Thursday, April 30, 2009

Rhodes island, Greece...


Lady in Red in Rhodes..., originally uploaded by pictalogue.
The mysterious lady in red walks through the empty beaches and lagoons of Rhodes...
The hill accross this bay carries the Acropolis of Lindos, the second largest town of Rhodes


Rhodes (GreekΡόδοςRódosItalianRodiOttoman Turkishردوس RodosLadinoRodi or Rodes) is a Greek island approximately 18 kilometres (11 mi) southwest of Turkey in eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007of which 53,709 resided in the homonymous capital city of the island.
Historically, Rhodes was famous worldwide for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The medieval Old Town of the City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site. Today Rhodes is a tourist destination. 


The coast line is over 220 kilometers. Rhodes is a very fertile island with rich cultivations and natural forests, especially at the South. It is famous for several agricultural products as fruits, olive oil and wine.
At the mountainous villages of the inland, there are also considerable stock-breeding and dairy products.

After a long and quite turbulent history, today the island is prosperous and famous again. It has been developed to a tourist island, offering high quality facilities and warm hospitality.
As a result it is a pole of attraction for many visitors and it is perhaps the most popular destination among the tourist resorts of Greece. Having an intense night life, it has gained in fame and many tourists come to the island to enjoy high quality amusement and nightlife for any taste.



Rhodes has been attributed several names , most of them very explicit : It has been called “ the island (or the daughter) of the sun ”, “the island of the Knights”, “the lady of the Aegean” etc.


Access to the island is possible by boat (at the central port of the town of Rhodes) and by plane (at the International Airport of Rhodes, called “Diagoras”, after the name of the famous ancient Olympic champion). There is also connection with most of the neighboring islands, as well as with the opposite Turkish coast by excursion boats.
The island of Rhodes is found at a distance of 260 nautical miles southeastern to Piraeus, with which it is connected every day by ferryboats, at least one in winter and more in summer.


The most comfortable way is of course to arrive by airplane. From El . Venizelos, the International Airport of Athens there are more than two flights to Rhodes everyday, all year round (in summer maybe more); there is also connection with Thessalonica, whereas in summer the island is connected with other cities and islands of Greece. In summer several charter flights from all around Europe are landed at the International Airport of the island.
There are also local connections, especially in summer, with several islands of the Dodecanese, of Cyclades and with Crete and the islands of the Northern Aegean, as well as with the Turkish coast across.
With in the island there is a good network of public buses that connect the capital town of Rhodes with the tourist resorts of the coast, as well as with the most important villages of the inland. Taxi is also a popular means of transportation, at least for the destinations found at short distance.

The town of Rhodes is connected daily with Lindos and Skala Kameirou by excursion boats. From Skala Kameirou excursion boats can get you to Chalki every day, or to Alimia for a short – stay excursion.


Of course, the best way to know the island is the car (rented or private). And, if you wish to go to most remote places, where cars have not access, the best way is to use a motorbike.

Popular culture

  • In ancient times there was a Roman saying: "Hic Rhodus, hic salta!" -- "Rhodes is here, here perform your jump", an admonition to prove one's idle boasts by deed rather than talk. It comes from an Aesop's fable called "The Boastful Athlete", and was cited by Hegel and Marx.
  • In the Playstation 2 game God of War II, both Rhodes and the Colossus of Rhodes are featured at the start of the game, offering a mythological theory as to how the Colossus was destroyed.

Archaeology

In ancient times, Rhodes was home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Colossus of Rhodes. This giant bronze statue once stood in the harbour. It was completed in 280 BC but was destroyed in an earthquake in 224 BC. No trace of the statue remains today.
Historical sites on the island of Rhodes include the Acropolis of Lindos, the Acropolis of Rhodes, the Temple of Apollo, ancient Ialysos, ancient Kamiros, the Governor's Palace, Rhodes Old Town (walled medieval city), the Palace of the Grand MastersKahal Shalom Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter, the Archeological Museum, the ruins of the castle of Monolithos, the castle of Kritinia and St. Catherine Hospice.
 


"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler



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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Sunset Cruise on a Traveller Ship



Περατάρης,ταξιδευτής

Η νύχτα πάλι σε βρίσκει
να ζωγραφίζεις στον ύπνο σου
ήλιους που ξέχασες
κι αυτοί πάγωσαν
κι ούτε ένα φιλί - ένα χάδι
να ζεστάνουν
την ανάμνηση που χαμήλωνε
ως τα δάχτυλα
βυθίστηκαν στα υπόγεια της μνήμης
στο τέρμα αναπάντεχων στιγμών
που έζησες περατάρης ,ταξιδευτής
ανάμεσα σε γκρεμούς
κι άβατους δρόμους
άπληστα πόντο-πόντο
σμίλευαν την ψυχή με φως
κι αέναη κίνηση
σε μια άδεια θάλασσα
που θέλησες να την πιείς.
Σοφια Στρεζου

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler



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Cultures at the far edge of the world...


"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler



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a "Greek Odyssey"... the eternal voyage




Greece is full of archaeological sites and monuments of distinctive prestige and charm, on which all known periods of its long-standing history have left their mark. 
Visitors have the opportunity to make a unique “journey” through the rare “mosaic” of historic and cultural memory which has left an indelible mark on every region of the country and effortlessly highlights the manifold manifestations of Greek culture to date.
According to the UNESCO catalogue, the following archaeological sites and cultural areas in Greece have been characterised as Monuments of Cultural Heritage:

1. Monastery complex of Aghio Oros (Mount Athos)
2. The Acropolis of Athens
3. Vassae: 
The Temple of Epicurean Apollo
4. 
Vergina - Aegae
5. 
Delphi (archaeological site)
6. 
Delos (archaeological site)
7. 
Epidaurus (archaeological site)
8. Early Christian and Byzantine 
Thessalonica
9. 
Monastery complex of Meteora
10. 
Mystras (Medieval City)
11.The Monasteries of 
Daphni (Attica), Ossios Lucas (Central Greece) and Nea Moni (New Monastery) of Chios
12. The archaeological sites of Mycenae and Tiryns
13. 
Olympia (archaeological site)
14. Patmos: 
Monastery of Aghios Ioannis Theologos and the Cave of the Apocalypse
15. 
Medieval city of Rhodes
16. Samos: Pythagoreio and 
Heraion
17. 
Old Town of Corfu (Kerkyra)

For further information, click one of the specific items.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler



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VESPA BLOGGER AWARD FRIENDSHIP

I have received an award from one of my blogger friends; from April :) That's very nice..I felt honored..Thanks my friend..

Now i would like to pass this award to some of my blogger friends..And the winnersss are: ........ :)



toomanytribbles  

Verwon's Blog    

Vrakas Kostas 

Prophet Estarian  

Miltiades aka Mavros Gatos  

mamashift 

Aeglie’s Adventures

Lorelei Am Rein 

KoreanPapers Art 

Asteroessa 

Κατερίνα ante portas 

she blogger 


( I just hope my other blogger friends won't get mad at me..It's soo hard to add all of you my friends.. :)
If you would like to pass this award to some of your friends, than;
1. Put the logo on your blog
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4. Add links to those blogs on yours
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blog

Wishing you a great day... 


"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler



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Empire State Building, NYC


High resolution original being prepared for printing as a large poster and will be available for sale. These photos were taken by me over a 4-year period off of my balcony. The composite was also done by myself, using Photoshop and the original high-rez images (not the ones posted here on Flickr which are all small and low-rez). This poster will be updated over time to improve its aesthetics. Constructive suggestions as to how to improve this as a poster are appreciated. Check back to see its evolution. I love NY!

New York's famous Empire State Building, a New York City Landmark and a National Historic Landmark, soars more than a quarter of a mile into the atmosphere above the heart of Manhattan.
Located on the 86th floor, 1,050 feet (320 meters) above the city's bustling streets, the Observatory offers panoramic views from within a glass enclosed pavilion and from the surrounding open-air promenade.


Since the Observatory opened to the public in 1931, almost 110 million visitors have thrilled to the awe-inspiring vision of the city beneath them.


Each year over 3.5 million people are whisked to the 86th floor to be where Cary Grant waited in vain for Deborah Kerr in an "Affair to Remember", while Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan had their fateful meeting in the movie "Sleepless in Seattle." The observatory is handicap accessible.


The building, one of New York City's main tourist attractions, offers a variety of activities for its visitors. One can tour the Observatory 365 days per year, day and night, rain or shine for breathtaking views of Manhattan and beyond. Also, there are two restaurants, a sushi bar, three coffee shops, a drug store, a Hallmark card shop, a post office and two banks, in addition to the plethora of restaurants and nightlife activities in the surrounding area.


For the family, there is the New York SKYRIDE, an independently owned and operated simulated helicopter ride and virtual-reality movie theater. There are also several art exhibits for all to view in the lobby, including the addition of items from Fay Wray's private collection of photographs, posters and "King Kong" memorabilia permanently displayed in two lobby showcase windows. Many concerts and holiday-based shows/decorations are scheduled year-round as well as special annual events such as the ESB Run-up and Valentine's Day Weddings.


All in all, the feeling and spirit of New York City is embodied in the Empire State Building. From the people who fell in love here, to the ones who have returned with their children and grandchildren, everyone recognizes the building not only as an awe-inspiring landmark which offers one of the most spectacular views on earth but an unequaled symbol of American ingenuity and Art Deco architecture.


"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler



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Monday, April 27, 2009

Castello Banfi, Tuscany, Italy



Castello Banfi appears on the Tuscan horizon like a pink hilltop castle      straight out of a fairy tale. A tall, slender Rapunzel-style tower overlooks a huge estate that reaches almost as far as the nearby Mediterranean. Within this authentic medieval fortress lies a cozy courtyard; outside lies a cluster of stone cottages with narrow vine-covered streets, a hamlet that clung to the castle walls in the dark ages. The estate holds vines, olive groves, wheat fields, plum orchards, and woodlands; within those same forests live wild boar, deer, pheasant, even truffles.
   But unlike many European winery castles, this place is no fortress when it comes to visitors. It has two restaurants, one of which has a Michelin star. It has a gorgeous wine store with spacious ceramic flooring, handsome dark wood rafters, and attractive display shelves. The winery facilities with their endless rows of barrels are immaculate, as are the 14 guest rooms located in the surrounding stone cottages.




The winery even has its own onsite cooperage, where the best oak planks from France and Slavonia are custom made into barrels. If this isn't quite enough, what surely marks this winery out as a must-see in southern Tuscany is its intriguing Glass Museum, six rooms displaying glass from the present day all the way back to the 15th century B.C. Egyptian urns sit beside Babylonian vases beside ancient Roman ampules and goblets; present-day examples include decorative crystal by some guys called Picasso, Cocteau, and Dalí. It focuses your mind temporarily away from the wine onto the see-through object that holds it.



Such rich, historic splendor has its genesis in the most unlikely of places -- Long Island, New York. This is where owner John F. Mariani's father started out with an Italian wine importer called Banfi in 1919. His timing could not have been worse -- Prohibition came a year later. He limped through those dry years selling wine for "medicinal purposes," then wasted no time importing the very best from Italy when the law was finally lifted. Business boomed, and over the years Banfi introduced the finest of Italian wines to the American market, including Lambrusco, and Chianti.

The winery itself has put its faith in Sangiovese; vineyards teeming with the grape now besiege the castle walls. While the whole complex has a somewhat polished, corporate feel, rest assured that this is no Disneyland of wine -- it's the genuine article.



Contact Information:
Castello Banfi, Montalcino; tel. 39/577/840111www.castellobanfi.com.



"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler



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weird Aquariums around the world





"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler



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Romania ...tara mea

mogosaia

mogosaia

fagaras Posted by Picasa


sibiu

sibiu altstad

eclipsa totala

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler



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"Cuba Libre" ...Anima Libre




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"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler



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