Majorca, Spain: "Tourists Go Home!"

From Euronews

"While still a minority protest, tensions are real in Majorca and elsewhere in Spain over a surge in visitors which is certainly boosting the economy but also, critics say, disrupting the lives of residents and straining local services. A popular holiday venue for decades, Spain is drawing record numbers of visitors this year as tourists shun other destinations where security is a concern, such as Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia".

Top Ten Gorges and Canyons in Europe; Walking and Hiking

From The Guardian last year

The Vikos Gorge came first in this article by Adam McCulloch (13 August, 2015).

"People don’t often think of Greece as a wilderness, but bears still range through the wooded Vikos in the Pindus mountains of the north-west, and groups of wild boar run amuck through its forests. At 20km in length, 1,600 metres deep and with its straight sections topped with uniform limestone precipices, this is an unmistakable canyon".

Epirus, the best-kept secret in Greece? Caroline Shearing, Telegraph Travel


See also my blog posting "Pathway to Eden" and other postings about the Vikos Gorge

Odysseas (Ulysses) and Nausicaa: Iconography

Iconographie des Phéaciens et de Nausicaa - Iconography of the Phaeacians and of Nausicaa


Mandouki, Odysseus and Nausicaa (old posting)

Rare Greek Gold Myrtle Wreath Coronet Found in Rural Somerset

From Dorset Echo, Catherine Bolado - "Found in a tatty box under a bed. .. the Greek crown worth £100k"

"The delicate Greek myrtle wreath, which is thought to date to 300 BC, was found in a cottage in Somerset under a bed".

Dorset Art Weeks, 2016

From Bridport News: Dorset Art Weeks - starting this weekend

Oxford University HEIR Project, Historic Environment Image Project; Images of 19th Century Greece - Η άγνωστη Ελλάδα του 19ου αιώνα

About the HEIR Project

You can find out more about HEIR here.

You can do  a search for 1508 images of Greece, for instance, including 44 images of Corfu.

MSN/Ethos article: Unknown Greece 19th century - Η άγνωστη Ελλάδα του 19ου αιώνα

Corfu:

Ioannina:

Ithaca:

Greece: PM Tsipras condemns sanctions against Russia

From BBC News

Εμβάθυνση συνεργασίας με τη Μόσχα - Deepening cooperation with Moscow - A warm climate in bilateral Greece - Russia relations and a mutual desire to further deepen and broaden cooperation (eKathimerini)

Putin and Tsipras seeking to profit from historic ties - "Russia has shown interest in buying Greek railway company Trainose and the port of Thessaloniki, the country’s second largest"

Πούτιν: Λύστε το πρόβλημα με τις βίζες και θα στείλω τρία εκατ. τουρίστες!

Is Vladimir Putin really trying to break up the EU? (BBC) -  "Hybrid Warfare or Soft Power?

Greece to co-produce Kalashnikov rifles with Russia (KTG)

Putin's Letter of Thanks - Ευχαριστίες Πούτιν προς τους Ελληνες (Kathimerini)


Related:Why are women banned from Mount Athos? BBC

Violent strikes: Chaos in France

From The Economist - Long queues at petrol stations are only the most visible sign of a battle over the future of the French left - FOR the past week, France has felt like a country on the verge of civic insurrection. Union blockades of petrol refineries and depots have caused widespread fuel shortages.

France’s chaos stems from its failure to adapt to globalisation, Natalie Nougayrède, The Guardian

USA: Nina-Maria on Trump's presidential nomination

Watch the video, SABC News

Other family news: Jack (eldest grandson), a member of the Washington Children's Choir, singing the US National Anthem ahead of the NATS vs The St Louis Cardinals match, Washington DC, in front of a crowd of 30,000 people.

 Watch the video

Related - The Economist, Lexington: Clinton says that Trump is unfit to be commander-in-chief

Pathway to Eden: Down the Vitsa Steps to the River, and Back Again

In Matthew Kneale's marvelous novel, "The English Passenger", the Reverend Geoffrey Wilson is determined to prove that the true location of the Garden of Eden was in Tasmania.

I would be prepared to suspend my disbelief, and adopt another theory, by suggesting the Vikos Gorge (down the Vitsa steps) as a more plausible location. Pairs of Portuguese and Italian hikers we met on the way down could only exclaim with a note of wonder: "It's Paradise". So many species of wild flowers and orchids can be found in the gorge, beside the kalderimi-steps, in the wooded "holloways" and on the paths alongside the river, that it's difficult not to agree. It's my favourite morning walk.

The River

The river flows, cold from the mountain snow,

and on its banks the golden vetches grow.

Sappho, Lyra Graeca 1, Sappho 139

Translated by Theodore Stephanides 

("Sweet-Voiced Sappho", Colenso Books)

 

From Makis Lachanas,

 I Epistrophi tou Odyssea sto nisi ton Phaiakon

And back to civilisation...

See also: Bears in Bliss

The Best Walks in and around Dorchester, Dorset; Discover Dorchester

From Discover Dorchester

“The Greeks: Agamemnon to Alexander the Great,” Washington DC: Exhibition Opens June 1, 2016

EXHIBIT OPENS JUNE 1

"This summer, National Geographic will bring an extraordinary cultural experience to Washington, D.C. The exhibition, “The Greeks: Agamemnon to Alexander the Great,” is an exceptional journey through 5,000 years of Greek history and culture. Featuring collections from 22 national museums in Greece, this is the exhibit’s only East Coast stop. With more than 500 priceless treasures—many of which have never been on display outside of Greece—this is a once-in-a-generation exhibition. “The Greeks” tells the unique story of one of the world’s greatest ancient civilizations by exploring pivotal moments that led to the birth of Western democracy, modern art, science, medicine, theater, and sports. Visitors will encounter the early origins of Greek writing and art from the Cycladic and Minoan cultures of the Aegean; meet Mycenaean rulers and priestesses and mighty warriors from Sparta; get to know the heroes, athletes, and philosophers of Classical Greece; and discover more about Alexander, the king that would spread Greek culture throughout the world". The book

Aristotle: 2400 Years, World Congress, Thessaloniki, May 23-28, 2016; “Αριστοτέλης 2400 Χρόνια”

About “Αριστοτέλης 2400 Χρόνια”

Aristotle's Tomb discovered? News247.gr

Location of Aristotle's tomb to be revealed at Thessaloniki conference Thursday, eKathimerini

"An announcement regarding the tomb of Aristotle in Ancient Stageira in northern Greece was expected to be the highlight at an international conference held in Thessaloniki on Thursday. International delegates attending the "Aristotle 2400 Years" World Congress on Thursday were expected to hear that archaeologists carrying out a 20-year excavation at the ancient Macedonian city believe the site's most important finding to be the Greek philosopher's tomb. Aristotle, who was born in the same city in 384 BC, died in Evia in 322 BC".

Update, Pappas Post - Archaeologists Believe They’ve Discovered Aristotle’s 2,400-year-old Tomb in Macedonia

Euronews: Aristotle’s tomb ‘discovered’ by Greek archaeologist

Οι τελευταίες επιθυμίες του Αριστοτέλη

Sounds of the Hellenic World, Ancient and Modern; King's College, London, 4-5 July 2016.

The Department of Classics, the Centre for Hellenic Studies and the Department of Music at King’s College London are delighted to announce ‘SOUNDS OF THE HELLENIC WORLD, ANCIENT AND MODERN’ (4-5 JULY 2016), an afternoon and evening celebrating the musical traditions of Greece, followed by a morning workshop on music and the current crisis in Greece.

The event is organized with the collaboration of the Onassis Cultural Centre and the Athens Conservatoire.

The organisers note that "It is a special pleasure to welcome to King’s College London

- the poet ALICIA (A.E.) STALLINGS for the keynote lecture and a reading of poetry, and
- the SOKRATIS SINOPOULOS QUARTET in their first appearance in the UK

OTHER SPEAKERS AND CONTRIBUTORS:

Roderick Beaton (Director, Centre for Hellenic Studies, KCL)
Armand D’Angour (Oxford)
William Fitzgerald (Classics, KCL)
Korina Giaxoglou (Open University)
Dionysis Kapsalis (poet and Director, Cultural Foundation of the National Bank, Athens)
Pavlos Kavouras (University of Athens)
Katerina Levidou (Centre for Hellenic Studies, KCL)
Maria Margaronis (journalist)
Emily Pillinger (Classics, KCL)
Dimitrios Skyllas (composer)
Martin Stokes (Music, KCL)
Polina Tambakaki (Centre for Hellenic Studies, KCL)
Filippos Tsalahouris (composer, Athens Conservatoire)
Nikos Tsouchlos (President, Athens Conservatoire)"

For further details and booking visit the page:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/ahri/eventrecords/2015-2016/CHS/Sounds-of-the-Hellenic-world-.aspx

King's College London - Sounds of the Hellenic world
ww.kcl.ac.uk

Sounds of the Hellenic world Location Great Hall Strand Campus Category Conference/Seminar, Performance/Concert When 04 (13:00) - 05/07/2016 (13:00)

Tony Cragg at The Royal Djurgården, Stockholm

"In June 2016 a unique sculpture exhibition is opening at The Royal Djurgården, Stockholm with one of the Art world’s most acclaimed artists, Tony Cragg".

About Tony Cragg - Tony Cragg was born in Liverpool, England, 1949.

TONY CRAGG AT DJURGÅRDEN
JUNE 5 – OCTOBER 28, 2016


INAUGURATION: Sunday June 5th at 1pm.
H.R.H. Prince Daniel of Sweden opens the exhibition.
​
Opening speeches by Kerstin Brunnberg (President Djurgårdens Hembygdsförening), Thomas Norell (Royal Djurgården Administration), Sara Sandström Nilsson (gallery owner), Stefan Andersson (gallery owner) and Tony Cragg.

After the opening ceremony, at 2pm an open lecture by Tony Cragg will be held at The Museum of Ethnography. Free entrance, limited seating.

Update:

Congratulations Sir Tony Cragg!

Congratulations to Tony Cragg, renowned sculptor, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of Her Majesty´s Birthday.

"THE QUEEN has been graciously pleased, on the occasion of the Celebration of Her Majesty’s Birthday, to signify her intention of conferring the honour of Knighthood upon the undermentioned:

Professor Anthony Douglas CRAGG, C.B.E., Sculptor. For services to Visual Arts and UK-German relations." - The Gazette

Homeric Hymn to Ares

"Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden-helmed, doughty in heart, shield-bearer, Saviour of cities, harnessed in bronze, strong of arm, unwearying, mighty with the spear, O defence of Olympus, father of warlike Victory, ally of Themis, stern governor of the rebellious, leader of righteous men, sceptred King of manliness, who whirl your fiery sphere among the planets in their sevenfold courses through the aether wherein your blazing steeds ever bear you above the third firmament of heaven; hear me, helper of men, giver of dauntless youth! Shed down a kindly ray from above upon my life, and strength of war, that I may be able to drive away bitter cowardice from my head and crush down the deceitful impulses of my soul. Restrain also the keen fury of my heart which provokes me to tread the ways of blood-curdling strife. Rather, O blessed one, give you me boldness to abide within the harmless laws of peace, avoiding strife and hatred and the violent fiends of death".

Hugh G. Evelyn-White

Text in Ancient Greek

Εἲς Ἄρεα

Ἆρες ὑπερμενέτα, βρισάρματε, χρυσεοπήληξ,
ὀβριμόθυμε, φέρασπι, πολισσόε, χαλκοκορυστά,
καρτερόχειρ, ἀμόγητε, δορισθενές, ἕρκος Ὀλύμπου,
Νίκης εὐπολέμοιο πάτερ, συναρωγὲ Θέμιστος,
ἀντιβίοισι τύραννε, δικαιοτάτων ἀγὲ φωτῶν,
ἠνορέης σκηπτοῦχε, πυραυγέα κύκλον ἑλίσσων
αἰθέρος ἑπταπόροις ἐνὶ τείρεσιν, ἔνθα σε πῶλοι
ζαφλεγέες τριτάτης ὑπὲρ ἄντυγος αἰὲν ἔχουσι:
κλῦθι, βροτῶν ἐπίκουρε, δοτὴρ εὐθαρσέος ἥβης,
πρηὺ καταστίλβων σέλας ὑψόθεν ἐς βιότητα
ἡμετέρην καὶ κάρτος ἀρήιον, ὥς κε δυναίμην
σεύασθαι κακότητα πικρὴν ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῖο καρήνου,
καὶ ψυχῆς ἀπατηλὸν ὑπογνάμψαι φρεσὶν ὁρμήν,
θυμοῦ αὖ μένος ὀξὺ κατισχέμεν, ὅς μ᾽ ἐρέθῃσι
φυλόπιδος κρυερῆς ἐπιβαινέμεν: ἀλλὰ σὺ θάρσος
δός, μάκαρ, εἰρήνης τε μένειν ἐν ἀπήμοσι θεσμοῖς
δυσμενέων προφυγόντα μόθον Κῆράς τε βιαίους.

"Blunt too the sharp fury of temper that stirs and provokes me

To tread the chill pathway of combat. Instead, blessed one,

Give me the courage to live in the safe ways of peace,

Shunning strife and ill will and the violent fiends of destruction".

Thelma Sargent translation of this later hymn. "Certainly this short hymn has a strangely modern tone and the god of war has undergone a mighty transformation".

"Embedded in Brexit: An Inside Look at the Anti-EU Movement", Christoph Scheuermann - Another Perspective

A different angle and perspective - "Embedded in Brexit", Spiegel Online International

Unacceptable targeted propaganda? David Cameron warns elderly that a Brexit could hit their pensions and force foreign carers to return home, The Telegraph

Net migration to UK rises to 333,000 - second highest on record, BBC News

'Let’s be honest: the union does not exist' - EU Observer

EU, IMF, Greece Bailout Loan Developments: Two Tranches

The Guardian: Eurozone unlocks €10.3bn bailout loan for Greece - Meeting in Brussels ends in agreement at 2am after IMF waters down its demands to placate Germany and payment is split into two tranches

Kathimerini: Συμφωνία κάτω από τον πήχη για το χρέος

Eurozone hails 'breakthrough' with Greece, IMF debt deal

New Deal Aims to Forget Greece, Not Forgive It, Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

Greece Debt Relief to Pivot Around Germany's 2017 Ballot, Bloomberg

Will Greek debt deal really change anything? BBC News

Κερδισμένοι και χαμένοι από τη συμφωνία, eKathimerini

Αλλαγές στο ασφαλιστικό ζητούν οι θεσμοί

Αυξημένος ΕΝΦΙΑ για 485.000 ιδιοκτήτες

Σοκ ΦΠΑ στην οικονομία

Ετσι θα γίνει το «κούρεμα» σε δάνεια και οφειλές στην εφορία, MSN/Imerisia.gr

Lagarde remote control makes Europeans doubt IMF role in Greek deal, Reuters

Glitch in bailout talks fuels fears of delay in loan disbursement, eKathimerini

Deal with Greece will not work, says Guy Verhofstadt, EU Observer - “Greece is passing a lot of legislation, but is not implementing it. It is shocking to see that 74% of the legislation that has been adopted since the first bailout package has never been implemented. If we keep our eyes closed to this reality, the new tranche will again be a waste of tax payer’s money...The only way to save Greece is by radically modernising the country. The Greek government should make a more serious effort to combat clientelism, reform the public administration, modernise the justice system, make sure that taxes are collected and put in place targeted tax cuts for SMEs.”

Greece says it cannot fulfil demands for loans, EU Observer

Non-Performance Regarding Non-Performing Loans, Observing Greece

Unrelated: The Peloponnese in Greece is the best place in Europe to visit in 2016, says Lonely Planet

The Necklaces of Aphrodite

Iron Mooring Posts, Corfu New Harbour - the Necklaces of Aphrodite - ὅρμους χρυσείους - no mortal or god could keep her tied down. Was it a golden necklace (περιδέραιο, κολιέ, ὅρμος) -

  or an iron chain?

"And the goddess brighteyed Athena girded and clothed her, and the divine Graces and queenly Persuasion put necklaces of gold upon her" (Hesiod, Work and Days)

ζῶσε δὲ καὶ κόσμησε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη:
ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ Χάριτές τε θεαὶ καὶ πότνια Πειθὼ
ὅρμους χρυσείους ἔθεσαν χροΐ

αὐτὰρ ἐπειδὴ πάντα περὶ χροῒ κόσμον ἔθηκαν, 

ἦγον ἐς ἀθανάτους: οἳ δ᾽ ἠσπάζοντο ἰδόντες

χερσί τ᾽ ἐδεξιόωντο καὶ ἠρήσαντο ἕκαστος

εἶναι κουριδίην ἄλοχον καὶ οἴκαδ᾽ ἄγεσθαι, 

εἶδος θαυμάζοντες ἰοστεφάνου Κυθερείης.

"And when they had fully decked her, they brought her to the gods, who welcomed her when they saw her, giving her their hands. Each one of them prayed that he might lead her home to be his wedded wife, so greatly were they amazed at the beauty of violet-crowned Cytherea".

Ἥφαιστον δ᾽ ἐκέλευσε περικλυτὸν ὅττι τάχιστα

γαῖαν ὕδει φύρειν, ἐν δ᾽ ἀνθρώπου θέμεν αὐδὴν

καὶ σθένος, ἀθανάτῃς δὲ θεῇς εἰς ὦπα ἐίσκειν

παρθενικῆς καλὸν εἶδος ἐπήρατον: αὐτὰρ Ἀθήνην

ἔργα διδασκῆσαι, πολυδαίδαλον ἱστὸν ὑφαίνειν: 

καὶ χάριν ἀμφιχέαι κεφαλῇ χρυσέην Ἀφροδίτην

καὶ πόθον ἀργαλέον καὶ γυιοβόρους μελεδώνας: 

ἐν δὲ θέμεν κύνεόν τε νόον καὶ ἐπίκλοπον ἦθος

Ἑρμείην ἤνωγε, διάκτορον Ἀργεϊφόντην. 

ὣς ἔφαθ᾽: οἳ δ᾽ ἐπίθοντο Διὶ Κρονίωνι ἄνακτι. 

αὐτίκα δ᾽ ἐκ γαίης πλάσσεν κλυτὸς Ἀμφιγυήεις

παρθένῳ αἰδοίῃ ἴκελον Κρονίδεω διὰ βουλάς: 

ζῶσε δὲ καὶ κόσμησε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη: 

ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ Χάριτές τε θεαὶ καὶ πότνια Πειθὼ

ὅρμους χρυσείους ἔθεσαν χροΐ: ἀμφὶ δὲ τήν γε

Ὧραι καλλίκομοι στέφον ἄνθεσιν εἰαρινοῖσιν: 

πάντα δέ οἱ χροῒ κόσμον ἐφήρμοσε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη. 

ἐν δ᾽ ἄρα οἱ στήθεσσι διάκτορος Ἀργεϊφόντης

ψεύδεά θ᾽ αἱμυλίους τε λόγους καὶ ἐπίκλοπον ἦθος

τεῦξε Διὸς βουλῇσι βαρυκτύπου: ἐν δ᾽ ἄρα φωνὴν

θῆκε θεῶν κῆρυξ, ὀνόμηνε δὲ τήνδε γυναῖκα

Πανδώρην, ὅτι πάντες Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾽ ἔχοντες

δῶρον ἐδώρησαν, πῆμ᾽ ἀνδράσιν ἀλφηστῇσιν.

So said the father of men and gods, and laughed aloud. And he bade famous Hephaestus make haste and mix earth with water and to put in it the voice and strength of human kind, and fashion a sweet, lovely maiden-shape, like to the immortal goddesses in face; and Athena to teach her needlework and the weaving of the varied web; and golden Aphrodite to shed grace upon her head and cruel longing and cares that weary the limbs. And he charged Hermes the guide, the Slayer of Argus, to put in her a shameless mind and a deceitful nature. So he ordered. And they obeyed the lord Zeus the son of Cronos. Forthwith the famous Lame God moulded clay in the likeness of a modest maid, as the son of Cronos purposed. And the goddess brighteyed Athena girded and clothed her, and the divine Graces and queenly Persuasion put necklaces of gold upon her, and the rich-haired Hours crowned her head with spring flowers. And Pallas Athena bedecked her form with all manner of finery. Also the Guide, the Slayer of Argus, contrived within her lies and crafty words and a deceitful nature at the will of loud thundering Zeus, and the Herald of the gods put speech in her. And he called this woman Pandora, because all they who dwelt on Olympus gave each a gift, a plague to men who eat bread.

Hugh G. Evelyn-White


A ROMAN MARBLE TORSO OF VENUS, Christie's