the ecosystems of the island, and the role of the longterm impact of its inhabitants. The numerous and high quality illustrations provide a unique visual experience for the enthusiasts of the Cretan nature, but also a material valuable to both amateur naturalists and professionals. The aforementioned issues are extensively developed in 21 chapters. In the first four the author covers the geological history of the island, the evolution and establishment of the Medi-
terranean climate over past geological periods as well as the current effect of various factors, such as precipitation on the formation of the modern Cretan landscape. More details on the fossil record of plants and animals of Crete are given in the next three chaptes, emphasizing its chronology and importance. The chapter “Mediterranean adaptations” attempts to present the Cretan
flora, pointing out its richness and emphasizing its unique character. The effect of water deficiency, wildfires etc. are also discussed here, while the next two chapters are devoted to forest diversity and the endemic plants of Crete. Six chapters are devoted to vertebrates (mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds), and three chapters, to the invertebrate biodiversity of Crete, not commonly seen in the literature. Three
chapters are dedicated to the terrestrial arthropods and land snails of the island, including information on their ecology, evolution and endemism. The next four chapters are related to the special features of the Cretan landscape that deserve special attention: satellite islets, beaches, mountain tops and the numerous caves and karst formations of the island. The last chapter concludes the tour into Cretan nature, bringing the readers to the position of someone who interacts with and modifies their environment in an attempt to raise concerns, but also to inspire solutions aiming at the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. ISBN: 978-960-367-037-7 The book is available with a discount for booksellers and any order of more than 10 books. For additional informa- for mor e news click on tions on book distribution, http://cr etepost.gr please contact: Mr. Priniotakis Nikos +30 2810 393276
Greek-Danish Petanque Tournament in Chania
petanque is a sport played with metallic balls on gravel areas or golf. Recognized by the International Olympic Committee, this sport is of French origin, has however ancient Greek roots. Often described as the most Mediterranean sport and it is no coincidence that in countries such as France (main south) Italy, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia, and in all countries around the Mediterranean Sea sport is very popular. “The club petanque Chania began to operate in 2009 with dozens of players and the Statute of legalized in 2014 with 40 people. Since 2009, the petanque club of Chania has organized at least one local tournament every year. This year Chania hosted an international tournament of Petank (triplet) in Chania with the participation of 17 members of a Danish club of Petank. The tournament took place in 3&4 October 2015 from 3 pm to 7 pm in Agios Apostolos park. It was the first time that an international tournament of petanque was organized in Chania with the participation of European “petanquers” who came to Crete principally to combine tourism and petanque. History of Petanque The petanque (the Provençal PED: feet and tanca: planted; (lou) in Ped-jo tanca, the game walk-planted, or (the) petanco, bowls) is a bowling derived from the Provencal game. This is the tenth sport in France by the number of members: 311 971 players identified (late 2010) 1; there are many National Federations affiliated to the international federation. In late 2007, there were 558,898 licensed in 78 countries, from Morocco to Vietnam. In these figures should be added the occasional practitioners, especially on holiday, that is to say, several million fans 2. It is a predominantly male sport (only 14% of the dismissed are women in France). Nevertheless, this is one of the few sports where competitions are mixed. Rules of the game At the petanque, the objective is to score points by placing their balls closer to the goal than his opponent.
Distance In senior class play must be between 6 and 10 meters, when throwing the goal. Subsequently, the current goal of leads should never be within 3 meters or more than 20 meters. Field Pétanque is played on any terrain. Most of the time in competition, “officers” (a frame is a ground on which to take place part) are plotted; Official dimensions then are 15 meters long, 4 wide, and a minimum of 12 meters of 3. The circle (throwing) It is a round, drawn on the ground, in which the player must stand to launch his ball. Its diameter is between 35 and 50 cm. The circle must be at least one meter from an obstacle or the boundary of a prohibited ground Start of the game The team that wins the toss traces the circle and launches the goal and the first ball. For the goal launched by a player to be valid, it must be between 6 meters and 10 meters of the circle, visible from the circle, there is no obstacle between its position and that the circle and it is at least one meter from any obstacle or the boundary of a prohibited ground. The throwing of the jack by a player of a team does not mean that it is obliged to play first. At the following end, the jack belongs to the team win-
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ning the previous end, or that having launched if the lead was zero. This team throws the goal from a circle around from the point where it was at the end of previous end (When the goal has become zero, the launch is from his last position adopted), except in following cases: The circle would be less than a meter from an obstacle. In this case the player draws the circle closest to the regulatory limit of the obstacle. The throwing of the jack could not be done to all regulation distances (in the middle of a field goal from 12 meters for example that would not allow to achieve 6 meters minimum). In this second case, the player can move back (in line with the course of the game the previous end) until he can throw the jack in compliance with the rules. If the launch is not correct, it is started by the same player or teammate. If after three consecutive throws by the same team, the goal has not been launched in the regulatory conditions defined above, it is delivered to the opposing team who also has 3 tests, etc. In any event, it’s always the team that scored the previous end which retains the priority to play the first ball. Progress A team throws his balls as she has, and until she places one of his balls closer to the goal than the other team. If the first boule played is in bounds, it is the opponent to play and alternately until there are no balls allowed field. It (re) takes the point and it is an opponent’s play,
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if it still has balls. Count When all the balls are launched, we count all balls of a team that are closer to the goal than the nearest opposing balls.
Special cases If the opposing balls are equidistant from the goal and the end is over, the end is void. If both teams have boules, it belongs to that which played the last boule to play again, then the opposing team, and so on alternately until the point is won by one of them. If, during the lead, no ball is not allowed in court (possible when shooting the first ball, for example), it belongs to the one that played the last boule to play again, then the opposing team, and so on alternately until the point is taken. If at the end of the leads, no ball is not allowed in court, the end is void. End of the game A game is played in 13 points, possibly 11, for the parties to hens. Until 2007 the finals of the world championships were held in 15 points.
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“The
Teams In this sport, three combinations are possible: the triplet (3 against 3), the doublet (2 against 2) and the head-tohead (one against one). Any other formula is prohibited by the Official Rules. In triples, each player has two balls. In other configurations, each player has three.
culture
by Lukas Andrianos
“Crete, a continent in an island”
It amazes me, after doing my televiby Petros Chatzistavros Civil Engineer (T.E.)
sion show all these years, that I’m still seeing homeowners making the same knucklehead mistakes over and over. The big one — the one that starts a chain of events ending in disappointment and frustration — is the notion that they want the renovation done “fast” and they want it done “cheap.” And let’s face it:, in the renovation game, fast and cheap add up to just one thing — crap. Before you start flipping through the Yellow Pages and calling every contractor in the book, let’s get your expectations on the right planet. You should expect that in this day and age, skilled contractors are in high demand: good contractors are very, very
home improvement
busy. This means when you do start phoning contractors, don’t be surprised that they don’t immediately answer their phones — they are probably standing on a ladder somewhere with their hands full when you call. Don’t take it personally or assume they are not interested in talking to you, but contractors won’t answer their cell phones every time it rings. Constant interruptions slow down a jobsite. For this reason alone, most contractors wait until they are away from the jobsite before they return your calls. Depending on the volume of messages they get, it can take at least a few days to get back to you because your average licensed tradesperson is in business as an owner-operator. This means that they do all the work themselves and also do their own bookings. A slow response time is not necessarily a bad sign: it
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So You Want to Start a Renovation
shows that they are in demand and it is a pretty good indicator that they are going to be well worth the wait. It’s also important to understand that good contractors are booked at least two to four months in advance. If you feel you can’t wait, remember this: Bad contractors are always available right away — because they are not in demand, or worse, because they are more than willing to bump their current renovation in progress to get started on yours. Odds are, that situation will come back to haunt you when, halfway into your renovation, the same contractor will bump you in favor of his latest
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customer. If a contractor says he will “try to fit you in as soon as he can” and to “please be patient,” take that as a sign that he isn’t going to take shortcuts on his current project just to get to yours that much sooner. High-quality work takes time. You also don’t want that same contractor to turn around and rush your job just to get to his next one. Let’s talk about the other part of the consumer equation: cheap. No one wants to spend more than he has to on a renovation, but as the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.” How much is the right amount? That
requires some work on your part, because it means getting as many quotes as possible. In the end, you may get a few extremely high quotes and a few extremely low quotes, and most likely you will get the majority of quotes that fall around the same price. Chances are, one of those middle quotes will be the right price. The higher quotes sometimes reflect the skill level of the contractor or the price that the market demands for certain contractors who have a reputation for outstanding-quality work. Extremely low quotes often mean that the contractor doesn’t have the experience to properly quote the job, let alone know what it will take to do the job properly, or that he knows how to take shortcuts with your home in order to undercut the legitimate competitors. So as you start planning your project, be prepared to wait for the right contractor and understand that there are ways to find the right price for the renovation you want. Make It Right? Contractor Mike Holmes gives advice on hiring a contractor (hgtv.com)
Driving • All-In-One Driver Kit: Will typically include a ratcheting driver and a whole universe of driver bits. Spring for a kit that includes Philips, slotted, square, Torx, and hex head. When you encounter some sort of crazy screw that needs
General • Hammer: There are dozens of different types of hammers on the market, all intended for different uses. For most typical DIY projects you’ll only need one of three hammers. For trim and finish applications, you will want a 16 or 18-ounce clawed hammer. For framing applications, you will want something in the 18 to 26-ounce range. For demolition, a mini-sledge or “lump” hammer is the way to go, although I think you’d be hard-pressed to find any contractor who would yell at you for using your framing hammer for demolition as well. • Tape Measure: In a forty-hour
•
•
•
week I might extend my 35-foot tape measure past the 20-foot mark once or twice. For your DIY home tool kit, I’d recommend a good 16inch tape measure. It’s lighter, more compact, and less cumbersome for most common home projects. Chisels: Consider keeping a few sharp wood chisels of varying sizes (between 1/4 and 1-inch) on hand, as well as a masonry chisel, in case you find yourself needing to chisel some concrete, brick, or mortar. And for Pete’s sake, please don’t use your wood chisels as concrete chisels (see above notes on safety and damaged tools). Torpedo level: Good, compact level suitable for leveling small accessories like picture frames and towel bars. Pry Bar: The pry bar you decide to use will ultimately depend on what you intend to be prying with it. If you’ll be removing moulding with the intention of re-using it, go for a small flat bar. Big demolition proj-
•
ect? You’re probably going to want a wrecking bar on hand. Pliers: For gripping pretty much anything, from a nut to a stripped out screw, to a nail you’re just trying to start without bashing your fingers.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask This is by no means a comprehensive list of every tool you should have in your home toolkit, nor do you need to go out and buy it all at once. Take it on a project-by-project basis – it’s the most economical way to amass a collection of the “right” tools. Don’t think you’ll ever have to use a tile saw ever again, but still want to use the right tool to cut your bathroom tile? Consider renting one from your local big-box hardware store. And if you’re ever in doubt as to what the right tool for your particular project might be, put it to the staff in the tool department. Most times they’ll be able to point you in the right direction. Just remember, people don’t fly and screwdrivers don’t pry – stay safe out there!
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Cutting • Chop/Miter Saw: For precision cutting (to length) anything from a 2x8 to a piece of crown moulding. Will typically cut angles to 45 degrees, and sometimes to 60 degrees. • Circular Saw: Typically best for rough cutting framing and sheathing (e.g. dimensional lumber and plywood). • Table Saw: For precision cutting or “ripping” material to width. • Jig Saw: For cutting curves or intricate cutouts.
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to be driven or removed, you’ll be glad you did. Adjustable Wrench: For tightening or loosening nuts and bolts of varying sizes. Commonly known as a Crescent wrench (a trade name) or C-wrench
do it yourself
We’ve all been there: twenty feet up a ladder or contorted under a kitchen sink only to realize that you’ve left the one tool you need on the ground or up on the countertop. Before long you’re using a screwdriver as a pry bar or the butt end of a chisel as a hammer, celebrating your ingenuity while trying not to feel too guilty about it at the same time. If you’ve never worked in the trades, chances are probably pretty good that you’ve never been lambasted for tool abuse before coworker and homeowner alike. I can promise you that as a young helper or carpenter it’s not something one soon forgets. When I was younger it struck me as an eccentricity most bosses held in common, but I eventually came to realize that there are some legitimate elements at the core of this popular tradesman’s pet peeve. First, tools are engineered to perform specific tasks. Now it seems that asking a tool to go outside its comfort zone seems akin to your high school track coach saying, “Nice job on that relay – now how ‘bout we go to the top of those bleachers and see if you’re any good at flying.” I’m not suggesting that every misused tool will end in bone-splitting, blood-letting disaster, but yes, occasionally ugly (and typically preventable) accidents do happen as a result of using the wrong tool for the job. Aside from the mild to moderate risk of personal injury, misused tools typically sustain some sort of damage as a result of their misuse and consequently end up being less effective at their intended function. So what does using the right tool for the job look like? Below are a few scenarios any DIYer might encounter and some friendly suggestions on what “the right tool for the job” might look like.
Using the Right Tool for the Job
Flu Vaccine a Closer Match, Time to Get Vaccinated
Led by Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) Director Tom Frieden, MD, a host of healthcare organizations issued an annual plea by Miltiades Markatos Pneumonologist these days for influenza vaccination for everyone aged over 6 months, noting that this year’s vaccine would be a closer match for the H3N2 strain still circulating from last year. At a media briefing, Dr Frieden rolled up his sleeve and received a shot that was captured by dozens of video cameras and smartphones. He noted that just under half of all Americans eligible were vaccinated for influenza last year, and that rates were highest for children aged 6 to 23 months (75%) and 2 to 4 years (68%), and for adults aged over 65 years (67%). But vaccination rates are lagging among 18- to 64-year-olds, hovering for more health news below 40%. click on http://cretepost.gr “We need to get more young and middle-aged people vaccinated,” said Dr Frieden. He said officials were hopeful, given “increasing opportunities for vaccination,” including at pharmacies, urgent care centers, and workplaces. Dr Frieden also discussed data just issued by the CDC on vaccination coverage during the 2014-2015 flu season for pregnant women and healthcare professionals. Only about half of pregnant women were vaccinated, similar to the 2013-2014 flu season ( MMWR. 2015;64:1000-1015). Overall, just over 77% of healthcare workers were vacci-
nated, similar to the 75% who received a shot in the previous flu season. But there are still significant gaps, especially among providers working in long-termcare settings, where only 64% were vaccinated in 2014-2015.
A Closer Match The 2014-2015 vaccine was ineffective against the predominant A strain that was circulating, A/Switzerland/9715293/2013-like virus (H3N2). The H3N2 strains are associated with worse illness and higher mortality. Not surprisingly, the rate of flu-related hospitalizations among people aged 65 years or older was the highest recorded in the 10 years since the CDC began tracking that measure. The H3N2 strain also hit children hard. The agency reported 145 lab-confirmed pediatric influenza deaths, which is likely an underestimate, said the CDC. Dr Frieden said that the 2015-2016 flu vaccine would more closely match that H3N2 strain, which, according to the latest surveillance data, continues to circulate. Manufacturers have prepared 171 million doses of influenza vaccine, of which 40 million have already been distributed, he said. The CDC director urged Americans to get vaccinated this year, despite the low effectiveness of the 2014-2015 vaccine. “Even in a year when the flu virus isn’t well matched, it remains the single best thing you can do to protect you, your family, and your community against in-
Number of Unvaccinated Children in Greece Rises due to Economic Crisis
health & nutrition
The Greek branch of Doctors of the
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World reported in a recent press conference that more than 250,000 children in Greece do not have access to public healthcare and do not receive the necessary vaccinations. Doctors of the World general secretary in Greece; Liana Mailli noted during the press conference that the number is a rough estimate since Greece does not provide data on inoculations to the European Union, even though every country is supposed to. Furthermore, she added that the number was valid two years ago, before the dramatic rise in refugee and migrant arrivals in the country. “We must now add children of refugees to the old numbers, as we are not aware of the vaccinations they’ve had.
All these issues create an explosive situation and there’s a real risk that diseases which had been eliminated, such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles and polio, may reappear,” she said. In regards to the suspension of several doctors, she noted that the staterun health insurer EOPYY has been overwhelmed and cannot serve the insured, let alone uninsured children. More than half a million children, or approximately 3 out of 10 children in Greece live below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. Furthermore, Greece is among the countries with the highest growth rate of child poverty in the world. Greek Reporter
fluenza,” he said. Progress in Health Workers Though overall vaccination rates in healthcare workers were similar the last two flu seasons, they are up almost 14% from the 2010-2011 season, according to the CDC. Coverage in 2014-2015 was highest among pharmacists, at 95%, followed by physicians and nurses, at 89%. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants had 87% coverage. The lowest rates were among assistants and aides, at 64%. Healthcare workers who were required to be vaccinated by their employer had the highest rates (96%), and for those who were not required, rates got a boost when vaccination was offered on-site
at no cost, especially if offered on more than one day (74%-84%). But vaccination rates slipped to 44% for settings where the vaccine was not required, promoted, or offered on site, said the CDC. The agency is reaching out to ensure greater health worker coverage, especially in nursing homes and other longterm-care settings, Daniel Jernigan, MD, director of the CDC’s Influenza Division, told Medscape Medical News. “We really encourage those systems that run long term care facilities and the physicians that are over those systems to really encourage their staff to get vaccinated,” he said. Overall, though, the vaccination uptick among healthcare workers is worth noting, said William.
Furor in US as drug price raised overnight from $13.50 to $750
Specialists in infectious disease are
protesting a gigantic overnight increase in the price of a 62-year-old drug that is the standard of care for treating a life-threatening parasitic infection. The drug, called Daraprim, was acquired in August by Turing Pharmaceuticals, a start-up run by a former hedge fund manager. Turing immediately raised the price to $750 a tablet from $13.50, bringing the annual cost of treatment for some patients to hundreds of thousands of dollars. “What is it that they are doing differently that has led to this dramatic increase?” said Dr. Judith Aberg, the chief of the division of infectious diseases at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She said the price
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
increase could force hospitals to use “alternative therapies that may not have the same efficacy.” Turing’s price increase is not an isolated example. While most of the attention on pharmaceutical prices has been on new drugs for diseases like cancer, hepatitis C and high cholesterol, there is also growing concern about huge price increases on older drugs, some of them generic, that have long been mainstays of treatment. Although some price increases have been caused by shortages, others have resulted from a business strategy of buying old neglected drugs and turning them into high-priced “specialty drugs.” New York Times
Choosing the right dog food by Dr. Sherry Weaver
The
decision on what to feed our canine children is a complex one. There are pet food companies shouting at you that, if you don’t feed their food, you don’t love your dog, and well-meaning others who want to convince you that anything commercial is taking the lazy way out. There are foods that are “all-natural” and foods with tasty bits to convince your finicky dog to eat. Just like feeding ourselves, it is very hard to sort out the truth from the marketing.
by Giannis Venetakis Zoo Technician
Prioritize nutritional needs We all can agree that choosing the right food for life can be one of the biggest factors in longevity and quality of life. We also have to realize that just like human food, the best-tasting food is often not the most nutritious. Usually foods with “tasty bits” are sold to for more pets news click satisfy the human’s emoon http://cretepost.eu tional needs more than the dog’s nutritional needs and are often the cause of obesity (a common killer of dogs). Seek the advice of a professional What “all-natural” really means is often anyone’s guess. To really choose the best food takes some research or requires finding someone knowledgeable who you really trust to advise what is right for your individual dog. This is not the salesman at the pet store who has only been informed by representatives from the food companies, and it shouldn’t be just some website that made sense to you. Typically, your veterinarian or a trained nutritionist (who can often be found and contacted on vet school websites) are the best resources to make decisions for your dog as an individual.
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pets & vets
Debunking BARF One type of food espoused by some well-meaning pet lovers is biologically available raw food (BARF). The idea of this approach is that raw
food is closer to what a dog would eat in the wild. Unfortunately, dogs in the wild do not live very long, which, to me, is a flaw in their logic, but I try to consider all viewpoints on issues this important. From research as it stands now, there is no real evidence that there are any health benefits to eating raw meat. If, however, you do want to try it, make sure you do your research and do it the right way. With extreme choices such as raw food, there is no such thing as “I do mostly raw food”. Even proponents of the diet will tell you that there are risks if you don’t do it exactly right. In addition to finding organic food sources, you must balance the food with vegetables and other sources of micronutrients to meet all of your dog’s nutritional needs. Changing an adult dog to BARF too quickly can cause pancreatitis, so follow your vet’s instructions.
look for and properly prepare organic chicken, it is more sensible to find a high-quality commercial dog food that is preserved with vitamin E or other natural preservatives (eliminating chemicals and using high-quality meat instead of meat byproducts). These foods are formulated by trained nutritionist to be the best and help your dog live the longest, healthiest life possible; something that most of us are not trained to do. Commonly, BARF is recommended for dogs with certain medical problems such as skin conditions or immune problems. Sometimes it helps, not because of any magic of raw food, but because the key ingredients to which the pet is sensitive are eliminated. This same thing can be accomplished with carefully chosen commercial foods, getting all the nutritional advantages of teams of nutritionists while avoiding the risks of parasitism, food poisoning, and skin problems.
Carefully choose commercial dog food Since most of us don’t have time to
Consider food allergy Food allergy is a very common component of itchy skin in dogs.
Chicken, beef, lamb, corn, soy, wheat, egg, and dairy products are common ingredients which induce these allergies, but, whether they are raw or cooked, the immune system looks at them the same. The key to choosing a food for skin problems is to pick one that does not include any of these ingredients, is preserved with vitamins, and preferably is supplemented with fatty acids (fish oils). Most large food companies now have their own versions of these foods. They are usually sold as prescription foods but are not significantly more expensive than over-the-counter foods of equivalent quality. Recommendation With the wealth of foods that are available to help many different conditions, the lack of evidence that raw food provides any advantages, and the potential risks of raw food, I can’t recommend that it is a good choice at this time. As research is done, we may one day find that there are advantages, but, for now, high-quality commercial food is the better choice.
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• • they offer tremendous variety; some have fantastic aroma; all marigolds are good in containers and provide long-lasting cut flowers. Planting • Marigolds need lots of sunshine. • Though they grow in almost any soil, marigolds thrive in moderately fertile, well-drained soil. • Sow them directly into the garden once the soil is warm, or start seeds indoors about a month to 6 weeks before the last spring-frost date. • The seeds germinate easily, but watch out for damping off if you start them inside. • Separate seedlings when they are about 2 inches tall. Plant them in flats of loose soil, or transplant them into the garden. • Space tall marigolds 2 to 3 feet apart; lower-growing ones about a foot apart.
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If planting in containers, use a soil-based potting mix.
Care • Germination from large, easily handled seeds is rapid, and blooms should appear within a few weeks of sowing.
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If the spent blossoms are deadheaded, the plants will continue to bloom profusely. When you water marigolds, allow the soil to dry somewhat between watering, then water well, then repeat the process. Do not water marigolds from overhead. Water at the base of the plant. Do not fertilize for more gardening news marigolds. Too click on http://cretepost.gr rich a diet stimulates lush foliage at the expense of flowers. Marigolds bloom better and more profusely in poor soil. The densely double flowerheads of the African marigolds tend to rot in wet weather.
2nd Garden Festival: Another successful event by “En Kipo” The
2nd Annual Summer Garden Festival of Apokoronas completed on Wednesday evening in Plaka, with the awards for the best gardens of the area. The event was organized by the Municipality of Apokoronas and “En Kipo” Garden Center. Ten gardens were awarded, while the participants were more tahn 100. The garden of Mrs. Efrossini Matzoraki was the winning one this year (photos). Chania Post, CretePost.gr and ApokoronasLife.gr were media sponsors of the event.
almanac.com
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The word marigold is used to describe plants with golden yellow blossoms and the Calendula (marigold) symbolizes sorrow or sympathy, which explains the hidden message “My Thoughts Are With You”, associated with this flower. No annual is more cheerful or easier to grow than marigolds. These flowers are the spendthrifts among annuals, showing a wealth of gold, copper, and brass into our summer and autumn gardens. The flower’s popularity probably derives in part from its ability to bloom brightly all summer long. Marigolds have daisy-like or double, carnation-like flowerheads and are produced singly or in clusters. Although there are some 50 species, some marigolds we know come from just three: • Tagetes erecta are the tallest, at three to five feet. They are sometimes known as African, or American, marigolds. • Bushy T. patula, or French marigolds, are somewhat smaller and more compact. Elegant and eye-catching, they have relatively demure flowers and usually grow from 6 inches to 2 feet tall. • The dainty T. tenuifolia are the signet, or rock-garden, marigolds that like hot, dry sites and make a wonderful edging. Their flowers are edible. Marigolds have been sterotyped but
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plants and gardening
The October flower is marigold.
The October flower is...
Recipes of the month... with olives 600gr tsakistés green olives Lemon juice, pepper
by Antonia Tsakirakis Cook
Kid with tsakistes green olives Ingredients 1 kilo kid 1 cup olive oil 1 onion 1/2 kilo tomatoes, finely chopped
on for more news click r t.g http://cretepos
Preparation Chop and salt the meat and then place it in the pot with olive oil. Let it boil for some time, add the onion and the finely chopped tomato. Continue boiling and then add the olives. If the broth is not enough for the food to cook through, add wine, until the food is thoroughly cooked. A few minutes before turning off the heat, take it off the fire and sprinkle with lemon juice.
Beef with green olives Ingredients 1 kg beef
Traditional Cretan Taverna
Tel.: +30 28210 75997
Honeyed peach & pistachio Pavlova a kitchen skill for life. This pudding is topped with vanilla, cooked peaches and Greek yogurt. INGREDIENTS 5 large egg whites 175g golden caster sugar 100g light brown sugar 1 tsp cornflour 1 tsp white wine vinegar FOR THE TOPPING 100ml clear honey, plus 2 tbsp 5 ripe but firm peaches, peeled if you like, and thickly sliced 300ml pot double cream seeds from 1 vanilla pod, or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste with seeds 200ml pot Greek yogurt 85g pistachios, roughly chopped
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food & wine
PREPARATION 1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Using a 20cm plate or cake tin as a template, draw a circle on a large sheet of baking parchment, flip it over and place on a large baking tray. When ready, dot a blob of raw meringue onto each corner of the baking tray and put the baking parchment on top – this way it
Preparation Wash the meat and cut into medium-sized pieces. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the meat until it browns. Add the chopped tomatoes, finely chopped garlic, cinnamon, salt and pepper and 1 cup of water. Leave to simmer for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, toss the green olives into scalding hot water and when the meat is half cooked, add them to the pan. Cook for about another half an hour.
Drakona, Kerameia (20 km from Chania)
“Tzaneris & Archontissa”
Master the art of meringue and gain
Pork with olives
½ kg green olives 3-4 ripe tomatoes 1 clove of garlic Cinnamon Salt, pepper 1 cup olive oil
Ingredients 1 kilo pork 250gr red firm tomatoes 500gr small round potatoes of equal size 250gr sweet green olives 1 wine glass EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL Salt and pepper to taste Preparation Brown the meat in the oil and extinguish with wine. Add the grated tomatoes, salt and pepper. Boil briefly, until the meat is half cooked. Add the potatoes and when done, add the olives and boil a while longer.
www.tzaneris-archontissa.gr
Mob.: +30 6973 210487 / +30 6973 786747
by Marilou - Chief executive chef at Marilou Cupcakes and more - info@marilous.gr
won’t slip. 2. In a well-cleaned, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric hand whisk until they form stiff peaks. Add the caster sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, continuing to whisk as you go. The meringue will start to get thick and glossy. Add the brown sugar in the same way, continue whisking for another 1-2 mins until really thick and holding stiff, shiny peaks on the end of your whisk. Now add the cornflour and vinegar, and give a final whisk until smooth. 3. Using a large metal spoon, pile the meringue onto the parchment-lined tray, using the circle template as a guide to create a symmetrical circle. Use the spoon to make a dip in the middle (this will hold your cream and fruit later) and a few spikes of meringue around the edges. Place in the centre of the oven, shut the door and immediately turn the temperature down to 140C/120C fan/ gas 1. Cook the meringue for 1 hr 10 mins, then turn the oven off and leave until completely cold (best done overnight). 4. For the topping, put the 100ml hon-
ey in a wide frying pan and heat until saucy. Add the peach slices and cook for 1-2 mins on each side, over quite a high heat, until the peaches are sticky but still holding their shape. Cool completely.
together until combined. Spoon the cream into the centre of the meringue and swirl it out towards the edges. Top with the sticky peaches and any saucy bits from the pan, and sprinkle over the pistachios.
5. Just before you are ready to serve, assemble the Pavlova. Tip the cream, vanilla and remaining honey into a bowl. Whisk until it just holds soft peaks, then add the yogurt and, using a spatula, fold
Find us: • www.marilous.gr • www.facebook.com/marilous.gr • twitter.com/marilouscupcake
Football League Ergotelis, Chania and Kissamikos... on the starting line
Chania F.C. Athlitikos Omilos Chania (Athletic Club of Chania) is a football club founded in Chania in 1945. It is the city’s oldest and only professional football team. The club has previously played in the Second and Third Divisions and from the year 2000 until 2010 competed in the Fourth Division.In 2010 the team managed to climb back up to the Third Division, by winning the championship 10th group of the Fourth Division in the 2009-10 season. In 1970 they played for the first time in history in the second highest tier, a feat they repeated in the 2013-2014 season, for the first time in 30 years after they
were relegated in 1983. Ergotelis F.C. Ergotelis is a Greek football club based
in Heraklion, the largest city of the Greek island of Crete. The name itself, Ergotelis, was that of a famous ancient Cretan expatriate Olympic runner Er-
zens, mainly refugees from Asia Minor. The club’s foundation, as well as its first ever recorded game, a friendly 4–0 win against local side Leon held at
goteles of Himera. Ergotelis was established as an amateur club of Cretan footballers in 1929 by prominent Heraklion citi-
Chandax stadium on August 4, 1929, was reported onto local newspaper ‘Eleythera Skepsis’ on Wednesday, 7 August 1929. The newly founded foot-
ball club was named after Ergoteles of Himera, an ancient Cnossian athlete and first Olympic champion native to the modern Heraklion prefecture. Since its early days, Ergotelis showed the progres- for more sports news sive ideals of its found- click on http://cretepost.gr ers, being one of the first sports clubs in Greece to allow women into its sporting divisions, as well as its board of directors. The team gradually gained its own football ground on Martinengo Bastion, located on the Venetian Era walls surrounding the city’s center, and would mostly play in local championships and Greece’s national Second Division, after the latter was founded in the early 1960s. Kissamikos F.C. PGS Kissamikos F.C. is a Greek foot-
ball club, based in Kissamos, Chania. The club was founded in 1926. They will play for 1st season in Football League for the season 2015-16.
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teams from Crete are looking for a place to promote to Super League. The “marathon” begins...
sports & leisure
Three