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Ryanair connects Chania with Glasgow (Prestwick)

Chania has been added to budget airline Ryanair's flights from Scotland. The carrier will fly from Glasgow Prestwick Airport to Chania (I. Daskalogiannis Airport) in Crete from early next year.
Seats on the new route are already on sale. Officially flights to Chania will start from 27th of March, 2012.
 
Glasgow Prestwick's chief commercial officer Graeme Sweenie said:
"We're delighted to be part of Ryanair's growth and success in Scotland. This is great news for the airport and our summer flight season. It's especially exciting that for the first time we can offer low-cost scheduled services from Prestwick to Crete, top sunshine destination that is extremely popular with Scots."
 
Flights from Glasgow (Prestwick) to Crete (Chania): £57.99
Booking Period: Friday, 2nd of December 2011 - Thursday, 8th of December 2011
Travel Period: Tuesday, 27th of March 2012 - Wednesday, 27th of Jun 2012
Applicable Days: Monday - Thursday (Subject to availability)
 
Fares don't include optional Fees/Charges. Please visit the Ryanair's official web page for details.
 

Ryanair Announces First Crete (Greece) Routes

ryanairCHANIA - FRANKFURT & MILAN FROM MAY 2011
Ryanair, the world's favourite airline, at 24th March announced its first routes from Chania (second largest city on the Greek island of Crete) to Frankfurt Hahn and Milan Bergamo from May 2011 which will deliver 60,000 passengers p.a. and create up to 60 local jobs in Crete.
Ryanair celebrated its first Crete route by launching a 1 million €7 seat sale for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in late April and early May which are available for booking until midnight Monday (28th Mar). Ryanair's Chania routes go on sale on www.ryanair.com at 25th March.
 

"Gavdos Express 1", new ferry boat to Gavdos

Gavdos Express 1On Sunday 20th of March, if the weather permits it, a new ferry boat will arrive at Gavdos island.
The new boat "Gavdos Express 1" belongs to Gavdos Lines company, a company based on the island.
"Gavdos Express 1" constructed three years ago, develops speed of 25 to 28 knots and can transfer 65 people.

 

NEX Ferries - A New Maritime Company at Chania

nex-ferriesAccording to www.nexferries.com in April 2011 NEX Ferries - a new Maritime Company at Chania - with two new catamaran will connect Chania to Santorini, Ios, Paros, Naxos, Mykonos, Tinos, Folegandros, Sifnos, Kimolos, Milos, Kithyra, Antikythira, Monemvasia.

Maritime Company of Chania
Tel.: 800 11 303030
 

Winter-Spring seminars program 2011

poster2011finalEN-smThe program of winter and spring seminars for 2011 is ready. As every year, this winter Labyrinth continues its educational work during the winter and spring months until the beginning of May. The program consists of 11 seminars taught by renowned musicians from Greece and abroad. Of special interest this winter is the seminar of Ömer Erdoğdular which will focus on the musical tradition of the order of Mevlevi dervishes. He will be teaching the Acemaşiran Ayin, a very long composition in this makam, composed by Ηüseyin Fahreddin Dede (1854-1911) which will take place March 31st-April 5th. This seminar can be attended by musicians that are interested in Classical Ottoman music and play any instrument (within the modal tradition). Another seminar of special interest in the program is Zohar Fresco's "Rhythmic training, composition and improvisation seminar" (February 24th-March 1st) which will be for musicians that do not necessarily play percussion but realize the necessity of rhythmic comprehension. Of course Zohar Fresco will also be teaching another seminar especially directed at percussionists (rhythms and technique, February 17-22).
View the list of seminars displayed below and register for the ones that you are interested in at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 0030 2810 741 027
The cost of each seminar is 250 euros (accommodation and breakfast included)
 

Dominican Church in Heraklion holds Great Vespers after four centuries

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After four centuries of silence, Great Vespers services were held recently at the Dominican church of St. Peter in Irakleio, the biggest city on the island of Crete, to celebrate the Orthodox feast day of the Apostles Sts. Peter and Paul.
The monastery and Church of Saint Peter were built by Dominican monks in the early 13th century, and the church contains the only remaining 15th century frescoes in Irakleio.
Over the past decades, vespers was held on June 25 in the ruins of the church, more as an effort to keep the faith alive rather than a liturgy in the ritual of the Orthodox Church.
This year, however, after extensive repairs and restoration, a Great Vespers was held on June 28 and, according to Bishop Evgenios of Knossos, people thronged to the two Vespers services and two liturgies.
The church is one of the oldest monuments of its kind, with great importance for the 13th century architecture of not only Aegean Greece but all of Europe.
Restoration began in 1991, and was completed just a few short months ago.
Restored to its original form and open to the public as a museum, the church has been designated by the Central Archaeological Council as a commemorative monument, while discussions are currently taking place for other uses, including a Church of Greece proposal that it be used as a cultural venue open to the citizens and also a venue for inter-Christian, inter-Orthodox and inter-faith conferences.
The church of Sts Peter and Paul was built during the first years of the Venetian rule as the catholicon (chapel) of the Dominican monastery, and was violently converted into the mosque of Sultan Ibrahim under the Ottoman occupation. At some point it was used as a woodshop and even a cinema. Much later it was purchased by the parish of Aghios (St.) Dimitrios to function as a church.
The original church, a single-aisle basilica, collapsed from an earthquake, circa 1303, and was rebuilt, while chapels were added on its southern side between the 14th to 16th centuries.
During those centuries, the church collapsed at least three more times before being converted into a mosque in 1669 under the Ottoman rule, at which time a minaret was added at its south-western corner. In the 19th century, after another collapse, a dome was built and the northern wall was reconstructed. After the end of the Ottoman rule the church was used as a cinema, and later as a wood-shop, before restoration began in 1991 of the church proper and two of the chapels.
 

EasyJet: Cheap flights to Chania, Crete

ejheader2If you are looking for a long or short break to Chania, then book a cheap flight with easyJet. Chania is found on the western coast of the beautiful island of Crete. Although it was heavily bombed during World War II it is still considered to be one of the most beautiful towns on Crete.
A holiday in Chania centres mainly around the old town. The locals tend to inhabit the local back streets, while the harbour is the main hotspot for tourists.
Although there are many beautiful beaches to enjoy in and around Chania, there are also many exciting places to explore. The Samaria Gorge National Park should be top of your list. You can take a walk through the park which starts in the village of Ornalos and winds through 18km of beautiful surroundings and ends at the beach in Agia, where you can take a refreshing dip in the sea to cool off.
An ideal day out is to rent a car and take a drive to see the only lake on Crete (Lake Kournas approx 50km west of Chania). After, relax in one of the local Tavernas and have a spot of lunch. Crete has more than 3,000 caves to explore – including Sfentoni, Ideon and Kamares to name just a few.
After a day at the beach or a day of exploring you can relax and unwind at one of the delightful restaurants or tavernas. The local menus include healthy delicacies such as Ntakos and Kalitsounia. Unsurprisingly, fresh fish features heavily on the restaurant menus down by the seafront.
 

Ancient Greek statues restored with laser developed in Crete


ancient-greek-statues-restoration-with-laser
The innovative Greek know-how has played an important role in the fine conservation and restoration of the Ancient Greek statues and artefacts in Acropolis before they were exposed at the New Acropolis Museum.
Specialized technicians cleaned the grand relieves at the restoration laboratory in the Acropolis with a new laser developed in Crete; what the hi tech Englishmen didn’t manage to do after so many years of storing the marbles of the Acropolis, was achieved due to the inspiration and love of the Greeks, within a small period of time.

Since 1995, the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser of the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (ITE) has been cooperating with the Committee for the Conservation of the Acropolis Monuments in order to implement an innovative cleaning system for the Parthenon frieze.
This choice was made for the safe and controlled removal of incrustation from the surface of the monuments and marbles.
The director of the Department of Electronic Structure, Dr Fotakis revealed that scientists had discovered that during the conventional laser removal, selective vaporization of the dark encrustations on the marble surface was altering the absorption spectrum of the remaining encrustations.
This is what caused the yellow discoloring on the ancient Greek statues and marbles.
 
The innovation refers to the use of two laser beams of infrared and ultraviolet rays simultaneously; the two wavelength method (one ultra red at 1,064nm and an ultraviolet at 355nm) is able to remove the yellow discoloring appearing on the frieze surface.
The scientists have been thoroughly researching and comparing the different cleaning methods used in several different monuments and marbles. The new method was used for the first time during 2002-2005 to clean some of the Acropolis Statues and parts of the temple of Athena – Nike and the Erechtheion.
The laser method developed in Crete allowed the scientists to remove unwanted layers from the surface, in a method that takes place in discrete steps; the four sculptures of the Parthenon frieze, the upper part of the Caryatid (F) and four parts of the Acropolis frieze.
The project will continue with the cleaning and restoration of the statues of all four Caryatids.
Mr Fotakis denoted that this technology was transferred to France, where it was used to restore a monastery.
All the tests were perfectly successful and the cooperation with the Committee for the Conservation of the Acropolis Monuments  will continue. Among the plans is the creation of a lab for the conservation of paintings, in collaboration with the Greek National Gallery.
 

Anek Lines: Award by Conde Nast Traveller

ANEKTop Ferry Company in Internal - External trips for 2009 became the Anek Lines, with a rate of 85.78% in the audience awards, organized by international travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller.

Anek Lines was voted for the best environment and interior design. Also, being the only ferry company in the world using extra virgin Greek olive oil in dishes, won first position in the category of "Flavor / Restaurants" thanks to the exceptional taste and quality menus.
 

Largest Greek Salad - Cretan people sets world record

pic1 Six tons of tomatoes, 3 tons of cucumbers, 2 tons of peppers, 800 kilos of onions, 500 kilos of feta cheese, 500 kg of olive oil, salt, oregano and the fun and passion of hundreds of volunteers will take along to be prepared the world's largest salad weighing over 12 tonnes!!!
In the southern city of Europe Ierapetra on Saturday June 19th by the sea, overlooking the deep blue Libyan Sea, City, rural, cultural and tourist agencies, citizens and visitors will try to overthrow the Guinness record for the largest salad. (Previous record 11 200 kg Israel).
With products of the Cretan land cultivated by modern methods, certified and health checked, tasty and fresh, cut by the famous Cretan housewives, aspiring to highlight that in this place there are people who toil and sweat-producing "clean" quality products and breed in these markets not only in Greece also in Europe.
pic2Beautiful Ierapetra in the south of Europe is waiting for everyone to eat the biggest salad, to enjoy the beauty of the landscape and especially to experience the hospitality of the Cretan people that they see visitors as a friend.
A different way to have fun, the day of the 20th of June in the Heart of the production of this vegetables at Gra Ligia, revived the traditional custom of "xentomatiasmata'', a crazy war with tomatoes and cheer teams, the only weapon abundance of tomatoes, to compete the beautiful adness that in Crete they call «kouzoulada».

salad
 
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