Is it True? Is US President Barack Obama Visiting Greece This Summer?

 President Barack Obama and Family

Photo Source: www.blackchristiannews.com

The Greek Blog-o-sphere is abuzz with the news that US President Barack Obama and his family are holidaying on the sunny Greek island of Antiparos. America's first family is rumoured to be here as guests of actor Tom Hanks and his  Global Greek wife Rita Wilson who own a  summer home on the island...



Apparently, according to one such blog, Sarotiko, security measures have increased dramatically, international paparazzi have arrived on the island and no-one is confirming or denying! 



We don't know if it's true or just wishful thinking, but wouldn't it be great?



Press Reports earlier in the year had suggested that fellow Chicagoan and close friend, illinois Treasurer Alexis Gianoullias had invited the first family to spend some time in his native Crete but nothing seems to have come of that... yet!

If it is true, we welcome President Obama and his family to Greece, we hope they have a great time and we hope that when they return home they will spread the word that Greece is the best and safest place on earth for a summer vacation!!!



If it is true, let's hope the world leaves them in peace, to enjoy every moment of the hospitality and the beauty of this unique country!

If Julia Roberts Can Do It Then YOU Can Too! Visit Greece This Summer!

Pretty Woman Julia Roberts has chosen the beautiful island of Crete as a summer holiday destination this year! 

Quietly and without much ado, as is usual for most of the  Hollywood celebrities who often visit  for a well-deserved and relaxing break in the sun drenched Mediterranean,  Julia flew into Greece at the invitation of a Greek American friend and is staying on the green and beautiful island of Crete. 

Accompanied by her two beloved dogs, since her husband has stayed home to look after the rest of their family, Julia's friends are showing her the beauties and beaches of Crete, visiting among other places, Sfakia and Iraklion, and enjoying the local hospitality and tasting the wonderful Mediterranean Cuisine Crete is famous for in every corner of the world!

Sfakia

Julia, thanks for the vote of confidence! Welcome to Greece! We know you are having a wonderful time! When you go back home, do be sure to spread the word... 

Greece is safe, it's gorgeous, it's definitely the ultimate summer destination!

In short, GREECE is the place to be this Summer! 

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were here earlier this year, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson visit every year, Madonna's been as have hundreds of other celebrities...  

Why don't YOU join them? 

Call your travel agent NOW and as our Facebook Page says... Visit Greece this Summer! 

Greece will be waiting!

Dance for Greece - Wherever You Are In the World Today, Saturday 19th June! OPA!!!

 OPA!!!

With the phrase ' Dance for Greece', California resident and Philhellene, Dale Johns started a movement on Facebook to protest the very negative press Greece was getting on all levels in the last few months, by shouting to everyone to do what Greeks all over the world just love doing - DANCE! 

' Please start your own party where ever you are !! JUNE 19TH 19.00 Lets get Dancing  -  DANCE FOR GREECE'





 The response to Dale's initiative was impressive! Cities around the world, with the City of Rhodes at the forefront, have joined her call to Dance for Greece and show the rest of the world the real picture... that Greece is a safe country with a great love for life and is still the best tourist destination in the world!





Rhodes will be kicking things off with Maria Markou Velidaki's School of Dance. She and her dance school students will be dancing for Rhodes, for Greece. Four wonderful  dances with students aged between  7-16 years old.. Along with the rest of us, they feel that there has been a great deal of injustice towards Greece and her people...





  'We feel there has been great injustice of our beautiful country and truly lovely people and we want, as other cities and towns around the world are doing, to dance our famous Syrtaki and have people join in with us. It will be in front of the 'Elafakia' at the Evangelismos in Rhodes town the 19th of June 2010 at 7:oo pm.'

The Facebook group  DANCE FOR GREECE - Χορός για την Ελλάδα now numbers nearly  1300 members!! Pretty impressive!





Lesley Demeda, one of the organisers, wrote on the wall a few days ago...

A very big "thank you" from me to all our members! We have just 3 days to go now. And this Saturday 19th at 19.00 we will DANCE FOR GREECE. It's been a pleasure to do this. And we have made some good friends too! You see what happens when you get together for a good reason. We want Greece, Greeks everywhere & people who love Greece to celebrate and have fun! This is our date people. Thank you so much.

 

Lesley and Dale, we thank you! We thank you for thinking of Greece! We thank you for taking the time to organise something which is to the benefit of the country we all love and which has been blackguarded so much by the world's press in the last few months. 

People should not be put off by what they read. Unfortunately blood and violence make good press and sells! We know that the publicity that is generated by the protests at Greece's austerity measures make it difficult for people who are unfamiliar with the country to realise that they will not necessarily affect their visit. We have been contacted by many people who need reassurance that things will be ok, and it is extremely upsetting that they should be made to feel like that, but we can understand them and sympathise.





This uncertainty has resulted in something like over 30,000 cancellations for the summer, which for a small country like Greece, especially in the midst of an economic crisis, is particularly significant, and we think it just shouldn't have happened.

We who live in Greece all know that Greece is a safe country with beautiful places to see, wonderful things to do and a lot of history and culture to experience and absorb.  





We just need to get that message around the world and initiatives like Dale's and Lesley's are especially valuable for doing just that! There are many others too. 





Global Greek Yiorgos Klivos' Facebook event SAVE GREECE: Let's all travel this summer to Greece has attracted nearly 38,000 people, while our own  Visit Greece This Summer page has nearly 1,000 members! Many people have joined the effort to promote Greece this year, each to the extent that they can, and each one of our Global Greeks of course are Greece's best Ambassadors-at-large! Every little bit helps! 

So...wherever you are tonight, whatever you're doing, put on your dancing shoes, go to the nearest Greek restaurant or club, and like Zorba the Greek says, Did you say Dance? Come on my boy!!!!  





Today, let's all Dance For Greece! OPA!!!





ΣΗΜΕΡΑ ΟΛΟΙ ΧΟΡΕΥΟΥΜΕ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ!!!!!! ΟΠΑ!!!