"Gods in Colour" by Betty Savourdou, ERT News
Twenty-one coloured replicas of famous ancient statues and sculpture are on display at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens next to the original ones, which still preserve colour. The exhibition entitled "Gods in Colour" is based on research made by the University of Munich since 1982 on the colouring of ancient sculpture.
"We are offering you an experiment, or better, an approach as to how the ancient Greek colours looked on the marbles," argued the head of the research team of the Munich University. "There are many questions on the colouring of the ancient Greek marble monuments," said director of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens Nikos Kaltsas, further adding, "What was the effect of colouring on them? Is it possible that the ancient Greeks used anti-realistic colours because they [monuments] were seen from afar? What techniques did they employ? Archaeology coupled with other scientific fields and technology may provide us some day with more information on the colouring of ancient marble monuments."
Last year I posted quite often about what could be seen from our veranda. Well we could see the yoga studio below except for two rows of trees in between.
This photo is from Oona Giesen who has just announced her summer schedule for yoga on Paros. Read all about it and see many additional photos at Yoga-Paros.com
Paros abounds with activities for every interest. Check yours out on the Paros page of our full service web site.
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Crossroads of Continents, Cultures, Religions... Magnificent Country, Türkiye! Travel to Turkey
I have just now followed up. I am quite impressed what a good job he is doing of showing Turkey--the modern and the ancient.
I have put a permanent link on the side bar. Many people combine trips to Greece and Turkey. Karin and I hope to visit Ephesus soon.
Check out his current post on Istanbul is the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2010
A friend just sent me some information and photos about his brand new villa above the village of Aliki. He has decided to make it available to rent this summer when he is off the island. Above is a picture of it at dusk.
For families or groups of four or more private luxury villas are very competitive price-wise to hotel rooms and so much more spacious and comfortable. This is especially true if you like to cook. On Paros you can buy fish off the boat and vegetables off the farmer's donkey. If you are taking a holiday from cooking, there are caterers on the island who will use your kitchen to prepare the best in Greek cuisine. Most villas do not include maid service, but again, that can be hired seperately.
Picture yourself on the roof of your private villa.
Read more about cooking on Paros: Karin's Culinary Discovery.
This view from our friend's villa is similar to that at Eddy's Cooking Workshop.
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Feel free to eavesdrop by reading this recent letter to my niece:
Dear Geneann,
You asked me to send you information about the accommodations that we have available here on Paros. As I was looking up the links it occurred to me that we hadn’t talked about why come to Paros versus some other resort location. I am sure that visiting Karin and I is not enough incentive on its own.
On the other hand most of the public enquiries that I get are from people who have already decided to visit Greece and are trying to decide which islands to visit or just which villa or hotel is best for them. So I am not used to presenting our island as a vacation alternative.
What I will do here is give you a brief summary and refer you to our full service Paros website rather than write page after page of detail. Everyone has different interests; you can browse what is of interest to you on the site.
I was attracted to Greece for two basic reasons, the warm, dry climate and the opportunity to walk where civilized man walked more than 2,000 years ago. We have stayed here for countless reasons centered around the climate, the low cost of living and that Greece is a modern, European country.
While the Acropolis in Athens is an ancient wonder that must be seen by any cultured person, Paros has traces of people more ancient than Athens. Here we have numerous antiquities that you can wander and absorb the sense of the cultures that existed in the past. Some of these sites are relatively remote but most are interspersed among the lively towns of today. The reputation of Paros as a party island is gaining; it is the island of choice between the glitzy night life of Mykonos and the young, drink-until-you-drop, attitude of Ios.
Of course we live in the quiet village of Aliki noted for its old-timers and young families. We have three beaches here but on Sundays and other special occasions we go to one of favorites elsewhere. No place on the island is more than 30 minutes from any other place. The sandy beaches are uncountable; some catering to an active crowd (good for people watching), some small and isolated for just the two of you. 
Aliki at dusk in July
There are a few touristy sites to see on Paros but that is not the attraction. We frequently hear from guests that they had their best vacation ever; not due to the scenery but because of the atmosphere and attitude of relaxation, slow pace and calm comfort. I should mention the good food and drink as well. It all tastes better at a waterfront taverna with a gentle breeze wafting the sounds of the sea and smells of the grill. 
Hopefully I have whetted your appetite to visit our piece of paradise on Paros. Please browse our site contents Here and see our villas Here and Here.
Oh yes, please write with any questions about travel to Greece and Paros—that is what I do for a living.
All the best,
Michael
I really love this quote from an Athens News Agency report about the Marion True/Getty Museum antiquities theft charges.
"According to Greek authorities, an unidentified number of undeclared
antiquities were found in a residence True kept on the upscale Cyclades
island of Paros. (Emphasis mine!)"
Here we thought we were living on a quiet island out of the main stream, yet maybe that explains why the food and drink prices have increased so much lately.
When we were in Portland, Oregon last month our local daily newspaper carried a story to the effect that Marion True was complaining that although the Getty Museum was paying for her defense they were not doing enough to clear her name. Also that they were not aggressive enough in trading her freedom in exchange for returning some of the antiquities to Greece and Italy. This current ANA report calls it a "reciprocal deal" that True was granted bail in exchange for two antiquities with two more still in negotiation.
We had previously written about this Paros connection in April 06, in which we wondered where True's expensive villa was. Since then we learned that we had actually gone to a New Year's party at an apartment in the compound. It was nice but not spectacular. So I conclude Paros is an every man's island, not upscale.
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Yesterday we arrived back to a glorious day on Paros: warm, sunny and calm. Approaching the island on the ferry just before noon was so beautiful with the sun highlighting the white houses in the green fields, all framed by the blue water and blue sky. A picture of paradise.
Friends met our ferry and we drove their convertible with the top down and stuffed with our maximum luggage to Aliki. As I drove I thought about a young couple that I saw on the ferry who were touring on bicycles. What a fantastic January experience they will have on Paros.
It did get cold at night, however. As my jet lag caused me to wake before dawn I saw the street light on the field across the road and thought it had snowed. I went outside to check and was treated to a perfectly clear sky full of stars and a bright sliver of moon. It is good to be back.
There was a con, however. We missed our connection in Frankfurt and arrived on Sunday instead of Saturday; that meant no grocery stores open. We had to survive on convenience store offerings and something unidentifiable from the freezer. Oh well, I am due to diet anyway.
I subscribe to the Expat Bulletin pubished by the Telegraph newspaper in the U.K. Today they featured their Mentor for Greece, Michael Cooper.
He has done an excellent job of profiling the country and the people in about one page. Read it here.
Last year Paros and other islands lost business to the mainland of Greece due to declining ferry capacity. Mostly, I think, because of the modernization of the fleet to smaller high speed boats. In previous years, however, a major limiting factor was the high cost of flights into Athens. Each year now we see more airlines adding a Greece flight to their services. Usually direct flights mean lower fares; we personally noticed that with the daily flights on Lufthanza between Portland, Oregon and Frankfurt, Germany, a major European hub with several flights to Athens.
Recently US Airways (which includes America West Airlines) announced a direct flight from their hub at Philadelphia to Athens. This will be seasonal only, however, from May 25 to October 6, 2007. But it is bound to help make it cheaper and easier for more people to find their way to our Paros Paradise.
In the long run if US Airways combines with Delta it will make a big difference. This is from a November press release:
The combination of US Airways and Delta would create one of the world`s largest airlines and would operate under the Delta name. Customers would benefit from expanded choice as well as the reach and services of a large-scale provider within the cost structure of a low-fare carrier. As a combined company, the "New" Delta would be the number one airline across the Atlantic and the second largest airline to the Caribbean. The New Delta would reach more than 350 destinations across five continents, including North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. In the U.S., the combination would create a leading competitor in the Eastern U.S. and an enhanced position in the Western U.S. The combined company would be the number one airline at 155 airports. The New Delta would also be uniquely positioned to compete with low cost and legacy carriers.
Now is the time to Think Greece. Learn more at our full service Paros website.
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