Month: November 2014

In the poor Athens, Christmas Factory returns to warm up the spirit ….

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Technopolis, Athens, Christmas Factory,Novemeber 2015

The Christmas Factory, which is set under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organisation returns to Technopolis – City of Athens in Gazi from November 28, 2014 to January 6, 2015.

This amazing theme park is installed in the centre of the city and – with the help of elves, fairies and goblins – aims to spread the magic of Christmas to all visitors.

This year the Christmas Factory becomes larger and fills all the areas of Technopolis with various events, activities and educational workshops creating new hosting spaces.

Games, sweets, ‘cheats’, songs, presents, awards wait for the visitors at the Santa’s House, the Toys Factory, the Digital Christmas, the Sweet Factory, the Ice Rink, the Carousel, the Train, the Wheel and the Slides .

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Couple of fatal errors discredited Greece around the world by the Greek official tourism video

Greece borrows Australia’s Twelve Apostles for national tourism video Tourism board says use of Australian landmark to sell Greece was an artistic decision based on the fact that the mythology of the sky is Greek The Greek tourism board has defended a video promoting the country’s tourism and heritage after it included footage of the Twelve Apostles rock formation off the coast of Victoria under the pretence that it was footage of the Greek islands. The board said the use of the 15 seconds of time-lapse photography, shot by the Australian photographer Alex Cherney, was justified because it showed constellations that carry Greek names and “the mythology of the sky at all latitudes and longitudes of the Earth is Greek”. The video, titled Gods, Myths and Heroes, uses Cherney’s shots of the constellations rising over the sea accompanied by a narrator who says: “And when the day is done, the moon and her stars paint the sky with brilliant constellations named from Greek mythology by ancient sailors navigating their way from island to island.” The Greek National Tourism Organisation defended the video, saying its inclusion was a deliberate artistic decision and not a mistake, the ABC reported. “Almost all the world, wherever you turn around your eyes, you will meet an idea, a name, that originated from Greece,” the organisation said. “Even the skies of Australia in the southern hemisphere … you will see stars and constellations that carry Greek names. The mythology of the sky at all latitudes and longitudes of the Earth is Greek.” a75f0f5c-a334-41a3-aff6-4f62055f7e73-460x276 Cherney remained unimpressed by the explanation. “That’s fine to make a mistake, but coming up with an excuse or an explanation like that is funny,” he told the ABC. “I spent more time smiling and laughing about it than being serious. “I think there are enough beautiful places along the Aegean sea in Greece, they don’t really need another one.” It is the second time that the $83,000 video has come under fire since it was released in November, after it was revealed the original version included footage from Nazi filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl’s documentary of the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Officials took down the offending clip and attributed the error to a technical oversight, later posting an edited version, but remain unrepentant about the use of the Twelve Apostles. At almost 12 minutes long, the video has also been criticised for its slow pace, its opening shot of New York and its outdated aesthetics. Tourism is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise battered Greek economy. Last year, the country attracted more than 20 million holidaymakers – almost double the population of the country – an increase of more than 16%. The record summer tourist numbers have helped the economy to return to growth after six years of recession. Third quarter GDP growth figures show a rise of 1.7% on the same quarter last year with economists predicting the full-year target of 0.6% growth would be met.

Clip of 1936 Berlin Olympics in new Greek tourism film ‘an oversight’ Critics deplore Leni Riefenstahl footage of Hitler games in official video – as ministry stresses mistake should not detract from Greek tourism success

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German film-maker Leni Riefenstahl and cameraman Walter Frentz shooting the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

The Greek government has been forced to re-edit a tourism video unveiled in London this week because it contained footage of the infamous 1936 Olympics held in Berlin under Hitler. The offending clip, which depicted the torch lighting ceremony at the controversial pre-war games, would be “removed immediately” officials said, after being alerted to the gaffe by the Guardian. By last night the original version of the video had been taken down from YouTube. “This was a commemorative video marking 100 years of the Greek tourism organisation, that was shown in the UK for the first time, and we wanted to include footage from the Olympic games,” explained the tourism ministry’s general secretary, Panos Livadas. In a telephone interview from London on Thursday, where industry figures had gathered for the World Travel Market, the sector’s pre-eminent global event, Livadas added: “In the sequence, a scene from the 1936 Olympics was mistakenly included which we will immediately remove and rectify.” The Berlin games, used by Hitler to promote racial superiority and the ideals of Nazism, were the first to portray the ceremonial relay of the Olympic flame. At about eight minutes into the footage, (taken from a film compiled by the German film-maker Leni Riefenstahl the Fuhrer’s favourite propagandist) a blond, blue-eyed athlete, meant to embody Aryanism, is seen holding the Olympic torch aloft as he skips up a stairway to light the cauldron. The scene lasts barely a second before an image of a more recent torch lighting ceremony appears. Officials attributed the error to a technical oversight, saying it should not be given undue emphasis at a time when tourism, the mainstay of Greece’s otherwise crisis-hit economy, was doing extremely well. Despite a precipitous decline in holidaymakers from Russia and the Ukraine, the Mediterranean country attracted more than 20 million visitors – almost double the entire Greek population – amounting to a growth rate of more than 16% this year alone. “We have not just had a great reception here in London, we have had two back-to-back record years in terms of tourist arrivals and revenues,” said Livadas. “The rise will continue next year, which is great news for a sector that employs 700,000 people. And that is what we should be focusing on. That is what is important.” But the video rapidly elicited an excoriating response from viewers, not least from some Greeks. In online exchanges many said the error had been exacerbated by the film’s hackneyed presentation of Greece as a land of gods, myths and ancient heroes. At almost 12 minutes long the video, which inexplicably opens with a shot of New York and is narrated by an American (who participated as a US team member in the 1984 winter Olympics), includes almost no images of contemporary life, or young innovative Greeks. “It is very tiring and after a bit irritates with its outdated aesthetics,” wrote Robin Savas Savidis in an observation posted beneath the video’s YouTube slot. “It is reminiscent of a cheap soap opera [with] optical effects that verge on the ridiculous,” he said, echoing a widely held view. Deploring the decision to include the scene from the 1936 Olympic games, Ares Kalogeropoulos, another critic wrote: “It is perhaps the most repellent thing I have ever seen or paid for as a taxpayer.”

BERLIN_454_355 The video, made to promote Greece as a tourist destination, was presented during the World Travel Market, a very important event for the global tourist industry. According to the Guardian report, the original version of the video had been taken down from YouTube. The promotional video was shot to commemorate 100 years of the Hellenic Tourism Organisation (EOT). At about eight minutes into the footage, a blond athlete is holding the Olympic torch aloft as he runs up a stairway to light the cauldron.

Livadas said he hoped people would not give the technical oversight undue emphasis, and emphasized that Greece’s tourist industry was growing. The infamous footage was shot by Nazi propaganda film maker Leni Riefenstahl and intended to promote the Nazi ideals of racial superiority by showing athletes who embodied Aryanism.

The particular clip, which lasts for about a second, is from a propaganda film directed by Leni Riefenstahl, Hitler’s favorite film-maker. The footage of the 1936 Olympics was shot by the German director for the sole purpose of promoting the ideals of Aryanism and show the supposed superiority of Germans. This was the first time that the ceremonial relay of the Olympic flame was introduced.

Panos Livadas, General Secretary of the Hellenic Tourism Organisation, said that, “In the sequence, a scene from the 1936 Olympics was mistakenly included which we will immediately remove and rectify.”

Greek officials admitted the error claiming it was a technical oversight. They also said that there should not be given undue emphasis to the unfortunate incident. Especially at a time when tourism is the most important sector of the Greek economy. sources:

Amphipoli: In search of Alexanders’ DNA ”It is likely the tomb to have been constructed for Alexander himself.” Dorothy King

Alexanders’  Greatness raises from this tomb….._77735379_caryatids
On an interview to the “Sunday Ethnos” Newspaper, the American archaeologist Dorothy King, insists that the Amphipolis monument that captured the admiration of the whole world since the 2014 summer,  insists on the view that the impressive monument was constructed by order of the Alexander the great, and eventually became the tomb of Hephaestion.
Dorothy King stated that she is ready to offer her assistance,if requested, for the unique Greek archaeological wonder, talking to the Greek Newspaper, expressing at the same time her confidence that archaeologists in Amphipolis “will continue to make great discoveries.”

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The ancient skeleton that has been found in the tomb, has rekindled the debates among researchers and experts for the tombs’ resident identity, making more and more exciting the  question ,who was buried in the tomb of Amphipolis Dorthy King noted that  “… at the moment, all findings that have been published in conjunction with the colossal size and the unusual decor of Amphipolis tomb, do show for me, that the construction of the tomb began by the order of Alexander and was completed by his successors.” According to the famous archaeologist, “whether the tomb was for the Macedonian commander Alexander, or for Hephaistion is under discussion, but because we know from written history that the construction of the tomb of Hephaestion was canceled, it is likely to have been constructed for Alexander himself.” “I suspect,” she adds, “that there are more discoveries to come to light. From the sources, however, we come down to the fact that there are only two candidates, based on the dates, and the terms of social status: Hephaestion and Alexander.” “All sources agree that the body of Alexander moved to Alexandria, so the only one who remains is Hephaestion,” the archaeologist said. Dorothy King also, on her interview to the Greek Newspaper, stressed that “Amphipolis is in Macedonia, Vergina is in Macedonia and Macedonia is in Greece. To suggest otherwise is as ridiculous as to advocate that Jesus went to America.”

Don’t miss also our 3D video and photos “Meet the Caryatides page”  on Greek to me ! classic edition, and visit now the 3D slideshow on Greek to me !

But the Greek Archaeologists don’t seem to follow Dorothy’s King scientific approach, nor her inspirational passion for the traces of Alexander the Great to be tracked in the Amphipolis moment.

“The monument has nothing to do with Alexander the Great and his generals”, said the professor of Archaeology of the University of Athens Olga Pallagia , emphasizing that the deceased found in the tomb was a “COMMON HUMAN“, and adding that  “Τhis particular tomb is NOT SO GREAT”.
“Οther similar tombs have been found like Amphipolis”  she said, “and even the same.”

“It is hard to determine whether the dead of Amphipolis has some relationship with the royal family of Macedonia, stated on Monday November 17 the General Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Lina Mendoni, explaining that the comparison with the DNA of Philip will not be easy. The genetic material found in the tombs of Vergina is quite overworked,” said Lina Mendoni who explained that scientists from the University have requested a comparison of the Amphipolis’ bones with that of Philip II detected in Vergina, noting however that this is extremely difficult . As she explained, the bones of Philip found in Vergina are burnt , but most importantly, those findings that came to light 50 years ago were not handled properly as to reserve the anthropological material. Many hands of the modern man have touched Phillip’s bones, Mendoni said, as to transfer them for analysis to lots of modern laboratories. But this, ironically, was the big loss of modern archaeology. Talking on an interview to Real Radio, the senior professor of Archaelogy Konstantinos Kargakos, had said, since the early days of the Amphipolis’ discovery, that in Vergina a sponge , 2500 years old was found, probably as a personal, live DNA material of Phillip. But the knowledge of the science was not adequate, 50 years ago to, to care by today’s knowledge for this “rare ancient gene pool”, as he characterized it , “that was uniquely found in a sponge”. The sponge has been kept in formalin, and the DNA traces have been destroyed