Travelers Give Chania Thumbs Up for Hospitality, Safety Issue no. 66 Vol. 7 April 2019
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Tender for Crete island’s Northern Motorway Axis proceeds to Stage 2
The Greek village in Crete island where... no-one smokes!
Εven though Greece has covered some ground when it comes to smoking, it still remains one of the most smoker-friendly places in Europe. But a village in Crete is challenging the stereotype that the country is full of chain-smokers, as it boasts that it is the sole village in Greece where not a single person smokes. The village is called Skotino (meaning dark in English) and is situated in the Municipality
of Hersonissos, Heraklion. Forty years ago all of the residents decided to quit smoking. Eventually, a kind of an unwritten law emerged and everyone continued abiding by it. The tradition was passed not to the next generations and respected to this day. In the village, there are no places to purchase cigarettes while visitors and tourists also avoid smoking. “I do not smoke. That’s how it
always was. Only old people smoked”, notes a villager. “It’s just a mentality that we all follow. From parents passed down to their children. Previously, my grandfather kept a coffee shop with cigarettes which he never sold”, points out a new resident of the village. “It is an unwritten law of our village for no resident or visitor to smoke,” adds another resident of Skotino.
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photo of the month
The “peaceful” Venetian Harbour of Chania
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Tender for Crete island’s Northern Motorway Axis proceeds to Stage 2 All the contenders claiming the construction of Crete’s Northern Motorway Axis (aka VOAK) upgrade project were qualified to the relevant tender’s next stage, ypodomes.com reports. As it was announced, all participants have been approved, enabling the initiation of Stage B’. The road’s final route design has been finalized and the next step is its environmental licensing. After the approvals of all of the above, a date will be set for the submission of the technical and financial offers of the participating schemes that will decide the contractors of the projects that will transform VOAK into a modern, covered motorway. As it has became known, Chania-Kissamos section was added, expanding considerably the road axis to be constructed that will now be:
Kissamos- Chania-Hersonissos-Neapolis. The third section has been announced that it will be carried out as a public project. The schemes that have passed to Stage B’ for Kissamos-Chania-Heraklion-Hersonissos section are: 1. AKTOR CONCESSIONS, 2.TERNA, 3. J&P AVAX, 4.VINCI,
5. J/V MYTILINEOS-ACCIONA. Similarly, the participants for the PPP tender concerning Hersonissos-Neapolis section are as follows: 1. AKTOR CONCESSIONS, 2. TERNA, 3. J&P AVAX (along with Marguerite Fund), 4. J/V MYTILINEOS-ACCIONA-INTERTOLL, 5. SHIKUN&BINUI. It is worth mentioning that each
tender is totally independent making it possible for 2 different contractors to be finally awarded for the projects. Last but not least, the auctioning of the third section from Neapolis to Aghios Nikolaos is expected, as a public project, that will conclude the motorway system of Crete island. Contracting authority of this project is the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.
by Stratos Solanakis CHANIA POST
Your local free paper by FTP Publications 73, El. Venizelou str., Chania, 73100 Tel. +30 6977 295075 Owner/Publisher: FTP Publlications Web: http://www.cretepost.gr E-mail: info@chaniapost.eu FB: http://www.facebook.com/chaniapost Twitter: @chaniapost Advertising: Chania Post, 73, El. Venizelou str., Chania Tel. +30 6977295075 http://www.ftp-publications.gr DTP: FTP Publications 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, Italian Factory Outlet and selected shops in Platanias KISSAMOS Gramvousa and Balos boats, Elafonissi, Falassarna KANDANOS-SELINO Paleochora Info Desk, Sougia, Kandanos SFAKIA Hora Sfakion Infokiosk, Loutro, Agia Roumeli, ANENDYK boats APOKORONAS Georgioupolis, Kavros, Vamos, Kalyves, Vrysses ...and also in more than 100 points throughout Chania Prefecture!
Travelers Give Chania Thumbs Up for Hospitality, Safety Visitors to Crete, give Chania thumbs up for its hospitality, local products and hotels but are not satisfied with the infrastructure, lack of green spaces and cleanliness, according to an annual survey presented ahead of the tourism season. The findings of the poll were presented during an event organized by the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania in collaboration with the Crete University Management Systems Laboratory and the Chania Hotels Association, under the auspices of the Crete Region. The survey, conducted via questionnaires and interviews from May
to October 2018 at Chania Airport on 4,100 travelers who took charter or low cost flights, found that 95 percent said they were satisfied with the hospitality services both in terms of hotels and service, and would return. Over 90 percent said they found cafe and restaurant services as well as local products to be satisfactory as well as safety. The majority said they stayed at hotels with a large number opting to stay in short-term rentals (Airbnbs). On the downside however, 34.8 percent said they were not satisfied with the road network and signage, 28.6 percent with the lack of parks
and green spaces, and 22 percent with the lack of cleanliness. According to the study, visitors from the Eastern Mediterranean are on the rise with the number of Scandinavian travelers decreasing, accounting for half of all tourists to Western Crete in 2018. The majority of those polled named Elafonissi as the top des-
tination, while a large number of respondents expressed interest in visiting monasteries and churches as well as sampling and purchasing local wine (56.2 percent), olive oil (50.60 percent), with an increasing interest (29.8 percent) in therapeutic herbs. news.gtp.gr
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Crete’s power remains vulnerable without EuroAsia Interconnector For the first time in 25 years, Crete suffered a blackout on March 22 following an explosion to an old transformer which plunged the Greek island into darkness and made it vulnerable to future power outages. Fortunately, the timely response of the power company staff, emergency services and local authorities ensured the damage was limited and lives were not lost. The event also prompted residents and local politicians to demand an end to delays of the Crete-Attica electricity interconnection that would ensure the island’s energy security. Project promoter EuroAsia Interconnector, tasked with connecting the electricity grids of Israel and Greece, through Crete and Cyprus, totally agrees that a solution needs to be found to secure Crete’s energy supply. This can only be done through a direct subsea cable connection to mainland Greece. Since 2012, our vision has been to end the energy isolation of Cyprus, which remains the last non-interconnected member state of the European Union, and the same goes for Crete. The EuroAsia electricity connection project became a necessity after the lethal munitions explosion on July 11, 2011 at the Mari naval base took out Cyprus’ main power station at Vassiliko. A power plant that generated 90 per cent of the island’s electricity needs was offline for a year, resulting in rolling power cuts for households and businesses. From the outset, it felt like Cyprus was in a state of war with year-long power cuts and electricity rationed according to a list of priorities. As a result, the Cyprus economy was deeply wounded, and its energy security compromised with the consequences felt in the years that followed.
Crete today must avoid a similar fate, which is, essentially, why we embarked on this journey in 2012 to find the best way possible to prevent a repeat of such disasters that left Cyprus without power. The only feasible solution is to connect Cyprus with a single European electricity system through Crete and Attica. This is an extremely complex project with incredible technical and engineering challenges, such as the depth of cable laying, which was originally estimated at 2,300 metres, but for security reasons switched to a greater depth of 3,000 metres. In addition, there was the expensive task of building the electrical interface to dimensions which had not been attempted before. Taking into consideration the national interest and the urgent need for the interconnection of Crete with the rest of Greece, in April 2018 EuroAsia Interconnector launched an international tender for the timely implementation of
the project in its entirety. Based on the original timeframe and progress made by the project promoter, the interconnector would be in the construction phase and on schedule for completion within the agreed deadline of June 2022 for the Crete-Attica link. Unfortunately, this timetable has been disrupted due to a policy U-turn by Greece’s environment and energy ministry which fundamentally insists on the Crete-Attica section being implemented as a new national project. This approach breaches the European Union’s legal and financial framework that establishes a Project of Common Interest (PCI). As frequently pointed out by the European Commission and Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete, the quickest way to implement the electricity cable between Crete and Attica is via the EuroAsia Interconnector. It is worth noting that the Crete-Attica link will cost Greek consumers less since the EuroAsia Intercon-
by Marios Demetriades
nector is eligible for an EU grant of €350 million as a PCI-listed project. The project also enjoys lower financing costs due to its access to European Investment Bank funding, while estimates put construction costs for the Crete-Attica section at around €500-600m lower than the corresponding budget of an alternative national venture that would require longer to complete. I sincerely hope a more reasoned and mature approach will soon emerge that enables the entire Israeli-Greek electricity interconnection project via Crete and Cyprus to return within the fold of the European Union so the much-needed Crete-Attica electricity link can be built in the quickest possible time at the lowest possible cost for the Greek taxpayer. Marios Demetriades is a former Minister of Transport, Communications and Works of the Republic of Cyprus and a board member of the Strategic Council of EuroAsia Interconnector
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Trivago awards 2019: The 30 top-rated and top-performing hotels in Greece Trivago, a leading global hotel metasearch, announced the winners of its annual trivago Awards to recognize and reward this year’s top-rated and top-performing properties on trivago. The trivago Awards are the highest endorsement trivago gives to hotels, in recognition of their achievements in customer service and metasearch marketing throughout the year. “As a leading global hotel metasearch with data on millions of aggregated guest ratings, we are well positioned to identify the top-rated hotels that are delivering exceptional guest experiences,” says Johannes Thomas, trivago N.V. Managing Director and Chief Revenue Officer. “ At the same time, being a digital marketing channel used by hundreds of thousands of hoteliers around the world enables us to recognize the hotels that are embracing technology and excelling online. The trivago Awards give us the chance to honor the hard-working and forward-looking hoteliers behind these exemplary hotels, and we are thrilled to do so again this year.”
- Outstanding Online Presence - Direct Bookings
How trivago determines the winning hotels For the categories of 3-Star Hotel, 4-Star Hotel, 5-Star Hotel, and Alternative Accommodation, trivago recognizes with trivago Awards the 10 hotels per country with the highest consistent trivago Rating Index scores for the year. The hotels with the absolute highest scores are deemed the category winners for their countries. To ensure accuracy, a minimum of 20 reviews were required for award eligibility. For the Outstanding Online Reputation category, trivago awards the 10 hotels per country that have been the most active in optimizing their trivago profiles to stand out on trivago throughout the year. The 10 hotels in each country that have driven the most direct bookings to their websites through trivago using Rate Connect are recognized with trivago Awards in the Direct Bookings category. For each of these categories as well, the first-place hotel is conThis year, trivago Awards go to sidered the overall category winthe top hotels in six different cat- ner for the country. egories: - 3-Star Hotel The 30 top-rated and top-per- 4-Star Hotel forming hotels in Greece are as - 5-Star Hotel follows: - Alternative Accommodation
In Athens, the prices of properties more than five years old were up 6.9 percent, but this was overshadowed by the 10.7 percent annual hike in the prices of new homes. The capital has recorded a mix of trends due to the rapid rise of short-term property leasing to tourists via online platforms such as Airbnb, HomeAway, FlipKey and HouseTrip: RE/MAX data showed that rates for older apartments in Koukaki, near the Acropolis, start from 1,400 euros per square meter, up 55 percent from 2017. Other areas that are popular with visitors have seen rates post a smaller in-
Fraport Greece Traffic Revenue Rise Boosts Mother Company Profits
Fraport’s Greece and Brazil airports accounted for two-thirds of the parent company’s increase in revenue last year, which rose by 18.5 percent to almost 3.5 billion euros, the company said upon the release of its 2018 fiscal year report. More specifically, Group EBITDA increased by 12.5 percent to over 1.1 billion euros, the company said, with net profit stronger by 40 percent to 505.7 million euros – which includes earnings gained from the sale of Fraport’s stake in Hanover
Airport – an additional 75.9 million euros. The group’s International Activities and Services segment, which in large part boosted group revenue, grew even further in 2018 by 58 percent against the previous year to nearly 1.3 billion euros. More specifically, Fraport’s Greece subsidiary generated 53.2 million euros while Fortaleza and Porto Alegre airports 90.9 million euros. Operating 14 regional airports in Greece, Fraport’s Greek subsidiary – Fraport Greece – appears to
be the most profitable and fastest growing, posting turnover for 2018 (the first full fiscal year) at 414.8 million euros and EBITDA operating profit at 146.8 million euros. Net profits came to 1.8 million euros, mainly due to the cost of borrowing to finance the one-time concession fee. Indicatively, the German operator’s 14 regional airports in Greece broke all traffic records in 2018 handling 29,877 million passengers against 27,433 million in 2017, an 8.9 percent rise.
Speaking earlier this month at the Delphi Economic Forum, the company’s CEO Alexader Zinell said regional airports handled approximately 13 million passengers each year, adding that he expected the figure to exceed 35 million once infrastructure upgrades were completed. Fraport AG has 73.4 percent stake in Fraport Greece with the remaining stake owned by Greece’s Copelouzos Group. news.gtp.gr
Greek Gov’t to Name Financial Advisor for 23 Smaller Airport Projects, incl. Sitia
The Greek transport ministry said it would be naming a financial advisor in the coming period in order to move ahead with the exploitation of 23 smaller airports across the country. Companies being considered are Grant Thornton, Lamda Group, and Process Consulting. Once selected the financial advisor will assist the ministry in the design and implementation of the concession procedure for the management of the regional airports of Alexandroupolis, Araxos, Astypalea, Chios, Ikaria, Ioannina, Kalamata, Kalymnos, Karpathos,
Kasos, Kastelorizo, Kastoria, Kozani, Kythira, Leros, Lemnos, Milos, Nea Anchialos, Naxos, Paros, Sitia, Skyros and Syros. The Greek government aims to prompt public-private partnerships (PPPs) towards the upgrade and modernization of the above mentioned airports extending sub-concession deals for a separate commercial activities, with the public retaining ownership of the airports. Speaking at the 7th European Aviation Conference held in Athens, last year, Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis said that the re-
maining state-owned airports would not be privatized but instead commercial use would be leased to private interests with airport infrastructure under Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority control. The immediate goal, he said, was to incorporate the said airports into a cluster in order for these to gain added value. Topping the agenda of projects is the upgrade of five regional airports, including those of Paros, Syros, Naxos, Milos, Chios and Alexandroupolis. At the same time, the government
is considering launching an international tenderseparately for the airport of Kalamata in the model of the Kastelli Airport project. The makeover project of the Peloponnese airport is budgeted at 50 million euros. Meanwhile, Fraport, currently running 14 regional airports in Greece, has expressed interest in taking over the management of the 23 smaller airports across the country. The group’s Greek subsidiary has undertaken the management of the 14 regional airports for 40 years.
Elia Ermou Athens Hotel Holds Grand Opening Party
Property prices recorded strong growth of 7.3% in Greece last year Property prices in Greece recorded their biggest rise of the last decade last year, as the RE/MAX estate agency network’s annual survey points to an average increase of 7.3 percent from 2017, when annual growth had only come to 1 percent, ekathimerini. com reports. The sharpest increases nationwide – around 9 percent – were recorded among properties more than five years old, the category that accounted for almost 90 percent of transactions in 2018. The prices of newer residential properties rose 6.9 percent.
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crease (such as 11 percent to 1,000 euros/sq.m. in Exarchia) or no change at all (650 euros/sq.m. in Pangrati). On the contrary, in Thessaloniki it was older properties (five years and up) that recorded the greatest increase in prices, amounting to 8 percent. New homes saw a significantly lower increase rate, at just 3.1 percent. In general there was a clear improvement in the market after a 46 percent decline in prices between 2008 and 2017. Thessaloniki is the sixth most popular destination in Greece for visitors using the Airbnb platform, which
featured 2,500 apartments in the northern port city during 2018, against just a few dozen in 2016, according to Thessaloniki-based chartered surveyor Agapi Xifilidou. Outside of the country’s two largest cities the prices of older properties soared 12.9 percent last year, while those built in the last five years saw an increase of 8.1 percent. RE/MAX underlined in its report that for demand to continue growing in the Greek property market, stable investment interest and a generally favorable tax system will be necessary.
The newly built Elia Ermou Athens Hotel, located in the center of the Greek capital, recently celebrated its official opening with a grand party, in the presence of its shareholders, senior executives, partners and friends. The four-star hotel opened its doors in December 2018, on Ermou street, right in the heart of Athens’ commercial center and near landmark sites, such as the Acropolis and the Hellenic Parliament. An investment of 10 million euros, the hotel is owned by Greek entrepreneurs Nikolaos Kalamaras, Georgios Kantilierakis and Anastasios Eleftheriadis. During the opening ceremony, the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronymos, blessed the premises, while the hotel’s general manager Georgios Louis wel-
comed the guests. As he said, with the selection of modern materials, the hotel’s shareholders aim to ensure the exceptional stay of its guests. The Elia Ermou Athens features 123 rooms and nine suites – many overlooking the Acropolis – with state-of-the-art technology amenities including wifi, and private jacuzzis. The hotel’s facilities also include an ultra-modern spa with a cryosaouna, gym, a hair and a nail salon. Furthermore, the Athens View Balcon restaurant and all-day bar on the top floor offers a stunning view of the Acropolis and the Lycabettus hill. The hotel also operates a patio bar and the Elia Bistro; parking spaces available in the building and three mutlifuncational halls with natural lighting.
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Min. Stathakis green-lights environmental report for hydrocarbon off Crete Aministerial decree which approves the environmental reports for hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation west and southwest of the island of Crete was signed on Tuesday by the Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy. Speaking to Athens-Macedonia News Agency (ANA), Environment and Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis said the relevant reports need to be ratified by parliament before the end of the summer. The energy minister said the reports address the need for the creation of an environmental unit to
assess the impact of hydrocarbon exploration on the environment, concerns and issues of local communities and cooperation with relevant observatories and state authorities. Finally, Stathakis emphasized that seismic surveys will be carried out under a detailed set of parameters to protect the marine environment; these will be described in an appropriate Environmental Action Plan. The plan will include specific measures to prevent unwanted impact on cetacean species, underwater shipwrecks and submarine telecommunications wire networks.
Further, Stathakis also concession agreements carbon exploration for of the Ionian Sea and
said that 10 of Kyparissia Gulf, western Peloon hydro- ponnese, will be signed in coming the areas weeks. Allotment
Crete had 41 hours of non-stop rain on Feb. 24-26, meteo data shows An analysis of the data concerning the destructive floods affecting Crete between February 24 and 26 has shown that rain fell on the island for 41 consecutive hours without stopping, the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) weather service meteo.gr
announced. The weather stations at Asi Gonia and Askyfos showed that the rain fell continuously throughout that time, reaching the greatest intensity in the six hours between 6:30 and 12:30 on Monday, February 25. Based on meteo’s calculations,
some 80 million cubic metres of water fell on an area of around 140 square kilometres to the east of the Lefka Ori (White Mountains) alone. The NOA’s lightning detection system ‘Zeus’, meanwhile, detected more than 15,500 bolts of lightning around Crete.
The areas receiving the greatest volume of rain were two distinct regions of the Lefka Ori, one to the east where rainfall ranged between 500-600 mm, and a second to the northwest where monitors recorded 496 mm of rain.
Greece Among Safest Destination Countries in 2019, Says IPK Survey Thirty-eight percent of international travelers currently claim that political instability and terror threats will have an influence on their travel planning for 2019, according to IPK International CEO Rolf Freitag. “Destinations with a good safety image will once again take more advantage,” Freitag said while presenting the findings of IPK’s World travel Monitor, on Wednesday during the first day of the ITB Berlin 2019 exhibition. According to IPK’s World travel Monitor, travelers from Asia feel a lot more impacted by terror threats than travelers from other continents. In terms of what kind of influence terror threats will have on the travel behavior, the great majority states that they will choose only destinations, which they perceive as “safe”. According to the survey, the safety image of most destinations slightly improved over the last 12 months – also for Turkey, Israel and Egypt.
can take alot of advantage from that. “The forecast this year for Greece is good because it is seen as a safe and wonderful place, an ideal holiday country with a fantastic climate,” he told GTP Headlines on Greece: Safe and outperforming the sidelines of the presentation, adding that another advantage is destination Greece is on the list of the 20 safest the fact that Greece also has a quidestination countries in the mind et and positive profile in the media, of global outbound travelers and which also helps. according to Freitag, the country IPK’s World travel Monitor also
showed that Greece was among the top 10 outperforming destinations in 2018. “Greece will always be on the market but professionals must be very careful with the prices. Prices must be compared with those of other competitor countries,” he said. According to Freitag, what has happened in the past many times is that professionals become influenced by a good year and immediately raise their prices the next.”
IPK’s World travel Monitor is an annual survey analyzing the outbound travel behavior in more than 60 countries worldwide, covering over 90 per cent of the global outbound demand. IPK International is a tourism consultancy specialized in travel research, tourism marketing and tourism Masterplanning and counts among the leading tourism consultancies worldwide. news.gtp.gr
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Gus My first encounter with the Aegean Sea was with an elderly, staunch Swedish friend, Gus Eriksén from Gothenburg. He had a wonderful ketch, built in Taiwan, wherefrom he sailed it to Europe. He spent most of the winters with his wife onboard the boat I Rhodes. He invited me and another Swedish friend for a trip to Turkey. We sat sail and course for Mamaris on the Turkish coast. Shortly before we reached Mamaris, we came across a small Turkish fishing boat. Gus tried to hand the fisher a small bottle of ‘Underberg bitter’ the German aperitif and bitter. The fisher energetically shook his head: I’m Muslim – No liquor” But Gus said – Don’t worry – it is not liquor – it is medicine! OK, the fisher took the little bottle
an emptied it. Mamris id one of he pretty harbors on the Turkish coast. Marmaris is a popular tourist town, full of souvenir shops and restaurants. I found a beautiful oriental carpet, or rather a rug, which I bought after long haggling with the carpet dealer. He appreciated the haggling and called me a good businessperson. Marmaris is a popular tourist town, full of souvenir shops and restaurants. I found a beautiful oriental carpet, or rather a rug, which I bought after long haggling with the carpet dealer. He appreciated the haggling and called me a good businessman. A friend of mine was not as lycky in Greece and Turkey. He is an excellent windsurfer and went to Samos with his
surfboard. He could see the Turkish coast nearby. One morning he put a ten-dollar bill under the lining in his bathing shorts and set off direction Turkey. He wanted to go to Turkey for a cup of coffee.He steered towards the coast and sailed right into what proved to be a military Navy harbor. He was immediately arrested and put to jail. In the afternoon, he was taken to court and put before a judge, who sentenced him to an enormous fine of something like 100.000 dollars. -But I have only 10 dollars; he explained and asked the judge to show clemency. -OK, said the judge I sentence you to a fine of exactly 10 dollars! My friend handed the bill to the
by Henrik Bach
judge, who took it and put it into his pocket. My friend was put on a Turkish warship that sailed him to the borderline between Turkey and Samos. Here he came onboard a Greek warship, that took him and his board back to Samos. My friend told his Danish laughing friends at home, that the Turkish authorities had been polite and friendly and given him coffee in his cell in the jail, that he had set out to drink. Marmaris is a popular tourist town, full of souvenir shops and restaurants. I found a beautiful oriental carpet, or rather a rug, which I bought after long haggling with the carpet dealer. He appreciated the haggling and called me a good businessperson.
Crete University program aims to educate young traffic offenders Judicial authorities and the University of Crete in Iraklio have joined forces to curb juvenile traffic offenses on the southern island’s notoriously poor road network. Following a recommendation by a prosecutor, young repeat traffic offenders will have to attend seminars on road safety and traffic awareness, organized by the uni-
versity with the aim to promote Participants take part in simula- of bad driving practices, like cella more holistic and proactive ap- tions and other experiential games phone use, and help debunk popproach to the issue. that educate them on the risks ular myths and stereotypes. “The environment is not strict and our objective is not to punish [offenders] but rather to fill in the gaps they have in terms of road safety,” University of Crete assistant professor Maria Papadaki, who is in charge of the program, told Kathimerini.
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The Yesterdays of King Henry VIII. ( Part 2)
Henry VIII ruled as the king of England from 1509. In order to secure a peace with Spain he had married his dead brother’s wife, Catherine of Aragon, despite the marriage being against his Catholic faith. The Catholic Church had sanctioned the marriage through a special dispensation issued by the Pope in Rome, but this was only done as a favour to Henry’s father the previous King Henry VII. By the year of 1527 Henry and Catherine had only one child, Mary, all of her other pregnancies, which were numerous, ended in miscarriage or the babies being stillborn. Henry desperately wanted a boy child, an heir to the throne who could follow the Tudor dynasty, but with Catherine getting older Henry began to realise that with her an heir was unlikely to happen. For some time he had been taking mistresses, one of which was a Lady-in-waiting, Mary Boleyn, with whom it was suspected he fathered two children, although they were both raised under Mary’s husband’s name of Carey. These offspring made Henry all the more determined that a new wife must be sought and the old one, Catherine, discarded. But the Catholic Church did not accept divorce as a concept and so Henry became obsessed with his ‘Great Matter’ of how to get
her removed. Catherine however was much loved by her subjects as Queen, and so Henry had to be careful that her set aside had some basis of law or ethic that could be accepted by all. He revisited the Popes dispensation, and whilst the original Pope Julius II had died, he made claim to the new Pope Clement VII, that Julius had exceeded his authority from God and thus a heavenly curse to stop childbirth of an heir had been put on Henry as a punishment against his sin of marrying his brother’s wife. Pope Clement was not about to decry his predecessor as the precedent set of decision reversal could have huge consequences in the Catholic world. Also Clement was closely involved with Charles I, the king of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor of whom Catherine of Aragon was his aunt. The process of argument between King Henry and Pope Clement took many twists and turns with neither side being prepared to budge. But meanwhile Henry had got his eye on a new lady in Queen Catherine’s court, Anne Boleyn who was the sister of his previous mistress Mary. Anne had been highly educated from a young child in the French court under Queen Claude the wife of King Francis I. She had been noted as a very
warm and charming child, but by the time she entered the English court in 1525, she began to take on many of the power hungry and conniving ways of her uncle Thomas Howard. King Henry soon became besotted with Anne’s flamboyant and flirtatious ways, he wanted her to become his mistress as her sister had done, but Anne taunted him and maintained that he would never enter her bed before she was first made Queen. The king frustrated by the lack of heir and driven by lust for Anne became ever more frantic in searching for a solution to his ‘Great Matter’. He tried many ways to get Catherine to stand down and go into a nunnery, but she refused. He set his chief minister Cardinal Wolsey to find a solution from the Catholic Church, but when he failed he had him executed for taking the Pope’s side instead of his. Whilst all of this was going on Anne Boleyn was getting ever closer to the king, she was given rooms next to his at the palace whilst Catherine was sent away to the country. She was showered with jewels, expensive clothing and country estates. In many regards Anne was taking over the role of the queen in the eyes of the parliament and the public, but not all of them were happy with the idea.
Cretan grasshoppers
by Hobson Tarrant
Anne was also no friend of the Catholic Church and she took every opportunity to question the need for the king’s allegiance to it. In France she had been brought up with Protestant beliefs and now encouraged the king to befriend and employ more about him who would prefer to undermine the Catholic influence that had historically ruled over England for many years. The Pope and the Catholic Church were becoming increasingly belligerent to Henry’s demands for an annulment of his marriage to Catherine, whilst in tandem the coffers of the crown were rapidly becoming squandered by the kings excessive and extravagant ways. He eyed with suspicion the vast wealth that the church, the monasteries and religious houses extracted from the masses to send to the Pope in Rome, so he set up an inspection of the Catholic Church and its assets in England. Even Henry was shocked at the vast sums, corruption and immorality that were brought to light. (To follow – Part 3 – Dissolution of the Monasteries). ‘The Yesterdays of King Henry VIII’ and the ‘Yesterdays of Crete’ are now available in paperback from Amazon and ebook or library from Kindle.
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Before mentioning grasshoppers I feel I need to include a couple of thoughts about the disasters that hit our island in February. It seems odd that few people in the rest of Europe knew anything about the devastation or the severity of both the main storms here on Crete in February. Perhaps it is because weather and climate records are being broken on what seems a daily basis worldwide and new extreme situations are so regular they are no longer newsworthy unless you are in the area affected. Let us hope that we do not experience again anything like the two storms for a very long time. The peculiar route of the Jet Stream during the latter storm was extraordinary bringing a bad weather system rapidly down from Poland and Germany, intensifying en route. Two depressions close to each other just off the south coast produced an odd circulation of cloud and rain as well as lightning especially where the winds circulating around each depression ‘crashed’ into each other. I, (and all locals), am very sad at the loss of human life at both storms, the loss of livestock, the damage to the island’s infrastructure and to peoples’ homes and businesses. The authorities had huge problems after both storms and from what I have seen I consider they have reacted tirelessly and admirably. Following last month’s article I have been asked a couple of questions about grasshoppers. Thus it seems appropriate to explain a bit about their ecology, biology and
existence on the island. Grasshoppers are insects and therefore have six legs. The rear legs in grasshoppers are enlarged to accommodate the muscles required for jumping. Unlike butterflies and many other insects that have larvae and go through metamorphosis, grasshoppers after hatching from the eggs look like miniature versions of the adult. Apart from size one major difference between the young, or nymphs, is that all four wings are visible, although this may be difficult to see in small species or just after hatching. The nymphs pass through a few stages, or instars, increasing in size before becoming adults: the number of instars can be from 4 in true grasshoppers to 12 in crickets. It is at this stage in life the insects ‘hop’. For some species the eggs are dormant over the winter and sometimes eggs stay dormant for five or six years. In other species it is the nymph that hibernates and because of our milder climate adults of some species may be found active all year, but the adults do not live for more than a few months at most. Most grasshoppers are vegetarians but some crickets and bush-crickets feed on insects as part of their diet and some of the largest species of grasshopper feed almost exclusively on insects. The instars have much smaller and delicate mouthparts so their food tends to be less tough. There can be a bit of confusion with the terms grasshopper and cricket. Therefore I have included the word (true) to distinguish between the general term and the
main groups. There are 5 main groups of grasshopper on Crete: (True) crickets and mole crickets, Cave crickets, Bush crickets, (True) grasshoppers and Groundhoppers - a further group, Molehoppers, can be found on other Greek islands. Mole crickets have forelegs that are adapted to digging and these insects live most of their life in burrows underground. The males have a very loud ‘song’ usually made after sunset and it is amplified by the burrow. A record ‘song’ measured about a metre from the burrow entrance was at 92 decibels. That is the same level as the warning label on my chainsaw! The song may attract many females and can be heard over 600 metres away even further in windy conditions. Cave crickets, as their name suggests, live mainly in caves or old mines. Like all crickets, apart from the mole crickets, the antennae are longer than the body (distinguishing crickets from grasshoppers). Because they live in dark or very dark habitats they rely heavily on touch and often suffer from a lack of nutrients. Bush crickets used to be known as long horned grasshoppers. They are usually nocturnal and live most of their lives in trees. Their song tends to be repetitive and the scientific name of the family is linked to the Greek name for cicadas. Many species of (True) cricket are omnivorous They live in various habitats from treetops to short grass. The males also ‘sing’ and many species have different songs, for example a warning song to ward off other males, a wooing song for any females in the area
by David Capon
and a short triumph song after mating. (True) Grasshoppers are mainly ground living and plant eaters. Under certain conditions locusts can swarm and become pests. Again the males of many species ‘sing’ to attract females. I suppose (true) grasshoppers are the best known of all the grasshoppers and their antennae are shorter than their bodies. Only 2 species of groundhopper have been recorded on Crete. They are small grasshoppers and often found near water. I have used the words song and singing above. Grasshoppers do not sing in the conventional way, using vocal chords, but stridulate. There are two components to the stridulation – the first is a file, which is a series of pegs or teeth and the second a thickened ridge or scraper. The file is is situated on the inside of the hind leg and the scraper is usually on the more prominent veins of the forewing. The number of pegs, the speed of rubbing and the size of the scraper affect the song and grasshopper experts can identify many species simply by the song. There are 72 recorded species of grasshopper on Crete and 378 known on Greece of which 139 are endemic. I suspect there may be more species on Crete than presently recorded. Because of the complexity of the life cycle of all grasshopper species, the differing habitats (from treetops to caves) and the small size of many, especially at the instar stages, there is still a lot to learn about the ecology and biology of these fascinating insects.
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food & wine
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Crete’s best wines presented at Oinokritika Festival A huge exhibition of the best wines Crete has to offer will take place in Chania on April 20th and 21st, 2019, according to greekreporter.com. The Oinokritika Wine Festival 2019 will highlight Crete’s top wine networks as well as smaller wine distributors. In addition, Santorini winemakers will be participating
in the event for the first time with their amazing “Assyrtiko” wines. The organizers are expecting nearly 3,000 participants at the festival, which would be the event’s largest attendance so far. Initially organized back in 2007, the Oinokritika Wine Exhibition was the first organization to present products from Cretan wineries
in a collaborative effort. Currently, the event carries on with its original mission of informing consumers, winemakers, and distributors about the special wines of Crete, and in searching for the highest-quality wines on the island. Furthermore, the 2019 edition of the Oinokritika Wine Festival will feature networking and workshops
on Friday, April 19th, and activities for children on Monday the 22nd. Visitors will have the opportunity to sample a total of three hundred and fifty fine wines from thirty-two Cretan wineries, as well as the new Santorini guest wineries. Live music and other entertainment will also be part of the festival experience.
The 5th Cretan Olive Oil Competition
The 5th Cretan Olive Oil Competition, from Friday 22nd until Sunday 24th of March, has successfully been completed! 66 Cretan businesses participated in the competition, of which 96 samples of olive oil were sent for evaluation. The competition, which is now an institution for our island, is organized by the Agronutritional Cooperation of the Region of Crete in cooperation with all local olive oil operators and the Olive Oil Organoleptic Evaluation Lab (A. S. Rethymnon), where the evaluation of the samples is carried out. The aim of this competition is to highlight the quality characteristics of olive oil and then, to promote it in Greece and abroad! Congratulations to all the winners of the 5th Cretan Olive Oil Competition!
Greek Taste Beyond Borders promotes local flavours around the globe Greek Taste Beyond Borders (GTBB) is the first organisation to promote the Greek food industry to the globe with official Ambassadors set across the globe, they recently held their 2nd International Business Networking Forum in Athens, promoting Greek gastronomy to key partners from the US, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Africa, Australia, United Kingdom, Singapore, Spain, France and beyond, greekcitytimes.com reports. The 2nd International Business Networking Forum: Global Taste 2019 by GTBB GREEK TASTE BEYOND BORDERS was held on 4 March 2019 at the Athens Concert Hall under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Economy and Development and was a huge success. By showcasing authentic
Greek products, according to GTBB, Greek tastes can conquer the world. The aim of GTBB is to strengthen, unite and spread Greek gastronomy around the world. GTBB’s vision is to establish a powerful resource of brand awareness for market leaders and entities connected mainly with Greek culture. The linking together of, premium brand leading enterprises in the taste industry located throughout the world and high-value key dignitaries such as professionals, scientists, and top chefs, all united, to build the most effective business network of Greek Taste Beyond Borders. “Safe, trustful and authentic Greek Taste Beyond Borders unites everyone under the principles and values of the Ancient Greek Golden Spiral, a symbol
of growth, awareness and universal power. Ancient Greek traders used the spiral as a sign of common origin, wealth and unity,” says founder Philip Koutras. GTBB’s key partners from various countries around the planet including Greece, Cyprus, US, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Africa, Australia, United Kingdom, Singapore, Spain, and France all attended the forum panels, transferring the pulse of each one of the markets they represent. This year’s theme was “Global Taste 2019 and the certification titles of GTBB were sealed with the well-known Golden Spiral of GTBB “Certifications of Value & Quality and Titles of Honor with trademark license.” They were presented in an order which gives each organisation global recognition and
high prestige, aiding in a way so that Greek products and services are launched on the world market as outstanding quality and of high value. Greek Taste Beyond Borders also incorporates an international certification title, the “Ambassadors of Taste for the Global Gastronomy – Title of Honor,” applicable to top companies. During the summit John Georgakakis CEO “The Ecali Club” and the popular Greek modern folk musician and composer Thanasis Polykandriotis were also honoured for their support and for having also composed the GTBB anthem, while GTBB supporters such as young talented Greek chefs and other businessmen were also awarded with gold medals, among them Mr Panayiotis Papafilippou.
culture
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Archaeological sites, museums to gradually expand open hours as of April 1
Major Greek museums and archaeological sites will remain open longer as of April 1, with the schedule introduced gradually to other areas as more seasonal staff is hired over the month, the Ministry of Culture said. The following museums and sites will be open slightly longer as of
April 1 (daily): – The site of the Acropolis and sites on the slope and Knossos palace will be open 08:00 – 18:00 – The site of Epidaurus and its museum, the site and museum of Mycenae, the site of Tiryns, and the Palamidi fortress overlooking Nafplio will be open 08:00 – 19:00
– The site of Delphi will be open 08:30 – 19:00 – The Palace of the Grand Magister and the site of Lindos on Rhodes will both be open 08:30 – 17:00 The rest of the sites and museums in Greece will remain on the 08:30 to 16:00 schedule until more staff is hired.
In Athens, in particular, the ministry said, “The process of hiring seasonal guards and cleaning crews for the archaeological sites and museums of Athens is ongoing and expected to be completed by April 15, when the expanded schedule of 08:00-20:00 will be introduced.”
Greek Museum Admission Fees to Rise Next Year
Admission fees to 24 of Greece’s leading museums, sites and monuments will increase next year, Greek authorities decided recently. Taking into account ticket sales, revenue, site condition, location, and traffic, Greece’s culture ministry and the Central Archaeological Council (KAS) have ap-
proved a number of pricing proposals, including replacing the current 1- and 2-euro reduced ticket with a 2- and 3-euro alternative. Entrance fees are set to rise at the country’s main archaeological museums including those in Athens and in Heraklion where the admission fee will increase
to 12 euros from the current 10 euros, and the reduced ticket will cost 6 euros from 5 euros as well as at popular archaeological sites of Athens’ historic center – Olympeion, the Ancient Agora, Hadrian’s Library, Kerameikos, the Roman Agora, and in Thessaloniki – at the Rotunda and the White Tower, among
others. Entrance fees at Rhodes’ Archaeological Museum will be reduced to 4 euros (from the current 8 euros), the archaeological site and museum of Ancient Messini to 6 euros (from 12 euros), the Necromanteion site to 4 euros, and the Byzantine Museum of Didymoteicho to 2 euros.
What you have to know about Minoan Civilization The Minoan civilization flourished in the Middle Bronze Age on the island of Crete located in the eastern Mediterranean from c. 2000 BCE until c. 1500 BCE. With their unique art and architecture, and the spread of their ideas through contact with other cultures across the Aegean, the Minoans made a significant contribution to the development of Western European civilization as it is known today. Labyrinth-like palace complexes, vivid frescoes depicting scenes such as bull-leaping and processions, fine gold jewellery, elegant stone vases, and pottery with vibrant decorations of marine life are all particular features of Minoan Crete. Arthur Evans & Discovery The archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans was first alerted to the possible presence of an ancient civilization on Crete by surviving carved seal stones worn as charms by native Cretans in the early 20th century CE. Excavating at Knossos from 1900 to 1905 CE, Evans discovered extensive ruins which confirmed the ancient accounts, both literary and mythological, of a sophisticated Cretan culture and possible site of the legendary labyrinth and palace of King Minos. It was Evans who coined the term Minoan in reference to this legendary Bronze Age king. Evans, seeing what he believed to be the growth and decline of a unified culture on Crete, divided the island’s Bronze
Age into three distinct phases largely based on different pottery styles: - Early Bronze Age or Early Minoan (EM): 3000-2100 BCE - Middle Bronze Age or Middle Minoan (MM): 2100-1600 BCE - Late Bronze Age or Late Minoan (LM): 1600-1100 BCE The above divisions were subsequently refined by adding numbered subphases to each group (e.g. MM II). Radio-carbon dating and tree-ring calibration techniques have helped to further refine the dates so that the Early Bronze Age now begins c. 3500 BCE and the Late Bronze Age c. 1700 BCE. An alternative to this series of divisions, created by Platon, instead focuses on the events occurring in and around the major Minoan “palaces”. This scheme has four periods: - Prepalatial: 3000 - 2000/1900 BCE - Protopalatial: 2000/1900 - 1700 BCE - Neopalatial: 1700 - 1470/1450 BCE - Postpalatial: 1470/1450 - 1100 BCE Both of these schemes have since been challenged by more modern archaeology and approaches to history and anthropology in general which prefer a more multilinear development of culture on Crete with a more complex scenario involving conflicts and inequalities between settlements and which also considers their cultural differences as well as their obvious similarities.
Minoan Palace Settlements Minoan settlements, tombs, and cemeteries have been found all over Crete but the four principal palace sites (in order of size) were: - Knossos - Phaistos - Malia - Zakros At each of these sites, large, complex palace structures seem to have acted as local administrative, trade, religious, and possibly political centres. The relationship between the palaces and the power structure within them or over the island as a whole is not clear due to a lack of archaeological and literary evidence. It is clear, however, that the palaces exerted some kind of localised control, in particular, in the gathering and storage of surplus materials - wine, oil, grain, precious metals and ceramics. Small towns, villages, and farms were spread around the territory seemingly controlled by a single palace. Roads connected these isolated settlements to each other and the main centre. There is a general agreement among historians that the palaces were independent from each other up to 1700 BCE, and thereafter they came under the sway of Knossos, as evidenced by a greater uniformity in architecture and the use of Linear A writing across various palace sites. The absence of fortifications in the settlements suggests a relatively peaceful co-existence between the different communities. However,
the presence of weapons such as swords, daggers, and arrowheads, and defensive equipment such as armour and helmets would also suggest that peace may not always have been enjoyed. Minoan roads, too, have evidence of regular guardhouses and watchtowers suggesting that banditry, at least, troubled the unprotected traveller. The palaces themselves covered two periods. The first palaces were constructed around 2000 BCE and, following destructive earthquakes and fires, rebuilt again c. 1700 BCE. These second palaces survived until their final destruction between 1500 BCE and 1450 BCE, once again by either earthquake, fire, or possibly invasion (or a combination of all three). The palaces were well-appointed, monumental structures with large courts, colonnades, ceilings supported by tapered wooden columns, staircases, religious crypts, light-wells, extensive drainage systems, large storage magazines and even ‘theatre’ areas for public spectacles or religious processions. Reaching up to four stories high and spreading over several thousand square metres, the complexity of these palaces, the sport of bull-leaping, the worship of bulls as indicated by the presence throughout of sacred bulls’ horns and depictions of double axes (or labrys) in stone and fresco may all have combined to give birth to the legend of Theseus and the labyrinth-dwelling Minotaur so popular in later classical Greek mythology.
pets & vets
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Does Your Pet Have Seasonal Allergies? Did you know your dog or cat can suffer from seasonal allergies just as you do? According to a survey conducted by Novartis Animal Health, over half of pet owners aren’t aware their fuzzy family members can also spend the spring season feeling miserable thanks to pollens and other environmental allergens. Two Categories of Pet Allergies There are primarily two types of allergies: food allergies and environmental allergies. If your pet gets itchy during spring, summer or fall, she’s probably reacting to seasonal, environmental allergens. But if her symptoms continue yearround, it’s more likely her sensitivity is to something more constant in her environment, or to something in her diet. There are a couple of exceptions to this rule, however. If you live in an area that doesn’t have a hard freeze in the winter, environmental allergens can build up and cause year-round issues for your pet. In addition, seasonal allergies can progress to year-round allergies, which I’ll discuss shortly.
will become very itchy. She’ll start scratching excessively, and might bite or chew at certain areas of her body. She may rub herself against vertical surfaces like furniture, or she may rub her face against the carpet. She’s trying to relieve the miserable itchiness by any means possible. As the itch-scratch cycle continues, her skin will become inflamed and tender to the touch. Other signs of allergic dermatitis include areas of hair loss, open sores on the skin, and scabbing. Hot spots can develop as well in dogs (hot spots are rarely seen in cats). A hot spot is inflamed, infected skin that occurs when your dog’s natural bacteria overwhelms an area of his skin. Typically the skin will be very red, and often there is bleeding and hair loss.
Other Signs to Watch For Pets with allergies also often have problems with their ears – especially dogs. The ear canals may be itchy and inflamed as part of a generalized allergic response, or they may grow infected with yeast or bacteria. Signs Your Pet Has Seasonal Al- Signs your pet’s ears are giving him lergies problems include scratching at the Unlike humans whose allergy ears, head shaking, and hair loss symptoms usually involve the re- around the ears. If infection is presspiratory tract, dog allergies and ent there will often be odor and a cat allergies more often take the discharge from the ears. form of skin irritation or inflamma- While respiratory symptoms aren’t tion – a condition called allergic common in pets with allergies, dermatitis. they do occur. A running nose, waIf your pet has allergies, her skill tery eyes, coughing and sneezing
are typical allergic symptoms in both two- and four-legged allergy sufferers. Typically pets with seasonal allergies to ragweed, grasses, pollens, molds and trees, also develop sensitivity to other allergens inhaled through the nose and mouth. Animals with weaknesses in their lung fields can develop sinusitis and bronchitis, just as people do. Another sign to watch for if you suspect your pet has allergies is generalized redness. Allergic pets often have puffy red eyes, red oral tissue, a red chin, red paws and even a red anus. How Seasonal Allergies Can Turn Into Year-Round Allergies Allergic reactions are produced by your pet’s immune system, and the way his immune system functions is a result of both nature (his genetics) and nurture (his environment). I often see the following history with allergic pets who visit my practice: A young pup or kitten, maybe 4 to 6 months old, begins with a little red tummy, itchy ears, and maybe a mild infection in one ear. His regular vet treats the pup symptomatically to provide him some relief. The following year as soon as the weather warms up, the pet is brought back to his regular vet with very itchy feet, another ear infection, and a hotspot or two. Again, the vet treats the symptoms (hopefully not with steroids) until the weather turns cold and the symptoms disappear. Year three, the same pet suffers
from May through September with red, inflamed skin, maybe some hair loss, more hotspots, frequent ear and skin infections, and a tendency to chew his paws or scratch until he bleeds. By year five, all the symptoms have grown significantly worse and the animal’s suffering is now yearround. This is what usually happens with seasonal environmental allergies. The more your pet is exposed to the allergens he’s sensitive to, the more intense and long-lasting his allergic response becomes. With my regular patients (those who start out life as patients of my practice), I begin addressing potential root causes at the first sign of an allergic response, which is usually around six months of age. I do this to reduce the risk of an escalating response year after year. Helping a Pet with Seasonal Allergies Since the allergen load your environmentally sensitive pet is most susceptible to is much heavier outdoors, two essential steps in managing her condition are regular foot soaks and baths during the warmer months when all those triggers are in bloom. Dermatologists recommend this common sense approach for human allergy sufferers. If you have hypersensitivities, your doctor will tell you to shower at night and in the morning to remove allergens from the surface of your body. I recommend you do the same for your dog or cat.
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plants & gardening
Spring is here with colors and aromas
health & nutrition
p. 22
Council of State annuls law allowing smoking in casinos, entertainment venues The Council of State ruled that smoking is prohibited in casinos and in entertainment venues exceeding 300 square metres and annulled Law 3868/2010. Law 3868, following a 2011 ministerial decision, had prohibited smoking in stores and health areas, but exempted casinos and large entertainment venues
with music as long as they created closed or covered spaces for smokers of a maximum of half the surface of the total venue, and paid an annual fee of 200 euros per square metre of the smoking section. The Council based its decision on the fact that since 2003 Greece is obliged by international treaty
(World Health Organisation) to restrict smoking. The treaty was ratified by Law 420/2005, the Council said, and trumps any conflicting domestic law. Although the larger the space, the greater the revenue for the state, the less the purpose of reducing smoking is served, the judges
said, striking Law 3868 down. The Council ruled after a complaint filed by nonprofit “Minyma Zois” (Message of Life) and three individuals, who reapplied for a repeat ruling, as the ministers of Finance and Health signed a new decision in January 2019, replacing the 2011 one with the same content.
When Are The Worst Times For Allergies? Allergens are all around us, gunning to make us sneeze, our eyes itch and make us feel just plain miserable.
tier by the latter half of April and May, but it is just getting ramped up further north. Tree pollen is the primary allergen during the month of May. Grasses are typically just starting to Winter and Early Spring (January to early April): flower during this time, so residents may occasionally be able to catch a For areas that rarely if ever see a frost, the start of the year is the start of the break, but after mid-April you may expect to see pollen flying in the air allergy season. As soon as days start to lengthen a Late Spring and Early Summer (late and have a tissue on hand for those bit, grass begins to grow and releases April to July): sneezes. pollen to spread. Tree pollen season starts to wind While grass pollen season continues By February, the grass is flowering down across the extreme southern unabated, making allergy sufferers with tree pollens joining the pollen party as well. The grass pollen season expands by February and March, with trees likely to cause allergic reactions by early April. Before Easter, you can expect to see that familiar yellow powder pollen coating everything.
downright miserable, you can catch a break. The hot summer days can bake grasses, setting them into dormancy, or a survival-type of sleep. Many areas of Crete that see temperatures surge past the century mark on a regular basis can breathe a sigh of relief for a few weeks in July and early August. However, the dormant grasses can allow the wind to kick up dirt and fields, leading to a peak in the dust season.
Mosquitoes on Crete Mosquitoes are found all over Crete, especially during the period from April to October – the main tourist season. This time is the ‘Kounoupi’ sky for mosquitoes. Especially in wind still, after a spring with lots of rain and mild winters, there are many mosquitoes. Although there are no known cases of transmission of a disease, they are leave itching stitches. The mosqui- than in Central Europe and the first still humming in the night and they toes in Crete are of different genera stitch usually causes a violent itching
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
with severe redness. Only after a few weeks the body gets used to these stitches and the effect is then less unpleasant. There are infinitely many mosquitoes and all have only one goal: to suck the blood out of their victims. As soon as the sun goes down until the early morning they appear out of nowhere and bite. As soon as you fall asleep you wake up by an unpleasant hum.