Monday, July 2, 2012

I ♥ Greece because...


 I ♥ Greece because... 


We asked our friends on the Global Greek World Facebook Page and our Twitter Page to play a game a while back, asking them to finish the statement above,  then asked everyone to vote for their favourite by clicking the 'like' button.


We had so many marvellous answers we decided to publish all of them... since we  your comments!

Eloquent, sometimes even poetic, awesome, sincere, amazing, touching, inspiring, and funny, they were all comments made straight from the heart and we are honoured to share them with all our readers!

 
We know the rest of the world wants to know what it is about this beautiful country that makes us all Greece so so much and makes the love affair go on forever!!!!
Congratulations to our winner,  Greek Australian Georgia Gerardis, for the comment with the most likes.

Bravo Georgia! Your prize is a one year subscription to The World of Greece Odyssey Magazine.

A big Thank YOU from the bottom of our hearts to you and to everyone who played the game! Some enjoyed the game so much, they left two comments, sometimes more!

Fantastic! We love the fact that you all
Greece!

If you haven't already told us why YOU 
Greece,  you're welcome to add your reason by leaving a comment at the end of this post!

Pame! 

The winning comment came from Greek Australian Georgia Gerardis owner of Ammoyiali Restaurant in Rhodes: 



I ♥ ♥ #Greece because ...It's the energy, the fragrances, the lacy beaches, the deep blue sea, the breeze on the islands, the sunsets, the sound of ice cubes in an ouzo glass, the charmani(have no idea how to translate that) of the greek coffee, the fact that we can lay a whole table with simplicity and call it a grand feast, that we can go on holidays on our own country, that we can communicate with our eyes, that no matter how shitty things can get we can always have a chuckle and get by with 'small things', that there's always a plate on the table for our visitor/stranger, the power of the women, the generosity of yiayia...Oh my I can go on forever!!

Greek American Demetrios Christo, who takes great photographs of Greece as a hobby,  came second with this comment:

I  love greece because I was born of her soil. She is beauty in chaos personified; whether it is rugged mountains diving deep into the sea or myriad of barren rocks tossed haphazardly across the Aegean as a joke from god or a metropolis like Athens that is totally devoid of any substantial architecture yet beneath all this a strong and resilient people exist. My people.

Third place equal went to Greece lover, German Ann-Britt Gay Hartwig who just spent her holidays on Kerkyra   
'I love Greece because it is the most magical country in the world. Greece is my paradise on earth you could say the filet of the planet ;)

and talented artist Cathy Blue Tuesday '

'love Greece because it makes me want to paint, makes me want to cook, makes me want to swim, makes me want to climb the mountains and touch the sky, makes me love people, makes me love the planet, makes me love life'


Fifth place equal to Athens2004 volunteer, Mariella Pia Tabone from Malta 

'Where do I begin? I ♥ GREECE because I feel Completely at HOME there and It Completes Me... Greece is My Adopted Identity! Greece and All Things Greek make me SMILE and HAPPY Inside (even just hearing someone speaking in Greek in some foreign land!) I Love the People, the Islands, the Culture, the History, the Way of Life... I ♥ ♥ ♥ GREECE!!!'

and Greek New Zealander Vera Lingonis-George 
'
'Because I see Greece every time I look in the mirror, every time I sit down to eat and every time I approach a problem. Because there is not a single hour in the day when Greece is not a part of it. Because when my lecturers grade my work they see Greece too, and they tell me so. ...because Greece made me who I am today''


Finally, 7th place goes to another Greek New Zealander, Bill Blades, who now lives in Australia:  

'...because its country lanes at night are redolent with oregano and basil, because the Hellenic moon lures philosophy from within you, because the "filotimo" of the people pangs with its sweetness and kindness, because the brine of the Aegean Sea cradles you afloat to dream of the sea battles once waged in the very salt/water molelcules you are bathing in..., because its music is non-discriminating of age, gender or class and alone or together it surges you to freedom on the "pista", because to rub the worn marble of the Parthenon, Delphi and Epidaurus is to caress antiquity's shoulders, because the rugged mountains peaks are contours of freedom and independence, because tomato, fetta, olive oil and crusty sour dough bread drools the eyes and salivates the tongue with it simplicity of taste, because the light...that miraculous light.... illuminates, beautifies and casts into bold relief,the enigmatic splendour we call Greece....'

  
I ♥ Greece because....

From Twitter: @Greekfoodlover... because it's one of the most beautiful countries in the world..... #Love #Greece

Jenny Stavropoulou-Fischer: I love Greece because it is the most wonderful place on earth! Best beaches, best food and above all has the friendliest people on earth.

Christina Tselentis Beiter: It's the only place on earth worth being!!!

Gloria Barber Konstantinidis: why not greece..its the land of the gods who created this beauty and the foods so why not greece...the only place with so many islands with there own beauty.. because we are all proud to be greek...

Georgia Goltsos: Because its GREECE!!!

From Twitter: @CalGreekGirl (Mary Papoulias Platis): I love Greece because of it's bountiful crops,simplistic, healthy lifestyle!

From Twitter: @AngelaVivo (Angela Vithoulkas): I luv #Greece because my soul belongs there

Lizzy Karras There is no other place on this planet that even compares. Greece is passion!!! Not an hour goes by I don't think of how blessed I am to have the privildge to be born on her soil.Vera Lingonis - me ekanes kai dakrisa.xxx


Kim Pendlebury; ‎... because of the kindness of her people, the jewelled beauty of her seas, the flavour of her food and the timelessness of her history.


Katie IloveGreece Grantopoulou: I Love Greece because it is the most magical place on earth!! It is a stunning beauty, has yummy food, fasinating history, wonderful language and it's home to the most amazing people on earth!!! If Greece was a person I'd marry her!!!!!! I LOVE YOU GREECE!!!!!!!!!

Theonie Kalogiannis: I love Greece because it is an AWESOME PLACE!!!!

Stella Xiaobaiyang: I love Greece because Greece is Greece. Nowhere is perfect! Everyone is pointing at Greece these days because they cannot and don't want to see the shit happening in their own countries... just keep up the spirit!!! (forgot to add this) ...because Greece has the best cuisine of the world!

Willy Van Belleghem: When I read all these comments I only can say that I agree wkith them all. I love Greece that much that I am planning on spending the rest of my life there as from next year! I love the islands and most perticaly Crete with its fine beaches, its blue seas, its beatifull mountains with snow on top of them in wntertime, its wintersportcenter, its caves, its gorges, its ancient sites and then I am not takking aboit Knossos only! Its monastries, its beatifull churches, its mosks, Sorry for the mistakes in my statement, I will go on here and try to avoid them now. I stopped with its mosks and go on with its mountain villages, its cities like Chania and Rethimnon with there beautifull Venetian harbours and old towns, Agios Nikolaos with its lake and Sitia wich is the most eastly of Crete, I have not yet been to Ierepetra, the stunning palmtreewood of Preveli in the south, wich unfortunatly burned down last year and the one of Vai in the far east of Crete are worth a visit! I can go on and on about this woderfull island but every island has its own charm. The big metropopis of Athens and the city of Tessaloniki are worth visiting too. There is so much to see in Greece that you need at least two lifetimes!

 From Twitter @LeesaVlahosMP: ...Greece is a crazy, chaotic, embraceable, relaxed history rich female with so much life, love and laughter to share with the world.

Viv Pappas: ‎...her sun and nature makes me connect with my higher self ♥ No wonder she gave birth to so many philosophers!

From Twitter @QuikKate Katerina Leyden: I love Greece because it is where my Father was born ! I am proud of my heritage, and am at my happiest when I'm there.

Heather Tyler: I love Greece because no other country on earth has that kind of kefi. My favourite places - too many to count - make my heart jump for joy

 Angie Kackloudis Giallourakis: The home to my soul:)

 From Twitter @Eugen12 Eugen Schoen: I ♥ Greece because of the great people & blue skies ! :-)

From Twitter @LizPata liz : I♥ Greece ♥ because my family is from there xxx

From Twitter @AndoniaPR Diane Mantouvalos: Okay, I'll play. Let's see... I ♥ Greece because you feel the energy of the Gods when you touch the ground #Greece

From Twitter @MaryJ_K Mary Jane: I love Greece .... Because I AM PROUD TO BE GREEK!

From Twitter @JenMichalios Jennifer Michalios: I love Greece because the sun shines all year long!!!

From Twitter @TaniaPV Tania: I ♥ Greece because it's part of me: my heart! Zito!

 From Twitter @FrtheMommyFiles Maria A. Karamitsos: I love Greece because it's a magical & beautiful place with a rich history & beautiful people. It's like no where else in the world. # Love #Greece

 From Twitter @MFilms Nick Manousakis: #Love #Greece's history, culture, language & who I am.

From Twitter @Daisychain_saw Liz B: I just ♥her - she is home

Tina Bell: ‎.. I am here!!!! Bravo Sophia for this positiveness... I am starting to see myself in Greece from another point pleon....Thank you...

From twitter @katiazev Katia Zevelekakis: Ok I love Greece because I'm nuts

Christine Kounis: What I love about Greece, apart from being the most beautiful place on Earth, is that it has always represented ideas and ideals that have travelled beyond the physical limits of the country itself. In a way, Greece is as global as its citizens have been for centuries now.

Rose Robinson: its heaven on earth, so beautiful in every way, heart and soul.

 From Twitter @YourUntoldStory Vicki Bobotis: I ♥ Greece ♥ because everyone talks with their hands & gestures with their face!

Kosta Del Mar Koeman: I love Greece because of the sun, beaches, thalassa, food, and people who know how to live. How about, I love Greece because when I am there, I feel most connected to my deceased papou whose name I try to honor.

From Twitter NowHeraklion: I ♥ Greece ♥ because in Crete the pace of life is much more relaxed and then there's the sea, great coffee and cheap cigarettes!

Nina Vleugels: like to quote Kazantzakis on Crete : Crete’s Mystery is deep. Whoever sets foot on the island senses a mysterious force branching warmly and beneficently through his veins, senses his soul begin to grow... its people's spirit, its beautiful music, its breathtaking sky, and it's amazing langscapes, cured my heart from grieve !

Judith Timbers: I really don't know why I love Greece! I know i love the beaches& food and the history but for me there is something much much more! maybe its the fact that my father was born in a little village called Kuipaki in central greece ,so my genes are locked in ,but travelling blind (no language knowledge) around greece it just felt right & it just felt safe

James Passas: I love Greece because... there's always something interesting going on (like strikes, riots, financial crises etc)...

Margaret Wilson: i love greece because . we been coming to many different greek island since 1996 ,we love greece the people are always freindly and very helpfull the island are very beautiful food is great and more i just love greece ...

Nina Maravegias : When I was a little girl my mom would fly us from Canada to spend the summer with my grandparents in Kefalonia. I would cherish every summer moment. I would listen with intensity to every story my grandfather would tell around supper time while drinking a glass of Robola. I would think my cousins are so lucky , they are here and I am not. I love Greece because I am Ellinida!

Gloria Barber Konstantinidis : because we are the land of the gods and goddeses..no other country has our beautiful people food and the islands with the most amazing scenery ..like i said the gods only can create such beauty and they are still in us in our people and land...besides what happens in greece stays in greece...shhshsh the gods wont tell either...

Shirlz Clarkson: I love Greece because of the people, the islands, the mainland, the transport and accomodation, the shops, taverna's,the hospitality, the food & drink, the Olive groves, the Mountains, the Rural Villages, the music & entertainment, greek dancing, the Monasteries and Saints, the Ampitheatres, the ruins, the landscapes, beautifu beaches, the watersports, scuba diving, greek cruises, island hopping, the plants and animals, the lifestyle, coffee, the love, romance, siesta's, the weather, public holidays, city life and the weather, and much, much more to contemplate to list! Égo aghapo Elatha!!! :) x

Frank Gallagher: My love for Greece is unconditional . I mean that you have to experience all emotions to feel unconditional love. At the end of the day Greece? It is what it is. Simple but elegant

Marina Jakovas Mantis: I love Greece because my parents and family are from Greece.I have been to Greece.Love the food,the going out every night,the holy day's.Best of all you are with family and friends all the time.Here in the U.S its work and home.Greece has the good living,love,laughter.

Barbara Doulyerakis: I cannot begin to say why I ♥ Greece...but here is a start..the sea, the sun, the smells, the summers, winters, fruit, vegetable, flowers, olives, oil, honey cheeses, shops, noises, the people the churches,smell of incense...oh I could go on all day :-))

Manuel Costa: Can you explain love?

Jenny Butler: Because it is a beautiful country with an amazing history, it has the most beautiful seas in the world, the best food, passionate people... and most of all it has Mario Frangoulis!!! :)))))))))

Kate Struth Moulakaki: I came to Crete 22 years ago for a holiday....and I'm still here!!...There is a kind of magic that won't let you go.......

Lizzy Karras: I love Greece cos it's the most Blessed place on this planet.

Catherine Helen Carr: I love Greece because of the climate that caresses you, the beauty of the landscape, the big blue skies and sea, the delicious food and wine, the majesty of the ancient monuments and history, the birthplace of democracy and science and medicine, the sensational herbal aroma after rain and the friendly embracing Greek people ... and we love it so much we've come to live here ;) Its an inspirational place ... "Heaven on Earth' ;).



Maria Lamprinou: Aφιερωμενο....

ax ellada s' agapo. gia olous tous ellines 2010 . kouragio aderfia den tha tous perasi exoume anteksi poli xirotera san laos. m.n.

Maria Yanis: I love Greece because she is my spirit my soul. When I am away from her I feel a longing that does not go away

Xenia Preveziotis: I love Greece the way our ancestors, yayades and papoudes who mademe feel proud about this land. They kept alive a thriving culture until...today ...these people are not among us and luckily they cannot see that all they preserved is slowly fading away ....

ΣΟΦΙΑ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ: because is a country with lovely and sympathetic people-for the most part-a country with real deep and physical beauty and because all my friends and family are here my soul is here. 

To read the entire Facebook thread, click here... 

1st of July today

Summer is here and it is a great time to say ...

ΚΑΛΟ ΜΗΝΑ! 

Have a great month!

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