Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,583
(upbeat music)
2
00:00:22,870 --> 00:00:24,490
- From the bustling streets of Athens
3
00:00:24,490 --> 00:00:26,070
and the historic port of Hydra,
4
00:00:26,070 --> 00:00:28,040
to the beaches of Zakynthos
and the villages of Kythira,
5
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:29,960
our journey over the coming weeks
6
00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:31,930
spans many of the Ionian Islands,
7
00:00:31,930 --> 00:00:34,930
some well-known, others
that few ever get to visit.
8
00:00:34,930 --> 00:00:35,763
But before heading off,
9
00:00:35,763 --> 00:00:37,470
you probably wanna know
a little bit about me.
10
00:00:37,470 --> 00:00:38,690
My story starts as boy
11
00:00:38,690 --> 00:00:40,710
growing up in the inner suburbs of Sydney.
12
00:00:40,710 --> 00:00:42,520
Like a lot of Greeks early last century,
13
00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:45,233
my parents moved overseas to
find a better life abroad.
14
00:00:45,233 --> 00:00:48,010
They arrived with very little
and worked extremely hard
15
00:00:48,010 --> 00:00:48,980
to give my sisters and I
16
00:00:48,980 --> 00:00:49,950
a loving upbringing.
17
00:00:49,950 --> 00:00:50,820
They also made me believe
18
00:00:50,820 --> 00:00:52,240
that if I too worked hard enough,
19
00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:53,700
I could achieve anything.
20
00:00:53,700 --> 00:00:56,500
54 years later, I've built
a successful business.
21
00:00:56,500 --> 00:00:59,110
And that has enabled me to do
things I once only dreamed of.
22
00:00:59,110 --> 00:01:00,930
One of those dreams was to step foot
23
00:01:00,930 --> 00:01:04,030
on all 227 inhabited Greek Islands,
24
00:01:04,030 --> 00:01:05,900
and I'm gonna take a big chunk out of that
25
00:01:05,900 --> 00:01:07,283
in this first series.
26
00:01:08,260 --> 00:01:11,040
Athens, cradle of civilization.
27
00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:12,440
And what better place to see it
28
00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,480
than at the top of Mount Lykavittos.
29
00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,070
Right over there is the Acropolis.
30
00:01:17,070 --> 00:01:21,500
That was the power base two
and a half thousand years ago.
31
00:01:21,500 --> 00:01:24,230
This is just such a wonderful sight,
32
00:01:24,230 --> 00:01:26,343
and the best place to start my journey.
33
00:01:27,900 --> 00:01:29,820
Okay, you're probably
thinking this is going to be
34
00:01:29,820 --> 00:01:32,580
another one of those boring
travel or documentary shows,
35
00:01:32,580 --> 00:01:34,220
with some fish out of the water presenter
36
00:01:34,220 --> 00:01:37,100
spruiking the same old locations
he knows nothing about.
37
00:01:37,100 --> 00:01:39,660
Well before you reach for
that remote let me tell you,
38
00:01:39,660 --> 00:01:40,860
this is in my DNA.
39
00:01:40,860 --> 00:01:42,470
It's a story that I've been breathing
40
00:01:42,470 --> 00:01:44,780
and following for 45 years.
41
00:01:44,780 --> 00:01:47,220
I'm gonna take you on a
personal journey of discovery
42
00:01:47,220 --> 00:01:48,580
through one of the most historic
43
00:01:48,580 --> 00:01:51,240
and picturesque places on earth, Greece.
44
00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:52,150
Yeah, I'm Greek.
45
00:01:52,150 --> 00:01:53,330
And yes, I'm biassed.
46
00:01:53,330 --> 00:01:54,430
But that's given me the opportunity
47
00:01:54,430 --> 00:01:56,370
to show you things in many instances
48
00:01:56,370 --> 00:01:57,950
have never been filmed before.
49
00:01:57,950 --> 00:01:59,270
Once you've seen what I'm gonna show you
50
00:01:59,270 --> 00:02:00,220
in the coming weeks,
51
00:02:00,220 --> 00:02:01,750
you're gonna be dancing on tables,
52
00:02:01,750 --> 00:02:03,770
growing olives, smashing plates.
53
00:02:03,770 --> 00:02:05,510
You'll be wishing you had a
little bit of Greek in you.
54
00:02:05,510 --> 00:02:07,340
Mind you, you probably do.
55
00:02:07,340 --> 00:02:08,450
We've been sowing our seeds
56
00:02:08,450 --> 00:02:09,720
in every corner of the globe
57
00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:11,513
for two and a half thousand years.
58
00:02:12,970 --> 00:02:14,620
This is my pride and joy.
59
00:02:14,620 --> 00:02:17,860
Her name is Mia Zoi, which
is Greek for one life.
60
00:02:17,860 --> 00:02:19,560
This beautiful lady has already taken me
61
00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,600
to some incredible places
that people never get to see,
62
00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:23,454
but this time,
63
00:02:23,454 --> 00:02:26,527
I look forward to sharing
that journey with you.
64
00:02:26,527 --> 00:02:28,083
(engine humming)
65
00:02:28,083 --> 00:02:31,916
(metal clanking and creaking)
66
00:02:35,830 --> 00:02:37,040
I arrived in Greece early
67
00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:38,790
to check on the makeover of Mia Zoi
68
00:02:38,790 --> 00:02:41,883
which included a new interior
and fitting some stabilisers.
69
00:02:42,810 --> 00:02:44,730
As calm as the Greek waters can be,
70
00:02:44,730 --> 00:02:46,540
my beautiful wife wanted
things a little steadier
71
00:02:46,540 --> 00:02:48,240
when there's a wave or two.
72
00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,090
And trust me, Helen is
the most gentle of ladies
73
00:02:51,090 --> 00:02:52,910
but rock that boat with her in it
74
00:02:52,910 --> 00:02:54,700
and she makes Poseidon's fury
75
00:02:54,700 --> 00:02:56,593
look like playtime at poolside.
76
00:02:58,230 --> 00:02:59,550
While all this was going on
77
00:02:59,550 --> 00:03:00,650
I had some time up my sleeve
78
00:03:00,650 --> 00:03:02,190
to get reacquainted with Athens.
79
00:03:02,190 --> 00:03:03,200
Normally when I fly in,
80
00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:04,880
I head straight out to sea.
81
00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:06,490
So it was a nice change to spend the week
82
00:03:06,490 --> 00:03:07,529
in this great city.
83
00:03:07,529 --> 00:03:08,362
(speaking foreign language)
84
00:03:08,362 --> 00:03:11,710
(upbeat music)
85
00:03:11,710 --> 00:03:12,900
Clearly, I'm no Adonis.
86
00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:14,560
But I do my best to keep a few kilos off.
87
00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,820
And when the sun's up, I'm up.
88
00:03:16,820 --> 00:03:19,800
And the first thing I do
is my morning exercise.
89
00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,170
Always happens, I think I'm lost.
90
00:03:22,170 --> 00:03:23,003
Always happens to me
91
00:03:23,003 --> 00:03:25,623
when I run around Plaka and Monastiraki.
92
00:03:27,660 --> 00:03:29,850
Now most places are closed at this time.
93
00:03:29,850 --> 00:03:31,850
Greeks generally operate
on relaxed business hours
94
00:03:31,850 --> 00:03:33,837
that start a little later
than your average city.
95
00:03:33,837 --> 00:03:36,640
(speaking foreign language)
96
00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:37,990
But you can always rely on a periptero
97
00:03:37,990 --> 00:03:39,890
to be open to grab a paper and a drink.
98
00:03:39,890 --> 00:03:42,495
And there's a particular one
I've been visiting for years.
99
00:03:42,495 --> 00:03:45,078
(upbeat music)
100
00:03:51,922 --> 00:03:54,071
One of the classic institutions
exclusive to Greece
101
00:03:54,071 --> 00:03:56,082
is the periptero.
102
00:03:56,082 --> 00:03:57,250
You can buy almost anything here,
103
00:03:57,250 --> 00:03:59,820
and they're on every
corner, in every village,
104
00:03:59,820 --> 00:04:02,260
on every island, all through Greece.
105
00:04:02,260 --> 00:04:04,600
This one's classic 'cause it's
at the bottom of Syntagma,
106
00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:06,457
and my good friend Pavlo is there.
107
00:04:06,457 --> 00:04:09,740
(motor revving)
108
00:04:09,740 --> 00:04:10,657
Yes, Pavlo!
109
00:04:15,170 --> 00:04:16,887
Fantastic! I need--
- How are you?
110
00:04:16,887 --> 00:04:17,900
- I need this water.
111
00:04:17,900 --> 00:04:19,050
I've just been running.
112
00:04:20,748 --> 00:04:21,581
(speaking foreign language)
113
00:04:21,581 --> 00:04:22,810
Pavlo, you've been here 30 years?
114
00:04:22,810 --> 00:04:25,720
- Yeah, I've been here
about 30 years, yes.
115
00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:27,010
- What a great accent!
116
00:04:27,010 --> 00:04:28,660
Where does that accent come from?
117
00:04:29,930 --> 00:04:33,920
- I spent a few years,
I mean about 12 years,
118
00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,230
in the United States in Chicago, yeah.
119
00:04:36,230 --> 00:04:38,280
- Wow! So how many hours a
day are you spending here?
120
00:04:38,280 --> 00:04:40,860
- About 10 to 12 hours a day.
- Wow.
121
00:04:40,860 --> 00:04:42,783
- Seven days a week.
- [Peter] Seven days a week.
122
00:04:42,783 --> 00:04:45,690
- Yeah, I'm one of the lazy Greeks.
123
00:04:45,690 --> 00:04:46,523
Yes.
- Really?
124
00:04:46,523 --> 00:04:48,050
- Yeah, I'm lazy!
125
00:04:48,050 --> 00:04:49,460
Because that's what the Europeans say.
126
00:04:49,460 --> 00:04:50,293
The Greeks are lazy.
127
00:04:50,293 --> 00:04:52,000
(laughing)
128
00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:53,150
- You bought this business?
129
00:04:53,150 --> 00:04:54,850
- No no, you don't buy it actually.
130
00:04:54,850 --> 00:04:58,850
This business belonged to war veterans
131
00:04:58,850 --> 00:05:02,430
and they gave 'em the kiosks
so they have an income.
132
00:05:02,430 --> 00:05:03,380
- Right.
- Because
133
00:05:04,633 --> 00:05:08,020
the state could not give
'em enough money to live,
134
00:05:08,020 --> 00:05:10,000
so they gave 'em a store to make a living.
135
00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:10,860
- [Peter] What I wanna know, Pavlo,
136
00:05:10,860 --> 00:05:12,370
I'm looking at that little space in there.
137
00:05:12,370 --> 00:05:14,413
How do you work in that
space 12 hours a day?
138
00:05:14,413 --> 00:05:15,370
(Pavlo laughing)
139
00:05:15,370 --> 00:05:17,330
- Actually, now I'm used to it.
140
00:05:17,330 --> 00:05:18,653
We must.
- Well after 30 years,
141
00:05:18,653 --> 00:05:19,486
you'd expect that.
- Yeah.
142
00:05:19,486 --> 00:05:20,427
- Wouldn't you?
- I know.
143
00:05:20,427 --> 00:05:21,352
- Do you have a stool in there?
144
00:05:21,352 --> 00:05:22,185
- Sorry?
- Do you have a stool?
145
00:05:22,185 --> 00:05:23,976
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- You've gotta have a stool.
146
00:05:23,976 --> 00:05:24,809
- Oh, of course.
- I couldn't stand up
147
00:05:24,809 --> 00:05:25,642
12 hours a day, no way.
- I cannot stand all day.
148
00:05:25,642 --> 00:05:26,690
No no no.
- Yeah.
149
00:05:26,690 --> 00:05:27,980
Well now I've had my water.
150
00:05:27,980 --> 00:05:29,442
I need to go and have a coffee, Pavlo.
151
00:05:29,442 --> 00:05:30,275
So I'm gonna get going.
- Okay.
152
00:05:30,275 --> 00:05:32,200
- Thank you very much.
- Nice to see you again!
153
00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:33,033
- Good to see you!
154
00:05:33,033 --> 00:05:33,866
(speaking foreign language)
155
00:05:33,866 --> 00:05:35,280
Yeah!
156
00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:36,113
Yeah!
157
00:05:36,113 --> 00:05:38,720
(laughing)
158
00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:41,120
Athens is one of the
oldest cities in the world.
159
00:05:42,290 --> 00:05:44,890
It's the birthplace of
democracy, philosophy,
160
00:05:44,890 --> 00:05:47,700
modern medicine, mathematics, free speech,
161
00:05:47,700 --> 00:05:48,910
and the power for you and I
162
00:05:48,910 --> 00:05:51,460
to vote for our elected officials.
163
00:05:51,460 --> 00:05:53,810
The city is also packed
with ancient ruins,
164
00:05:53,810 --> 00:05:55,990
many of which are amongst
the most recognisable
165
00:05:55,990 --> 00:05:57,800
sights on the planet.
166
00:05:57,800 --> 00:05:59,610
In this one spot just beside Plaka,
167
00:05:59,610 --> 00:06:00,980
you can walk around the architecture
168
00:06:00,980 --> 00:06:03,370
of several different civilizations,
169
00:06:03,370 --> 00:06:05,802
and see the Parthenon, Hadrian's Library,
170
00:06:05,802 --> 00:06:08,410
Monastiraki and its flea markets,
171
00:06:08,410 --> 00:06:10,970
the Roman Agora, churches and mosques.
172
00:06:10,970 --> 00:06:13,350
There's two and a half
thousand years of storytelling,
173
00:06:13,350 --> 00:06:14,670
that shows how different cultures
174
00:06:14,670 --> 00:06:16,330
have left their mark on Athens.
175
00:06:16,330 --> 00:06:19,240
And you can do this in
three hours or three days.
176
00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:20,740
It's a must!
177
00:06:20,740 --> 00:06:21,703
The Benaki Museum!
178
00:06:22,690 --> 00:06:23,970
I've been coming here 40 years
179
00:06:23,970 --> 00:06:25,470
and never been to that museum.
180
00:06:26,350 --> 00:06:27,750
There's always a first time.
181
00:06:29,070 --> 00:06:30,880
A great way to learn
about Greece's history,
182
00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,960
is by visiting one of the
many museums in Athens.
183
00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,230
I'm told there are over 200 of them,
184
00:06:36,230 --> 00:06:37,720
so you're spoiled for choice.
185
00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:39,480
But one that's particularly important,
186
00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:41,820
and often overlooked is the Benaki.
187
00:06:41,820 --> 00:06:43,377
I met with Dr. George Manginis,
188
00:06:43,377 --> 00:06:46,660
who is considered one of the
foremost Greek art historians.
189
00:06:46,660 --> 00:06:48,090
- And the classical periods.
190
00:06:48,090 --> 00:06:49,570
- I love the classical periods.
191
00:06:49,570 --> 00:06:51,120
This is my favourite, I'm Greek.
192
00:06:52,340 --> 00:06:54,520
Why is this a special museum?
193
00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:57,720
- Because it's the only museum in Greece,
194
00:06:57,720 --> 00:06:59,580
and perhaps in the world,
195
00:06:59,580 --> 00:07:02,250
that shows Greek history
196
00:07:02,250 --> 00:07:04,070
from prehistory
197
00:07:04,070 --> 00:07:07,430
through to classical antiquity, Byantium,
198
00:07:07,430 --> 00:07:08,930
early modern Greece,
199
00:07:08,930 --> 00:07:12,500
the War of Liberation from 1821 to 1830,
200
00:07:12,500 --> 00:07:16,870
and all the way to
World War II and beyond.
201
00:07:16,870 --> 00:07:19,340
So, we even have
contemporary Greek culture.
202
00:07:19,340 --> 00:07:21,320
You cannot find that anywhere else.
203
00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:23,400
It's the only museum that features it.
204
00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,790
So, that's what makes it uniquely special.
205
00:07:25,790 --> 00:07:27,030
- And it's all thanks to him.
206
00:07:27,030 --> 00:07:29,130
- It's all thanks to him.
207
00:07:29,130 --> 00:07:31,370
- [Peter] The museum was
established by Antonis Benakis.
208
00:07:31,370 --> 00:07:33,390
An art collector, who
believed in the tradition
209
00:07:33,390 --> 00:07:35,090
of national benefaction.
210
00:07:35,090 --> 00:07:35,980
Within his lifetime
211
00:07:35,980 --> 00:07:37,840
he donated much of his
fortune and collection
212
00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:38,920
to the Greek state,
213
00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:40,700
so people would have access to artefacts
214
00:07:40,700 --> 00:07:42,250
significant to their culture.
215
00:07:42,250 --> 00:07:44,200
It's a testament not only to his legacy,
216
00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,660
but the proud history of Greece.
217
00:07:46,660 --> 00:07:47,890
- He was the visionary
218
00:07:47,890 --> 00:07:50,870
who brought all this into this country.
219
00:07:50,870 --> 00:07:52,647
He gave it to the Greek nation,
220
00:07:52,647 --> 00:07:56,500
and he allowed the museum
to introduce to this country
221
00:07:56,500 --> 00:07:58,770
the latest trend from abroad
222
00:07:58,770 --> 00:08:03,770
and also be original
and improvise worldwide.
223
00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:07,400
- To be honest, I have
a short attention span
224
00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,100
when it comes to the arts,
225
00:08:09,100 --> 00:08:11,800
but there was so much
diversity about this museum,
226
00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:13,350
that I never got bored.
227
00:08:13,350 --> 00:08:14,770
You literally walk 20 metres
228
00:08:14,770 --> 00:08:17,530
and you've passed 500 years of history.
229
00:08:17,530 --> 00:08:18,670
If you haven't got time to visit
230
00:08:18,670 --> 00:08:20,570
the 200 odd museums in Athens,
231
00:08:20,570 --> 00:08:21,500
then come to this place,
232
00:08:21,500 --> 00:08:23,920
and get a crash course in Greek history.
233
00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:24,930
Doctor, I'm amazed.
234
00:08:24,930 --> 00:08:27,830
In a few short hours we've
gone from the Bronze Age,
235
00:08:27,830 --> 00:08:29,590
to the 20th century.
236
00:08:29,590 --> 00:08:32,557
Doing that in one museum is just amazing.
237
00:08:32,557 --> 00:08:33,800
- Isn't it?
238
00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:35,540
You need a lot of time for it.
239
00:08:35,540 --> 00:08:37,560
But, you can come on a Thursday.
240
00:08:37,560 --> 00:08:40,282
It's open all day until midnight
241
00:08:40,282 --> 00:08:43,280
and you can even have a drink at the bar.
242
00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:45,230
- Well, should we go and have a drink now?
243
00:08:45,230 --> 00:08:48,320
- It is not Thursday, okay?
244
00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:49,261
Remember.
245
00:08:49,261 --> 00:08:50,583
(laughing)
246
00:08:50,583 --> 00:08:53,166
(upbeat music)
247
00:09:07,603 --> 00:09:10,270
(loud stomping)
248
00:09:14,060 --> 00:09:15,830
- As strange as the marching might look,
249
00:09:15,830 --> 00:09:17,580
what's going on here is quite serious
250
00:09:17,580 --> 00:09:19,270
and steeped in tradition.
251
00:09:19,270 --> 00:09:20,840
These are the Evzones.
252
00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:22,820
They're an elite, ceremonial guard unit
253
00:09:22,820 --> 00:09:24,530
that protects the presidential mansion
254
00:09:24,530 --> 00:09:26,940
as well as the tomb of
the unknown soldier.
255
00:09:26,940 --> 00:09:29,300
Apart from this slightly
unusual parading technique,
256
00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:31,730
they're also known for
their striking uniforms
257
00:09:31,730 --> 00:09:33,480
which are handmade in the barracks.
258
00:09:39,050 --> 00:09:40,513
Six months!
259
00:09:42,030 --> 00:09:45,090
Six months, to make this.
260
00:09:45,090 --> 00:09:47,590
So, this is all the
needle work that you see
261
00:09:47,590 --> 00:09:49,250
on the reverse side,
262
00:09:49,250 --> 00:09:51,030
and when you turn it over,
263
00:09:51,030 --> 00:09:52,510
you actually can't see the base cloth,
264
00:09:52,510 --> 00:09:54,537
it's all wool stitch.
265
00:09:56,070 --> 00:09:57,610
This part of the Evzones regalia
266
00:09:57,610 --> 00:09:58,910
is called the fustanella.
267
00:09:58,910 --> 00:10:01,010
It's important because it has 400 pleats
268
00:10:01,010 --> 00:10:04,090
that represent the 400
years of Ottoman occupation.
269
00:10:04,090 --> 00:10:05,290
There are two halves to it,
270
00:10:05,290 --> 00:10:08,030
each of which have 80 metres of material.
271
00:10:08,030 --> 00:10:09,370
This perimeter going from here,
272
00:10:09,370 --> 00:10:11,680
all the way to the end,
273
00:10:11,680 --> 00:10:13,633
is 80 metres.
274
00:10:18,910 --> 00:10:19,870
80 metres!
275
00:10:19,870 --> 00:10:23,003
They've got 80 metres of
fabric wrapped around them.
276
00:10:23,003 --> 00:10:24,253
That's amazing.
277
00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:29,687
Another important part of the outfit
278
00:10:29,687 --> 00:10:32,130
is the tsarouchia, their shoes.
279
00:10:32,130 --> 00:10:34,380
These create the thunderous
sounds of marching,
280
00:10:34,380 --> 00:10:36,390
and like the rest of the
uniform, are made by hand.
281
00:10:36,390 --> 00:10:38,610
So, George is just saying to me
282
00:10:38,610 --> 00:10:41,500
that they actually put
together everything.
283
00:10:41,500 --> 00:10:44,940
The stitching here, which is
just a decoration stitching,
284
00:10:44,940 --> 00:10:46,060
he does.
285
00:10:46,060 --> 00:10:49,080
The stitching to form it,
when they nail it together,
286
00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:49,913
he does.
287
00:10:49,913 --> 00:10:51,980
There's nothing that's made by a machine.
288
00:10:51,980 --> 00:10:54,590
There is nothing here
that is done externally.
289
00:10:54,590 --> 00:10:56,190
They do it all themselves.
290
00:10:56,190 --> 00:10:57,950
It's very impressive.
291
00:10:57,950 --> 00:10:59,800
It takes a week for one
pair to come together
292
00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:00,900
and George the cobbler
has been making them
293
00:11:00,900 --> 00:11:02,863
for over 25 years.
294
00:11:02,863 --> 00:11:05,550
Only he and his apprentice
know how to make them,
295
00:11:05,550 --> 00:11:07,569
so it's an incredibly specialised craft.
296
00:11:07,569 --> 00:11:10,236
(loud pounding)
297
00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,320
- This is a platoon of 15 Evzones,
298
00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:17,900
offering honours to the flag
and the platoon commander.
299
00:11:17,900 --> 00:11:19,610
They can't sit down.
300
00:11:19,610 --> 00:11:21,940
They have to stand all the time,
301
00:11:21,940 --> 00:11:25,330
until we arrive at Acropolis.
302
00:11:25,330 --> 00:11:27,320
- One of the significant
roles the Evzones play
303
00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:29,380
is raising the flag on the Acropolis.
304
00:11:29,380 --> 00:11:32,040
It happens every Sunday
morning at 8:00 a.m. sharp,
305
00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:33,860
rain, hail, or shine.
306
00:11:33,860 --> 00:11:35,270
It's a rare honour to be invited
307
00:11:35,270 --> 00:11:37,850
let alone be escorted
by Lieutenant Kalantzis,
308
00:11:37,850 --> 00:11:40,830
third in command of the
presidential guard's two battalions.
309
00:11:40,830 --> 00:11:42,840
Lieutenant, I notice that
you and I and the driver
310
00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:43,680
and just a couple of the boys
311
00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:44,540
are the only ones sitting down.
312
00:11:44,540 --> 00:11:47,490
You mentioned the Evzones have to stand.
313
00:11:47,490 --> 00:11:48,380
What is the reason for that?
314
00:11:48,380 --> 00:11:51,750
- It's a matter of respect to the uniform,
315
00:11:51,750 --> 00:11:53,950
that they always have to stand.
316
00:11:53,950 --> 00:11:56,260
All of the people,
317
00:11:56,260 --> 00:11:58,810
one of the reasons that they are proud
318
00:11:59,920 --> 00:12:00,753
for Evzones
319
00:12:01,639 --> 00:12:04,360
is that they can stand
320
00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,973
and take all the difficulties,
321
00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:09,003
through their duty,
322
00:12:10,110 --> 00:12:13,375
and still stand still.
323
00:12:13,375 --> 00:12:14,455
- Right.
324
00:12:14,455 --> 00:12:19,455
(solemn music)
(tsarouchia tapping)
325
00:12:20,970 --> 00:12:22,740
I noticed the only sound we can hear
326
00:12:22,740 --> 00:12:24,179
is the sound of the tsarouchia.
327
00:12:24,179 --> 00:12:25,320
- Yes.
- On the marble.
328
00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:26,334
- [Lieutenant] Nothing more.
329
00:12:26,334 --> 00:12:27,730
They are not allowed,
330
00:12:27,730 --> 00:12:29,220
and they don't speak
331
00:12:29,220 --> 00:12:31,280
when they are dressed with their uniforms.
332
00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:32,400
- [Peter] Yes.
333
00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,450
- [Lieutenant] They only
walk to their position
334
00:12:35,450 --> 00:12:37,500
when they are on their duty,
335
00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:41,070
they just stand, they
can't even move their eyes.
336
00:12:41,070 --> 00:12:42,960
That's the way we train them,
337
00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:45,570
when they come to presidential guard.
338
00:12:45,570 --> 00:12:47,730
We train them for six weeks.
339
00:12:47,730 --> 00:12:51,513
We are trying to learn
them the idea to be Evzone.
340
00:12:52,370 --> 00:12:54,210
- So as soon as they put the uniform on,
341
00:12:54,210 --> 00:12:57,450
their whole being changes
342
00:12:57,450 --> 00:12:58,930
because they become part of that uniform.
343
00:12:58,930 --> 00:13:00,047
- Yes.
- They become part
344
00:13:00,047 --> 00:13:02,689
of the historical importance.
- That's right.
345
00:13:02,689 --> 00:13:05,120
- Of being an Evzoner.
- Yes, that's right.
346
00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:06,820
- It's very special, very special.
347
00:13:09,030 --> 00:13:10,970
The Evzones are known for being heroic,
348
00:13:10,970 --> 00:13:13,970
none more so than Konstantinos Koukidis.
349
00:13:13,970 --> 00:13:16,260
Here, on April 27th 1941
350
00:13:16,260 --> 00:13:19,570
during the first days of Nazi
Occupation in World War II,
351
00:13:19,570 --> 00:13:21,610
he refused the orders of a German officer
352
00:13:21,610 --> 00:13:25,000
to surrender the Greek flag
and raise the swastika.
353
00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:27,370
In a moment that lives in legend,
354
00:13:27,370 --> 00:13:29,360
Konstantinos wrapped the
Greek flag around him
355
00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:31,180
and leapt to his death.
356
00:13:31,180 --> 00:13:32,620
It's a story that in many ways
357
00:13:32,620 --> 00:13:35,563
encapsulates the passion and
loyalty of these soldiers.
358
00:13:36,910 --> 00:13:41,703
You know Lieutenant, I've been
to the Acropolis 20 times,
359
00:13:41,703 --> 00:13:44,010
but I've never been,
360
00:13:44,010 --> 00:13:47,180
in such a solemn, quiet moment.
361
00:13:47,180 --> 00:13:49,300
You could hear a pin drop.
362
00:13:49,300 --> 00:13:51,020
It's amazing.
- Yes, that's right.
363
00:13:51,020 --> 00:13:53,305
When we come here at the Acropolis
364
00:13:53,305 --> 00:13:55,718
for raising or lowering the flag,
365
00:13:55,718 --> 00:13:57,218
the civilians are,
366
00:13:59,749 --> 00:14:01,800
there are no civilians here.
367
00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:02,633
- Not allowed?
368
00:14:02,633 --> 00:14:03,511
- No.
- Nobody else allowed.
369
00:14:03,511 --> 00:14:04,980
- No, nobody.
- It's just the troop.
370
00:14:04,980 --> 00:14:07,690
And that's it.
- Just us, just us.
371
00:14:07,690 --> 00:14:08,824
- Impressive.
372
00:14:08,824 --> 00:14:12,741
(military marching band music)
373
00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:24,740
What I love about this,
374
00:14:24,740 --> 00:14:26,210
is that the band isn't playing
375
00:14:26,210 --> 00:14:28,625
to entertain a crowd or
a group of dignitaries.
376
00:14:28,625 --> 00:14:31,019
It's essentially serenading the flag,
377
00:14:31,019 --> 00:14:33,710
and honouring the
traditional raising process,
378
00:14:33,710 --> 00:14:35,304
and all that it symbolises.
379
00:14:35,304 --> 00:14:39,221
(military marching band music)
380
00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:58,850
Lieutenant, I can hear and I can feel
381
00:14:58,850 --> 00:15:00,420
the tsarouchia hitting the ground.
382
00:15:00,420 --> 00:15:02,347
What is that significance?
383
00:15:02,347 --> 00:15:04,460
- The significance of this noise
384
00:15:04,460 --> 00:15:06,829
that we make with our tsarouchia,
385
00:15:06,829 --> 00:15:11,829
is that our ancestors hear
that we are alive and free.
386
00:15:12,380 --> 00:15:13,213
- Unbelievable.
387
00:15:13,213 --> 00:15:15,510
I can feel the hairs on my arms,
388
00:15:15,510 --> 00:15:17,525
as we say in Greek.
389
00:15:17,525 --> 00:15:18,820
(speaking foreign language)
390
00:15:18,820 --> 00:15:20,110
- Yes, yes.
391
00:15:20,110 --> 00:15:21,673
That's amazing.
- Yeah.
392
00:15:21,673 --> 00:15:24,740
(triumphant classical music)
393
00:15:24,740 --> 00:15:26,680
From the Acropolis we made
our way back to the barracks,
394
00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:27,810
to follow the whole troop
395
00:15:27,810 --> 00:15:30,210
along their route to
the Presidential Palace.
396
00:15:30,210 --> 00:15:31,420
Like the flag raising,
397
00:15:31,420 --> 00:15:33,240
the parade happens every Sunday,
398
00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,500
however it's open to the public to watch.
399
00:15:35,500 --> 00:15:37,220
If you're unable to be
here for this spectacle,
400
00:15:37,220 --> 00:15:38,247
then at least make the time
401
00:15:38,247 --> 00:15:40,950
to see the hourly changing of the guard.
402
00:15:40,950 --> 00:15:43,690
While it's not of this scale,
it's still quite impressive.
403
00:15:43,690 --> 00:15:47,440
(triumphant classical music)
404
00:15:52,838 --> 00:15:56,505
(speaking foreign language)
405
00:16:00,290 --> 00:16:03,863
I see the sweat, the
hard work, the patience.
406
00:16:05,370 --> 00:16:08,310
The discipline that's
involved must be unbelievable.
407
00:16:08,310 --> 00:16:09,143
- Yes, yes.
408
00:16:09,143 --> 00:16:11,130
That's why we train them
409
00:16:11,130 --> 00:16:13,580
and we press them to their limits,
410
00:16:13,580 --> 00:16:16,220
so they can take the difficulties
411
00:16:16,220 --> 00:16:18,879
and still stand,
412
00:16:18,879 --> 00:16:19,830
without moving,
413
00:16:19,830 --> 00:16:22,700
without any expressions, without nothing.
414
00:16:22,700 --> 00:16:24,050
Like statues.
415
00:16:24,050 --> 00:16:25,460
- Lieutenant, you should be
proud of what you're doing.
416
00:16:25,460 --> 00:16:27,019
This is fantastic.
- Yes, yes, I am very proud.
417
00:16:27,019 --> 00:16:27,998
I am very proud.
418
00:16:27,998 --> 00:16:30,820
To be part of the presidential guard.
419
00:16:30,820 --> 00:16:31,850
- Excellent.
420
00:16:31,850 --> 00:16:35,260
(triumphant classical music)
421
00:16:35,260 --> 00:16:37,350
I ended up spending a couple
of days with these guys,
422
00:16:37,350 --> 00:16:39,330
learning about their practises.
423
00:16:39,330 --> 00:16:42,720
It still amazes me how as
soon as that uniform went on,
424
00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,637
they never spoke a word
or looked me in the eye,
425
00:16:46,500 --> 00:16:48,943
always maintaining absolute discipline.
426
00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,910
Such is the self-control
that on a hot summer's day,
427
00:16:52,910 --> 00:16:54,320
it's not uncommon for Evzones
428
00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,870
returning to the barracks after guard duty
429
00:16:56,870 --> 00:16:58,890
to collapse into the arms of a colleague
430
00:16:58,890 --> 00:17:01,950
at the sound of the sergeant
calling for at ease.
431
00:17:01,950 --> 00:17:03,403
Now that's dedication!
432
00:17:03,403 --> 00:17:06,570
(angelic choir music)
433
00:17:10,945 --> 00:17:14,445
(moves into upbeat music)
434
00:17:22,670 --> 00:17:25,910
This is Salamis Bay, a short
distance west of Athens.
435
00:17:25,910 --> 00:17:28,710
In the present day, it's a
relatively busy water way
436
00:17:28,710 --> 00:17:30,150
flanked by urban development.
437
00:17:30,150 --> 00:17:32,210
But some two and a half
thousand years ago,
438
00:17:32,210 --> 00:17:34,040
it was the scene of one
of the most significant
439
00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,190
naval battles in history.
440
00:17:36,190 --> 00:17:38,280
You've probably seen the movie 300.
441
00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,230
Well, the sequel to that
was centred around battles
442
00:17:40,230 --> 00:17:41,480
that occurred right here.
443
00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:42,570
And the main character,
444
00:17:42,570 --> 00:17:45,510
is the general and
politician Themistocles.
445
00:17:45,510 --> 00:17:47,150
- The Battle of Salamis was a naval battle
446
00:17:47,150 --> 00:17:49,880
between the Greek ancient cities,
447
00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:51,650
and the Persian empire.
448
00:17:51,650 --> 00:17:54,120
Athenians had 200 triremes,
449
00:17:54,120 --> 00:17:56,630
the rest of the Greeks had 200 more.
450
00:17:56,630 --> 00:18:00,220
So 400 ships against 1,200 Persians.
451
00:18:00,220 --> 00:18:04,210
So, Themistocles sent an informer
452
00:18:04,210 --> 00:18:06,210
down there to Aegaleus Mountain,
453
00:18:06,210 --> 00:18:08,530
where the Xerxes, the
emperor of the Persians,
454
00:18:08,530 --> 00:18:10,650
was waiting to see his fleet flight.
455
00:18:10,650 --> 00:18:11,880
He gave the false information
456
00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:13,960
that the Greeks are about to leave.
457
00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:15,077
You have to rush
458
00:18:15,077 --> 00:18:18,370
and you have to catch them
on the Salamis Strait.
459
00:18:18,370 --> 00:18:19,203
- Yes.
460
00:18:19,203 --> 00:18:21,430
- So actually, Xerxes believed him
461
00:18:21,430 --> 00:18:23,980
and sent his fleet
immediately the next morning
462
00:18:23,980 --> 00:18:25,100
to enter the Salamis Bay.
463
00:18:25,100 --> 00:18:28,730
So the Greeks had to fight in this area.
464
00:18:28,730 --> 00:18:30,720
And as Themistocles predicted,
465
00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:32,950
everything went just fine,
466
00:18:32,950 --> 00:18:35,660
the Persian fleet could
not manoeuvre easily.
467
00:18:35,660 --> 00:18:37,023
They were not--
468
00:18:37,023 --> 00:18:38,220
- And this happened just here?
469
00:18:38,220 --> 00:18:39,200
- Yeah, just down there.
470
00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:41,110
- Right here?
- Down there. Down there.
471
00:18:41,110 --> 00:18:43,340
So, they basically were defeated.
472
00:18:43,340 --> 00:18:45,950
This naval battle was not
only important for Greece,
473
00:18:45,950 --> 00:18:49,370
but it was important for
the rest of the Europe
474
00:18:49,370 --> 00:18:53,590
because Persians never again
attempted to move to the west,
475
00:18:53,590 --> 00:18:55,740
and that gave the opportunity
476
00:18:55,740 --> 00:18:58,420
for the western civilizations
for centuries later
477
00:18:58,420 --> 00:19:03,420
to emerge and become the great
power and the great spirit.
478
00:19:03,709 --> 00:19:06,130
So, Europe would not be the same.
479
00:19:06,130 --> 00:19:08,130
- We may not be speaking the same language
480
00:19:08,130 --> 00:19:10,680
and we may not be the same religion today
481
00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:12,230
if it wasn't for Themistocles.
482
00:19:12,230 --> 00:19:13,530
- Everything would be different.
483
00:19:13,530 --> 00:19:14,800
- Wow. Wow.
484
00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:16,070
And it all happened right here.
485
00:19:16,070 --> 00:19:17,920
- Right here.
- You know Captain,
486
00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:20,750
I'm wondering how Xerxes felt,
487
00:19:20,750 --> 00:19:22,530
when he was up there watching his fleet,
488
00:19:22,530 --> 00:19:24,640
like you said, lose,
489
00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:27,760
because he had never lost a battle.
490
00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:28,970
He had never lost anything.
491
00:19:28,970 --> 00:19:30,390
He was a winner all his life.
492
00:19:30,390 --> 00:19:32,400
And he came here
493
00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:33,670
and lost.
494
00:19:33,670 --> 00:19:36,100
- It was not just a disappointment,
495
00:19:36,100 --> 00:19:37,340
it was a humiliation
496
00:19:37,340 --> 00:19:39,560
because the Persian emperor was considered
497
00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,380
as a god not as human being.
- Yeah.
498
00:19:42,380 --> 00:19:44,560
- So, for everybody, not just for him,
499
00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:46,520
it was a great humiliation.
500
00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:48,600
- Well 'cause gods could
not get anything wrong.
501
00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:49,433
- Of course.
502
00:19:49,433 --> 00:19:51,510
- And so his soldiers, his navy,
503
00:19:51,510 --> 00:19:54,630
would have seen that
Xerxes did have a fault
504
00:19:54,630 --> 00:19:56,282
and he wasn't a god.
505
00:19:56,282 --> 00:19:57,407
- Exactly.
- Amazing.
506
00:19:57,407 --> 00:19:58,620
- Exactly.
507
00:19:58,620 --> 00:20:01,580
- This turning point in
history can't be understated.
508
00:20:01,580 --> 00:20:03,490
Only after the defeat of the Persians,
509
00:20:03,490 --> 00:20:05,900
did the Athenian culture flourish.
510
00:20:05,900 --> 00:20:08,007
And the development of science, democracy,
511
00:20:08,007 --> 00:20:10,420
and philosophy subsequently proliferate
512
00:20:10,420 --> 00:20:12,063
throughout western civilization.
513
00:20:14,010 --> 00:20:16,040
This is where Xerxes stood,
514
00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,290
when his fleet came in
from the Saronic Gulf,
515
00:20:19,140 --> 00:20:21,923
to battle with the Greek
ships, the triremes.
516
00:20:23,130 --> 00:20:25,970
Through this small channel,
517
00:20:25,970 --> 00:20:30,792
the God King was annihilated
and turned into a mortal man.
518
00:20:30,792 --> 00:20:33,700
The look on his face,
519
00:20:33,700 --> 00:20:36,000
at that time would have
been something to see.
520
00:20:38,540 --> 00:20:41,390
In my early high school
years, I studied history.
521
00:20:41,390 --> 00:20:43,133
But coming here and visualising it,
522
00:20:43,133 --> 00:20:46,830
gives me a sense of excitement
I've never felt before.
523
00:20:46,830 --> 00:20:48,800
Themistocles wasn't a noble,
524
00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:50,130
but one of the first great leaders
525
00:20:50,130 --> 00:20:51,950
that came from the masses.
526
00:20:51,950 --> 00:20:53,440
And being one of the common folk,
527
00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:55,330
I'm sure that if he was around today,
528
00:20:55,330 --> 00:20:57,980
he would definitely join me
for some Greek fast food.
529
00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:00,020
When you're in Athens,
530
00:21:00,020 --> 00:21:01,350
come down to Monastiraki
531
00:21:01,350 --> 00:21:03,140
and come to any one of the restaurants.
532
00:21:03,140 --> 00:21:06,000
It doesn't matter which one
really, and have a yiros.
533
00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:07,220
Now there's two styles of having a yiros.
534
00:21:07,220 --> 00:21:09,900
You can have it either in an open plate
535
00:21:09,900 --> 00:21:11,580
or if you're on the run,
536
00:21:11,580 --> 00:21:13,880
and the traditional way is as a wrap.
537
00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:17,240
Now you can have it as
pork, chicken, or lamb.
538
00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:18,663
I prefer pork.
539
00:21:19,516 --> 00:21:23,150
And I tell you what, these
morsels are absolutely awesome.
540
00:21:23,150 --> 00:21:24,642
I'm starved, we've been shooting all day.
541
00:21:24,642 --> 00:21:25,675
So I'm gonna go hard.
542
00:21:25,675 --> 00:21:28,258
(upbeat music)
543
00:21:29,340 --> 00:21:30,173
Oh!
544
00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:33,710
Absolutely magnificent.
545
00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:36,510
Wash it down with a glass of wine,
546
00:21:36,510 --> 00:21:39,163
or in my case 'cause I'm
driving, a glass of water.
547
00:21:41,010 --> 00:21:42,800
Okay, so the first
things that come to mind
548
00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:44,750
for most people when you
ask them about Greek food
549
00:21:44,750 --> 00:21:48,920
are olives, souvlaki,
moussaka and more olives.
550
00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:51,120
All eaten with a glass
of ouzo on the side.
551
00:21:51,120 --> 00:21:52,810
Well, being an ancient civilization
552
00:21:52,810 --> 00:21:54,253
that's spread across hundreds of islands,
553
00:21:54,253 --> 00:21:57,010
the food here is actually very diverse.
554
00:21:57,010 --> 00:21:59,090
Every region has its own flavours,
555
00:21:59,090 --> 00:22:01,260
which I'll be exploring
throughout the series.
556
00:22:01,260 --> 00:22:02,370
But here in Athens,
557
00:22:02,370 --> 00:22:04,600
one of the best things
to wrap your lips around
558
00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:06,320
is the yiros or kebab.
559
00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:08,776
It's simple, cheap, and delicious.
560
00:22:08,776 --> 00:22:11,359
(upbeat music)
561
00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:39,380
Being a largely island nation,
562
00:22:39,380 --> 00:22:42,800
Greece naturally has a long,
colourful history with the sea.
563
00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,010
We've always been a seafaring people,
564
00:22:45,010 --> 00:22:48,560
be it as traders, travellers,
or as a naval power.
565
00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:49,970
These maritime ways
566
00:22:49,970 --> 00:22:52,900
have led to many of Greece's
most notable moments
567
00:22:52,900 --> 00:22:55,540
and created great wealth for the nation.
568
00:22:55,540 --> 00:22:56,830
I've always felt at ease
569
00:22:56,830 --> 00:22:58,430
being surrounded by the sea
570
00:22:58,430 --> 00:23:01,200
and this led to my love of
ships and maritime history
571
00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:02,170
which brought me to a museum
572
00:23:02,170 --> 00:23:04,930
located a short walk from
where my boat was dry-docked.
573
00:23:04,930 --> 00:23:07,220
What is the Laskaridis Foundation?
574
00:23:07,220 --> 00:23:10,720
- Its main aims are to
promote civilization
575
00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:12,180
and Greek letters.
576
00:23:12,180 --> 00:23:15,650
But its main occupation
is historical libraries
577
00:23:15,650 --> 00:23:18,840
and educational programmes
for school children.
578
00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:21,510
We have a large maritime collection
579
00:23:21,510 --> 00:23:25,593
which consists of a Nelson Collection,
580
00:23:26,595 --> 00:23:29,260
which is personal items.
581
00:23:29,260 --> 00:23:34,020
There are some 96 letters
handwritten by Nelson himself,
582
00:23:34,020 --> 00:23:37,040
mostly to other offices of the navy
583
00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,850
and a number of them
also to Lady Hamilton.
584
00:23:40,850 --> 00:23:43,346
- Have you read any of those
letters to Lady Hamilton?
585
00:23:43,346 --> 00:23:45,283
- Well, some of them are here.
586
00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:47,530
And you can see some of them.
587
00:23:47,530 --> 00:23:49,710
- I'd love to go and see
some more of the building
588
00:23:49,710 --> 00:23:50,543
and some of these artefacts.
589
00:23:50,543 --> 00:23:51,376
Let's go.
- Okay, yeah.
590
00:23:51,376 --> 00:23:52,209
- [Peter] Thank you.
591
00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:55,090
The collection is vast and varied,
592
00:23:55,090 --> 00:23:57,140
with every piece having a story to tell.
593
00:23:57,140 --> 00:23:59,380
You could easily spend half a day here.
594
00:23:59,380 --> 00:24:02,180
- [Admiral] They are built out of bones
595
00:24:02,180 --> 00:24:06,320
used for food of the
French prisoners of war,
596
00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:09,060
during the Napoleonic Wars.
597
00:24:09,060 --> 00:24:11,020
- So they crafted these from the bones
598
00:24:11,020 --> 00:24:13,090
of the food they ate
while they were imprisoned
599
00:24:13,090 --> 00:24:14,640
in these old ships.
- Yes.
600
00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:16,780
- They were anchored at
just off the shore line.
601
00:24:16,780 --> 00:24:18,320
- Yeah.
- How impressive is that!
602
00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,730
Even more amazing is that
the model rope twining
603
00:24:20,730 --> 00:24:22,810
is actually made from human hair
604
00:24:22,810 --> 00:24:24,250
of the prisoners themselves.
605
00:24:24,250 --> 00:24:25,203
Wow!
606
00:24:26,370 --> 00:24:27,620
The Laskaridis Foundation
607
00:24:27,620 --> 00:24:30,400
is a treasure trove of rare
books and maritime goodies
608
00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,560
that make you feel like
a kid in a toy store.
609
00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,161
- This is the first printed
edition of the Odyssey.
610
00:24:36,161 --> 00:24:36,994
The Iliad and the Odyssey.
611
00:24:36,994 --> 00:24:40,340
Actually, this volume is the
Odyssey, the second volume.
612
00:24:40,340 --> 00:24:41,800
As you can see,
613
00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:43,820
it's one of the earliest printed books.
614
00:24:43,820 --> 00:24:46,250
It is from 1489.
615
00:24:46,250 --> 00:24:49,500
- It is a very, very impressive
part of your library, I see.
616
00:24:49,500 --> 00:24:50,780
- Yes, of course.
617
00:24:50,780 --> 00:24:54,850
We do have a collection
of early printed editions
618
00:24:54,850 --> 00:24:56,160
of Greek books.
- Wow.
619
00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:58,010
- And this is one of our best.
620
00:24:58,010 --> 00:24:59,920
We're most proud of it of course.
621
00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:02,130
- What really intrigued
me about this collection
622
00:25:02,130 --> 00:25:04,180
wasn't just the fascinating
items within it,
623
00:25:04,180 --> 00:25:05,830
but the man behind it all.
624
00:25:05,830 --> 00:25:07,420
Similar to the Benaki Museum,
625
00:25:07,420 --> 00:25:08,600
this establishment came about
626
00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:10,580
through the passion and philanthropy
627
00:25:10,580 --> 00:25:13,380
of a wealthy Greek man
and his vigilant wife,
628
00:25:13,380 --> 00:25:14,810
who for various reasons saw it fit
629
00:25:14,810 --> 00:25:17,430
to give back to the nation
they were so fond of.
630
00:25:17,430 --> 00:25:21,190
For someone to put
their time and resources
631
00:25:21,190 --> 00:25:24,380
to create something like
this, it's exceptional.
632
00:25:24,380 --> 00:25:28,800
- You know, time and resources as you say.
633
00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:30,340
Time, I am lucky because I,
634
00:25:31,340 --> 00:25:32,660
by some
635
00:25:32,660 --> 00:25:34,199
weird
636
00:25:34,199 --> 00:25:35,510
miracle of nature,
637
00:25:35,510 --> 00:25:37,550
I need very little sleep.
638
00:25:37,550 --> 00:25:38,580
So I sleep very little.
639
00:25:38,580 --> 00:25:40,580
So I have a lot of time
to spend on many things.
640
00:25:40,580 --> 00:25:43,140
So I am kind of a busy body,
641
00:25:43,140 --> 00:25:45,060
you can say.
- How much sleep do you get?
642
00:25:45,060 --> 00:25:48,030
- Maybe four hours a day.
- So you're a naval man.
643
00:25:48,030 --> 00:25:49,316
All the captains, they're like that!
644
00:25:49,316 --> 00:25:51,560
I would think that in another lifetime
645
00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:52,656
you would have been an admiral.
646
00:25:52,656 --> 00:25:54,182
- Maybe.
647
00:25:54,182 --> 00:25:55,015
So that's one thing.
648
00:25:55,015 --> 00:25:56,913
Secondly, resources and money.
649
00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:01,723
There is an Arab saying that says,
650
00:26:01,723 --> 00:26:03,943
that money is like dung.
651
00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:08,170
If you keep it close to you, it stinks.
652
00:26:08,170 --> 00:26:12,280
But if you spread it in the field,
653
00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:14,452
it produces good crops.
654
00:26:14,452 --> 00:26:15,520
- [Peter] Yes.
655
00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:16,353
- So.
656
00:26:17,210 --> 00:26:21,890
Well I have been very lucky
in terms of wealth in my life
657
00:26:21,890 --> 00:26:24,143
without really working that hard.
658
00:26:24,990 --> 00:26:27,110
So, it's time to.
659
00:26:27,110 --> 00:26:29,200
And you know we have a
big crisis in Greece here.
660
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:30,033
- [Peter] Yes.
661
00:26:30,033 --> 00:26:31,870
- I feel we should all do a little bit,
662
00:26:31,870 --> 00:26:33,260
whatever one can.
663
00:26:33,260 --> 00:26:35,000
There are others who do much more,
664
00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:35,860
others who do less,
665
00:26:35,860 --> 00:26:37,810
so everybody should do--
666
00:26:37,810 --> 00:26:38,643
- [Peter] Well, you're right up there,
667
00:26:38,643 --> 00:26:39,930
in people that have done things.
668
00:26:39,930 --> 00:26:40,763
- Ah, no no no.
669
00:26:40,763 --> 00:26:41,963
- Yeah.
- It's okay.
670
00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:44,940
- We spent hours together,
671
00:26:44,940 --> 00:26:46,540
the whole time Panos never mentioned
672
00:26:46,540 --> 00:26:48,320
how he and his brother
are shipping tycoons,
673
00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,120
owners of the national airline
674
00:26:50,120 --> 00:26:53,010
and stable the best hotels
and properties in Greece.
675
00:26:53,010 --> 00:26:56,550
It shows how humble
and giving a man he is.
676
00:26:56,550 --> 00:26:58,840
He uses his time and
wealth to both educate
677
00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:00,660
and inspire future generations
678
00:27:00,660 --> 00:27:02,450
and wishes for nothing in return.
679
00:27:02,450 --> 00:27:03,630
He's somewhat of a role model
680
00:27:03,630 --> 00:27:05,553
for those more fortunate in the world.
681
00:27:08,060 --> 00:27:09,270
Greece is uniquely positioned
682
00:27:09,270 --> 00:27:11,570
at the maritime trade
centre of three continents,
683
00:27:11,570 --> 00:27:14,020
Europe, Africa, and Asia Minor.
684
00:27:14,020 --> 00:27:17,270
Consequently, it has always
had a comparably large navy
685
00:27:17,270 --> 00:27:18,850
for such a small populous.
686
00:27:18,850 --> 00:27:21,020
Everyone has wanted a piece
of these beautiful islands
687
00:27:21,020 --> 00:27:23,810
and we Greeks have needed
to defend the place.
688
00:27:23,810 --> 00:27:25,510
Something I was really looking forward to
689
00:27:25,510 --> 00:27:27,910
was spending the day
with Captain Tsiantoulas,
690
00:27:27,910 --> 00:27:29,960
discovering all the
different types of vessels
691
00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:31,057
in the Greek Navy.
692
00:27:31,057 --> 00:27:33,380
It's every little boy's dream,
693
00:27:33,380 --> 00:27:35,660
and I'm just a big kid at heart.
694
00:27:35,660 --> 00:27:37,460
The Greek Navy, the Hellenic Navy,
695
00:27:37,460 --> 00:27:39,630
is probably one of the
oldest navies in the world?
696
00:27:39,630 --> 00:27:42,320
- Indeed, and you are quite correct.
697
00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:45,090
Because the history of the Hellenic Navy
698
00:27:45,090 --> 00:27:47,337
pretty much goes way,
699
00:27:47,337 --> 00:27:50,080
all the way through history.
700
00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:52,400
Probably starting from the Chaeronea Wars.
701
00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:55,377
The strong traditions
within the Hellenic Navy
702
00:27:55,377 --> 00:27:58,400
was pretty much everywhere
with the rest of the navies.
703
00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:00,440
However, as correctly said,
704
00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,411
we follow all those
traditions through the years.
705
00:28:03,411 --> 00:28:06,123
And we are quite proud of
all of those traditions.
706
00:28:07,430 --> 00:28:10,200
- [Peter] The traditions
started over two millennia ago,
707
00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:12,100
and many still hold true to this day.
708
00:28:12,100 --> 00:28:14,440
But where did it all start?
709
00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:18,280
This trireme is the Olympia
and the only one of its kind.
710
00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:19,810
It's a replica that was built
711
00:28:19,810 --> 00:28:22,920
to better understand how these
ancient vessels operated,
712
00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:25,800
and more so, to learn
what made them so dominant
713
00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,300
in the naval battles fought
in the Mediterranean.
714
00:28:28,300 --> 00:28:29,420
Wow!
715
00:28:29,420 --> 00:28:33,380
- This is a reconstruction of
the ancient Athenian trireme.
716
00:28:33,380 --> 00:28:36,280
And it's a very good example
of experimental archaeology.
717
00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:41,120
It was built from 1985 to 1987.
718
00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,430
It's a replica of the
time of the 5th BC period.
719
00:28:44,430 --> 00:28:46,120
The period of the Persian Wars.
720
00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:47,590
- Two and a half thousand years ago?
721
00:28:47,590 --> 00:28:49,203
- Yeah, that is correct.
722
00:28:50,190 --> 00:28:51,580
She was built in Greece,
723
00:28:51,580 --> 00:28:53,260
by Greek ship builders.
724
00:28:53,260 --> 00:28:55,070
And we are very happy from the results.
725
00:28:55,070 --> 00:28:56,740
- [Peter] Wow, can we have
a look at more of the boat?
726
00:28:56,740 --> 00:28:58,500
- Of course, let's go.
- Thank you.
727
00:28:58,500 --> 00:29:00,720
So, they would sit here like this,
728
00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:01,553
and there'd be a guy right next to him,
729
00:29:01,553 --> 00:29:03,610
and a guy right below him as they row.
730
00:29:03,610 --> 00:29:04,443
- That's correct.
731
00:29:04,443 --> 00:29:06,550
The total of 170 oarsmen.
732
00:29:06,550 --> 00:29:09,440
It was the largest amount,
733
00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:12,510
the largest number of oarsmen
for a ship, at that time.
734
00:29:12,510 --> 00:29:16,260
That gave the ship a tremendous
speed of nine to 10 knots.
735
00:29:16,260 --> 00:29:18,830
- What made this a more special boat,
736
00:29:18,830 --> 00:29:20,840
in things like the Battle of Salamis now,
737
00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:23,000
than say the Persian
boats it was up against?
738
00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,310
- [Captain] To me, what
is important is that crew
739
00:29:26,310 --> 00:29:28,430
were free citizens and not slaves.
740
00:29:28,430 --> 00:29:29,263
- Wow.
741
00:29:29,263 --> 00:29:30,812
- They were fighting for their home.
742
00:29:30,812 --> 00:29:32,717
They were not mercenaries.
743
00:29:32,717 --> 00:29:34,883
They were doing what they had to do.
744
00:29:36,097 --> 00:29:37,130
- [Peter] Triremes allowed the Greeks
745
00:29:37,130 --> 00:29:38,210
to dominate the Mediterranean
746
00:29:38,210 --> 00:29:40,110
some two and a half thousand years ago,
747
00:29:40,110 --> 00:29:41,300
and the slipways from these times
748
00:29:41,300 --> 00:29:44,330
still exist today around
Zea Marina in Athens.
749
00:29:44,330 --> 00:29:46,320
In recent times the Hellenic Navy
750
00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:49,740
has maintained its position as
a significant regional power
751
00:29:49,740 --> 00:29:51,420
by modernising its fleet.
752
00:29:51,420 --> 00:29:52,890
This strong naval tradition
753
00:29:52,890 --> 00:29:54,970
is a source of pride for the people
754
00:29:54,970 --> 00:29:56,440
and harks back to ancient times
755
00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:59,210
when wooden vessels
powered by hand and wind
756
00:29:59,210 --> 00:30:02,070
took the place of the
steel giants you see today.
757
00:30:02,070 --> 00:30:03,280
One of the vessels that helped
758
00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:05,190
protect our waters for a half a century
759
00:30:05,190 --> 00:30:06,920
was the Georgios Averof,
760
00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:07,853
built in 1911
761
00:30:07,853 --> 00:30:10,450
and one of the last ships of its era.
762
00:30:10,450 --> 00:30:13,090
- Actually, this is the
only ship in this size
763
00:30:13,090 --> 00:30:16,130
that has fought in both World Wars.
764
00:30:16,130 --> 00:30:17,926
- Is that right?
- First and Second World War.
765
00:30:17,926 --> 00:30:18,759
That's correct.
- Wow.
766
00:30:18,759 --> 00:30:21,000
- And additionally, it
fought in the Balkan Wars,
767
00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,330
and due to reactions
768
00:30:24,330 --> 00:30:25,830
Greece duplicated their territory.
769
00:30:25,830 --> 00:30:28,267
It is considered as an active ship,
770
00:30:28,267 --> 00:30:31,160
it has a commanding officer,
it has a regular crew.
771
00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:35,530
And whenever a Greek Navy
ship comes in the vicinity,
772
00:30:35,530 --> 00:30:37,120
we salute the ship.
773
00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:39,270
We give all the honours that require,
774
00:30:39,270 --> 00:30:40,440
as if we meet the ship
775
00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:41,830
with an admiral.
- Wow.
776
00:30:41,830 --> 00:30:44,280
Greece's current navy is quite modern,
777
00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:45,910
and although I saw a lot,
778
00:30:45,910 --> 00:30:47,987
I'm actually not allowed
to show you much of it.
779
00:30:47,987 --> 00:30:49,810
But what I can tell you,
780
00:30:49,810 --> 00:30:51,470
is that it was designed specifically
781
00:30:51,470 --> 00:30:54,490
to defend Greece's multitude of islands.
782
00:30:54,490 --> 00:30:55,660
While I was really impressed
783
00:30:55,660 --> 00:30:58,200
with how powerful the Hellenic Navy is.
784
00:30:58,200 --> 00:30:59,920
What surprised me most
785
00:30:59,920 --> 00:31:02,240
was how welcoming the
officers and crew were.
786
00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:04,547
Oh, that's classified as well!
787
00:31:04,547 --> 00:31:05,870
But I can walk through though?
788
00:31:05,870 --> 00:31:08,290
- Yes, of course we can have a tour.
789
00:31:08,290 --> 00:31:09,150
- Can you take me through?
790
00:31:09,150 --> 00:31:10,730
- Yes, of course.
- Thank you very much.
791
00:31:10,730 --> 00:31:11,840
I'm gonna try and do this.
792
00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:12,860
It doesn't,
793
00:31:12,860 --> 00:31:14,843
I don't think it's made
for big people like me.
794
00:31:14,843 --> 00:31:19,843
(officer laughing)
(Peter grunting)
795
00:31:21,604 --> 00:31:24,550
(speaking foreign language)
796
00:31:24,550 --> 00:31:25,690
That's heavy.
797
00:31:25,690 --> 00:31:26,728
That's.
798
00:31:26,728 --> 00:31:27,920
(speaking foreign language)
799
00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:29,290
Seven kilos.
800
00:31:29,290 --> 00:31:30,123
Wow!
801
00:31:30,123 --> 00:31:32,200
Look at this, look at this.
802
00:31:33,136 --> 00:31:33,969
This is fantastic.
803
00:31:33,969 --> 00:31:35,043
Oh, man.
804
00:31:36,210 --> 00:31:37,183
What a buzz!
805
00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:39,260
That was
806
00:31:40,340 --> 00:31:42,680
sensational!
807
00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:45,279
I tell you, I can't get over it.
808
00:31:45,279 --> 00:31:47,862
(upbeat music)
809
00:32:05,223 --> 00:32:06,720
Myrtillo Cafe is hidden
810
00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:09,320
in a leafy part of Athens called Panormou.
811
00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:11,380
The cafe is a community co-op
812
00:32:11,380 --> 00:32:13,840
that employs Athenian
teenagers with disabilities,
813
00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:15,890
giving them experience in the workforce.
814
00:32:15,890 --> 00:32:18,653
This subject is close to my
heart, so I had to drop in,
815
00:32:18,653 --> 00:32:21,610
and meet the president of
the co-op, Georgia Raffan.
816
00:32:21,610 --> 00:32:26,220
- People with disability
into the mainstream market.
817
00:32:26,220 --> 00:32:28,650
We try to train them.
818
00:32:28,650 --> 00:32:31,423
We have a training programme.
819
00:32:33,055 --> 00:32:36,170
And they also work properly here.
820
00:32:36,170 --> 00:32:37,373
They're salaried,
821
00:32:38,330 --> 00:32:41,223
with proper salaries and insurance.
822
00:32:43,249 --> 00:32:44,563
And they make an exit,
823
00:32:46,276 --> 00:32:47,380
to life.
824
00:32:47,380 --> 00:32:49,850
They are very interested,
825
00:32:49,850 --> 00:32:54,554
because they feel that the
cafe belongs to themselves,
826
00:32:54,554 --> 00:32:55,860
the enterprise.
- Yeah.
827
00:32:55,860 --> 00:32:59,880
- They are the masters and
servants of this business.
828
00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:00,770
At the same time,
829
00:33:00,770 --> 00:33:03,370
and masters and servants of themselves.
830
00:33:03,370 --> 00:33:04,420
- [Peter] Of their own destiny.
831
00:33:04,420 --> 00:33:05,630
- In this way,
832
00:33:05,630 --> 00:33:09,360
the cafe is an innovative business,
833
00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:10,207
because--
- I'd love to go
834
00:33:10,207 --> 00:33:11,630
and meet some of them.
- Pardon?
835
00:33:11,630 --> 00:33:13,000
- [Peter] Can we meet some of the staff?
836
00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:14,947
- Of course, let's go!
837
00:33:14,947 --> 00:33:17,800
(Georgia laughing)
838
00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:20,360
- [Peter] This is far from
your average cafe business.
839
00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:22,630
Their day-to-day costs are much higher,
840
00:33:22,630 --> 00:33:25,340
having to pay for psychologists
and occupational therapists
841
00:33:25,340 --> 00:33:26,263
adds up.
842
00:33:26,263 --> 00:33:28,030
But they keep on moving forward
843
00:33:28,030 --> 00:33:30,060
because of employees like Sofia,
844
00:33:30,060 --> 00:33:31,560
who is the administrative assistant
845
00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:33,560
and always very busy.
846
00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:37,490
- The idea is fresh, it's
new, there's nothing like it.
847
00:33:37,490 --> 00:33:41,400
And we are changing people
who were not given a chance
848
00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:45,440
to do something with their
lives and feel useful.
849
00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:47,800
Here they are given that chance.
850
00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:50,660
And it's what gives people
hope for a better future.
851
00:33:50,660 --> 00:33:52,770
We need to have a chain
of Myrtillos running,
852
00:33:52,770 --> 00:33:55,880
so that other people like us,
853
00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:59,410
who have some sort of
physical or mental disability,
854
00:33:59,410 --> 00:34:01,100
can have the same opportunity we did,
855
00:34:01,100 --> 00:34:04,423
of having work experience on a resume,
856
00:34:06,010 --> 00:34:07,770
social--
- Integration?
857
00:34:07,770 --> 00:34:10,290
- Integration with the community
858
00:34:10,290 --> 00:34:13,370
and being happy, knowing
that you can actually--
859
00:34:13,370 --> 00:34:14,562
- [Peter] That you're
adding value to the world.
860
00:34:14,562 --> 00:34:15,395
I think it's great.
- Adding value to the world.
861
00:34:15,395 --> 00:34:16,228
- [Peter and Sofia] Yeah!
862
00:34:16,228 --> 00:34:17,769
- Sydney, so you're like me!
863
00:34:17,769 --> 00:34:18,810
Meeting Georgia and Sofia,
864
00:34:18,810 --> 00:34:20,680
as well as the rest of their team,
865
00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:22,750
was both humbling and inspiring.
866
00:34:22,750 --> 00:34:25,313
And by the way, the coffee was great too!
867
00:34:25,313 --> 00:34:30,313
(religious chanting)
(bell tolling)
868
00:34:30,750 --> 00:34:33,600
Religion plays a huge role
in the life of most Greeks.
869
00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:35,770
It runs throughout the
fabric of our culture
870
00:34:35,770 --> 00:34:39,110
and is practised at some
level by almost everyone here.
871
00:34:39,110 --> 00:34:41,650
As a Greek, I've been going
to church all my life.
872
00:34:41,650 --> 00:34:43,800
But ask me to explain what it all means
873
00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:45,010
and I'll get it wrong.
874
00:34:45,010 --> 00:34:47,520
So to clarify what Easter
in Greece is all about,
875
00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:49,530
I asked Father Raffan to help.
876
00:34:49,530 --> 00:34:51,270
His story is an interesting one.
877
00:34:51,270 --> 00:34:53,150
He was born in Glasgow, Scotland,
878
00:34:53,150 --> 00:34:55,030
and met a Greek girl at university.
879
00:34:55,030 --> 00:34:56,180
They ended up getting married
880
00:34:56,180 --> 00:34:57,960
and came to Greece on a holiday.
881
00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:00,030
He fell in love with the people, religion,
882
00:35:00,030 --> 00:35:01,600
and of course, the country as a whole.
883
00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:04,030
It's this love that led
to him becoming a priest.
884
00:35:04,030 --> 00:35:06,210
Oh, and by the way, the girl he fell for
885
00:35:06,210 --> 00:35:07,990
was Georgia from the cafe!
886
00:35:07,990 --> 00:35:12,650
Over 90% of people, born in
Greece, are Greek Orthodox.
887
00:35:12,650 --> 00:35:13,830
Why is that so?
888
00:35:13,830 --> 00:35:16,130
- When the Greek State was established
889
00:35:16,130 --> 00:35:18,320
less than 200 years ago,
890
00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:23,100
it was established as
an enclave for Greek,
891
00:35:23,100 --> 00:35:27,410
for Orthodox Christians
within the Ottoman Empire.
892
00:35:27,410 --> 00:35:31,330
And so, it was hiding a religious identity
893
00:35:31,330 --> 00:35:32,660
from the very beginning.
894
00:35:32,660 --> 00:35:35,060
That identity was something
895
00:35:35,060 --> 00:35:37,793
that the Greeks had paid a high price for.
896
00:35:38,630 --> 00:35:43,430
They had, living as Christians
within the Ottoman empire,
897
00:35:43,430 --> 00:35:44,690
it had a cost.
898
00:35:44,690 --> 00:35:46,700
But when they came in to the church,
899
00:35:46,700 --> 00:35:49,400
they found here they had something
900
00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:50,530
that made it all worthwhile.
901
00:35:50,530 --> 00:35:51,830
They found a freedom in the church
902
00:35:51,830 --> 00:35:54,230
that made slavery worthwhile.
903
00:35:54,230 --> 00:35:58,010
So that sense of being
Christian and Orthodox
904
00:35:58,010 --> 00:35:59,760
was deeply rooted in them
905
00:35:59,760 --> 00:36:04,090
because they had paid so high
a price for being Christians.
906
00:36:04,090 --> 00:36:07,440
And people don't think of
their roots very often.
907
00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:09,860
But yet, during Holy Week,
908
00:36:09,860 --> 00:36:12,600
which we are celebrating,
909
00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:14,750
then they remember.
910
00:36:14,750 --> 00:36:17,350
Ah, this is where we come from.
911
00:36:17,350 --> 00:36:22,350
And they find themselves, as
it were, in all the services
912
00:36:22,811 --> 00:36:24,805
of Holy Week.
913
00:36:24,805 --> 00:36:27,610
There's the sense of the
suffering and resurrection,
914
00:36:27,610 --> 00:36:29,460
which was that light of the resurrection
915
00:36:29,460 --> 00:36:34,255
is what had always given
them such hope and comfort.
916
00:36:34,255 --> 00:36:36,800
(chanting in foreign language)
917
00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:37,633
- [Peter] Throughout the year
918
00:36:37,633 --> 00:36:39,560
there are all sorts of religious
festivals and celebrations
919
00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:41,860
with century-old customs being practised.
920
00:36:41,860 --> 00:36:44,447
But the biggest and most
important one is Easter.
921
00:36:44,447 --> 00:36:46,910
(chanting in foreign language)
922
00:36:46,910 --> 00:36:49,330
- Throughout Holy Week there is a,
923
00:36:49,330 --> 00:36:53,460
the services in the church
tell the story of everything
924
00:36:53,460 --> 00:36:54,580
leading up to Easter.
925
00:36:54,580 --> 00:36:56,520
Starting of course on Palm Sunday
926
00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:59,280
with Christ's entrance into Jerusalem.
927
00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:03,333
And then, by Thursday we talk about
928
00:37:03,333 --> 00:37:08,333
Christ celebrating the Last
Supper with his disciples.
929
00:37:08,590 --> 00:37:12,159
And giving to his disciples saying,
930
00:37:12,159 --> 00:37:14,910
"Do this in remembrance of me."
931
00:37:14,910 --> 00:37:17,527
Following that Last Supper,
932
00:37:17,527 --> 00:37:21,940
the whole story of the
Passion gathers pace.
933
00:37:21,940 --> 00:37:25,010
It's after that he goes into the garden,
934
00:37:25,010 --> 00:37:27,150
goes to Gethsemane, he is arrested,
935
00:37:27,150 --> 00:37:29,900
he is taken to the high priests,
936
00:37:29,900 --> 00:37:32,390
he is taken to Pilate, he is crucified.
937
00:37:32,390 --> 00:37:34,950
And so, it is after
that event on Thursday,
938
00:37:34,950 --> 00:37:38,293
it is a key event, that sets
everything else in motion.
939
00:37:39,430 --> 00:37:40,263
- [Peter] Thursday's events
940
00:37:40,263 --> 00:37:41,960
are centred around the Last Supper.
941
00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:43,700
And in preparation for Friday's epitaph,
942
00:37:43,700 --> 00:37:44,770
women in each congregation
943
00:37:44,770 --> 00:37:47,270
help decorate the tomb or Epitaphio.
944
00:37:47,270 --> 00:37:48,880
- People as they come to the crucifixion,
945
00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:50,900
always bring flowers with them,
946
00:37:50,900 --> 00:37:52,500
as they weep to a funeral.
947
00:37:52,500 --> 00:37:56,380
You bring flowers to lay on Christ's tomb.
948
00:37:56,380 --> 00:37:58,273
And so all these flowers are brought in,
949
00:37:58,273 --> 00:38:01,500
they are used then to decorate the tomb,
950
00:38:01,500 --> 00:38:04,608
and then that is brought out
951
00:38:04,608 --> 00:38:07,793
into the whole community once again.
952
00:38:08,954 --> 00:38:12,720
And the Epitaphio goes around
953
00:38:12,720 --> 00:38:16,170
gathering everything
that is dead everywhere,
954
00:38:16,170 --> 00:38:17,900
and turning it into life.
955
00:38:17,900 --> 00:38:20,910
- Now we are walking
up to Syntagma Square,
956
00:38:20,910 --> 00:38:23,377
where we're gonna meet the other Epitaphio
957
00:38:23,377 --> 00:38:24,580
and do a bit of a circle.
958
00:38:24,580 --> 00:38:26,360
So, it's a really special moment.
959
00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:30,145
There's thousands and
thousands of people here.
960
00:38:30,145 --> 00:38:32,745
Have a look now, there's
just people all the way up.
961
00:38:35,629 --> 00:38:38,796
(church bell tolling)
962
00:38:41,356 --> 00:38:43,939
(upbeat music)
963
00:39:00,055 --> 00:39:03,388
(solemn marching music)
964
00:39:06,300 --> 00:39:08,520
In Greek Orthodox churches
all around the world,
965
00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:10,810
streets are blocked off
on the Friday night.
966
00:39:10,810 --> 00:39:13,100
The Epitaphio is then paraded
around for all to see,
967
00:39:13,100 --> 00:39:15,810
and remember Christ's crucifixion.
968
00:39:15,810 --> 00:39:18,303
I've been watching this
ceremony my entire life,
969
00:39:18,303 --> 00:39:20,390
but being here in Athens,
970
00:39:20,390 --> 00:39:22,730
the feeling and atmosphere was magnified
971
00:39:22,730 --> 00:39:24,350
beyond my expectations.
972
00:39:24,350 --> 00:39:26,590
You don't need to be
Christian or Greek Orthodox
973
00:39:26,590 --> 00:39:28,208
to be enlightened by this experience.
974
00:39:28,208 --> 00:39:30,717
(solemn marching music)
975
00:39:30,717 --> 00:39:33,660
(church bell tolling)
976
00:39:33,660 --> 00:39:35,750
The extent to which people
adhere to their faith
977
00:39:35,750 --> 00:39:38,330
varies from the very devout
Orthodox practitioners
978
00:39:38,330 --> 00:39:39,820
who regularly visit church
979
00:39:39,820 --> 00:39:42,310
and lead lives closely
tied to their religion,
980
00:39:42,310 --> 00:39:44,230
to those who have a more tenuous link
981
00:39:44,230 --> 00:39:46,030
that stems from a cultural bond
982
00:39:46,030 --> 00:39:47,750
rather than a spiritual one.
983
00:39:47,750 --> 00:39:48,583
However, at this time of the year
984
00:39:48,583 --> 00:39:50,160
it seems most Greeks come together
985
00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:51,890
and attend their local place of worship
986
00:39:51,890 --> 00:39:53,930
for at least one or two church services.
987
00:39:53,930 --> 00:39:55,600
It's an important part of the Greek ethos
988
00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:56,550
that plays a major role
989
00:39:56,550 --> 00:39:58,750
in strengthening bonds
within the community.
990
00:40:01,640 --> 00:40:02,690
The Greek Orthodox Church
991
00:40:02,690 --> 00:40:04,540
is known for keeping strict tradition,
992
00:40:04,540 --> 00:40:07,110
however it has also come
to embrace technology,
993
00:40:07,110 --> 00:40:08,450
especially in Easter week.
994
00:40:08,450 --> 00:40:09,650
For some decades now
995
00:40:09,650 --> 00:40:11,120
they have been flying the Holy Flame
996
00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:13,253
from Jerusalem all the way to Athens.
997
00:40:14,100 --> 00:40:14,933
As you can see here,
998
00:40:14,933 --> 00:40:16,820
there are priests from all over Greece,
999
00:40:16,820 --> 00:40:18,742
waiting for the flame.
1000
00:40:18,742 --> 00:40:20,670
The priest in front of me is from Crete.
1001
00:40:20,670 --> 00:40:22,040
He's got his lantern over there,
1002
00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:23,420
there's another lantern that's just there,
1003
00:40:23,420 --> 00:40:24,360
they'll take the flame,
1004
00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:26,793
and they'll take it right through Greece.
1005
00:40:27,637 --> 00:40:30,304
(loud stomping)
1006
00:40:33,730 --> 00:40:36,460
Amidst pomp and ceremony
befitting a head of state,
1007
00:40:36,460 --> 00:40:38,840
the flame is escorted by
various religious leaders
1008
00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:40,840
and government officials into the country,
1009
00:40:40,840 --> 00:40:43,050
where it's then used to light
several candles and lanterns
1010
00:40:43,050 --> 00:40:44,910
that are quickly spread across the country
1011
00:40:44,910 --> 00:40:46,640
so that even the most
remote corners of Greece
1012
00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:47,750
can share in its glow.
1013
00:40:47,750 --> 00:40:50,333
(solemn music)
1014
00:40:54,267 --> 00:40:57,517
(plane engine humming)
1015
00:41:03,530 --> 00:41:05,270
Saturday commences with a morning service
1016
00:41:05,270 --> 00:41:07,300
where holy communion is taken.
1017
00:41:07,300 --> 00:41:10,270
But the big moment, like
many others here at Easter,
1018
00:41:10,270 --> 00:41:12,420
is celebrated by the senior most clergy,
1019
00:41:12,420 --> 00:41:16,730
flanked by politicians, military
leaders, and various VIPs.
1020
00:41:16,730 --> 00:41:18,230
It's as if everything at the airport
1021
00:41:18,230 --> 00:41:20,010
stops for this little flame,
1022
00:41:20,010 --> 00:41:21,480
and then throughout Athens,
1023
00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:24,823
as the motorcade passes on its
way to its final destination.
1024
00:41:27,630 --> 00:41:29,260
The religious elements of Holy Week
1025
00:41:29,260 --> 00:41:31,710
more or less culminate
on the Saturday night.
1026
00:41:31,710 --> 00:41:34,060
This is when the resurrection
of Christ occurs.
1027
00:41:35,870 --> 00:41:37,260
Everyone meets at their local church,
1028
00:41:37,260 --> 00:41:39,040
carrying candles with them to be lit
1029
00:41:39,040 --> 00:41:40,350
when the flame spreads through the crowd
1030
00:41:40,350 --> 00:41:41,413
just after midnight.
1031
00:41:42,470 --> 00:41:44,110
There's a tangible sense of excitement
1032
00:41:44,110 --> 00:41:45,760
and positive energy in the air.
1033
00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:46,610
Families gather and wait
1034
00:41:46,610 --> 00:41:49,350
while the prayers echo
through the streets.
1035
00:41:49,350 --> 00:41:50,617
And when the priest finally announces,
1036
00:41:50,617 --> 00:41:51,551
"Christos anesti."
1037
00:41:51,551 --> 00:41:53,520
or Christ has risen,
1038
00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:55,583
people rejoice and celebrations begin.
1039
00:41:56,700 --> 00:41:58,610
It's a special night of the year
1040
00:41:58,610 --> 00:42:00,213
and a time not only to celebrate
1041
00:42:00,213 --> 00:42:02,590
but be thankful for what you have.
1042
00:42:02,590 --> 00:42:06,330
It's a part of our DNA and
embedded in our culture.
1043
00:42:06,330 --> 00:42:08,440
You don't have to be
religious to understand it
1044
00:42:08,440 --> 00:42:10,678
and spread that positive message.
1045
00:42:10,678 --> 00:42:13,261
(solemn music)
1046
00:42:16,860 --> 00:42:18,530
It's Sunday and we've been eating meat
1047
00:42:18,530 --> 00:42:20,390
since one o'clock in the morning.
1048
00:42:20,390 --> 00:42:23,910
Remember, many Greeks have
been fasting for 40 days!
1049
00:42:23,910 --> 00:42:26,270
It's okay to speak with
your mouth full here.
1050
00:42:26,270 --> 00:42:28,030
I'm in Athens, in a neighbourhood.
1051
00:42:28,030 --> 00:42:29,150
This is the real Athens.
1052
00:42:29,150 --> 00:42:32,889
This is where people have
Easter Sunday on the street,
1053
00:42:32,889 --> 00:42:35,497
sharing their food with their neighbours,
1054
00:42:35,497 --> 00:42:38,693
drinking pure alcohol
and having a good time.
1055
00:42:38,693 --> 00:42:40,823
This stuff is really, really good.
1056
00:42:41,690 --> 00:42:42,523
And this!
1057
00:42:42,523 --> 00:42:44,220
I can't believe we're eating,
1058
00:42:44,220 --> 00:42:45,750
from five doors away,
1059
00:42:45,750 --> 00:42:48,680
we're eating the lamb
from your neighbours.
1060
00:42:48,680 --> 00:42:52,174
- All this street is one
family, man, one family.
1061
00:42:52,174 --> 00:42:53,007
- One family.
1062
00:42:53,007 --> 00:42:53,840
- One family.
1063
00:42:53,840 --> 00:42:55,870
(speaking foreign language)
1064
00:42:55,870 --> 00:42:58,013
- To me, this is what Easter is all about.
1065
00:42:59,050 --> 00:43:01,430
Yes, the religious part is very important,
1066
00:43:01,430 --> 00:43:03,040
but it's the coming together of people
1067
00:43:03,040 --> 00:43:04,330
that I'm most drawn to.
1068
00:43:04,330 --> 00:43:08,123
It's the community spirit and
sharing of food and laughs.
1069
00:43:09,690 --> 00:43:11,670
It's the singing and dancing.
1070
00:43:11,670 --> 00:43:13,000
But most importantly,
1071
00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:15,428
it's taking the time to
be with family and friends
1072
00:43:15,428 --> 00:43:19,493
to celebrate life's joys and
look forward to new beginnings.
1073
00:43:21,350 --> 00:43:22,183
In the weeks ahead,
1074
00:43:22,183 --> 00:43:23,990
I'll be heading out to
sea onboard Mia Zoi,
1075
00:43:23,990 --> 00:43:26,230
to explore many of the Ionian Islands
1076
00:43:26,230 --> 00:43:29,650
and show you what makes this
part of the world so special.
1077
00:43:29,650 --> 00:43:31,340
It's gonna be a journey of discovery,
1078
00:43:31,340 --> 00:43:34,413
filled with history, laughs,
food, and characters.
1079
00:43:35,560 --> 00:43:37,490
I'm gonna show you there's
so much more to Greece
1080
00:43:37,490 --> 00:43:38,940
than its stunning beaches.
1081
00:43:38,940 --> 00:43:41,840
For me, it's a country
that's rich in culture
1082
00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:43,988
and diverse in not only the landscapes,
1083
00:43:43,988 --> 00:43:46,340
but also the heritage.
1084
00:43:46,340 --> 00:43:48,410
No two island's the same.
1085
00:43:48,410 --> 00:43:50,440
Each has its own story to tell,
1086
00:43:50,440 --> 00:43:52,990
and I'm gonna do my best
to bring them to life!
1087
00:43:52,990 --> 00:43:55,740
(pleasant music)
81233
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.