The ecotourism of Greece

Ecotourism Holiday in Greece:

Information about holidays, Greece & Greek Islands

Greece is bestowed with not just a rich culture but also a breathtaking range of natural sites and attractions. With a varied geography, ideal Mediterranean climate and the many islands dotting its seas, Greece is the perfect place for ecotourism to flourish. The impressive variety of plants, numbering to over 6,000 species and their sub species, contribute immensely to the European botanical field and make Greece a haven for flora. Geographical diversity is at its peak in Greece, a country where you can find birch forests, alpine grasslands, hidden ravines, high mountain peaks, estuaries, seasonal rivers and so much more.Nearly one fifth of the country is included in the European Ecological NATURA 2000 network, which in itself is an indication of the richness of Greece’s ecology. Traditionally Greece is known for the spectacular holidays it provides, but now offering something very unique and interesting to visitors, who do not like to tread beaten paths, Greece is opening its doors to welcome ecotourism enthusiasts. Catering to all tastes, Greece gives you the opportunity to either explore breathtaking forests, or take a ride through a national park, not just on the mainland, but also on the little explored quaint islands. If you enjoy bird watching, Greece offers opportunities to travel through coastal ecosystems as well as numerous wetlands, studying rare and exquisite birds. A chance to mingle with marine life should not be let up, with the marine parks allowing visitors to meet normal and endangered species, such as the Mediterranean Monk Seal and the Loggerhead turtles.

Sailing & Diving : One magnificent option is to go sailing and diving in the Aegean and Ionian Sea. Opt for an Aegean Tour, which will take you from Cyclades and end at the volcanic island of Milos, where you can see the endangered species of snakes, Milos Viper. On the way you will get to see many other animals as well, including the Loggerhead turtles, wall lizard and many others. During the entire trip you will be greatly entertained by dolphins, which often swim along boats and make for a thoroughly interesting watch. The Ionian Tour is an equally interesting option, which mainly focuses on bringing you closer to the flora and fauna of the islands. The highlight of this tour is the encounter with sperm whales you will spot to the west of the Ionian Sea, an enthralling experience to say the least. For diving enthusiasts, there are many diving cruises open as well. With visibility down to 30 to 40 meters into the sea, it is guaranteed to be an experience of a life time. Corals, colorful and beautiful sponges, starfishes, sea anemones, not to mention the huge variety of fish species are just a part of the paradise you will discover. These cruises are handled by very experienced people and some of them even include dives to see shipwrecks!

Mountains, forests & rivers: The northwest part of Greece is mostly known for its forested mountains and deep winding rivers, which have some of the oldest and exquisite bridges standing over them. One such breathtaking place is Zagoria, located in Epirus, which is famous for its 45 villages, consisting of stone houses and surrounded by mountains full of pine and oak trees. Nearby is Bourazani environmental park, which is guaranteed to blow you away. Central Greece is an unspoiled heaven, which is once again famous for its pine forests, and the high mountains they stand on. Some of the most impressive gorges can be found in this region and it is ideal for treks. You can easily get guides from the many hotels in this area, who will be more than happy to take you around this spectacular area.

Visiting caves: Another attractive feature are the caves in Greece, ranging from underwater to subterranean caves, they can be found in huge numbers both on the mainland as well as on the numerous islands. With many villages rejecting mass tourism and adopting ecotourism as a means to increase revenue, the number of visitors wanting to explore the real Greece is increasing every year. This has made it easier for people to take up such trips as well, with many amenities available to them. Visiting such delicate places, tourists are also required to be responsible and understand the consequences of damaging such sites. They need to behave responsibly and follow all rules of a certain area, which due to the nature of their purpose will vary from place to place. This is essential if these sites are to be maintained for future generations to enjoy as well. Ecotourism in Greece is not just about providing tourists with entertaining places to visit, but also conserving these sites to ensure a better tomorrow.

This article is from:http://www.greeka.com/greece/greece-holidays/ecotourism-holiday.htm

Vocabulary:

unspoiled:never destroy.

subterranean:under the earth's surface;underground.

exquisite:extremely beautiful or delicate ; finely or skilfully made or done.

summary :

In Greece , you can see many different landscape.If you are sailing or diving now,you will see the endangered species of snakes, Milos Viper .On the way you will get to see many other animals as well, including the Loggerhead turtles, wall lizard and many others.And if you love diving very much ,you can try to diving in the water ,you will see many Corals, colorful and beautiful sponges, starfishes, sea anemones, not to mention the huge variety of fish species are just a part of the paradise. On the northwest part of Greece, you can find full of pine and oak trees. Another attractive feature are the caves in Greece.

Greek Clothing

Minoan clothing
The Minoan culture developed on the Greek island of Crete in about 3000 B.C.E. Minoans created a thriving society around royal palaces and survived for several hundred years. Archeologists, scientists who study the remains of ancient cultures, have excavated sites in Crete to find pottery, frescoes on the walls of palace remains, and statues. These artifacts provide a vivid picture of Minoan culture, especially that of the wealthy citizens.
Minoan remains indicate that Minoan clothing fit the contours of the body and required knowledge of sewing techniques. Men wore a variety of loin coverings and rarely covered their upper bodies. Women wore tiered, bell-shaped skirts and fitted short-sleeved tops that exposed the breasts. Minoans seemed to idealize tiny waists, and both men and women wore tightly fitted belts, or girdles, that cinched their waists down to a fashionably small size.
Mycenaean clothing
When the Minoan culture disappeared in about 1600 B.C.E. , for reasons archeologists still have yet to discover, the Mycenaean culture began to flourish on mainland Greece and invaded Crete, where they encountered the Minoans. The remains of Minoan culture influenced the Mycenaeans who adopted many of their clothing styles. Women's clothing is especially difficult to distinguish from Minoan clothing. Women wore the same long skirts and short-sleeved tops; however, paintings indicate that Mycenaean women did occasionally cover their breasts with a bib or blouse. Mycenaean men appear to have worn loin coverings similar to the Minoans, but more frequently they seem to have worn short-sleeved tunics with a belted waist. The true distinguishing costumes of the Mycenaeans were their armor. Evidence indicates that Mycenaeans were warlike peoples. For battle Mycenaean soldiers wore protective clothing that wrapped the body from neck to thigh in bronze plates, bronze leg guards, and helmets constructed of boar's tusks.
Greek clothing usually consisted of long, flowing garments, head wreaths, and sandals.
Greek clothing
As the Mycenaean culture began to suffer from famines and other environmental catastrophes around 1200 B.C.E. , another culture began to flourish. The Dorians, ancient Greeks, became dominant and conquered the struggling Mycenaeans. Although no evidence about what Greeks wore has been discovered for life between the twelfth and the eighth centuries B.C.E. , by the eighth century art was again being produced and paintings of Greek clothing styles appeared. As one can see in many examples from Greek art, the ancient Greeks had a great appreciation for the beauty of the naked body. Early Greek society did not forbid public nakedness, at least for men. Men always went naked when exercising or competing in athletic games, and both men and women bathed naked in public baths, though not together. Women were required to keep their bodies covered when they were with men.
By the seventh century B.C.E. Greek society was dominated by a wealthy class who wore luxurious woven clothes and decorative jewelry. From this time until the invasion of and defeat by the Romans in 146 B.C.E. , Greeks developed several different styles of clothes. In general, Greeks did not cut and sew their clothes until the fourth century B.C.E. Instead they draped finely woven cloth over and around their bodies to create distinct styles of dress and protective wraps. The wealthiest Greeks could afford fine wool and finely woven linen, which at its most expensive was an almost transparent, soft cloth. Others used cloth woven from the flax plant soaked in olive oil, and peasants used textiles made of coarse wool. The most distinctive Greek garment is the chiton, or tunic. Two different styles of chiton were developed: the Ionic chiton and the Doric chiton, with variations, usually of length, to distinguish styles for men and women. The fabric of chitons was crinkled, or pleated, to enhance the fullness of the drape of the garment. Over the chiton, Greeks kept themselves warm with a variety of wraps, including the himation, chlamys, chlaina, and diplax. Although these draped fashions continued to be popular, by the fourth century B.C.E. both women and men began wearing sewn tunics with a U or V neckline. Writings from this time discuss a variety of specific styles for these sewn tunics and archeologists uncovered a variety of tunic styles in a temple in Attica, a state of Greece that formed the territory of Athens, the Greek cultural center.
Because much of our knowledge of Greek fashions comes from the marble sculptures they left behind, many people once thought that most Greeks wore only white clothes. However, experts now know that even the pale marble of the statues was once covered with bright paint that wore off over the centuries. Greeks, in fact, loved color and many dyed their clothes. Wealthy aristocrats wore purple clothes dyed from a species of shellfish or pure white linen robes. Yellow clothes were worn mostly by women. Black clothes were worn by those mourning the death of a loved one. Peasants dyed their clothing a variety of greens, browns, and grays. Soldiers wore dark red garments to minimize the appearance of blood on the battlefield.
In addition to dyeing, decorative designs were also painted, embroidered, or woven onto garments in many colors. Garments were also adorned with patterns of geometric shapes or trimmed with colorful border designs.
This article is from:http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/The-Ancient-World-Greece/Greek-Clothing.html
Vocabulary:
Enhance:increace(the good qualities of sb/sth);make(sb/sth) look better.

Excavated:make(a hole or channel)by digging;remove(soil, etc)by digging.

Fresco: paintings applied directly to wet plaster on walls.
summary:
The history of clothing in ancient Greece traces its roots to three significant civilizations: the Minoans, the Mycenaeans, and the ancient Greeks. Each of these civilizations created sophisticated clothing customs. Clothing for these civilizations served not only to cover and protect the body, but also to decorate and enhance the beauty of the wearer.

Language Of Greece

Article:
Greek has been spoken in the Balkan Peninsula since around the late 3rd millennium BC. The earliest written evidence is found in the Linear B clay tablets in the "Room of the Chariot Tablets", an LMIII A-context (c. 1400 BC) region of Knossos, in Crete, making Greek one of the world's oldest recorded living languages. Among the Indo-European languages, its date of earliest attestation is matched only by Vedic Sanskrit and the Anatolian languages.
The later Greek alphabet (unrelated to Linear B) is derived from the Phoenician alphabet (abjad); with minor modifications, it is still used today. The Greek language is conventionally divided into the following periods:
Proto-Greek: the assumed last ancestor of all known varieties of Greek which is not recorded. Proto-Greek speakers possibly entered the Greek peninsula in the early 2nd millennium BC. Since then, Greek has been spoken uninterruptedly in Greece.
Mycenaean Greek: the language of the Mycenaean civilization. It is recorded in the Linear B script on tablets dating from the 15th or 14th century BC onwards.
Ancient Greek: in its various dialects was the language of the Archaic and Classical periods of the ancient Greek civilization. It was widely known throughout the Roman Empire. Ancient Greek fell into disuse in western Europe in the Middle Ages, but remained officially in use in the Byzantine world, and was reintroduced to the rest of Europe with the Fall of Constantinople and Greek migration to the areas of Italy.
Koine Greek: The fusion of various ancient Greek dialects with Attic, the dialect of Athens, resulted in the creation of the first common Greek dialect, which became a lingua franca across Eastern Mediterranean and Near East. Koine Greek can be initially traced within the armies and conquered territories of Alexander the Great, but after the Hellenistic colonization of the known world, it was spoken from Egypt to the fringes of India. After the Roman conquest of Greece, an unofficial diglossy of Greek and Latin was established in the city of Rome and Koine Greek became a first or second language in the Roman Empire. The origin of Christianity can also be traced through Koine Greek, as the Apostles used it to preach in Greece and the Greek-speaking world. It is also known as the Alexandrian dialect, Post-Classical Greek or even New Testament Greek, as it was the original language the New Testament was written in.
Medieval Greek, also known as Byzantine Greek: the continuation of Koine Greek during Byzantine Greece, up to the demise of the Byzantine Empire in the 15th century. Medieval Greek is a cover term for a whole continuum of different speech and writing styles, ranging from vernacular continuations of spoken Koine that were already approaching Modern Greek in many respects, to highly learned forms imitating classical Attic. Much of the written Greek that was used as the official language of the Byzantine Empire was an eclectic middle-ground variety based on the tradition of written Koine.
Modern Greek: Stemming from Medieval Greek, Modern Greek usages can be traced in the Byzantine period, as early as 11th century. It is the language used by modern Greeks and apart from Standard Modern Greek, there are several dialects of it.
The tradition of diglossia, the simultaneous existence of vernacular and archaizing written forms of Greek, was renewed in the modern era in the form of a polarization between two competing varieties: Dimotiki, the vernacular form of Modern Greek proper, and Katharevousa, meaning 'purified', an imitation of classical Greek, which was developed in the early 19th century and used for literary, juridic, administrative and scientific purposes in the newly formed modern Greek state. The diglossia problem was brought to an end in 1976 (Law 306/1976), when Dimotikí was declared the official language of Greece and it is still in use for all official purposes and in education, having incorporated features of Katharevousa and giving birth to Standard Greek.
Historical unity and continuing identity between the various stages of the Greek language is often emphasised. Although Greek has undergone morphological and phonological changes comparable to those seen in other languages, there has been no time in its history since classical antiquity where its cultural, literary, and orthographic tradition was interrupted to such an extent that one can easily speak of a new language emerging. Greek speakers today still tend to regard literary works of ancient Greek as part of their own rather than a foreign language.[It is also often estimated that the historical changes have been relatively slight compared with some other languages. According to one estimation, "Homeric Greek is probably closer to demotic than twelfth-century Middle English is to modern spoken English.Ancient Greek texts, especially from Biblical Koine onwards, are thus relatively easy to understand for educated modern speakers. The perception of historical unity is also strengthened by the fact that Greek has not split up into a group of separate national daughter languages, as happened with Latin.
Greek words have been widely borrowed into the European languages, including English: mathematics, astronomy, democracy, philosophy, thespian, athletics, theater, rhetoric etc. Moreover, Greek words and word elements continue to be productive as a basis for coinages: anthropology, photography, isomer, biomechanics, cinema, physics etc. and form, with Latin words, the foundation of international scientific and technical vocabulary, e.g. all words ending with "-logy" ("discourse"). An estimated 12% of the English vocabulary has Greek origin, while numerous Greek words have English derivatives.

This article is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language

Vocabulary:

migration: number of migrating people, animal,ect.

estimation: judgement;opinion;regard.

antiquity:ancient times, esp before the Middle Ages.

Summary:

This article is about language which is an important thing in the world.This article introducethe history of language. Historical unity and continuing identity between the various stages of the Greek language is often emphasised. Although Greek has undergone morphological and phonological changes comparable to those seen in other languages, there has been no time in its history since classical antiquity where its cultural, literary, and orthographic tradition was interrupted to such an extent that one can easily speak of a new language emerging. In the conclusion, Language is very important in our life.

Greece City Attraction

Attractions:
Greece has an abundance of resources that tourists with ecological and cultural interests will find attractive. The wealth of cultural as well as ecological resources, both biotic and abiotic, constitute a special comparative advantage of the country for those interested in the conservation of cultural diversity, bio-diversity and eco-systems. These resources are marked by their wide variety, rareness and distinctiveness and are found in areas many of which have already been placed under special protection

This artical is from http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=3&langID=2

Vocabulary:

abundance :quantity that is more than enough; plenty
constitute:make up or form

ecological:of ecology
summary:
This is a short introduction.

Tourism was their important econemy.

Greek likes to protect their scenery.

Their scenery was very natural.

The Economy Of Greece

Economy:
Greece adopted the euro as its new common currency in January 2002. The adoption of the euro provided Greece (formerly a high inflation risk country under the drachma) with access to competitive loan rates and also to low rates of the Eurobond market. This led to a dramatic increase in consumer spending, which has given a significant boost to economic growth. Between 1997-2007 Greece averaged 4% GDP growth, almost twice the EU average. As with other European countries, the financial crisis and resulting slowdown of the real economy have taken their toll on Greece’s rate of growth, which slowed to 2.9% in 2008. Outside analysts like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Commission project Greece’s economy to shrink by as much as 1% or 2% of GDP in 2009. Key economic problems with which the government is currently contending include a burgeoning government deficit (5% of GDP in 2008) and increasing public debt (94.6% of GDP in 2008). The EU recently placed Greece under its Excessive Deficit Procedure and has asked Greece to bring its deficit back to the 3% EU ceiling by 2010.
Strong growth rates in recent years have contributed to a drop in unemployment (to 7.5% in 2008, down from 10.4% in 2004), although it is still significantly higher among women and people under 27. Unemployment is projected to rise to 9%-10% in 2009. Unfortunately, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to Greece have dropped, and efforts to revive them have been only partially successful. At the same time, Greek investment in Southeast Europe has increased, leading to a net FDI outflow in some years.
Greece has a predominately service economy, which (including tourism) accounts for over 73% of GDP. Almost 9% of the world’s merchant fleet is Greek-owned, making the Greek fleet the largest in the world. Other important sectors include food processing, tobacco, textiles, chemicals (including refineries), pharmaceuticals, cement, glass, telecommunication and transport equipment. Agricultural output has steadily decreased in importance over the last decade, accounting now for only 5% of total GDP. The EU is Greece’s major trading partner, with more than half of all Greek two-way trade being intra-EU. Greece runs a perennial merchandise trade deficit, and 2008 imports totaled $88 billion against exports of $25 billion. Tourism and shipping receipts together with EU transfers make up for much of this deficit.
This artical is fromhttp://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3395.htm#econ
Vocabulary:
Deficit:amount by which sth, esp a sum of money,is too small .
Outflow :flowing out;amount that flows out.
Predominately:for the most part ; mainly.
Summary:

In 2002 ,Greece had a economic growth.Between 1997-2007 Greece averaged 4% GDP growth, almost twice the EU average.Outside analysts like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Commission project Greece’s economy to shrink by as much as 1% or 2% of GDP in 2009. And its unemployment was very high. But Greece has a predominately service economy, which (including tourism) accounts for over 73% of GDP. In 2008 imports totaled $88 billion against exports of $25 billion. Tourism and shipping receipts together with EU transfers make up for much of this deficit.

Festival&Hoilday

Easter Customs
These are customs related to the religious holiday of Easter which is the biggest celebration of the Orthodox Christians and the one richest in folklore. The word “Pascha”, Easter in Greek, stems from the Jewish “Pasah” which means “Passover”. Jewish people celebrated “Pasah” to commemorate their liberation from the Egyptians and the passage of the Red sea, while Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ the Saviour and the passage from death to life. The corresponding Greek word for “Pascha” is “Lambrí” (Brightness) because the day of the resurrection of Christ is a day full of joy and exhilaration. Easter is a moveable holiday.Its celebration falls on the first Sunday after the full moon of the spring equinoxAll over the country a plethora of customs and traditions are observed during the week prior to Easter (HolyWeek).The preparations for the celebration of the Resurrection start on Holy Thursday. On that day housewives traditionally prepare tsourekia (sweet buns resembling brioche) and colour eggs with special red dyes. Ever since antiquity the egg symbolises the renewal of life and the red colour symbolises the blood of Christ. In the past, people used to place the first red egg on the icon stand of the house in order to cast out evil spirits. In some villages they used to mark the head and the back of small lambs with the red dye used for the dyeing of the eggs. They also used to keep one of the big round Holy Thursday loaves at the icon stand in order to protect the members of the family from spells.Friday is the most sacred day of the Holy Week, the day of the culmination of the passion of Christ with the deposition from the cross and Christ’s burial. Because it is a day of mourning, housewives do not do any house chores, avoiding even cooking. Women and children go to church to decorate the Epitaph (Bier of Christ) with flowers they collect or buy. In the morning of Good Friday, Christ’s Burial is reenacted in church and in the evening the Epitaph procession takes place.On Easter Saturday morning, preparations start for the festive dinner of the night of the Resurrection and housewives cook “maghiritsa” (a tripe and herbs soup). Shortly before midnight, people gather in church holding white candles which they light with the “Holy Light” distributed by the priest. When the latter chants “Christ is risen” (Christós Anesti), people exchange wishes and the so-called “Kiss of Love”. With the “Holy Light” of the candles they thrice make the sign of the cross on the door post over the front door of their houses for good luck. Then they allgather around the festively laid table, they crack red eggs and feast on the traditional “maghiritsa”.On Easter Sunday morning, in many parts of the country lamb is prepared on the spit. In other regions, the meat for the Easter table - lamb or kid - is roasted in the oven. There is a festive atmosphere everywhere and people eat and dance usually until late into the night.All over Greece Holy Week and Easter are celebrated in great splendour and devoutness. The table below lists some of the places where one can enjoy Easter festivities.
This article is from http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=8&langId=2
Vocabulary:
Commemorate: keep in people's memories.
Resurrection: revival after disuse, inactivity,etc.
Splendour: state or quality of being splendid, manificent, glorious, or grand.
Summary:
That's too miraculous.
This summary is according to Greece's traditional .
It's about Christian religion. they do a sacred ceremony.
We can according this article to know the Easter is very important for them.

Traditional Greek Cuisine

What distinguishes traditional Greek cuisine is a combination of the following factors: unique ingredients, the Greek philosophy regarding eating and sharing meals, as well as the country itself and the atmosphere in general.
The basic ingredients: Greek cuisine has four secrets: fresh ingredients of good quality, proper use of herbs and spices, the famous Greek olive oil and its basic simplicity. Greek olive oil deserves a special mention. Present in almost all Greek dishes, and in most of them in abundant quantities, it is of excellent quality and very good for health. Then there are the vegetables and herbs. Due to the mild Greek climate, greenhouse cultivation of vegetables is not widespread. Therefore, most vegetables are grown outdoors and are very tasty and full of aroma. You will be delighted with the taste of Greek tomatoes, lettuces, carrots, onions, parsley and garlic, not to mention the rich flavour and aroma of fresh fruit: grapes, apricots, peaches, cherries, melons, watermelons, to name but a few. The herbs collected by most Greeks on the mountains and in the countryside are renowned for their taste, scent and healing properties. When eating one of the many different Greek dishes, the aroma of oregano, thyme, spearmint or rosemary will inebriate you. Do not forget also to try the Greek cheeses and particularly feta. As lambs and goats in Greece are free-grazing and pastures are very rich in herbs, meats have a unique taste not to be found anywhere else in the world. Seafood from the Mediterranean Sea is far more tasty than that from the oceans. In the Aegean and the Ionian Seas, the waters are crystal clear and abound with fish. Charbroiled fresh fish is considered a treat.
The Greek philosophy: The time of day when the Greeks gather around a table to enjoy a meal, or some appetizers (mezedes) with ouzo, is a time held in reverence by all the inhabitants of this country. For the Greeks, sharing a meal with friends, either at home, at a restaurant or a taverna, is a deeply rooted social affair. The Greek word symposium, a word as ancient as the country itself, if translated literally, means drinking with company. The atmosphere in typically Greek restaurants and tavernas is very relaxed, informal and unpretentious. Food preparation, on the other hand, has its own sacred rules. Good amateur cooks are held in great esteem in their social circles. A good housewife, in Greece, means a good cook. And a good cook can spend days preparing a meal for his or her friends.
The atmosphere: Try having a glass of ouzo or wine, accompanied by barbecued octopus or any other Greek dish, while sitting beneath the shadow of a tree, at a small tavern by the sea, on one of the Aegean islands. Then, when you go back home, try repeating that experience by preparing the same dish and serving the same drink. No matter where you decide to have it, you will soon discover that it does not taste the same. Do not try again. There is nothing wrong with the delicacy of your palate or your cooking skills. The Greek meal experience, namely the combination of what you eat and where you eat it, cannot be repeated, exported or duplicated. It is something you can only find, taste and enjoy in Greece, like the blue of the Aegean Sea.

This article is from http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=8&langId=2

Vocabulary:

Unpretentious:not showy or pompous modest.

Duplicate:exactly like something else,identical.

Spearmint:common variety of mint used for flavouring.

Summary:

These food are very delicious. Do you want to eat? Go to the Greece hurry up .

We can enjoy the food all day.You can stay in the beautiful place and eat some special.

This is enjoyment. If you discover the special way to eat,you can try it.These atmosphere is very nice.