On this Day in Greece - May 21st
Zakynthos has a history of being "early" - it established itself as a democracy in very early times, and it also was quick to take up Christianity - supposedly in 34 AD after a visit from Mary Magdalene.
More on Zakynthos
Shipwreck Cove, Zakynthos. Courtesy Variety Cruises
YiaYia's Back!
A couple of years ago, Athenos introduced the "YiaYia" character in its ads for Greek hummus. My blog post on that garnered more comments than any other - mostly strongly pro-YiaYia. (The anti-Yiayia contigent thought she was too much of a stereotype. Most Greeks disagreed.) Now Athenos has brought a similar series of ads promoting its feta cheese. I still prefer the originals, which were shot in Greece - and I don't know too many Greek women named "Jessica" - but if you've ever wanted to learn exactly how to milk a goat - on your kitchen counter - this is for you. Rated PG-13 for graphic goat ... well, graphic goat something.
Cooking with YiaYia - Where Milk Comes From
What is a YiaYia? Photo copyright Athenos.com. Used by permission
Free Museum Days in Greece
This is one to print out and keep with you - all the days when the majority of museums are free in Greece. A little planning can save you substantial money - though be aware that free days tend to be busy ones and privately-owned museums may or may not honor all of the free days.As you will soon discover, there's no end of museums in Greece.
On This Day in Greece - May 14th
First Came Kalamata, then the Olive
On this Day in Greece - May 10th
On This Day in Greece - May 9th, Europe Day
Greece is part of the European Union or "EU", and as a member nation celebrates "Europe Day". Europe Day commemorates May 9th, 1950, which is agreed to be the start of the many meetings and efforts to bring the European nations into a unified whole. Observances vary each year.
Plissken Music Festival in Athens Greece
The full line up includes Moullinex, Dream Koala, Egyptian Hip Hop, King Krule, and about twenty other acts. You can see the full list here. You can also download the Plissken Festival app to keep up with changes and other information.
The organizers are determined to keep ticket prices down, so general admission to the festival is just 30 Euros for the full day of music.
Getting to Greece May Be Getting Easier
This fits in nicely with the strategy of getting low-cost flights to Greece by choosing a European airport for your connection, then taking a regional flight to Greece itself.
Some of the combinations now include Austrian Airlines flights from Vienna to Chios, Mytilene on Lesvos, and the Peloponnesian town of Patra. This last combination would be a nice way of first exploring the Peloponnesian Peninsula with its key sites of Epidaurus, Olympia, and Mycenae, before going on to Athens and other parts of Greece.
On this Day in Greece - May 5th & 6th
The iconic procession is recreated on the night of May 5th, with a festival on the sixth. This year (2013), with Easter falling on May 5th, the celebration may be delayed.
While Epidaurus is renowned for its excellent ancient theater, this takes place in the seaside town itself.
