Flying Ships on the Aegean

I got this in my email and were left staring at the screen gob smacked.

Flying ships taking people to the Greek islands?

Boats flying 12 meters above the sea, at speeds approaching 200kph are expected to appear in the Greek seas in the year 2008.

Hoverwings are the next revolution in sea travel! Piraeus to Crete in 1hour30 minutes. (It currently takes anything between 8 and 12hours, depending on the ship).

These type of vessels offer the marine transport with air travel features. They are neither planes or hydroplanes. They are called WIG's due to the Wing In Ground technology which they are based on.

Built using high pressure resistant, aerospace materials can carry 80 passengers, at high speeds (up to 112 knots), virtually unaffected by waves, even at 8 Beaufort scale seas, with a range of 800km.

They have low cost operation and maintenance, and do not require special harbour installations since they have foldable wigs.

The first three such crafts, will be built in Hamburg - Germany in the next years, by Hoverwing GMBH, they will carry German flag and crew, and the first is expected in Greece by the end of 2008.



The cost to the passengers is not expected to be higher than the current fares.

Each of these beauties will cost about 22million euros.

It is almost like science fiction. Yes, I am proud to announce the Greece is entering the 21st century!

Paradise City - Rio de Janeiro

Blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, coupled with the pleasant and easy going personality of the local Brazilians (the Cariocas), Rio de Janeiro justly deserves its title. Indeed Rio is the Cidade Marhavilhosa (the marvelous city)!

Which other city in the world can claim to have an excess of 30 white-sand beaches, green hills, botanical gardens and the largest urban park in the world?

City Trademarks

Jesus the Redeemer, at the top of the Corcovado peak, looks down on the city, while nearby are the twin peaks of Sugarloaf. (Its cable car was the shooting location of the James Bond movie, Moonraker).

Beaches
Brazilians are conscious of their physique, they work out and keep fit, and proudly display their bodies on the beaches. Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and the Arpoador beaches are some of the best known the world afar. Laying in recliner chair on the beach, sipping on a freshly made fruit juice, coconut juice or even better a refreshing but strong Caipirinha, and it seems that the world has stopped.

Activities and Sport

There are, of course other activities to be taken on. Volleyball, jogging, walking, cycling, hang gliding, rock climbing, the guys favourite, chatting up the beautiful women.... the list is endless.

Food
There's a wide range of food available, ranging from original sandwiches, through various international cuisines, and the churascarias (the all you can eat BBQs). You should try Brazilian cuisine (when in Rome act as the Romans,as they say). It's tasty, spicy and rich in flavours.

Nightlife

When the night falls, the city becomes more energetic. The choices are abundant. From a quiet, romantic drink at Lagoa, to the samba clubs at Santa Teresa and Lapa, the nightclubs at Ipanema, the bars at Copacabana and even the impromptu gatherings around a kiosk next to the beach. You can hop from one place to the other throughout the night, until the sun comes up. (It reminds me of the Geek isles in the summer).

Sightseeing

There is a long list of sightseeing tours, including the colonial style center, the museums, the tours to close by places like Barra de Tijuca, and Ilha Grande (I highly recommend it), the Maracana stadium, and even tours to the favelas!

Where to stay

There are a number of hotels all over Rio, with the majority concentrated in the Copacabana / Ipanema area, with prices covering all budgets. You can also rent an apartment or studio for a reasonable price, or you may even decide to stay at a hostel.

Some Notes

Although much has been said about violence in Rio, it is mainly occurring in the favelas (the shantytowns). To me Rio doesn't seem any more dangerous than any other large city. The crimes that are carried out on tourist are mainly petty theft type, so you must avoid wearing jewelery, hanging cameras from your wrists, and carrying large amounts of cash (keep what you expect to spend in a day in your pocket). You can use your plastic almost everywhere!

Finally, try to keep on the main streets, avoid dark alleys in the night, and walk purposefully. giving the impression you know exactly where you are going, just as a local would.

I will not go into detail about the carnival since everything above applies hundredfold!

Indeed, Rio de Janeiro is an experience that one should live during their life. I have been blessed to have done some myself twice, and have not finished yet. To me Rio IS the Cidade Marhavilhosa of the world!

Beware of Greeks ... Especially Taxi Drivers!

Five days have passed since a taxi driver in Athens ripped off a Liverpool supporter visiting Greece with his family for the Champions League final and a few days holidays.

Driving the man and his family from the airport to the hotel, the taxi driver asked to be paid 95 euros for a fare of 30-35 euros.

When the poor tourist confronted him about the price and requested a receipt, the cab driver punched him in the face and drove away in his car, taking with him all the luggage, money and the tickets for the final.

The Briton gave a full description of both car and driver to the police, who have been unable to locate him for the past five days! This is not entirely surprising as Greek police have proven on several occasions that they are unable to even catch ... a cold!

With tourism being the largest industry in Greece, the country cannot afford its reputation being tinted by incidents like this.

More over, it looks as if yet another brainless idiot is going to get away with it unpunished.

How reassuring to know that the Greek spirit lives on.