FEBRUARY 2019 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: vema@bigpond.net.au

THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN

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outsideGreece

The creative displacementof the Parthenon Marbles

Santorini

Past volcanic activity on this beautiful islandlargely to thank for its quality produce and cui-sine.

PAGE 16/32

6th annual Professional Development Day for Teachers

OUR ARCHBISHOP’S

ADDRESS ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING OF THE LAW TERM 2019PAGE 5/21

When the director of the British Museum, DrHartwig Fischer, recently declared that it wasthe fiduciary owner of the Parthenon Marblesand that their displacement to the British Mu-seum was a “creative act,” the reaction wasswift.

PAGE 8/24

On Monday January 29, the St AndrewsGreek Orthodox Theological College hosted itssixth annual professional development day forthe teachers and staff of the Greek Orthodoxschools in Sydney.

PAGE 5/21

CONFIDENCEBUILDINGMEASURES

In Ankara on Tuesday (5/2) Greek Prime Minister Alex-is Tsipras and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoganoutlined their established positions on key topics just afew hours after Turkish authorities issued a provocativeannouncement, offering a bounty for the return of eightTurkish servicemen who fled to Greece in 2016.

Among the positive developments were decisions tokeep channels of communication open, for the country’sdefense ministers to meet soon, and for the establish-ment of a joint business forum in Thessaloniki. Apartfrom bilateral issues, talks also focused on the migrationcrisis and the implementation of the EU-Turkey deal tocurb arrivals. In a joint press conference with Tsipras inAnkara, Erdogan declared that all issues with Greece canbe solved “on an equitable basis and in a peaceful way.”

He also insisted on the return of the eight servicemen,blaming them for deaths during the botched coup of2016. “Greece must treat the fugitives appropriately.They are responsible for the deaths,” he said, addingthat Greece must not become “a safe haven” for terror-ists.

The Turkish leader also referred to the need for the“equal status” of Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus and Turks inWestern Thrace to be recognized, and linked the ques-tion of the reopening of the Orthodox Seminary on Halkito the ability of the Muslim minority of Thrace to ap-point its own muftis.

Asked by a reporter about the Halki school, he said:

“Every time this comes up, I tell them we should resolvethe issue of the muftis in Western Thrace. Let’s alsosolve this issue.”

Tsipras, for his part, remarked that “coup plotters arenot welcome in Greece” but that “Greece must respectthe judiciary’s decisions,” referring to rulings rejectingthe men’s extradition to Turkey and granting them asy-lum.

The Greek PM also referred to transgressions over theAegean. He said Greece and Turkey have agreed to de-escalate any tensions in the Aegean Sea and proceedwith confidence-building measures, while any differ-ences with Turkey “can and must be solved with dia-logue.” If these steps materialize, the two countries canthen make progress and repeat the exploratory talks onthe issue of the continental shelf in the Aegean, headded.

Tsipras also commented on gas exploration in theEastern Mediterranean, noting the importance of “re-spect for international law... and the need for energy toform a bridge for cooperation in the region.”

As for the Cyprus problem, he called for a fair and vi-able solution that would benefit both communities. Er-dogan said that an important parameter is achieving“equality” for Turkish Cypriots on the island.

On Wednesday (6/2), in Istanbul, Tsipras was to visitHagia Sofia before going to the Halki seminary in the firstsuch visit by a Greek premier in nearly nine decades.

Tsipras, Erdogan agree to dialogue on Aegean, Cyprus issues

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA2/18 FEBRUARY 2019

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/19FEBRUARY 2019

Greece's parliament late last month ratified a land-mark accord that changes the name of neighbouringFormer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), end-ing a decades-old dispute and opening the way for theex-Yugoslav republic to join the European Union andNATO.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who hammered out thedeal with his FYROM counterpart last year, secured theparliamentary majority needed to get the accord ap-proved with support from independent and oppositionlawmakers.

"Today we are writing a new page for the Balkans.The hatred of nationalism and conflict is giving way tofriendship, peace, and cooperation," Tsipras wrote onhis social media account.

FYROM has already ratified the deal, brokered lastyear, and its prime minister promptly sent a tweet hail-ing the Greek parliament's vote.

The settlement seeks to end a 28-year old row be-tween Athens and Skopje over the use of the term"Macedonia" by renaming the tiny Balkan state "Repub-lic of North Macedonia" to differentiate it fromGreece's northern province of Macedonia.

Greece's European Union allies welcomed the ratifi-cation.

"They had imagination, they took the risk, they wereready to sacrifice their own interests for the greatergood," European Council President Donald Tusk tweet-ed. "Mission impossible accomplished."

Opinion polls indicate that most Greeks oppose thesettlement, a fact which may not bode well for Tsiprasin an election year. A general election is due by Octo-

ber, and his party is trailing the opposition New Democ-racy by up to 12 points.

The debate in the Greek parliament was heated, withvoting almost interrupted on Friday when an MP for theright-wing Golden Dawn Party, asked to cast his vote,responded: "No to treason!"

Several MPs in favour of of the accord reported at-tempts to intimidate them.

Many Greeks fear the agreement could lead to terri-torial claims against Greece and say it constitutes an ap-propriation of their country's ancient cultural heritage.Macedonia was the birthplace of Alexander the Great.

Protests against the deal have at times turned violentthis week, and on Thursday evening police fired teargasto disperse crowds outside parliament. Smaller groupsof people braved heavy rain on Friday to demonstrateoutside the parliament.

New Democracy slammed the agreement

"This deal should never have been signed or broughtto parliament for ratification," party leader KyriakosMitsotakis told parliament. "It is a national defeat ... anational blunder that is an affont to the truth and histo-ry of our country." [Reuters]

Greek PM hails ratification of Prespes deal

ENQUIRIES AND APPLICATIONS WELCOMESt Andrew’s was established in 1986 by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia in order to provide tertiary level education andtraining of Christian Orthodox clergy, theologians, lay teachers and ministers in order to meet the catechetical and pastoral needs ofthe Orthodox Church in Australia. It is also intended to be a centre of ecumenical scholarship and learning. It is fully accredited throughthe Sydney College of Divinity, a federation of Christian theological education providers (www.scd.edu.au). All the degrees and awardsare approved by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), Australia's independent national regulator of the high-er education sector.

St Andrew’s offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate units, through lectures on campus and via online distance education,which explore Systematic Theology, Patristic Studies, Biblical Studies, Church History, Liturgics, Pastoral Theology, and New TestamentGreek language, towards the following courses: Bachelor of Theology (with Honours), Associate Degree in Christian Thought andPractice, Diploma of Christian Studies, Graduate Certificate in Theological Studies, Graduate Diploma of Theological Studies, Master ofTheological Studies, and Clinical Pastoral Education in Aged Care.

For more information please visit our website or contact the Registrar:

St Andrew’s Creek Orthodox Theological College242 Cleveland Street, Redfem NSW 2016

Tel: 02 9549 3100 / Fax: 02 9549 3151Website: www.sagotc.edu.au / Email: registrar@sagotc.edu.au

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA4/20 FEBRUARY 2019

I mentioned last month that there was a relation-ship between being religious and health. In the pro-cess I wanted to share some research on religiousfasting.

Firstly, for most of us there is a benefit in reducing

our food intake while maintaining adequate nutri-ents. Writing in the Nutrition Journal, Trepanowskiand Bloomer from the University of Memphis report-ed that fasts such as caloric reduction (20-40%) in-crease longevity and delay the onset of a number ofconditions, such as “autoimmune diseases, athero-sclerosis, cardiomyopathies, cancer, diabetes, renaldi-seases, neurodegenerative diseases, and respirato-ry diseases” (p. 57). In a later article that researchgroup summarised available findings for those whoare diet conscious – “neither carbohydrate restrictionnor li-pid restriction extend life, protein restriction in-creases maximum lifespan by roughly 20%” (2011, p.108).

Religious fasting is one type of voluntary fastingand Orthodox religious fasting includes around 180-200 days per year. It is a type of varied vegetarian di-et that has much in common with the Mediterraneandiet.

Recently, a group of six researchers from the Medi-cal School of the Aristotle University of Thessalonikisummarised current research on the effects of Ortho-dox religious fasting on human health. This was an ar-ticle in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2017.

What were the findings? You can probably guesswhat some of the likely results are. I have summa-rised the key points for you. During fasting:

• Energy intake was reduced. For monks on MtAthos, they noted that “daily energy intake was re-markably low on non-restrictive days and was evenlower on restrictive days” (p. 2444);

• Fat intake was reduced;• Fibre intake increased during fasting periods;• During the fasting periods, the carbohydrate con-

sumption was reduced around (11-13%);• Saturated fat and trans-fatty acid intake also de-

creased during fasting.;

• Mineral and vitamin intake (vitamin A, thiamine,niacin, vitamin C and vitamin E) did not show signifi-cant differences;

• Calcium intake decreased probably associatedwith restricted dairy intake;

• Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cho-lesterol (LDL-C) were consistently lower during fast-ing periods (this is why I usually have my annualblood test near the end of Lent!);

• Body mass index (BMI) was reduced at the end offasting periods.

So, should we all follow the Orthodox dietary reli-gious program? Fasting is not a dietary program forpromoting human health. It is about self-control andsacrifice within the context of a religious life.

Quite rightly, the researchers from Thessaloniki ex-amined it from a purely biological perspective andconcluded, “Incorporation of this dietary pattern on adaily clinical basis, as a health promoting diet, shouldbe critically appraised and individually assessed…”.

For most of us there appear to be good religiousreasons for fasting but for some it should be followedonly in the context of professional medical advice.The take home message, however, is that - on the w-hole - eating less and fasting have health benefits.Whether you personally would live longer or not isanyone’s guess but the spiritual benefits of a consci-entious and disciplined religious fast are immeasur-able.

Sources: Koufakis, T. et al. (2017). Effects of Orthodox religious fast-ing on human health: a systematic review. European Journal of Nutri‐tion, 56: 2439-2455; Trepanowski, J. F., & Bloomer, R. J. (2010). The im-pact of religious fasting on human health. Nutrition Journal, 9, 57;Trepanowski, J. F. et al. (2011). Impact of caloric and dietary restrictionregimens on markers of health and longevity in humans and animals:a summary of available findings. Nutrition Journal, 10, 107.

letterfrommaroubra@gmail.com

Letterfrom

Maroubra

By Alexis Papachelas - Kathimerini, Athens

In order to answer the question “Whatwill Greece look like two years fromnow?” it is not enough to guess whattype of government will be in place. It isalso important to know what sort of op-position will be facing that government.

Will the next government be pittedagainst a Tsipras of the pre-2015 years,when his SYRIZA party only just clearedthe 3 percent threshold ensuring parlia-mentary representation? Or a Tsipraswho will by then have turned into a radi-cal social-democrat, as many Europeanobservers appear to believe? Or – a thirdpossibility – a Tsipras who will follow ana-la-carte approach depending on thecircumstances?

I think the safest bet is that Tsipras willswitch to an a-la-carte or anything-goesmode.

The leftist premier has proved un-scrupulous when it comes to politicalmaneuvering. He does not hesitate toadopt any policy line that serves his po-litical ends. The SYRIZA - IndependentGreeks (ANEL) coalition managed to im-pose several tough measures withoutgenerating any serious resistance be-cause there wasn’t a SYRIZA-like opposi-tion to stop it.

The governments of New Democracyand reformist PASOK were too afraid tointroduce reforms because of opposition

on the streets and accusations of sellingout and betrayal.

Privatizations, relations with the Unit-ed States and Israel, and the deal withChina’s Cosco are only a few examples ofthis. The truth is that as we get closer tothe next election, the leftist prime minis-ter will try to style himself international-ly as a decisive leader.

Inside Greece, however, everythinghas come to a halt. The government’smost reactionary faction has gotten theupper hand, blocking any meaningful re-

form. Nothing that could push the coun-try in a forward direction will happen un-til after the elections. Tsipras has givenall he had to give.

The question is whether Tsipras willreach for the megaphone once he is outof Maximos Mansion.

Will he take to the streets to protestthe project at the old Athens airport inElliniko or Cosco’s expansion in Piraeusand other projects that he has backed,but not seen through, as prime minister?

Will he switch back to his old ways of

Germany- and US-bashing? And, mostimportant, will he manage to get thepeople with him, along with a new gen-eration of hardline union leaders?

Or will that make him look like a veter-an actor trying in vain to repeat an oldrole?

Greece has paid the price of Tsipras’spre-2015 opposition tactics. The worstpossible scenario would be to see a re-peat of the old Tsipras in the oppositionmatched against a government that istoo scared to break any eggs.

Opposition scenarios

TO BHMA 5/21FEBRUARY 2019 The Greek Australian VEMA

Our Primate’s View

Address on the occasion of theOpening of the Law Term 2019

By ARCHBISHOPSTYLIANOSOF AUSTRALIA

Our annual meeting for common prayers on theoccasion of the opening of the legal Term undoubt-edly constitutes a time of particular significance andresponsibility for us all.

Bearing in mind that the Church throughout thecenturies conveys to the world the law of grace andthe secular justice tirelessly tries to discover thegrace of law, we must face each other as coworkerstowards the same cause, that is the peace and rec-onciliation of what was previously divided, hostileand even adverse.

In the passage of St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans,which we just heard, there is a fundamental require-ment which renders both missions, namely of theChurch and of the Justice, sacred and irreplaceable.This requirement is expressed in a lapidary way inthe affirmation that “there is in God no partiality”.

According to this qualification the Church will re-main faithful to her redemptory mission in the worldonly as long as she extends her services to everyone,irrespective of race, colour or sex, and the Justicelikewise will remain a promising refuge for everyperson in need only as long as it avoids all discrimi-nation.

Of course we know that both integrities often re-quire from their respective servants a high price,sometimes too high, since it includes their very life,which for human beings is most unbearable. Yet pre-cisely in this sacrifice lies the basis of the unique sa-credness of both institutions, for which we pray incommon once again today.

God bless you, your coworkers, your families andall those engaged in the sacred cause of peace, jus-tice, world welfare and eternal salvation. Amen.

6th annual Professional Development Day for Teachers

On Monday January 29, the St Andrews Greek Orthodox Theological College host-ed its sixth annual professional development day for the teachers and staff of theGreek Orthodox schools in Sydney: St Spyridon College (Kingsford), All Saints Gram-mar (Belmore) and St Euphemia College (Bankstown).

In front of an audience of around 200 people, the event was opened by the Col-lege’s Sub-Dean, His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias. It featured presentationsby the Very Revd Fr Apostolos Trifyllis and the Revd Fr Anastasios Bozikis, membersof the College Faculty Board, as well Mr Nicholas Augoustinos from the SydneySchool of Law of the University of Notre Dame Australia. This year’s theme related tothe life and work of the Three Hierarchs, Sts Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologianand John Chrysostom, who are esteemed as patrons of education in the OrthodoxTradition.

His Grace began the day with prayer, and by thanking the schools for their atten-

dance. Fr Anastasios subsequently traced the essential features of classical Hellenic

paideia and how these were critiqued by early Christian writers, and in what wayseach of the three holy bishops appropriated classical learning for the purpose of theChristian life and the gospel.

Fr Apostolos explained the origins of the Feast Day of the Three Hierarchs, and thendrew examples from their lives and teachings that touched upon the principles of as-cetism, philanthropy, humility, and which demonstrated that the profound ambitionof education is the spiritual and moral formation and transformation of students andnot merely the imparting of information to them.

Mr Augoustinos surveyed the famous work of St Basil, Address to the Youth, andextracted rich food for thought for all those who are entrusted with the complete de-velopmental and educational needs of young people.

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA6/22 FEBRUARY 2019

Out of 1,127 Australians who were rec-ognized in this year’s Australia’s HonorsList celebration, seven were of Greek orGreek Cypriot descent.

The annual Honors List recognizes Aus-tralian citizens whose actions and deedsbenefit the nation and who influencetheir local communities as well as the en-tire nation.

The Order of Australia was created in1975. The Australian Honours systemrecognizes both civilian and military indi-viduals, for their gallantry, bravery, dis-tinguished service, meritorious service,or long service.

The Greeks and Cypriots on the list

who were distinguished as members ofthe Order of Australia (AM) included twofemale recipients, Helen Marcou andProfessor Maria Kavallaris (photo). Pro-fessor Paul Pavli, Paul Steve Constanti-nou, and Joseph Leo Lukaitis were alsoawarded with the AM.

Professor Maria Kavallaris was recog-nized for her accomplishments in chil-dren’s cancer research. Marcou, the co-founder and co-owner of Bakehouse Stu-dios and a promoter and advocate forlive performance, was recognized for hercommitment to service in music.

The remaining Greek and Cypriot Aus-tralians on the Honors list, Christos Kazo-

nis and Emeritus Professor Dimitrios(Jim) Psaros, both received a Medal ofthe Order of Australia.

Kazonis is the chair of the PaniyiriGreek Festival and the Australian Hel-lenic Sports and Culture Center and is al-so a Councillor for the Greek OrthodoxCommunity of St. George.

Honors are awarded on Australia Day,which is celebrated on January 26, aswell as on the Queen’s Birthday, which isobserved on the second Monday in Juneeach year.

The year’s Honors list winners included71 Australian citizens who were appoint-ed Officers of the Order, 282 appointed

Members of the Order, and 755 Medalsof the Order. In addition, there were 273meritorious and military awards givenout at the ceremony.

Among the nineteen recipients for thehighest Australian honor, the Companionof the Order of Australia, this year weresinger and actress Olivia Newton-John,tennis player Roy Emerson, and authorJennifer Rowe.“To sin and not

repent is blasphemy against the Lord”,

Anonymous

Issue 24

Portion 24.1 History of Fasting. According to Archimandrite Symeon: “The first Fast to appear amongst Christians was the Fast before Easter. In addition, instead of the fasting on Monday and Thursday that was observed by the Pharisees, fasting was established on two other days: Wednesday and Friday. This later fast was to commemorate on Wednesday the betrayal of the Lord, and on Friday the crucifixion of the Lord. From various historic records we learn that the fasting of the first Christians lasted for the whole day, from morning until evening. Fasting therefore meant at that time complete abstinence from food. With time a more moderate form of fasting emerged called station, where fasting ceased at the 9th hour, that is 3pm. On some exceptional occasions fasting was extended for the whole day and night, with complete abstinence over three or more days. This three-day fast was called the triimero, and generally fasting over many days was called iperthesis. With the passage of time iperthesis, due to its strictness, was observed only by the zealot Christians of the world, and by the monks and ascetics. With the increase in fasting days, fasting in the form of complete abstinence was then replaced by particular abstinence, where abstinence was observed only for particular foods like meat, wine, oil, milk, eggs, cheese, and fish. This abstinence did not mean disdain of certain foods as being detestable, but aimed at the asceticism of the body and the restraint of carnal desires and evil thoughts.”

Portion 24.2 Types of fasting and the benefits of fasting. According to Archimandrite Symeon: “Fasting is divided into three types: 1) Complete abstinence, called asitia. 2) Eating of dry foods, with no oil or wine, called xyrophagia. 3) Partial abstinence, where we abstain moderately from certain foods; mainly meat, fish, and dairy foods.” According to Saint Symeon the New Theologian: “Indeed, fasting, the physician of our souls, has the power in one person to restrain the burning and movements of the flesh, in another to pacify anger, in another to banish excess sleep, in another to awake the readiness for good works, in another to purify his mind from evil thoughts, in another to restrain his tongue, and in another to restrain his eyes from curiosity.”

Portion 24.3 The established Major Fasts of the Church. According to Priestmonk Spyridon: “There are 5 categories of fasting: Category A: Meats and Poultry. Category B: Dairy Products. Category C: Fish Products. Category D: Wine and Oil. Category E: No Oil. Major Fasts of the Church are:

1. Every Wednesday and Friday. (Cat. E.) 2. Great Lent. (Cat. E., Saturday and Sunday Cat. D.). 3. Apostles Fast. (Cat. C.). 4. Dormition Fast. (Cat. E., Saturday and Sunday Cat. D.). 5. Christmas Fast. (Cat. C.).”

Written by Metaphrastis In the next Issue we will speak about Prayer.

Australian Greeks and Cypriots receive Order of Australia Honors

The year 2018 broke all records forGreek tourism, with the country welcom-ing 33 million international arrivals andearning revenues of more than 16 billioneuros, Tourism Minister Elena Kountourasaid.

In an interview with Alpha TV, the min-ister emphasized the enormous contribu-tion of tourism as a whole to the Greek e-conomy. Tourism was so high that it evenhad a beneficial effect on all the produc-tive sectors, such as trade, constructionand real estate.

Kountoura described the strategy ofthe Greek tourism ministry and its nextmoves to continue the excellent courseof tourism in 2019. She hopes to main-tain the double-digit increase of foreign-ers coming to Greece which has beenrecorded in the last several years.

However, the minister warned that2019 will be a demanding and difficultyear, referring to a series of challengesGreek tourism may face.

Brexit is expected to bring turmoilacross the European economy, as are thesuccessive EU elections throughout Eu-rope. There are also problems faced bylow-cost airlines which affect flight plan-ning.

In addition, the country faces greatercompetition from non-EU countrieswhich have adopted aggressive “subsi-dization” policies for tourism, where sta-te monies go into tourism advertisingbudgets which are many times largerthan that of Greece.

Kountoura stressed that she will havefurther meetings with British and Euro-pean tourism industry operators in orderto minimize the impact of any potentialproblems. She believes this will help en-sure that the flow of tourists to Greececontinues to increase.

Greek tourismfaces

challenges afterrecord year

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/23FEBRUARY 2019

ST ANNA - GOLD COAST

30 YEARS ANNIVERSARY SINCE FOUNDATION STONE

It was with great celebration on Sunday 2 December, that the St Anna Greek Or-thodox Church on the Gold Coast marked the 30 Year milestone since the Churchwas commenced. The Church and Hellenic Centre were sparkling having both un-dergone an extensive restoration and beautification program.

The day began with the Divine Liturgy officiated by His Grace Bishop Seraphim ofApollonias together with Rev Father Romanos Stergiou (Parish Priest of St Anna)and Rev Father Raymond Smith. Other special guests who attended the luncheonafterwards were: Rev Father Panayiotis Kapandritis (Parish Priest of St Paraskevi);Judge of the Court of Appeal in Qld, The Hon Anthe Philippides; Mayor of the City ofGold Coast, Councillor Tom Tate and Mrs Tate; Honorary Consul of Greece in Qld,Mr Jim Raptis OBE and Mrs Raptis; Councillor for Division 7 Gold Coast City Council,Mr Gary Baildon and Mrs Baildon; President of the Parish-Community of St Anna,Mrs Sandra Voukelatos and Mr Jim Voukelatos; Founding Benefactor of St AnnaCommunity, Mrs Stamatina Vaggelas, other Parish and Community Presidents andAhepa representatives.

At the function, the MC Michael Paris introduced the speakers who addressed the320 attendees offering their congratulations and their personal reflections were:

Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias, President Sandra Voukelatos, Rev Father RomanosStergiou, Mayor Tom Tate and Hon Consul Jim Raptis.

Two groups received awards which were presented by His Grace BishopSeraphim. Some awards were received posthumously by family members. GreatBenefactors of St Anna Church are Mr & Mrs Jim Raptis and Mr Eric & Mrs MarikaPalyaris.

Benefactors are Mr Peter Vaggelas & Mrs Stamatina Vaggelas, Mr & Mrs PeterZerveas, Mr Alex Freelaeagus AO, Mr Constantinos Philippides AO, Mr George Pip-pos, Mrs Soula Cassimatis & family and Mr Chris Xanthopoulos.

A second group was presented with Appreciation Awards. These people have of-fered distinguished service to the Parish-Community. They have excelled either phi-lanthropically or by volunteering and their contribution is major, over manydecades. Some assistance has become intergenerational. Among the recipients isthe humble Neos Kosmos correspondent, Mr John Carras. The other recipientswere Chris Armenores, Maria Botes, Theophilos Gregory, Fani Grosdanis, Sotiris &Angela Manolopoulos, Anna Miteff, Nikiforides Family, Marika Palyaris, SophiaRafailides, George & Eleni Stavrinos, George Toparis, Theo & Dunya Vairaktaris,Dixie & Ketty Walker & family, late Victor Tahmindjis, late George Grosdanis, late Si-mon Symeou, AHEPA, and Gold Coast City Council.

As part of the program, St Anna’s Senior Dancers displayed their dancing skills andtheir love of maintaining their cultural heritage.

A beautiful book has been produced showing the life of the St Anna Parish-Com-munity over the last 30 years. A soft-cover is available for $20 and a hard-coveredversion is available for $30. To order, phone (07)55740434 or email admin@goc-stanna.org.

LEFT: Great Benefactors Jim Raptis OBE and his wife receiving their Benefactors award from His Grace Bishop Seraphim of ApolloniasRIGHT: Benefactor Stamantina Vaggelas receiving her Benefactors award from His Grace. Adam Vaggelas also receiving his grandfather’s posthumous award.

LEFT: The Hon. Justice Anthe Pilippides receiving her father’s posthumous award.RIGHT: Steve Palyaris being presented with his Great Benefactor award from His Grace.BELOW: John Carras, Neos Kosmos representative and member of the Greek Communityof St Anna proudly holds the appreciation award with his two grandchildren Georgina (18)

and Charles (16) from Brisbane.

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA8/24 FEBRUARY 2019

When the director of the British Museum, Dr HartwigFischer, recently declared that it was the fiduciary ownerof the Parthenon Marbles and that their displacement tothe British Museum was a “creative act,” the reaction wasswift. For many, the British Museum was displaying an ar-rogance still rooted in an imperialist mind-set. As theGreek culture minister retorted, Athens is the naturalplace for the entire collection of Parthenon sculptures andshe urged the British to reconsider their stance.

The problem is that there is nothing new or surprising inFischer’s statement, apart, perhaps, from the rather insen-sitive reference to the creative looting of the Parthenon.

While the Greeks and supporters of the cause for the re-turn of the sculptures are entitled to be indignant, that

fact is that this is the latest in a long and consistent line ofstatements and claims made by the British cultural estab-lishment in defending the continued retention of the scul-ptures in London. And creative they have been.

From the outset, in renaming the Parthenon sculptures“the Elgin Collection” by an act of Parliament, the Britishnot only saw themselves as the rightful heirs to the cultur-al heritage and glories of the ancient Greeks but they liter-ally erased the Athenian origin of these sculptures. A for-mer curator of the Greek and Roman Collection at the mu-seum once wrote that “Lord Elgin’s acquisition of them isnow an irreversible part of their history and, indeed, hasto a large extent made them what they are… the sculp-tures were transformed from architectural ornament into

objects of art.” When the Greeks thought that the comple-tion of the new Acropolis Museum (which finally hap-pened in 2009) would clinch the return of the marbles, theBritish Museum had other ideas. It proceeded to rebranditself as a so-called universal museum – embodying thecollective memory of mankind – and now claims to be the“museum of the world, for the world.”

The British Museum simply photoshops history to claimthat the sculptures looted by Elgin now tell a different andnovel narrative in London in the ultimate “memory institu-tion” and are no longer part of Athenian history.

They have twice dismembered parts of the collection todisplay in another hall of the museum, the last being theRodin exhibition in 2018 under the pretext that the fa-

mous French sculptor was influenced by the ancientGreeks. In reality, as when the British Museum in2014 in clandestine circumstances dispatched thepedimental statue of the river god Ilissos to be brieflydisplayed at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg,it is bluntly saying to the Greeks that it can do what itlikes with the Parthenon sculptures. As Fischer as-serts, the Trustees of the British Museum are the le-gal owners of the sculptures and have no intention ofreturning them to Greece.

At a diplomatic level, the British have been no lesscreative. At the UNESCO Intergovernmental Commit-tee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property toits Countries of Origin or its Restitution in Case of Il-licit Appropriation, there have been ongoing negotia-tions with the British regarding the issue of the re-turn of the Parthenon Marbles for over 30 years,without any movement whatsoever from the UKside.

In November 2002 in response to a Greek proposalfor a long-term reciprocal loan agreement, the chair-man of the Trustees of the British Museum reiteratedthat the Parthenon sculptures are among a “group ofkey objects, indispensable to the museum’s essential,universal purpose” and concluded that the trusteescould not envisage any circumstances under whichthere would be a loan, permanent or temporary, ofthe Parthenon sculptures in its collections.

In 2015 the British Museum – supported by the UKgovernment – summarily dismissed the idea of a me-diation to be conducted under the auspices of UN-ESCO, stating that they did not believe that media-tion would substantially carry forward the debateand thereby effectively reaffirming that the Parthe-non sculptures will never voluntarily go back, noteven on loan.

Regrettably, successive Greek culture ministershave adopted a mind-set that cultural diplomacy thathas failed Greece in the past will somehow prevail inthe future. It is patently clear in the statements by DrFischer that the British Museum will not engage withGreece’s requests for return.

At a political level, even if there is a change of gov-ernment in Whitehall.

And finally, there is a legal option that Greece nowhas to seriously consider. According to the eminentjurist Geoffrey Robertson, national cultural symbolswhich are important to a nation’s self-identity andthe keys to its ancient history are deserving of pro-tection under international law which recognizes thesovereign right to claim unique cultural property ofgreat historical significance taken in the past. Greececould ask UNESCO to seek an advisory opinion fromthe International Court of Justice. Even if it were tolose on a technicality, it does not follow that it wouldhave lost the whole campaign as customary interna-tional law is still evolving. But if it obtains a favorableoutcome, the UK government would be honor boundto comply with the court’s opinion.

The campaign for the Parthenon sculptures re-quires a more determined and coordinated approachfrom the Greeks to counter the negativity and stone-walling of the British Museum.

The only truly creative act in this whole dramawould be the eventual reunification of the sculpturesat the Acropolis Museum in Athens, in their naturalplace and context.

George Vardas Secretary of the International Association

for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures

The creative displacement of the Parthenon Marbles

TO BHMA 9/25FEBRUARY 2019 The Greek Australian VEMA

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The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA10/26 FEBRUARY 2019

A celebration of Greek life took place from January12-13 at the Delphi Bank Semaphore Greek Festival ofSouth Australia. Tens of thousands of people set a newattendance record for the two-day festival atSemaphore Beach, which celebrates everything Greek— from culture and heritage to food, music and danc-ing.

The Delphi Bank Semaphore Greek Festival is consid-ered one of the most important Greek festivals in Aus-tralia — and this year, it set new records in many areas.

This is the 40th anniversary of the festival. Approxi-mately 35,000 people, the highest number ever, bothGreeks and non-Greeks alike from all over South Aus-tralia, attended the Greek Fest in person.

Over 400,000 people connected with the event on so-cial media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram,with the hashtag #thankyou at the center of the exten-sive online campaign. This was the most successful dig-ital marketing campaign ever for the event.

The local Greek radio station, Radio ENA, also broad-cast the event live for those who could not attend sothat they could still enjoy the festivities.

John Douvartzidis, President of the Greek OrthodoxCommunity and Parish of Port Adelaide and Environs(PAGOC), spoke about the event and about the impor-tance of coming together to celebrate “our communitywith the soul of our festival, our volunteers.”

Traditional Greek folk dances were performed by PortAdelaide Greek Dance Academy in front of thousands ofonlookers, cheering and clapping along to the rhythmicmusic. Local Greek band “Zeus” and Greek Sydney-based singer Hara Dimitriou also lent their talents tothe festival.

The annual event is organized by the Greek OrthodoxCommunity of the Nativity of Christ Port Adelaide & En-virons along with the help of over 325 volunteers, span-ning generations of proud Greeks-Australians. Volun-teers aged 12 to 85 all donated countless hours of theirtime cooking traditional Greek food to serve to theguests at the Festival.

And it paid off. This year’s festival also set a newrecord for the most loukoumathes being devoured –40,000 to be exact!

Many prominent community figures attended the fes-tival on its opening night, Saturday, including the Gov-ernor of South Australia, the Honourable Hieu Van Le;the Premier of South Australia Steven Marshall; and HisGrace Bishop Nikandros of Dorileon.

Consul General of Greece in South Australia GeorgiosPsiahas attended as well, along with Con Dalas, theChairperson of the Inter-Communities Council of theGreek Orthodox Archdiocese in South Australia.

Ever since the first Greeks migrated from their nativeland to Australia in 1829 they have built their communi-ty around their culture and traditions, while contribut-ing to Australian society.

The legend of the first Greeks to land on the conti-nent goes something like this. A group of seven Greeksailors was given a sentence of transportation, for thecrime of piracy, by a British naval court. Upon their ar-

rival in New South Wales the sailors were pardoned,but two of them were so taken by the beauty of theland that they decided to stay and settle in Australia.

Although they could never have known it at the time,they would soon be joined by many sailors from theirhomeland. They brought with them from Greece theirhopes, their dreams — and their culture — to sharewith Australia. And the rest, as they say, is history.

South Australia ‘Gets its Greek On’ at largest-ever Greek Festival

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 11/27FEBRUARY 2019

On Sunday the 6th of January 2019 the GreekCommunity of St Anna celebrated their annualTheofania “Blessing of the Waters” event. Afterthe Divine Liturgy parishioners walked to thenearby Evandale lake for the throwing of thecross. Father Romanos conducted the service andevent with Father Raymond Smith and during theservice a white dove was released. There weremany children and adults who participated in re-trieving the cross.

The teen section winner in retrieving the crossfirst was Alex Papanicolaou and in the open sec-tion the cross was retrieved first by Peter Smart.Congratulations to both and we wish them both aprosperous and healthy year!

After the festivities at Evandale lake a strongcrowd of over 250 parishioners came back to theHellenic Centre to celebrate the day with sump-tuous food catered by the Ladies Auxiliary of StAnna and the Main Committee. Traditional lambson the spit were cooked and an array of tradi-tional Greek cuisine was served. A great day washad by all with a live band playing Greek musickeeping the enthusiastic crowd dancing all after-noon.

Special guests on the day were Brian Wilkins,the Assistant Commissioner for the South EasternRegion of the Queensland Police Service and MrsBetty Vaggelas, Great Benefactor our St Anna’sGreek Community. Many parishioners travelledfar and wide to attend the event from Brisbane,and the Northern Rivers of NSW.

Theofania Celebrations at St Anna Gold Coast

The Greek Australian VEMATO BHMA12/28 FEBRUARY 2019

The Australian public was promised that same-sexmarriage (SSM) would not interfere or encroach onthe rights of others. It was about ‘equality’, ‘diversi-ty’, ‘love’ and nothing else. Unfortunately, this good-will has quickly soured. Given that the Federal Parlia-ment is discussing new anti-discrimination laws thatwill affect the rights of religious schools, a recent inci-dent has raised concerns for the rights of all Aus-tralian citizens, especially Christians. White, an Aus-tralian-based bridal magazine posted a Farewell Let-ter on their website announcing they would be clos-ing down after 12 years of operation. Not due to anycommercial mismanagement, but because theychoose not to feature same-sex couples in its publica-tions as they felt such marriages contravened theirChristian beliefs.

Over the last several months, a consistent and viciousonline campaign was launched targeting the owners,their staff, advertisers and even couples who ap-peared in the magazine. The company was vilified onInstagram and a Facebook group of over 500 weddingprofessionals pressured White to make its stance onSSM clear with 100 members boycotting the maga-zine.1 Many feel the forced closure of White is a vic-tory for a more equitable and open society; however,this shows little understanding of the ramificationsfor democracy and individual liberty.

This recent example is only the beginning of many fu-ture cases where multiple rights of individuals will betrampled upon despite lawfully exercising their pre-existing rights and freedoms. Although Australia doesnot have a Bill of Rights, it is a signatory to several in-ternational treaties, including the International Co-venant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Andthough Australia has very few expressed rights in itsConstitution, it does have many pieces of legislationthat reflect these freedoms. Yet, there are limitationsso as to balance everyone’s rights, however, upon ex-amining the real-life story of White, will our rights re-ally be equally protected?

Right to the freedom of opinion and expressionWhite has the right to say, depict and creatively ex-press themselves through their publications withoutinference (Article 19 ICCPR). The issue was not thatWhite said anything derogatory or discriminatoryabout SSM, they just choose not to depict it.

Many of the magazine’s opponents claimed Whitewas discriminating against same-sex couples, but thisis incorrect for several reasons. One, no-one can ex-pect all diversity to be shown in a publication; two,same-sex couples were not prohibited from buyingthe magazine or using any of the services advertised;three, White had the creative licence to pick-and-choose the couples and stories that matched withtheir branding and artistic expression. This right ex-tends to commercial advertising. There is no law, cur-rently, that states compulsory depiction of gender di-versity. Such a law would be unfair and interfere withthe creative process.

More so, opponents of White should be more con-cerned with their actions online. Anyone associatedwith White experienced bullying, offensive language,slander, harassment, defamation and hate speech to-wards his or her personal beliefs. Though the oppo-nents do have the right to express their opinions, it isexpressly stated under Article 19(3)(a) that throughtheir freedom to express they must also “respect therights or reputations of others”, that applies toWhite’s owners.

Furthermore, Article 19(2) makes a very importantstatement which concerns the rights of readers of themagazine: “[the] freedom to seek, receive and impartinformation and ideas of all kinds…either orally, inwriting or in print, in the form of art, or through anyother media of his choice”. This means the public canfreely chose to subscribe or not to White’s views. Ifsomeone disapproves of the magazine’s ideas, theyare free to find another publication.

Freedom of religion/conscience Under Article 18 of ICCPR all persons have the right tothink freely, and to entertain ideas and hold positionsbased on their conscience, religion or other beliefs.The owners made it clear in their Farewell messagethat although their publication was a secular one,they were Christians. To label oneself a Christian isnot simply an identity but the very essence of whothey are and what guides their thought-process. Thismeans exercising those beliefs or ideas through ob-servance and practice, as long as they do not inter-fere with the rights of others or public health and

safety: Article 18(3) ICCPR.

It is the position of most Christian churches, especial-ly the Orthodox Church, that marriage should only bebetween a man and a woman. Though the Churchmay not be able to enforce this position across Aus-tralia, it and its congregations are permitted to prac-tice this belief without hindrance. The publishers ofWhite were simply expressing their Christian faiththrough their business and creative works. White wasnot physically prohibiting same-sex couples frommarrying nor were they writing articles against SSM.A citizen does not have to agree or adopt any beliefs– theistic or otherwise – they can freely ignore themand move on to something else. The owners neverused their magazine to incite religious-based hatredor violence towards the LGBTI community. They oper-ated their business, like every other aspect of theirlives, with a Christian phronema.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

+ + +

Chris Vlahonasios is the owner of TRANSFIGURE Me-dia online media-house specialising in the promo-tion of creative works by Orthodox filmmakers &artists.

W: transfiguremedia.com

By Chris VlahonasiosTRANSFIGURE Media

Where the Ancient Faith + 21st century media merge

Not simply black & White: violating human rights for ‘love’

1. www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/white-magazine-faces-backlash/10186834 , Ange McCormack, 31 August 2018

The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 13/29FEBRUARY 2019

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TO BHMA14/30 FEBRUARY 2019The Greek Australian VEMA

Arts, Food & WineEditor: Imogen Coward

Fashion of discontentBy Dr Ann Coward

Several years ago, German friends visiting Australiawere surprised at seeing so many young men wearing abrand of clothing that has, much to the distress of thebrand’s owners, become synonymous in Germany withNeo-Nazis. While it’s doubtful that such a connection isknown in Australia, there are symbolic garments com-ing to the fore internationally. For three months, Francehas witnessed violence, blockades, and opposition tothe government by protesters expressing solidaritythrough the wearing of yellow vests which, by law, arerequired to be kept in each car in France to aid high vis-ibility of drivers in the event of an accident or break-down.

Given that the yellow vest movement began as aprotest against rises in fuel tax, the apparel was signifi-cant. The fuel taxes were swiftly dealt with by theFrench government, but not before over a million eurosworth of damage was inflicted on Paris alone, in oneweekend. Yet the protests continue, with the wearingof yellow vests by protests spreading much furtherafield, most (but not all) being against issues that haveroots in directives arising from a range of EU policies.These include protests in Finland over immigration, andin Italy over interference in the Italian economy.

Similarly, recently in France wearing a red scarf hascome to indicate the wearer is calling for a return topublic order and individual liberties. The red scarves, lesfoulards rouges, have been adopted as a counter tothose wearing yellow vests/jackets, les gilets jaunes.However, frustrating as it may be to news reporters andto politicians in particular it seems, the yellow vestprotests attract people from both the right and left ofpolitics, thus appearing to be following “no clear or po-litical views or ideology,” as The New Yorker concludes.Instead, politicians appear wary of aligning themselveswith the yellow vests, while their opposing number, thered scarves, who in their own estimation represent thesilent majority, are quick to not align themselves offi‐cially with politicians, especially President Macron.

Rather than attempt to examine the grievances, andwhy after so many months the yellow vest protests con-tinue across France, attracting between 70,000 - 90,000people on any given weekend, what seems to have cap-tured the media’s attention is the symbolic power ofthe clothing to unite protesters. As one online journalistwrote: “Another Sunday in Paris, another protest. Butthis time, the marchers have a new agenda - and choiceof accessory.” This, in reference to the red scarves,tends to diminish the depth and validity of the pro-testers’ grievances. While yellow vests have entered in-to journalese, with the U.K.’s journal The Spectator crit-ically describing Macron’s “ambition to lead a move-ment to promote further European integration...[as]provoking foreign leaders to donning metaphorical yel-low jackets,” it is through the power of the media (al-beit so-called social media) that the wearing of yellowvests to express discontent has been able to spread tofar afield and so quickly.

However, there appears to be no single issue fuelingongoing protests. Finding oneself in a crowd may wellresult in protesters acting in ways they would normallynever consider or encounter, but psychologists are alsoquick to point out that it is a mistake to assume thosedonning a particular uniform, in this instance yellowvests, are not individuals; no two people can be pre-sumed to be alike despite the outward show of confor-mity. While, as French sociologist Durkheim pointedout, modern society by its nature is interdependent, yetthere exists a high degree of social differentiation andindividuation.

One might assume that should the yellow vest move-ment become aligned with any one group within Frenchsociety (even protesters against recent changes to the

Baccalaureat wore yellow vests) the fear it engenders inthe ruling political class would lessen. The more definedthe group could become, the clearer it would be to dealwith them. Because the symbol of discontent is a com-mon law-sanctioned country-wide garment in France,simply banning the symbol would solve nothing.

The wearing of a symbolic article of clothing, and see-ing others wearing it, re-assures people that they arenot alone. Flugel, whose work on the psychology ofclothing is a classic study, may go so far as to call theyellow vests war paint, in the sense that their appear-ance on the streets is meant to warn others of aggres-sion and the likelihood that violence could erupt; this,while at the same time, denoting the lack of member-ship to any one rank or occupation, or any particular so-cio-economic class.

Macron, whose resignation has been called for bysome yellow vest protesters, has responded to theprotests by, firstly, rescinding the offensive hike in fueltaxes, and then calling upon the French to enter into atwo-month period of public consultation on issues rang-ing from taxation, to the organisation of the state andits public administration. To what extent the French,and in particular the yellow vest protesters, view his ap-

peal as genuine could depend, not only on how theyview his past performance, but also his current criticismof the governments of other EU member nations oversuccumbing to pressure being exerted over them bypopulist movements.

How, or whether, the problems being highlighted byongoing yellow vest wearing protesters not only inFrance but across Europe and as far afield as Pakistanwill all be resolved, time will tell, but political leaderswould do well to note the saying (which is often wrong-ly attributed to Einstein), “We cannot solve our prob-lems with the same thinking that we used when we cre-ated them.” The protesters, it would appear, are onlytoo aware of this.

ReferencesCohen, Anthony P. Self Consciousness: an alternative anthropology of

identity. London, Routledge, 1994.Flugel, J.C. The Psychology of Clothes. New York, International Univer-

sities Press, 1969.Gopnik, Adam ‘The yellow vests and why there are so many street

protests in France.’ The New Yorker, 6 Dec 2018Keiger, John ‘Macron’s fight with Europe’s populists is backfiring’. The

Spectator, 26 January, 2019Spinks, Rosie ‘More than 10,000 people marched in Paris to protest

the gilets jaunes.’ https://qz.com

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star Stefanos Tsitsipas will soon become the new “Greek freak” as his career takes offfollowing his impressive appearance at the Australian Open last month.

Asked during comments to sports journalists after a game, the Milwaukee Bucksforward was asked whether he follows other Greek athletes playing in other sports.

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TO BHMA16/32 FEBRUARY 2019The Greek Australian VEMA

Travel

BY HARIS ARGYROPOULOS

Without the tremendous volcaniceruption around 1630 BC, which de-stroyed its center and transformed itsshape into a crescent, Santorini, thesouthernmost of the Cycladic islands,might have well retained its Minoanname of Strongyle (meaning “round”)and have none of the special attributesthat have made it famous on theworld travel scene.

From a distance, the white housesof the villages of Fira, Imerovigli andOia, built on the brow of the caldera– the breathtaking crater created bythe explosion – give the appearance ofa snow-capped plateau rising verticallysome hundreds of meters from the sea.As the boat approaches, the eye focuseson the intense variety of colors of thesuccessive layers of lava, piled upover 3 million years. The view is tru-ly awe-inspiring, leaving indelible im-pressions on the visitor.

The caldera, measuring 11 kilome-ters on the north-south axis and 7.5 kmon the east-west axis, is shaped by San-torini and the smaller islands of Thera-sia and Aspronisi, also remnants of theexplosion, on the western side. Sub-sequent underwater eruptions creat-ed the islands of Palaia Kameni and NeaKameni inside the crater.

The outer – northern, eastern andsouthern – shores of the island are linedwith endless beaches of sand of dif-ferent colors. Vlichada on the south-ern shore, and Columbo on the north-ern side are the two most impressiveand least congested.

Santorini covers an area of 76 squarekm, with 69 km of coastline. The islandis arid but its volcanic soil yieldschoice produce, like wine grapes, yel-low split peas (fava) and tomatoes.

Finds at Akrotiri, the Minoan cityfound wonderfully preserved in vol-canic ash, provide evidence of wineproduction 3,600 years ago. In fact,winemaking has been one of Santori-ni’s prime sources of income throughmost of its history, having only beenovertaken by tourism in recentdecades. The two industries now com-pete for land. The Asyrtiko wine vari-ety is second in consumption in Greecetoday, closely behind Moschofilero.

To protect grapes from strongwinds, the islanders plant the vines insmall depressions in the earth andweave the new shoots around thestump in the shape of a basket.

Besides the caldera and Akrotiri,Santorini (name derived from Santa Iri-ni, given by the Venetians who occu-pied it in the 13th century) has manyother impressive sights, notably in Fi-ra, the capital, and in the traditionalvillage of Oia. Fira, with its brilliantwhite houses, can be reached from sealevel either by bus, taxi, modern cable-car, the traditional donkey-back or byclimbing the 600 or so steps. Dottedwith impressive mansions, vaulted

churches and medieval convents, it al-so has several museums and culturalvenues, plentiful shops, fine restau-rants and lively nightlife and is thestarting point for any tour of the island.

Besides a plethora of impressivemansions, testimony to wealth most-ly amassed from seafaring, most ofSantorini’s villages boast houses withan amazing maze of subterranean ex-tensions hollowed out of the soft

rock. Originally used as houses by thepoor folk and as wine cellars (kanaves),the vaults have been widely extend-ed in recent decades to meet the re-quirements of the tourism industry.

Oia, 11 km from Fira, is one of theloveliest villages in the island and fa-mous for its sunsets. The houses fol-low the traditional style: small terracedblocks built of stone, vaulted chambersor brightly painted cubes among the

narrow streets. The sights includethe ruins of a Venetian castle, with aunique view over the sea, particular-ly at sunset and the Nautical Museum,with relics of the seafaring heritage ofthe 19th century.

Particularly worth exploring fortheir traditional architecture are alsothe villages of Pyrgos (with a medievalcastle) and Emboreio, in the south, andFinikia, close to Oia.

Snow-whiteFrom the distance, the whitehouses built on the brow of the caldera appear like a snow-capped plateau

Getting there & aboutOlympic Airways (210.966.6666,801.11.4444, www.olympicairlines.com)and Aegean Airlines (801.11.20000,www.aegeanair.com) have severalflights a day from Athens. From Piraeusor Rafina conventional ferries takeabout 8 hrs 30 mins, catamarans 6 hrsand high-speed vessels 4-5 hrs. Thelocal bus service is satisfactory, but theservice from Fira (the hub) to Oia isalways crowded. You can rent cars andmotorbikes but, remember, there aremany thousands of drivers on mediocreroads and not always sober – this is aparty island. Local code 22860. PortAuthority 22239.28702, airport33580.28405.

Where to stayThe array of accommodation facilitiesis vast. In Fira: Santorini Palace(22771), Astra (23641), Enigma Apts(24024), Loukas (22480), Hellas(23555), Villa Renos (22369),Theoxenia (22740), Remezzo Villas(23030), Panorama (22481), Pelican(23113); Rooms: Summer Time(24313). In Kamari: Rivari (31687),Roussos Beach (31590), Venus (32760)Orion (31182). In Imerovigli: DreamsLuxury Suites (28787), On the Rocks(23889), Alexander Villas (24848),Astra (23641). In Oia: Katikies Suites(71401), Perivolos (71308), 1864Kapetanospito (71983). In Akrotiri:Adamastos (81188).

Where to eatAward-winning Koukoumavlos, with agreat view of the caldera, Selene andSaltsa in Fira, and 1800 in Oia are topchoices, but competition ensures badfood is hard to find. Also in Oia, Castroand Melenio; Mario in Monolithos forfresh fish; Skala, with excellentambience for pastrami pies andoctopus in wine; Dimitris in Ammoudi;Ferentini in Oia on the caldera;Nychteri in Kamari in an idyllicenvironment; Sphinx in Fira,Mediterranean cuisine with superbview; Schiza in Oia, home food; Seasidein Perivolos; Vanilia and Il Centuccio inFirostefani. Good value for money:Nikolas in Fira and Lava in Perissa.

What to see & activitiesThe Archaeological Museum and thesite of ancient Thera; the Museum ofPrehistoric Thera; the MaritimeMuseum in Oia; the Santorini Folkmuseum; the Bellonio Cultural Center;in Fira, the Catholic quarter, thecathedrals, the Dominican convent; theArgyros Mansion in Messaria, a listedbuilding and guesthouse; the famousOia sunset; panoramic views fromProfitis Ilias in Exo Gonia and fromFaros in Akrotiri; the historic castle ofScaros, at the end of cliff, on foot fromImerovigli; take a submarine tour of thecaldera at 25-30 meters, and a sailingtour of the caldera; there is a variety ofwater sports and several diving clubs.

Santorini, awe-inspiring beautyPast volcanic activity on the island largely to thank for its quality produce and cuisine

1 2 3 4

TRAVELATHENSPLUS • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2008