Argophilia

Αργοφιλία: For the love of the journey.

Desertification: The Very Real Threat to Cyprus and Crete

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Not all news from paradise is positive these days as unsustainable practices and the global warming trend threatens to turn Cyprus and other southern European islands into true desert islands. New concerns over Cyprus’ very limited water resources come from Cyprus’s Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment, which has set up a national […]

In Search of Original Greece: Folegandros Island

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Travel experts claim Folegandros is the last bastion of what the true Greece looked like decades ago. The 32 sq. km. island near Santorini is home to about 650 permanent residents, and it’s a spot the big cruise ships just pass on by on the way to more highly publicized Greek isles. possibly the last untouched […]

FastBooking Report Reveals Recipe for Direct Distribution

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A new report and a revealing graphic from FastBooking reminds us that hotelier uptake for using more and more advanced tools and strategies needs to be incremental. The report entitled “A guide for independent hotels: budget hotels, small luxury hotels, and hotel groups” shows how CRM and other energies need to work hand-in-hand with websites, social, SEO and SEM, email marketing, metasearch and other facets to spur direct bookings.

Perfect Crete, Perfect Saganaki, and a 626 All Day Hamburger Surprise

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Last week we dined at a number of wonderful restaurants here on Crete, our first breakfast experience after arriving was a sampling of the morning fare at 626 All Day Lounge & City Garden convinced us the chef there truly knows his business.

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.