|
July's Recipe:
Yemistes Piperies Florinis (Stuffed Roasted Red
Peppers)
 |
Ingredients:
|
- 12 large firm red bell peppers (approx. 5 lbs)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large red onions, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 cups water
- Dash
of Salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2/3 cup dark seedless raisins
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
|
|
Preparation:
Preheat the broiler. Wash the peppers and blot
them dry with a towel. Place the peppers on a sheet
pan and broil about 8 inches from the heat source,
turning as they blister to roast on all sides. This
should take 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and cool.
While the peppers are roasting, heat the olive oil
in a large skillet over medium-low heat and cook the
onions until wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the
garlic and stir for a minute. Add the rice,
cinnamon, and cumin and toss to combine in the
skillet. Pour in the water and season with salt.
Cover the skillet, lower heat, and cook the rice
until tender but al dente. All the liquid should be
absorbed and the surface of the rice pocked. Remove
from heat, mix in raisins, nuts, mint, and parsley
and adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
When the peppers have cooled slightly, cut off their
stems. Peel away their papery skins carefully so as
not to tear the underlying flesh and reserve all
their juices. Slit them once vertically and scrape
out their seeds with a spoon.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Lightly oil an oven proof glass baking dish. Fill
each pepper loosely with several tablespoons of the
rice mixture and fold closed. Place side by side in
the baking dish, seam side up, and pour the reserved
juices over them. Cover the dish loosely with
aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove, cool
slightly, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 6-8 main course servings
|
 Excerpts and Photography from: The
Greek Vegetarian
by Diane Kochilas |
|
|
|
|
July's Article: |
|
Cretan Nutrition and the Mediterranean Diet |
|
The
seemingly bare hills and mountains of Crete, the
rocky terrain, the thick olive groves, the
deceptively barren fields, even the jugged shoreline
of the island constitute the wider context where a
very interesting flora thrives. This flora, an
evolutionary link between the flora of Asia and
Africa and that of Europe, offers a wide range of
endemic plants. Most of these plants find numerous
culinary applications around the island: they are
consumed raw in salads, boiled with legumes, meat
and fish or used as basic ingredients in pies.
According to estimates, approximately 100 different
species of wild greens are edible on the island of
Crete.
Maratho (Foeniculum vulgare Fennel) The
fennel has been known and used by the ancient
Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Since then it
occupies a prominent place among the cosmopolitan
aromatic herbs in international gastronomy. The
fennel enjoys wide culinary applications on Crete
and mainland Greece. You can find it in cottage
pies, mixed with octopus, cuttlefish, fish, snails,
while it also marries well with legumes (.g.
black-eyed beans, broadbeans) and fresh vegetables
(fresh beans and artichokes).
Stamnagathi (Chichorium Intybus Chicory) The
most favorite herbaceous plant in Crete. It usually
grows around the coastline of the island. Its taste
is sub-bitter and consumed raw in salads (with the
addition of olive oil and vinegar) and is also
cooked with goat's meat in eggs & lemon sauces.
Askolibri (Scolymus Salsify) This is a
thistle species whose edible parts are the tender
leaves and the underground white and thick roots.
The askol bri are delicious with goat's meat in egg
& lemon sauce.
Radikia (Chichorium chicory) This is one of
the most favorite greens in the broader region of
the Mediterranean basin. It can be consumed in large
quantities either raw, in salads, or cooked. It is
an excellent tonic for the human body. the roots,
tender leaves and shoots are served cooked or raw
with a lot of olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice.
The sweet chicory variety is cooked with meat. A
delicious Cretan salad includes chicory as main
ingredient accompanied with other sweet or aromatic
herbs/greens.
Avroniés (Tamus-Bryony) A plant endemic to
Crete (Bryonia Cretica) that looks very much like
asparagus. It tastes bitter and is usually sautéd
with onion in olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice.
Askordoulàki (Muscari Comosum - Tassel Hyacinth)
The edible parts of this plant are the underground
bulbs. However, before they are ready for
consumption you will have to soak them in water for
some time. The Cretan bulbs are used in salads or
cooked with lamb in the villages of the Rethymnon
prefecture. If you would like to taste them, look
for salads or meat dishes with Askordoulàki in their
ingredients or inquire in restaurants.
Stifnos (Solanum-Black Nightshade) This is a
small weed that grows in the summer months. In many
parts of Greece the Stifnos is considered poisonous.
However, on Crete it is consumed in large quantities
either boiled or mixed with other blites and
courgettes.
Glistrida (Portulaca oleracea-Purslane) This
is a weed with thick succulent and fleshy leaves
with smooth margins. It is a precious ingredient for
Cretan salads and is also boiled in a casserole with
fish or meat.
Papoùles (Pisum Sativum - Garden Pea) A pea
species whose edible parts are the flat tender tops.
They are consumed raw in salads. In local dialect
the papoùles are also known as 'psarés' or 'kabliés'.
|
|
|
|
|
Special Feature: |
|
Do You Speak Greek? |
The Greek Vocabulary - Pristine or Polluted?
The Greek vocabulary, like that of any other
living language has borrowed, transformed
and cast off thousands of words in its long
history. But. though Turks and classics
professors would have you believe otherwise,
this vocabulary, through years of temporary
incursions and lengthy conquests, has
remained remarkably conservative in its
penchant to assimilate foreign words.
A fairly safe estimate as to the percentage
of foreign words in the vocabulary of the
average Greek speaker has been placed at 25
percent. However, the better educated,
having been more incessantly drilled in
classical Greek grammar and lexicon, usually
can cull from a word-stock whose level of
native Greek entries is considerably higher.
In contrast, the English vocabulary is
markedly different in content, for perhaps
as much as 90 percent of this enormous
word-hoard can be traced to foreign
elements, due of course to the very large
contribution of classical Greek and Latin,
especially its French and Italian offspring,
though the original Anglo-Saxon base has a
very high proportion of use.
Greek borrowing began virtually from the
inception of recorded history. In the second
millennium before Christ, four major tribes
(Achaeans, Aeolians, lonians, and later,
Dorians) emerged from the Danube basin and
ventured south, carrying with them a variant
of Indo-European (a parent language from
which most European and several Eastern
languages have issued) which they foisted on
the people they conquered. Evidence of the
original proto-Greek exists in vestiges that
cannot be traced to the language ol'the
invaders. Examples are φίλος ("friend") and
its counterpart εχθρός ("enemy"), Βασιλεύς
("king"), γη ("earth"), χρόνος ("time"), and
Θάλασσα ("sea").
In 1952, the Englishman Ventris, working
with his countryman Chadwick. succeeded in
showing that documents found in Crete and
Mycenae (named Linear Β by Evans a half
century before) were written in an archaic
Greek syllabary (composed of syllables),
thus pushing the documented evidence of
Greek back to at least 1450 B.C. In this
modest collection we find, for example, kuruso for "gold." a word traceable to the
Semitic, with cognates that include Akkadian
and Phoenician, and found in its present
form χρυσόςˇ both in
Iliad and Odyssey.
In the Homeric and classical vocabularies,
foreign words continue to creep in. though
we cannot judge their number as evidence is
lacking. We do know, however, that Xenophon
introduced παραδεισος ("paradise") into
Greek in his Anabasis to describe the
courtly gardens of the Persian kings. a word
that took on the more exalted meaning found
in the Holy Scriptures. But much of the
spoken vocabulary of the classical Greeks is
not known, or at least is vague, as mostly
the literary language has come down to us
through the extant manuscripts. Passages in
Plato's dialogues are salient exceptions, as
are the comedies of Aristophanes (which arε
also the most important source of the coarse
language of the period).
In the succeeding decades of the
post-Classical era, the vocabulary became
more simplified, as Alexander the Great
spread out in the conquest of the then known
civilized world. Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin
were influential molders. From the
Septuagint translation of the Old Testament
we have new words like Σάββατον (originally
"day of rest" and then "Saturday", and in
English "Sabbath''), while an influx of
Latin military terms left us with examples
like κήνσος ("census"). During this period
was formed the basis of the Koine (meaning
"common" language) of the New Testament.
Throughout the medieval Greek period (which
began with the creation of the Byzantine
Empire by Constantine in 330 A.D.), Latin
continued as a powerful force. From its
classical and later forms we evidence words
like βάρκα ("boat"), κάμπος ("field" and
''campus"), κάστρο ("fort", and Spanish "castro"),
μάγουλο ("check") μουλάρι ("mule"), σκάλα
("ladder"), σπίτι ("house"), and φούρνος
("furnace") as well as . to the dismay of
most native Greeks, σπιτάλι ("hospital").
As the first millennium drew to a close. Old
French, studded with many words of Arabic
and Persian origin, and mirroring the age of
chivalry and the Crusades, made a small dent
in the vocabulary of the period, as the
Frankish Empire made its presence felt in
Greece, as well as much of Europe. Examples
like καπερούνι, meaning "hood" (and now with
the figurative meaning of "chaperon as
"protector" in Εnglish) can be found in the
manuscripts (Chronicles of Morea), but
virtually all of this stock is now obsolete.
At about the same time, the Venetian Empire
expanded and conquered much of Greece;
indeed, areas like the Ionian Islands did
not gain their independence until recently.
Words like αντίο ("farewell"), γάτα ("cat").
κάλτσα ("sock" or "stocking"), λίστα
("list"), μόδα ("style"), μπράτσο ("arm"),
and φαντάρος ("foot soldier") have become
fully naturalized, a development for
(Venetian) Italian very different from the
fate of its Gallic cousin.
On the 29lh of May 1453, Constantinople fell
to the Ottoman Turks, bringing an end to the
Byzantine Umpire, and ushering in a new
onslaught on the medieval Greek vocabulary,
that of Turkish. Examples of this very
significant stock of words include κέφι
("good mood"), κουραμπιές ("type of
pastry"), παπούτσι ("shoe"), σόι ("family
descent"), τζάμι ("pane of glass"), and χαλί
("carpet"). These contributions have proved
too popular to he displaced by authentic
Greek counterparts.
In the third decade of the nineteenth
century. Greece fought and won her
independence from the Turkish yoke, only to
have her language culturally enslaved by
French and then by English. From the former
we have words like βαλέςˇ ("valet"), μπλε
("blue"), σπορ ("sport") and λικέρ
("liqueur"); from the later we find entries
like λόρδος ("lord"), μις ("Miss."
especially in a beauty contest), μποξ
("boxing event"), and τζαζ ("jazz"). But
leafing through magazines like ΓΎΝΑΙΚΑ and
ΡΟΜΑΝΤΖΟ would have you infer that virtually
all of the French and English vocabularies
have been incorporated into the Greek
language.
Now we in America have been witnessing a
further encroachment on the mother tongue,
one that began decades ago when our fathers
and forefathers landed on these shores, and
one that native Greeks scoff at, albeit with
(often unaware) hypocrisy. Words like
μαρκέττο ('"market"), μουβάρω ("to move"),
and μπόσης ("boss") have supplanted their
indigenous counterparts because αγορά,
μετακομίζω and προϊστάμενος are much too
highfalutin for the hard working and, at
best, moderately educated Greek immigrant.
But what apparently escapes our scoffing
sophists is that the method of assimilating
foreign words on this side of the Atlantic
is exactly the same as on the other, except
that what they do is acceptable and what we
do is ludicrous. Had they incorporated
"move" it would have become μουβάρω, which
like γουστάρω and φουμάρω is Italian in form
and vocabulary.
Lastly many ancient words have taken a back
scat in favor of other Greek words whose
meanings have changed. For example, οίνος
("wine") has become κρασί from κρασίς
("mixture of wine and water"), άρτος
("'bread") has become ψωμί from ψωμός
("morsel"), while Ιπποσ ("horse") is now
άλογο from άλογον (ζώον) or "irrational
(animal). Similarly, some ancient Greek
words have had their original meanings
altered. For example, δουλεία meaning
"slavery" first used by the historian
Herodotrus; now in its modern dress, δουλειά
means "work" or "job," while δρόμος in the
Iliad meant '"running" and now is "road" or
"way."
Statistically, in the spoken vocabulary of
modern Greek, Turkish and (Venetian) Italian
lead among the foreign influences with
perhaps a thousand words each, followed by
French with several hundred entries, and
with English contributing a hundred or so,
but gaining fast. Other sources have had a
much less pronounced influence, like
Albanian, which has given λουλούδι
("flower"), Spanish τσιγάρο ("cigarette"),
and Slavic γούνα ("fur").
Greek speech, like the speech of most
countries, is hardly homogeneous. Following
the liberation from Turkish rule,
Peloponnesian Greek became the favored idiom
in the capital of Nauplion, and eventually
in Athens after the seat of
government was transferred there in 1834.
But the Ionian islands, betraying a lengthy
Italian conquest, reveal a vocabulary
heavily laden with words of (Venetian)
Italian origin, while in northern Greece,
especially Thrace and Epirus. Turkish is far
more prevalent than elsewhere, except
perhaps Crete. while in Cyprus much more
English is known.
Since the overthrow of the Greek junta,
which espoused the artificial, puristic
Katharevousa, there has been a renewed
effort toward a simplification of the
language and its vocabulary. The monotoniko
orthography which allows for just one accent
on words with two or more syllables (with
the obsolete breathings and the circumflex
eliminated), has become implemented by
virtually all writers and the media. This
movement appears to put less emphasis on
foreign borrowing and more care into delving
more deeply into the language's indigenous
roots, indeed a very healthy attitude.
|
The Special Feature "Do You
Speak Greek?"
will continue next
month. |
 Excerpt
from
Do You Speak Greek?
by Steve Demakopoulos |
|
|
|
What's
New! |
|
Greek Sterling Silver Jewelry |
|
|
|
Greek
Music |
Minos 2010 Summer Kalokeri , Various Artists (2CD) |
Kaftes Epitihies 2010 , Various Artists
|
Summer Hits 2010, Various Artists |
Kalokeri 2010 , Various Artists |
Hits On Air , Various Artists |
Ola Mesa 2010 - 24 Non Stop Greek Dance Hits CD |
Goal , Various Artists |
Cafe of Dreams , Sotos Kappas (2CD) |
Ta isia anapoda , George Mazonakis |
I epohi tis agapis 2
( Season of Love 2 ) ,
Mario Frangoulis |
Ipoklinome , Kostas Karafotis |
C'est la vie , Despina Vandi (2CD) |
Ta pada ise esi , George Yiannias |
Tharros I Alithia , Tamta |
Prosopo me prosopo: Live sto stage , Eleftheria Arvanitaki (3CD + DVD) |
Dimitris Basis LIVE (3CD) |
Yiannis Kotsiras Live 2010 (2CD) |
Diskoli nihta , Nikos Makropoulos |
10 , Lena Papadopoulou |
Nisiotika me ton stamati gonidi , Stamatis Gonidis |
Mia fora ki enan kero , Stavento |
Na 'he kardia i monaxia , Pitsa Papadopoulou |
I Despina Glezou sti lira , Despina Glezou (2CD) |
Ta iera evaggelia & imni tis orthodoxias , Petros Gaitanos (10CD) |
101 Megales Epitihies , Michalis Violaris (4CD) |
99 Megales Epitihies , Michalis Violaris (4CD) |
Al Asha Di Daham Traditional Songs of the Eastern Black Sea |
Orient Express, Instrumental Greek & Black Sea Sounds |
|
|
Greek
DVDs, Books & Software |
|
|
|
Miscellaneous |
|
|
|
Greek Food & Snacks |
|
|
|
Latest
Arrivals |
|
Greek Language Software |
|
|
|
Children's Corner |
|
|
|
Vintage City Photo Posters |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Andritsaina, city view (1948) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Olympia, city view (1935) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Amaliada, Kalitisi Square (1937) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Amaliada, Central Square (1934) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Amaliada, Leoforos Othonos, (1947) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Pirgos, Eparhio (1917) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Pirgos, City Hall (1907) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Pirgos, City view (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Loutra Kaifa (1955) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Pirgos, City street (1904) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Amaliada, City View (1930) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Olympia, Train Station area (1937) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Andritsaina, City view (1910) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Olympia, City view (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Pirgos, Cathedral (1937) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Olympia, Olympic Flame Lighting ceremony (1936) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Zaharo, City view (1950)
|
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Olympia, Temple of Apollo (1904)
|
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Zaharo, City view (1958)
|
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Katakolo, City view (1960)
|
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Katakolo, City view (1970)
|
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Pirgos, City view (1948)
|
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Amaliada, City view (1961)
|
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Andritsaina, City view (1950)
|
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Helia, Pirgos, City view (1966)
|
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, Corinth Street view (1907) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, Kolokotroni street view (1914) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, Agiou Nikolaou Street view (1907) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, Ag. Andreou Street (1930) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, city view (1935) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, City view (1916) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, George the First Square (1930) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, George the First Square (1890) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, Port view (1925) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, city view (1955) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, port view (1934) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, city view (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, port view (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, city view (1924) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Patras, port view (1924) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Aigion, port view (1907) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Aigion, port view (1928) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Aigion, city view (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Aigion, Alonia view (1955) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Kalavrita, city view (1935) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Akrata, beach view (1960) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Kalavrita, main square (1960) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Selianitika, port view (1960) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Akrata, beach view (1934) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Kalavrita, city view (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Kalavrita, city view (1917) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Kalavrita, gauge rail (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Achaia, Kalavrita, Agia Lavra Monastery (1960) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Corinth, city view (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Corinth, main market (1907) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Corinth, port view/Isthmus Administration (1907) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Corinth, new Corinth view (1910) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Corinth, port view (1907) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Corinth, city view (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Corinth, city view (1960) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Corinth, Corinth map (1900) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Corinth, Isthmus crossing (1937) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Loutraki, Port view (1907) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Loutraki, City view (1907) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Loutraki, Loutraki beach (1927) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Loutraki, Beach / port view (1928) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Loutraki, City view (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Loutraki, Main Road (1950) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Loutraki, Port view (1934) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Advertising poster Loutraki Baths |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Advertising poster Loutraki Lemonade |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Kiato, city view (1955) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Xilokastro, city view (1934) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Xilokastro, beach view (1933) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Kiato, Central Market (1964) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Corinth, Isthmus (1914) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Xilokastro, beach view (1910) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Xilokastro, city view (1955) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Kiato, Port view (1960) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Xilokastro, city view (1936) |
Vintage Greek City Photos Peloponnese - Corinthia, Kiato, Port view (1960)
|
Keep a close eye on
the
Greek Poster Section as it continues to expand. We
are in the process of adding hundreds of Vintage City
Photos and
Vintage Advertisement Posters.
Above you can find a selection from The Peloponnese
Helia, Achaia and Corinthia regions.
Click Here to send a request for your favorite location. |
|
|
Featured Destination: Islands of the Saronic & Argolic Gulf - Aegina (part
2 of 5) |
|
 GEOGRAPHY
Situated almost in the middle of the Saronic gulf, its harbor, Aegina, is only 16 nautical miles from Piraeus.
The island, 83 sq. km. in area, 57 km. of coast, 11,177 inhabitants, has daily car and passenger ferry and
several hydrofoil (Flying Dolphin) connections with Piraeus per day. During the summer months their frequency
is increased and additional passenger services operate between Piraeus and the harbours of Souvala and Aghia Marina.
Throughout the year there are links with Hydra, Spetses, Methana and Poros and in the summertime there are hydrofoils
to Methana, Hydra, Poros, Hermioni,
Spetses and Tolon, Nauplion. A fertile island with mild climate, several flat
tracts of land and some hills (highest peak Oros, 532 m. a.s.l.), it was one of the first to develop as a tourist
centre. Not only has it idyllic beaches and picturesque villages, its comprehensive tourist facilities include a
yacht marina in the harbor of Aegina. all in all an ideal holiday spot.
HISTORY Inhabited since antiquity, Aegina was named after the homonymous nymph, most beloved of the daughters of the river god Asopos. Its history goes far back into Neolithic times, for the first settlements on the island date to around 3000 BC, more specifically at the site of Kolona, northwest of the present town. Remains have also been found at Aghia Marina. In the Bronze Age (2500-2000 BC) colonisers arrived from Karia in Asia Minor and settled here. Shortly afterwards (2000-1600 BC) Achaeans came from the Peloponese. Finds brought to light in the course
of excavations by the German Archaelogical Institute indicate that the Aeginites were involved in marine and mercantile activities as early as 1800 BC and their produce, as well as their pottery, was traded in Crete, the Cyclades and the Greek mainland. A member of the Amphictyony of Kalaureia (8th-7th century
BC), Aegina was a rival of Athens and in the mid-6th
century BC was the first Greek city to mint its own
coinage, which had a wide circulation in commercial
markets of that time until Athens struck its own
tetradrachm. Experienced seafarers, the Aeginites played
a vital role in repelling the Persians during the
Persian Wars, after which Athens emerged as the new
naval power, sovereign of the sea. In 456 BC the island
was taken by the Athenians and for short intervals also
belonged to the Spartans, Thebans, Macedonians and
Romans (133 BC) who sold it to king Attalos of Pergamon.
In Byzantine times successive piratical raids forced the
inhabitants to retreat into the hinterland where they
built Palaiochora. In 1537, however, it was attacked by
Barbarossa, the male population decimated and the women
and children sold into bondage. The island remained
deserted until it was resettled by the Turks. During the
1821 Revolution many freedom-fighters sought refuge on
Aegina and in 1828 the first government of the liberated
Greek state was established there.
 SIGHTS-MONUMENTS
In ancient times the island was famed for its school of
sculpture and for the cult of Aphaia, whose sanctuary
stands on an eminence some 4 km. from Aghia Marina.
Twenty-four columns from the peristyle of the temple,
regarded as one of the most beautiful in antiquity, are
preserved, as well as part of the restored cornice and
two columns of the pronaos. There are also remains of
the buildings used by the priests, the propylaia and the
foundation of an altar. The sanctuary was enclosed by a
peribolos which included a propylon, priests house,
altar and peripteral temple of the goddess with
wonderful sculpted pediments in Parian marble. This
decoration was removed by Prince Ludwig of Bavaria in
1813 and is nowadays housed in the Munich Glyptothek.
Today all that survives of the ancient temple are a few
columns and remnants of other buildings within the
sanctuary. Finds from Aphaia, as well as from other
historical sites on the island, are exhibited in the
Archaeological Museum in the main town. Ruins of the
Archaic temple of Apollo still survive at Kolona, while
at the port there are remnants of the ancient harbor installations. In the immediate vicinity of the town, on the way to the village of Achioi Asomatoi (1.5 km) stands the church of Sts. Theodore of Omorphi Ekllesia (Lovely church), founded in 1282 by an Athenian family and adorned with important
wall paintings. Also significant is the church of the
Domitian of the Virgin in the monastery of that name in the village of Tsikides (6km. south of Aegina). Of the many monasteries and churches on the island that most frequently
visited is St. Nektarios (6 km. east of Aegina), built in 1904 by the Bishop Pentapoleos who died there in 1920 and was
canonized in 1961. On the 9th of November, the anniversary of his death, pilgrims flock to the island. The nearby
monastery of St. Catherine stands on the site of an ancient temple of Aphrodite and a short distance beyond, the Byzantine town of Palaiochora where the islanders sought protection from marauding pirates during the 9th and 10th centuries.
 To the north of Paliochora (approx. 5 km.) is the region of Souvala, one of the island's many holiday resorts from where one can visit Aghioi, Vaia and Mesagro, a village with a tradition of pottery making. About 6 km. south of this village is Aghia Marina, very popular with holidaymakers because of its sparkling sea and characteristic island atmosphere. West of Aghia Marina is the village of Alones and on the southwest coast of the island (approx. 10 km. from Aegina) the quaint fishing village of Perdika from where one can take a boat to the opposite islet of Moni with its lush vegetation. All the beaches on the island (north and south) are accessible by local bus and are fine for swimming and fishing. There is a daily boat service between Aegina and the
neighboring isle of Angistri, another favorite tourist haunt, particularly during the summer months. Aegina is equipped to cater for visitors; there are several hotels (many in town, by the harbour and at Aghia Marina), as well as rooms and apartments for rent.
Next month:
The Islands of the Saronic and Argolic Gulf, Part 3 -
Poros
|
| |
|
July
2010 Greek Orthodox Calendar |
|
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
|
|
|
|
|
1
Cosmas & Damian the Holy Unmercenaries
Constantine the New Martyr of Cyprus
Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain
|
2
Deposition of the Precious Robe of the Theotokos in Vlachernae
St. Juvenal, Patriarch of Jerusalem
Juvenal the Protomartyr of America & Alaska
|
3
6th Saturday after Pentecost
Hyacinth the Martyr of Caesarea & Theodotos and Theodota the Martyrs
Anatolios, Patriarch of Constantinople
|
4
6th Sunday of Matthew
Andrew of Crete Author of the Great Canon
St. Martha, mother of St. Symeon Stylites the Younger
|
5
Athanasios of Mount Athos
Righteous Father Lampadus the Wonderworker
Kyprianos the New Martyr of Koutloumousiou Monastery
|
6
7th Tuesday after Pentecost
Sisoes the Great
Holy Apostles Archippus, Philemon and Onesimus
|
7
Kyriaki the Great Martyr
Thomas the Righteous of Malea
Akakios of Sinai
|
8
Prokopios the Great Martyr & his mother Theodosia the Martyr
Theophilios the Myrrhbearer of Pantokrator Monastery
Appearance of the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of Kazan
|
9
7th Friday after Pentecost
Pancratios, Bishop of Sicily
Dionysios the Orator |
10
7th Saturday after Pentecost
45 Holy Martyrs of Nikopolis, Armenia
Our Holy Father Gregory, Bishop of Assa
|
11
7th Sunday of Matthew
Euphemia the Great Martyr
The All-Praised Olga, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Princess of Kiev
|
12
8th Monday after Pentecost
Proklos & Hilarios the Martyrs of Ancyra
Our Holy Father Michael of Maleinus
|
13
8th Tuesday after Pentecost
Synaxis of Archangel Gabriel
Stephanos of Saint Savvas Monastery
|
14
8th Wednesday after Pentecost
Aquila the Apostle among the 70
Our Holy Father Joseph the Confessor, Archbishop of Thessalonica
|
15
Julitta & Kyrikos the Martyrs
Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles of Kiev
The Finding of the Head of St. Matrona of Chios
|
16
8th Friday after Pentecost
Athenogenes the Holy Martyr of Heracleopolis
Julia the Virgin-martyr of Carthage
|
17
Marina the Great Martyr of Antioch
Veronika & Speratos the Martyrs
|
18
Sunday of the Holy Fathers
Emilianos of Bulgaria
Holy Martyrs Paul, Thea and Oulalentine
|
19
9th Monday after Pentecost
Macrina the Righteous, sister of St. Basil
Dios, Abbot of Antioch
|
20
Elias the Prophet
|
21
9th Wednesday after Pentecost
Symeon the Fool for Christ
Parthenios, Bishop of Arta
|
22
Mary Magdalene, Myrrhbearer & Equal-to-the-Apostles
Markella, the Virgin-martyr of Chios
|
23
9th Friday after Pentecost
Phocas the Holy Martyr, Bishop of Sinope
Ezekiel the Prophet
|
24
9th Saturday after Pentecost
Christina the Great Martyr of Tyre
Athenagorus the Apologist
|
25
9th Sunday of Matthew
Dormition of St. Anna, mother of the Theotokos
Olympias the Deaconess
|
26
Paraskevi the Righteous Martyr of Rome
Hermolaos the Holy Martyr & his Companions
St. Prisca, the Righteous Martyr
|
27
Panteleimon the Great Marytr & Healer
St. Nicholas of Novgorod, the fool-for-Christ
Anthoussa the Righteous Confessor
|
28
10th Wednesday after Pentecost
Prochoros, Nicanor, Timon, & Parmenas the Apostles of the 70
Irene the Righteous of Chrysovalantou
|
29
10th Thursday after Pentecost
Kallinikos the Martyr of Asia Minor
Theodote and her Children
|
30
10th Friday after Pentecost
Silas & Silvanos the Apostles of the 70
St. Julitta of Caesaria
|
31
10th Saturday after Pentecost
Forefeast of the Precious Cross
Joseph the Righteous of Arimathea
|
|
|
Icons
depicting the celebrated Saint, make great gifts for
namedays, as do our custom-made Greek name mugs.
Shop among our great collection of gift ideas at our
store. We also have a great selection of greeting cards
for birthdays, holidays, namedays and
special occasions.
|
|
Share
With Others! |
Let your family and friends share the savings by
forwarding them this email.
|
|
Suggestions
& Comments |
Dear Greekshops.com customer,
Thank you for contributing to our effort to bring
unique and hard to find Greek products to your home. We
value your opinion, so please let us know if you have
any concerns, suggestions, comments that will improve
and help us grow. Send us your feedback at:
[email protected]
|
|
Subscription
Information |
|
Missed an issue of our
newsletter? Now you can access past newsletters by
visiting
http://www.greekshops.com/newsletters_archive
To
unsubscribe from our mailing list,
click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2009 GreekShops.com
All rights reserved. |
|
