Athens-Tours-ContemporaryGreece

The simple model that is proposed by some economists concerning Greek crisis combines three tors. First, deteriorating macroeconomic fundamentals over the period 2001-09, mirrored in an external competitiveness deficit coupled with an unsustainable path for fiscal finances. Second, a shift in market expectations pricing a possible exit of Greece from the EMU, mainly due to the lack of commitment of Greek authorities to undertake unpopular structural  reforms. Third, the pricing by markets of a (previously non-existent) default risk that follows the with-drawal of an implicit guarantee on Greek debt by other EMU countries (mainly Germany).

MONEMVASIA: One of the most exciting touristic destinations

Its official name is Monemvasia, although there are some slight variations in Greek, along with different forms of pronunciation – such as Monovasia. In the Middle Ages, the Franks called it Malvoisie, to the English it was known as Malmsey. Its Greek name is derived from the two words meaning single entrance, that is, the only entrance to the fortress town.

The old town of Monemvasia is a perfectly preserved medieval settlement still inhabited, a world cultural heritage monument and a major attraction for every traveller in the Peloponnese. It has a unique, magical atmosphere and a fascinating history. Monuments and churches are scattered throughout the old town. An important archaeological collection is housed in the old mosque in the Square of Elkomenos Christos.

At the other end of the causeway on the mainland is the new town of Monemvasia. Along the coast to the south is the settlement of Nomia. Neighbouring Aghios Ioannis is recommended for those who would like to try authentic local dishes.

GYTHIO

Gythio is a lovely destination in the southern side of Peloponnese. It distinguishes for the island style, the wonderful beaches and the wild landscape. The most famous spot of Gythio is Kranae islet, at the entrance of the port, where Paris and Helen spend the night before leaving for Troy. Conveniently located in southern Peloponnese, Gythio is a good base for road trips to Monemvasia, Mystras, Kalamata, Elafonissos and the region of Mani.

Kranae Islet

ELAFONISOS

The island of Elafonisos  is a small Greek island between the Peloponnese and Kythira. Elafonisos Island lies off the coast of Cape Malea  and Vatika. The area of the island is 19 km². Nowadays Elafonisos Island is by far the largest inhabited island of the Peloponnese, and the only one that is a separate municipality.

Elafonisos Island is attractive for its white, sandy beaches, and the crystal-clear waters of the island with a characteristic emerald hue. The most well-known beaches of Elafonisos Island are Simos (Sarakiniko and Fragos), Panagitsa (Panagias Nisia) and Lefki. 

The municipality of Elafonisos Island also includes a piece of the mainland, about 600 ft across from the main Elafonisos settlement. This 3 km² of land also includes Punta beach, a long strip of white sand and shallow emerald waters just like the beaches of Elafonisos Island. 

The church of Agios Spyridon, built on a tiny piece of land connected to the settlement with a bridge over shallow waters, is the main church of the Elafonisos Island community, and a landmark of Elafonisos. 

In the area of Kato Nisi there is a Pyrgos (= castle) called “Pyrgos ton Meladon” (= castle of the Melas family), a Mani-style, two-storey castle on the highest elevation of an 11-acre property. Built for defensive purposes in the late 1800s, today the property is used for cultivating produce and raising livestock. Visitors are encouraged to visit Pyrgos, admire the spectacular, panoramic view of the Laconic Bay from the top of the building, taste local delicacies and listen to the interesting history of both the property and the generations of its owners. 

There are some important archaeological discoveries on the island and in the surrounding area, such as the "sunken city" as well as a Chalcolithic period burial site from the Copper Age in the area of Pavlopetri. 

Introduction :

http://mediterraneen.crdp-aix-marseille.fr/mediter13/echanger/ech_le-piree.htm

  The Piraeus is a city situated in the suburbs of the capital city, Athens, at the weark of the region of Attic in Greece.

https://www.google.fr/maps/place/Le+Pir%C3%A9e,+Gr%C3%A8ce/@38.0443443,23.7778068,10z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x149eff8d3b1eed19:0x300bd2ce2b98080

  It's also a huge marine and container port. The most frequented of Greece and also the largest of Europe.

  The Piraeus has a marina, mostly tourristic. It offers various equipement an means of transport ( bus, boat, maritime shuttle), making the central harbour a hub of commercial and passenger slipping.

                                                              THE MARINA

http://www.quizz.biz/quizz-307672.html

                                                             THE SEAPORT

http://www.nvm.fr/le-piree-le-port-dathenes/

1. The Greek government rents part of the harbour of goods to earn money because it is involved in debt.

  The harbour of goods accomodates a large number of cargo liners of goods, often coming from China because since 2008, it is rented partly by a Chinese company : Cosco global shipping giant.

  Cosco has many activities. It is primarily an owner renting ships to other companies. It also carries goods on ships.It is also renting containers in the harbour to store the merchandises.

  Cosco is a transnational firm because itrs leaders are working in Beijing, but its ships cross the oceans and stores are located on many continents.

http://www.challenges.fr/economie/20130507.CHA9156/le-port-d-athenes-bat-pavillon-chinois.html

2- The strategie of Cosco

The canal of Suez in Egypt permits to shorten the maritime itinerary between China and Europe.

http://www.voxeu.org/article/1967-75-suez-canal-closure-lessons-trade

Indeed, the Pireus is the nearest European shipping harbour to the canal of Suez. That's why Cosco, a giant shipping company owned by the chinese government, has chosen to lease the Pireus port.

3- Discontent Greek workers.

The dockers (Greek employees who load and unload cargo) ships went on strike because Cosco dismissed many Greek dockers, so they no longer want Cosco to run the port. This is a very long strike. They pronounced the speech "Cosco go home" because they work more to earn lower wages than before, when the Greek government owned the port.

Conclusion :

Lots of arrangements have been put to improve performance. The merchandises arriving in Piraeus by train will soon be sent very quickly to the port of Piraeus to leave Europe on a container ship and vice versa. Moreover a new terminal is being built to accomodate larger boats.

Thessaloniki

It is a city of Greece.

It's the capital periphery of central Macedonia in Greek Macedonia.

In 2001, there was 363 987 inhabitants.A famous city for festivals and cultural events.

In 2014, it was appointed "youth capita". Its port ? a major importance for Greece. The city was based by "Cassandra of Macedonia". in - 315.

Patras

It is a city of modern Greece.

It's located north Peloponnese peninsula.

In 2011, there were 169 242 inhabitants.

It is the chief town regional district of Achaia.

It is also the main port for travelers on the Patras gulf.

This is one of the most poorest city of Greece.

It holds historical seat of an archdoicese of the catholic church.

In mythology, residents should give the most beautiful boy and girl to Adonis or else a spell. 

Seaside tourism

Greece is a country with much deficit, It is indebted But it still is the 18^th most visited country in the world with more than 14,4 millions tourists every year

Greece develops two aspects of tourism, seaside tourism and cultural tourism.

1- Ionian islands.

http://www.grecevacances.com/medias/images/grece-cyclades-carte.jpg

Those are mountainous islands in the east side of Greece. The climate is rainy, which allows them to get loads of vegetation. This is why they are unique in Greece.

There are 7 of them from North to South : Corfou, Leucade, Céphalonie and Ithaque, Zante and Cythère farther from the others , on both sides of the last but not least Péloponnèse.

2- The Cyclade Archipelago

http://www.grecevacances.com/medias/images/grece-cyclades-carte.jpg

This archipelago is composed of 39 islands but only 15 of them are inhabited, the tourism activity is high in

there.This is the origin of the photos we often see, well-known for its white houses on the top of a small hill. Those 15

islands offer huge beaches,small villages, castles, churches , antique ruins but also bars and clubs.

Mains islands : Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Folegandros, Milos,

Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Santorin, Serifos, Sikinos, Sifnos, Syros and Tinos.

3- Crete

Crete is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and undoubtedly one of the finest.

It is mountainous with a chain that extends from West to East.

The distance separating it from the continent explains that Crete has remained independent for centuries,

developing its own culture, language and traditions.

The island has much to offer: beautiful beaches, landscapes, mountains, a forest of palm trees,

traditional villages and towns, churches, castles

4- Dodecanese Islands

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dod%C3%A9can%C3%A8se

This archipelago is located along the Turkish coast, it consists of twelve main islands.

Between the East and the West, the story there was often hectic,as shown by different kinds of architecture

The most famous of these islands is Rhodes, medieval architecture, but the other islands are highly interesting as well, particularly Patmos.

The sights are diverse: ancient and medieval sites, castles, beaches, villages, ...

5- Sporades septentrional

http://greciabella.free.fr/pagesko.htm

With many islets, the archipelago of the Northern Sporades is composed of four main islands: Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos and Skyros.

These islands are wooded, with pleasant landscapes and picturesque villages.

Paleo Faliro is an edema located in the periphery of Attica in Greece , 6 km to the southwest of the city center of Athens. The Municipality of Paleo Faliro is known to have the closest beach of Piraeus. Paleo Faliro is almost completely urbanized.

The beach area was redeveloped for the 2004 Summer Olympics , and now has a waterfront, several sports facilities , a marina and park of Maritime Tradition Museum where ships are exhibited.
Its name comes from the bay and ancient Phalere edema, Phalere is the first harbor of Greece ( 5th century before Jesus-Christ ) .

Over the past 34 years, the population has been increasing :

The important monuments:

• Cultural center of Palaio Faliro

• Marina of Flisvos

• Church Panagitsa

• Park of maritime tradition

  Cinema Village Complexes

• Kimatothrafstis (brise-lames)

• Faliro Sport Pavillon Arena, build for the summer olympic games of 2004

• War cementary of Phalère

I- The standard of living of the greek population

1.The unemployment

The average of the unemployment rate in Europe is 11,5 % in July, 2014. Greece is the country which has the highest unemployment rate with a rate amounting to 26,4 % followed by Spain 24,5 %. Norway is the country having the lowest unemployment rate 3,4 % and the unemployment rate in France is 10,5 %. On this map we can notice that it is especially the countries of the South that are affected by the unemployment.

http://www.statistiques-mondiales.com/ue_chomage.htm

2.The GDP(GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT)

http://geopolis.francetvinfo.fr/leurope-en-sept-cartes-32369

The GDP in Europe average is 100 inhabitants of Greece are less wealthy than the European average because GDP is 75.The country with the lowest GDP Albania with a GDP of 30 and the country with the highest GDP is Luxembourg with a GDP of 264. France has a GDP of $ 108.

3. In Greece, where poverty is increasing more than elsewhere in Europe

Between 2012 and 2013, Greece held the record of the European country where poverty increased the most. Poverty and purchasing power has almost doubled, it increased from 11.8% in 2012 to 23.7% in 2013. En Grèce le travail se fait rare, notamment pour les jeunes. La plus part d'entre eux projettent de venir travailler en France. En revanche, toutes les dépenses ont due être revisité ce qui n'a rien arrangé. Pour couronner le tout, aux prochaines élections municipales et européennes, le Gouvernement risque de perdre des élections en

because of dissatisfaction of Greek citizens.

4.The primary surplus

Greece shows a primary surplus of more than 2 billion euros, that is to say that economic activity has resumed. It creates wealth. Despite this, the debt remains high and the Greek-must repay lot of money.

II-Multiculturalism and the opening of greek

1. Relations between Greece and France

Relations between France and Greece have always been very strong. They are costs caused by their political aspects that were a certain friendship and good Franco-Hellenic cooperation, but it also created with an ideological and cultural level. These relationships strengthen over time, but during the economic crisis, contacts and exchanges are reduced.

2.Location of linguistic minorities in Greece

In northern Greece live Slavs, that is to say, the Macedonians (Florina) and Bulgarians (Serres region), and also Pomaks and Turks (Thrace). In Epirus and Thessaly, there are Arvanites and Aromanians.

In the greater Athens (which is the capital), in the Peloponnese, the island of Evia and Andros, cohabit with the Greeks Arvanites. Finally, in the island of Kos and Rhodes, live small Turkish communities.

As for the Roma minority, it is scattered throughout Greece, but significant communities living in Western Thrace. Near Thessaloniki, one can still find a tiny Jewish minority of Latin language. It also remains small Armenian communities in Thessaloniki, Athens and Crete.

In 2000, to join the euro zone, Greece provided false statistics halving the numbers of its public décifit (cumulative budget balances of central governments, local and social security). At that time, debts have increased and have forced the country to borrow a large sum of money, and that can not repay, Greece began to go into debt. This is the beginning of Greece's economic crisis.

In autumn 2009, newly elected , the first Greek minister , George Papandreou , announced that the public deficit was 12.7 % of GDP, it has fallen by a quarter in six years. On the other hand , unemployment reaches 26.5% , 60% among young people.

http://economie.lefigaro.fr/espagne-portugal.html

May 2, 2010 , Athens gets help from the European Union and the IMF (International Monetary Fund ) worth 110 billion euros over three years. This money will be used to bail out the country and build infrastructure . The country decided to freeze the salaries of civil servants , increase taxes, to tax more regularly and put in place an austerity potiltique . This reduces the living standards of Greek which causes many events.

http://www.comite-valmy.org/spip.php?article1558

The capital of Greece is Athens. The national colours of Greece are blue and white. 

http://www.cotton-shop.ch/catalog/default.php?cPath=22_25_32_175

The coast of arms of Greece consists of a white cross on a blue exatcheen ??? wich is surrounded by two laurel branches. It was established on 7th june 1975. Blue symbolizing the sky and the sea / the white : the purity of the Greek war of independance.

The cross represents the christian religion, nine blue and white horizontal stripes on the flag symbolize the nine syllables of the Greek currency alphabet ?. The anthem of freedom is a poem written by Dionysios Solomos (1823).

Relations between Greece and France are traditionnaly close narrow ?, the political aspects were first formed with Franco-Hellenic frienship and cooperation but this solidarity between the two peoples was also built on cultural and ideological elements. Unfortunately, the cross reduced the contacts and excanges between the two countries.

Greece is considered as the founding country of the democracy. It was only in 1821, date of its independance, that Greece learnt liberty. The country had to make up for economic, technological and intellectual retardation and carry on the fight to impose freedom, especially during the dictatorship of colonels from 1967 to 1974. For its entry in European economic community ? in 1981, Greece continued to evolve and to transform. Great efforts were performed, from every point of view. Greece is today, a mixture of culture and traditions, western and oriental traits.

Since 2005, the president has been Karolos Papoulias.

Your president with our president, François Hollande in Athens, 2013.

http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Karolos+Papoulias/Francois+Hollande

I- Location

Greece is located in southern Europe, it has several frontier countries (1228 km of land borders) for example : Albania, Bulgaria and Turkey. Greece extends on more than 131 990 km².

Its capital is Athens, with 4 million inhabitants (nearly a third of Greece inhabitants).

Greece is divided into 13 regions, that are eastern and western Macedonia, Thrace, Central Macedonia, western Mecedonia, Epire, Thessaly, western Greece, Central Greece, Attic, Peloponese, southern Egea, northern Egea, Crete and the Ieonia Islands. Greece also consists of other islands, the ionian islands and the Aegean islands.

The islands cover 1/5 of the surface, the largest island is Crete.

http://mythologie--grecque.e-monsite.com/pages/mont-olympe.html

II- Landscapes and climate

Greece is a very mountainous country (80% of its surface). The highest mountain is mount Olympus. Mount Olympus is more than 2917 m. The highest peak in Europe is the Mount Blanc in France (4810 m).

Greece is wostly a mountainous country. In Greece, there are very few hish mountains but a large quantity of hills. The weather is usually very dry, approximately 40°C and mild in winter (it does not exced 8°C). The sun is present in summer but also in winter. Negative temperatures are very rare. One calls this climate : the Mediterranean climat.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diagramme_climatique_Ath%C3%A8nes.png