Argophilia

Αργοφιλία: For the love of the journey.

Instagram in a Destination Discovery Context

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Since forever I’ve advised my clients to make the best use of images and video, of media that will capture the imagination of potential clients. It’s 2017 and many have still not grasped the simplest concept, that a captive audience travels on the visual. As a wordsmith and someone who enjoys telling a story, using Instagram as a story place marker helps me convey the reality of a place and experience. Let me show you how to use Instagram mixed with a contextual storyline.

Uber Changes Lanes with Yandex.Taxi Merger

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Since launching in Moscow three years ago, Uber has had a tough time displacing its local counterpart in Russia. Yesterday the world’s biggest ride-share startup gave up on the quest and inked a deal with Yandex.Taxi. The newly formed venture is valued at $3.7 billion and is owned 59.3% by Yandex and 36.6% by Uber, with the remaining 4.1% held by employees.

Skinning the Frugal Travel Cat in Greece

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This morning I was reading a report on Ekathimerini about relative hotel stay value in Greece, when I recalled a personal “economic parallax” we ran into last year. While generalizations and statistics can help travelers to narrow their holiday choices, it pays to dig deeper than the media “suggestion box” if you want real deals. Here’s a look at the Ekathimerini comparative, in contrast with what a simple Airbnb hunt can provide.

A Week on Crete for the Family

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Being destined to one week “only” on Crete is something like passing through heaven on your way to anywhere else. This arid, sunny, and friendly paradise in the eastern Mediterranean is a place people go to, and then never leave. For couples and singles, hitting a good many high spots might be feasible, but for a small family the itinerary must be crisp, tailored, and the traveler must take a lot into consideration. Here’s a suggested week long stay, an introduction to one of the world’s most fabulous getaways.

The Winds Off Falasarna

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Driving the dizzy roads of Crete is a marvelous adventure all its own. A road trip to the far west of the island a few years back, it’s a recurring daydream for me. Falasarna, one of Europe’s most famous beaches, is a unique and fascinating spectacle tucked away in a primitive countryside. This is the story of “getting there” with wheels supplied by Sixt Rent-A-Car.

A Moment With My Friend: No Tears on Arid Crete

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It’s been three years now since my lifelong friend Johnny Courson told me about his illness during a getaway on Crete. It’s been two years since he and the other members of our tight group, Jay Thomas and Mike Parish celebrated a one year anniversary of our Crete adventure, and since we learned of Johnny’s chemotherapy battle. And about one year ago we all learned Johnny left the world the way he found it – better off for fascinating and luminescent people like him.

Hitting Feodosiya’s Beach Club 117 in Summer 2017

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Beach Club 117 is a legendary Crimea seaside nightclub that features live music, beach partying, and a stunning Russian-seafood menu. This 20-something party spot is where the annual Crimea Trance Fest is held. My good friend, local expert Levent Alver has given us the scoop on yet another hidden Crimea gem. Located in fabulous Feodosiya, Beach Club […]

Ancient Greek Artifact Uncovered at Kerch Strait Bridge Site

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According to news from TASS, a unique terracotta statue has been found at the site of the Kerch Strait Bridge construction connecting Crimea to mainland Russia. Underwater digging and exploration near the Ak-Burun Cape, uncovered a “first of a kind” statue, according to Sergei Olkhovsky, head of the underwater unit of Russia’s Academy of Sciences.

Fiolent Cape: A Bizarre and Wonderful Crimea Seascape

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Fiolent Cape is one of the most pristine nature spectacles anywhere. Few reading this article will ever have heard of this Crimea picture-scape. Untouched nature, crisp clean air, the clear waters Jasper beach (below), and the still quiet await adventurous travelers to Sevastopol. peace and quiet, flowering almond and new experiences.