A delicious Greek dish

 

Beef with aubergines and fresh tomato

 

Serves: 6 Preparation time: 30m Cooking time: 60m Ready in: 1h 30m

Ingredients
1.200gr. beef bon net, in portions
1½ kg aubergines at moderate cubes
1kg fresh ripe tomatoes, grated
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¾ cup olive oil
½ tsp. sweet sugar
½ tsp. teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper
Preparation method
Step 1
Place the aubergines  and half the oil in a large bowl and stir. Then lay on a baking tray and put in oven grill turning them on both sides until browned and softened.
Step 2
Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan and sauté the meat until golden brown on all sides. Add onion and garlic and continue to sauté until the onion softens.
Step 3
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, meat, sugar, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer food for 40-45 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce thickens. Check periodically and, if necessary, add a little water. Add the aubergines in the last 15 minutes to mix with the sauce.

Source: Olive magazine
Chef: Georgia Kofina
Photo: Vaggelis Paterakis
Food Styling: Antonia Kati

Mystery Greek tomb contained at least 5 corpses, experts say

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek officials say human bones found in a resplendent ancient tomb excavated last year in northern Greece belong to at least five individuals, including an elderly woman and a baby.
The high-profile excavation at ancient Amphipolis uncovered a large, vaulted tomb decorated with marble statues of sphinxes and young women, as well as a remarkable mosaic pavement.
A Culture Ministry statement Monday said bones found in the grave belong to a woman over 60, a newborn, two men aged 35-45 and another adult.
The tomb has been dated to between 325 B.C. — two years before the death of ancient Greek warrior-king Alexander the Great — and 300 B.C. Experts speculated it could have been built for a general or a relative of Alexander's, who himself was buried in Egypt.
(Source: the big story)

Greek Islands among Top 10 Global Destinations for 2015

The Irish Independent has included the Greek islands in its top ten countdown of the best global destinations for 2015.

 "You'd be hard pushed to find a holiday spot as beautiful as the Greek Islands. Time and again, blissed-out holidaymakers head back for whitewashed walls, cobalt blue waters, tiny coves and the chance to gorge on Greek cuisine. Despite a tricky few years, there are signs of a comeback for the tourism industry in Greece, which makes now a great time to visit."

Top 10 destinations for 2015

1. Cuba
2. Cornwall
3. Singapore
4. Iceland
5. Los Angeles and Washington
6. La Gomera
7. Ethiopia
8. Ireland’s South & East
9. Greek islands
10. Faroe Islands

11 Weird and Wonderful Reasons to Visit Crete

The largest of the Greek islands, Crete is renowned for its glorious weather, mouth-watering Greek cuisine and paradise beaches. Although you probably don’t need much more convincing than that to visit this beautiful island, we’ve rounded up 11 weird and wonderful reasons to get you craving to visit Crete this summer.
1. It Goes Way Back

Crete’s history actually goes further back than that of the entire European continent, meaning it’s full of ancient stories for you to discover.

2. It’s the Birth Place of Zeus
 
Greek myths say the island is the birth place of Zeus, King of the Gods. Any place fit for a god is certainly good enough for us!

3. Crete Enjoys Two Climates

The majority of Crete has a sunny Mediterranean climate, however the south coast enters into the North African climatic region which enjoys more warmer days than the north of Crete year round… that’s two holidays in one!

4. Ancient Philosophers Loved It

The island’s history was often mentioned by some of the great ancient Greek philosophers, including Aristotle, Plato and Homer.

 5. Knossos is One of the Most Popular Archaeological Sites in Greece
 
The most popular archaeological site in Greece after the Acropolis, Knossos was the dwelling of King Minos and is definitely worth visit!

6. The Air of Crete Has Healing Powers

Hippocrates, a Greek physician, proclaimed that the air in Crete had healing powers, a belief that is still held today.

7. Crete is Practically Equidistant Between Three Continents

Crete’s distance from Europe is almost identical to its distance from Africa and its distance from Asia, making it a mid-point between all three continents.

8. It’s Got Thousands of Caves
 
This Greek Island is home to over 3000 caves, something which is well worth exploring! Although, maybe not all of them…

9. Crete Was Once the Master of the Mediterranean

At one point in history, even Athens honoured Crete and many people travelled to the island to honour King Minos.

10. Crete’s Transparent Waters Can Stretch Back as Far as 40m
 
The shimmering, clear blue sea water off the coast of Crete can sometimes reach up to 40 meters from the shoreline, which is a luxury we all need to experience.

11. The Island is Associated With the Mysterious City of Atlantis

Evidence found on Crete suggests the Minoan civilization could have been destroyed by a giant tsunami, resulting in the underwater lost city of Atlantis.

Since this magnificent island is the birth place of Zeus and even has healing air, we’re struggling to find any reasons why you wouldn’t fancy a trip to Crete!
(source:lowcostholidays, authorOlivia Connelly)

20 Santa Clauses descend a gorgeous canyon in Crete (Photos)

They wanted to welcome the festive season in their own special way.

 

Twenty fans of canyoning descended a beautiful canyon in Crete, as part of an original event that was organized by the Cretan Canyoning Association.
The annual Christmas descent of the association took place in the canyon of Eligas, which is located at Emparos.
20 members of CCA, including men and women, dressed as Santa Clauses and descended the canyon in order to welcome the festive season in their own special way.

The Cretan Canyoning Association started operations ten years ago, with the purpose of mainly educating young people according to the standards of French and Italian canyoning schools.
It also aims to the preservation and repair of secure locks, the exploration, the security and the mapping of new canyons in Crete and in Greece in general.
 (Source:protothema)

German tourists prefer Greece

A 18.6% increase in traffic compared to 2013

The upcoming summer tourist season is on its way and everything shows that it will be successful, based on German statistics evaluating the 2015 summer season.

This year’s winner in the choice of destinations of Germans is Greece. “No other country experienced higher growth in 2014”, said DRV’s director, the biggest German tour operator and travel agencies operation. Based on the German statistical office, 2,060,000 tourists flew from Germany to Greece between April and October 2014. This is an increase of 18.6% compared to 2013 (1,860,000).
(Source:protothema)

Forbes: Britain must return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece

Making specific reference to the recent loan of a Parthenon statue to Hermitage Museum in Russia, she notes that this gesture was a stinging insult to Greece.

 

In an article published by Forbes magazine, Leila Amineddoleh, partner at Galluzzo & Amineddoleh and executive director of Lawyers’ Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation, explains why she believes that the British Museum must return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
Characterizing the Parthenon as one of the most recognized symbols of Western Civilization and the highest architectural achievement of the Ancient Greeks, Ms. Amineddoleh underlines that, for Greece, these amazing sculptures are “a symbol of their culture, heritage and past.”
“In the same vein, art historians and archaeologists argue that the sculptures are integral to the ancient temple structures still standing in Athens,” notes the successful lawyer specializing in art, cultural heritage and intellectual property law.
Making specific reference to the recent loan of a Parthenon statue to Hermitage Museum in Russia, she notes that this gesture was a “stinging insult” to Greece, who has been requesting the marbles return for many years now.
The author believes that it is “disheartening to view the marbles in London after learning that their removal damaged one of mankind’s crowning achievements” and states that the only moral solution would be to return them.
(Source:protothema)