Hello Greece! Enjoy these wonderful displays of the power and passion of Greek Music!

And when you have enjoyed the last one… go to my site and check out the amazing discount for the Greece Tour May 2011.

Jan Vitale
Vital Enterprises LLC

It is truly amazing… what you can find once you develop an avid interest in something!   In today’s search for more food for thought for my readers who are considering a Greece Tour, I ran across a complimentary book from Google eBooks, written in 1894!

Karl Baedeker (Firm) – is 376 pages of really interesting history about Greece, with a number of travel references that will turn up your eyebrows – when comparing it to today’s travel choices.   You can download the book as a PDF, if that is your preferred method of reading… however, there are also download options compatible to many of today’s available eReaders if you should be lucky enough to have one.  The Andrioid, iPhone, iPad, the Sony and the Knook are all noted.

I found particularly interesting a passage of “Practical Hints”…

[caption id="attachment_1308" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Greece Tour... impact of economic crisis"][/caption]

I suppose managing my Greece Tour requires being cognizant, and appropriately addressing, the economic crisis the country is experiencing.  Every day there is a report of one nature or another about the general European sovereign debt crisis to which we as Americans probably respond very little, knowing we are in the midst of our own!  But… a little history might be in order.

According to all that I have read, 2009 brought the unhappy results of a combination of the impact of a world financial crisis and uncontrolled Greek government spending… the most severe economic crisis the country had experienced since 1974.  The kicker was that early in 2010 reports leaked that successive Greek government officials were found to have, with great deliberation, consistently mislead the country about staying inside the country’s monetary union guidelines.  This improper reporting allowed the government to spend beyond its means, hiding the deficit and continuing to spend far beyond their means.

By May 2010, the adjustment was estimated to be one of the highest in the world, with a forecast of public debt to exceed 120%.  This news created an international crisis, derailing the confidence of Greece’s ability to repay its massive sovereign debt. The “rescue” package offered by the International Monetary Fund required Greece to adopt harsh measures in an effort to regain control of its deficit.

As of November 2010, Greece reported actual 2009 figures of government deficit at 15.4% of GDP and government debt at 126.8% of GDP; figures to be exceeded only – as speculated – by Ireland in 2010.

In an earlier post I did address how all this impacted tourism; a summary of that article is that pricing will be more favorable, some local events may be curtailed, the opening of newly built hotels may be delayed, and transportation schedules will be condensed.

The bright side… travelers are much less likely to face excessive crowding at the myriad of attractions, hotels, and taverns.  The owners of the facilities, who are naturally inclined to share their culture with their visitors, will have more time to spend with visitors – translating into a more memorable trip at bargain prices.  Travelers will have a wonderful vacation; perhaps better than in a normal economy!  Check out the site for huge discounts on the Greece Tour May 2011.

• Art and Architecture
• Mythology
• The Olympics
• Greek Culture

A part of the reason for designing a Greece Tour was the fact that Ancient Greece holds so much of what the rest of the world became… through its art and architecture, history, mythology, culture, wars, and even the Olympics.  The country maintained its own culture and society, much of which continues to appeal to travelers today.

Art and Architecture

The art and architecture of Greece was predominated by the underlying religious beliefs, thus nothing was spared in creating the biggest and most beautiful temples.  Politics, however, held equal position and the buildings were designed as a celebration of civic power or as an offering of thanksgiving to a deity of a particular city – frequently for succeeding in a war.  Two temples are known to virtually everyone:  The Acropolis of Athens– otherwise known as the sacred rock or the high city, and the Parthenon – which was built on the Acropolis to replace a temple that was destroyed by the Persians.  It was constructed so that Pericles could display the wealth and exuberance of his Athenian power.

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Greek art and sculpture has been reproduced and copied by many modern day artists.  Although the Greeks used the materials that were abundant in Greece at the time, such as stone, marble and limestone, clay was also used.  Unfortunately, due to the brittle nature of the clay, many beautiful artifacts did not survive.  Art has always been an expression of life – another method of telling the stories of a society.  These “stories” of Greece were about Gods and heroes, mythical creatures and Greek culture and events in general.  Interestingly enough, much of what has survived are actually of Roman origin; if the Romans had not shown such respect for Greek sculptures by copying them, many of the legends and stories that are still in existence would have been lost.

Mythology

[caption id="attachment_1302" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Zeus, the god of the sky"][/caption]

The history of mythology would baffle the minds of genealogists today!  The stories behind this genealogy are in many instances the attempt to explain creation, while others were to establish control over the people.  The mythological names run the gamut of Gods and Goddesses to the evil factors of the time.  We know Eros as the God of Love, and Pontus as the sea god; we also recognize Uranus as the personification of the sky and Hades as the lord of the underworld – a greedy god ruling over the dead and intent on increasing his subjects.  The world forgets not Zeus, the god of the sky and ruler of Mount Olympus, nor his jealous wife Hera who punished with implacable fury.  The list is long and includes other familiars such as Apollo, the god of prophecy, Hermes, the messenger, and Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.

The Olympics

[caption id="attachment_1301" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Ancient Greek Olympics"][/caption]

The ancient Greek Olympics were athletic contests honoring the gods.  The original Isthmos games were held every two years in Corrinth; the Pythian games occurred every four years near Delphi, and the most famous were held in Olympia.  These games were begun in honor of Zeus with the caveats that only Greek nationals could participate… and no women were allowed to attend.  Over time the one day events expanded into four and five days, with the first day of each festival being a devotion of sacrifices.  Both prayer and foot races ensued, as did wresting and boxing, and chariot and horse racing.  The athlete was considered for his rhythm and precision, which were tested with discus throwing and long-jumping.  Fortunately, the Olympics now include a myriad of other “athletic endeavors” none of which are prohibited by race, color or creed, and the world at large attends and is fascinated by the stamina and talent of the Olympians.

Greek Culture

The Greek culture today is what continues to fascinate me.  The country has essentially gone through the same transformation of removing the separation between free people and slaves and the constraints on social status based on being a citizen or a metic has diminished, as has the restrictions on women to take part in public life.  Every country experiences similar alterations in their society.  What intrigues me, I guess, is the zest for life that carries forward through the music, the food, the dancing, the enveloping of travelers into their midst, with an intent to share the remnants of a culture born long ago.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s post, and if you are still on the edge about whether or not to join us for the Greece Tour May 2011, just click through here... you will be excited to find the pricing has been reduced by over $600 per person for the remaining available seats.

Jan Vitale… using the vital essential of travel to bring the past, present and future together.

I am re-purposing today!  Much of this information is on my website in designing my Greece Tour, but in case you don’t make it that far… here is everything you could possibly want to know about Greece and it’s people.

Religion: Christian Orthodox Greeks comprise 97% of the population; the remaining are Muslims, Roman Catholics and Jewish. Greece and Russia are the only countries to have such a large proportion of Christian Orthodox.

Music: Greek music is very diverse due to the creative Greek assimilation of different influences of the Eastern and Western culture of Asia and Europe. Music in Greece has a long history dating from the ancient times.

Food and Wine: Greece is famous for its cuisine – quality products and tasteful food and wines. Some dishes are the same everywhere in Greece, whereas others are local culinary specialties. The same dishes can be cooked differently or with different ingredients depending on the region.

Traditions and Customs: Traditions in Greece and Greek Islands are either of a religious character or coming from paganism. Most of the traditions and festivals still followed and celebrated today are religious-based. Many “panygiria” are organized thoroughout the country… religious celebrations of saints followed by traditional music and dance in the square of the village.

Many Greeks are very superstitious and believe deeply in their religion as well as in supernatural or paranormal phenomenon. This impresses many visitors who travel in Greece. For example, many still believe it is bad luck to see a black cat and will experience seven years bad luck if they break a glass or mirror… others knock their fingers against wood if they have a bad thought.

Culture: Music, language, food and wines are the major composites of the Greek culture and constitute the base for those who wish to visit the country.  Greece evolved as a country of a great interests and diverse cultures, influenced by its location, at the junction between the East and the West and by the many occupations endured by the Greek people throughout history.

In general, the Greeks are particularly proud of their culture and speak of their country with an intense passion, feeling that their Greek culture is a definition of their national and ethnic belonging.

The Beaches: Greece (and the Greek Islands) is a country that has amazing things to offer to its visitors. One of the main attractions of the country is the many Greece beaches decorating its coasts.

With 13,676 km of coastline, you have no choice but to connect with the beach of your dreams.  You get to choose from long white sandy beaches with turquoise crystal waters, small beaches surrounded by huge cliffs or pine and palm trees forests, beaches with waters that seem to have been mixed with the beach, creating an amazing shade.

When to go: Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Greece; specifically May, June, September and October. Most of the country’s tourist infrastructure goes into hibernation during winter, particularly on the islands. Some of the smaller islands close completely and some islanders head off to alternative homes on the mainland for a few months. Many hotels, seasonal cafés and restaurants close their doors from the end of November until the beginning of April; bus and ferry services are either drastically reduced or cancelled.

The cobwebs are dusted off in time for Orthodox Easter (usually around April), when the first tourists start to arrive. Conditions are perfect between Easter and mid-June, when the weather is pleasantly warm in most places; and the beaches and ancient sites are relatively un-crowded.  During peak season, public transportation operates at close to full schedules; and there’s a bigger variety of accommodation options to choose from.

Mid-June to the end of August is high season. It’s party time on the islands and everything is in full swing. It’s also very hot – in July and August the mercury can soar to 40°C (over 100°F) in the shade just about anywhere in the country; the beaches are crowded; the ancient sites are swarming with tour groups; and in many places accommodation is booked solid.

The high season starts to wind down in September and conditions are ideal once more until the end of October.  By November the endless blue skies of summer have disappeared. November to February are the wettest months and it can get surprisingly cold. Snow is common on the mainland and in the mountains of Evia and Crete; it occasionally snows in Athens. But there are also plenty of sunny days and some visitors prefer the tranquility that reigns at this time of year.

Getting there and getting away: Diverse, mysterious and achingly beautiful, the islands of the northeastern Aegean offer endless rewards for those intrepid enough to seek them out. Hidden sandy coves, lush mountain waterfalls and ancient sites of divine power are only a few of the attractions in this far-flung archipelago – also known for its wild celebration of saints’ feasts, delicious cuisine and good-natured sybaritism.

While exasperating ferry schedules make island-hopping here a challenge, the individual character of each island more than makes up for the effort:

• Ikaria, with its bizarre rock formations and laid-back, leftist lifestyle is unique, as is
• Lesvos, with its 11 million olive trees and idyllic mountain villages.
• Semitropical Samos and pine-scented Thasos boast great beaches, while the almost unvisited
• Inousses, Fourniand Psara offer total serenity.

These lesser-visited islands also have an importance entirely disproportionate to their size. Over one-third of Greece’s ship-owning dynasties hail from Chios and nearby Inousses; and 70% of the national firewater, ouzo, comes from Lesvos – also famous for its olive oil, rare fossils and the only petrified forest outside the U.S.A. One of Europe’s most important ancient spiritual sites lies on distant Samothraki, and only in the villages of southern Chios is the renowned gum-producing mastic tree cultivated. And Little Thasos contains the world’s second-whitest marble.

Your money will go much further if you travel during the quieter months of May to June and September to October. Accommodation on the islands particularly is a lot cheaper outside high season. You will also be able to negotiate better deals if you stay a few days. Families can achieve considerable savings by looking for self-catering apartments, shopping for food and drink at supermarkets and local produce markets and cooking for themselves.  Traveling with a tour group is also a better way to travel, all around… gaining you pricing breaks you would most likely not otherwise be able to negotiate.

Demographics and other interesting tidbits…

Geography

Area: 131,957 sq. km. (51,146 sq. mi.; roughly the size of Alabama).

Major cities: Capital–Athens. Greater Athens (pop. 3,566,060), municipality of Athens (772,072), Greater Thessaloniki (pop. 1,057,825), Thessaloniki (824,633), Piraeus (182,671), Greater Piraeus (880,529), Patras (170,452), Iraklion (132,117), Larissa (113,090).

Terrain: Mountainous interior with coastal plains; 1,400-plus islands.

Climate: Mediterranean; mild, wet winter and hot, dry summer.

Demographics

Population (2009 est.): 11,260,000 million. (Immigrants make up approximately 10% of the population.)

Growth rate (2009 estimated): -2.0%.

Languages: Greek 99% (official), Turkish, others. Albanian is spoken by approximately 700,000 Albanian immigrants. English is the predominant second language.

Religions: Greek Orthodox (approximately 98% of citizens), with Muslim (1.3%), Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, and other religious communities.

Education: Years compulsory–9. Literacy–97.5%. All levels are free.

Health: Infant mortality rate–5.43/1,000. Life expectancy–male 76.72 years, female 81.91 years.

Work force (2009 estimated): 5.0 million.

Government

Type: Parliamentary republic.

Independence: 1830. National Day: March 25 (1821)

Constitution: June 11, 1975, amended March 1986, April 2001, May 2008.

Branches: Executive–president (head of state), prime minister (head of government). Legislative–300-seat unicameral Vouli (parliament). Judicial–Supreme Court, Council of State.

Political parties: New Democracy (ND), Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Coalition of the Left (SYNASPISMOS), and Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS).

Suffrage: Universal and mandatory at 18.

Administrative subdivisions: 13 peripheries (regional districts), 51 nomi (prefectures).