Country Profile
Greece is a country located in Southern Europe and shares its borders with Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. Its coastlines and islands stretch from the Aegean, Ionian and the Mediterranean Seas. Greece has been part of the European Union since 1992. The country runs under a parliamentary system of government. With over 15 million tourists visiting each year. Greece is considered one of the most popular tourist destination in Europe.

Travel Requirements
Because Greece is a member of the European Union, citizens of other EU member countries may freely enter with their national ID card in tow. For those tourists who belong to non-EU countries, a visa and passport is required. But there are selected countries such as Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Hong Kong,  Israel, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United States that are provided by a 90-day visa-free stay in the country.

Greece is also a signatory to the Schengen agreement along with Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Traveling between Schengen countries by a non-Schengen citizen may be able to do so by getting only a single visa from any of the member countries. This may be used for multiple entries on other Schengen member countries.

Language
Greek is the country’s official language and mother tongue. It’s spoken by the vast majority of the population. But English is also a widely spoken language in many parts of the country.  And since tourism has become an important industry in Greece many of its destinations already have an increasing number of personnel that can speak and understand English well. Communication with most Greeks does not usually pose a problem for many tourists who visit the country.

Currency
The official currency in Greece is the Euro, having replaced the local drachma since January of 2002. Foreign exchanges are also now common in most major cities and other dense tourist areas in Greece. Most banks in the country also offer currency exchanges for tourists. When exchanging currency, it is important to note of getting only notes below 50 Euros. Most Greek businesses are usually reluctant to receive notes larger than 50 Euros, mainly because of a scarcity of change as well as the risk of larger notes being fakes.

Cuisine
Greek cuisine is an interesting blend of traditional as well as foreign influences. A major part of Greek cuisine is influenced by neighboring Turkey. It is common for both countries to have shared dishes. The traditional Greek diet is predominantly Mediterranean which makes heavy use of vegetables, herbs and grains native to the area. And because Greece is largely a maritime country, seafood is an important part of the country’s cuisine.

Other important Greek dishes also make use of pork, lamb, beef and chicken as primary ingredients. Olive oil is also a major staple in Greek cuisine and largely used for many of its most popular dishes. Other common ingredients also include the use of lemon and tomato paste. Bread as well as wine is also a common fixture on every Greek dining table.

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His warehouse is an unassuming building that looks more like a traditional Greek Cottage, its white walls and round traditional tiles look a little out of place next to the other waterfront properties.

Babis comes from a long line of Olive Oil producers here in the Island of Paxos. “Our olives are the best in Greece and this is not an empty boast,” he says. “We in Paxos never spray our trees with preservatives,” he informs us with obvious pride. “Everywhere else in Greece… they do this be we do not.”

Inside his warehouse barrels surround the inner walls, with smaller labelled containers stored on top, in one corner of his office receipt books are piled high that have not moved in ages, judging by the dust. This warehouse is defiantly a no frills storage facility for locally made Olive Oil production.

There are approximately 250,000 Olive trees on the Island, most of his olives comes from his farms but he does take olives from other farmers on the Island.

Talking to Babis was quite an eye opening experience. His method of extracting the Olive Oil has remained unchanged for 5000 years. He uses a pair of grinding stones rolling on a flatbed stone to turn the Olives into a paste. The stones ensure the Olives are well ground and aids in the aroma that the enzymes in the oil produces. This traditional method is more labour intensive ‘he says’ but the quality of the oil is much better. This grinding process takes about 30 40 mins for each batch of Olives.

After grinding, the Olive paste is spread out onto round discs, (He now uses metal disks as aposed to fibre discs as its a cleaner process) which are stacked on top of each other, then placed under a press. It’s this first press of the first batch of ripe Olives that he sells on the quayside in Gaios. Apparently this first press does not produce the kind of quantity he needs for his buyer in Athens so he sells this in smaller containers direct to his visitors.

The remaining olive oil is then produced in bulk for shipment to Athens. “I’m happy with this arrangement,” he says. “I’m not interested in exporting directly, my customers come to me.” We’re told with a satisfying grin.

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Zaytoun’s Fairtrade, organic olive oil is a unique product able to compete with the best oils from all over the world. With the launch of these great-tasting, life-changing products in the UK, Zaytoun are offering small-scale farmers, often working under extreme conditions, not only a fair price and a chance to expand and improve their production, but also the opportunity to sustain a livelihood with dignity and security.

The olive tree and its produce are of key cultural and economic importance to Palestinian people, and Zaytoun creates international links through trade rather than aid. Cathi Pawson, co-founder of Zaytoun says this is vital to the company’s philosophy: “Aid donations, while necessary, rarely foster foundations for long-term prosperity and social revitalization. To date, our trade with the Palestinian people has brought well over £1 million to their economy, and support for rural society”

Zaytoun Olive Oil is described by wine and food writer Malcolm Gluck as: “One of the least aggressive yet pungently attractive olive oils I have tasted. It is in the rich nourishing class of the best of the fruity Sicilian, Cretan, and northern Spanish oils and its beautiful green cloudiness bespeaks of care and judicious handling.”

Cathi Pawson and her Zaytoun co-founder Heather Masoud join the farmers in Palestine every year to help them bring home the olive harvest. All of Zaytoun’s Fairtrade olive oils are pressed from organically grown fruit, extra virgin and first cold pressed. The name ‘Zaytoun’ is taken from the Arabic word for olive.

The olive harvest in Palestine today continues the tradition held by generations, with the whole family, from great grandparent down to the children, coming together under the trees to harvest their fruit. As Abu Suleiman, one of the Zaytoun Palestinian farmers producing the oil says:

“The olive trees root and anchor us in our land, provide a sense of belonging, home and hope, investing in olive oil is investing in our future.”

As the ancient Arabic proverb says, ‘There are only three constant things in life – death, change and olive trees.’ Olives are a centuries-old mainstay of the Palestinian economy, with the soil and climate producing some of the world’s highest quality olive oil. The trees that produce them can live for well over 500 years, surviving drought, frost, poor soil and thrive despite adversity, very much like their Palestinian owners.

Estimates suggest that about 100,000 families in Palestine depend to some extent upon the olive harvest for their livelihoods. The development of the olive oil sector is critical as an important source of food security, labour and cash income and has the potential to lift thousands of Palestinians out of poverty.

Zaytoun is committed to making a tangible difference, maintaining close links with producers, working to organise volunteer teams to help out with the harvest every year and ensuring that proceeds from sales here in the UK are directed where they are most needed.

www.ethicalsuperstore.com/products/zaytoun/

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Yannis shack; of bamboo, elephant grass and driftwood is situated on Myrtiotissa beach on the west coast of Corfu. Myrtiotissa beach is not easy to find a driftwood sign nailed to an olive tree was my only clue. Walking down a dirt track meandering between the olive trees I found myself standing on a cliff overlooking a tranquil bay. Fresh water from the 200ft cliffs trickled over the rocks and down onto the beach below. Looking out to the west I could see a clear blue horizon Italy being 70 miles away. Myrtiotissa beach lacks the commercialization found on Corfu’s other beaches its isolated location means a walk of at least half an hour is needed to get down to the beach. However commerce is vibrant, its northern end is for clothed or partially clothed sun seekers but its southern end is where the backpackers, travellers and the islands gypsy minded residents reside. A hippy persona emanates everywhere. Artists selling their paintings, jewellery and friendship bands sit naked in the sand sheltering from the sun. Everyone is brown, a procession of bathers walk from the mirror sea to the fresh water shower flowing from the cliff onto the beach. Many using olive oil to enhance their tan whilst others play beach ball in their birthday suits.

As unspoilt beaches go, Myrtiotissa beach is hard to beat. Sheltered on three sides by vertical cliffs with a snake path that no vehicle can follow, its fine sandy beach gently slops into the sea. Standing at the waters edge toes disappearing into the sand I find Joanne (Yannis wife and rival to Ursula Andress in Dr No’) back from her afternoon diving adventure displaying a pile of black urchins glistening in the sun, a real pain if you stand on one and Joanna’s self-appointed mission to rid these pests from the beach. Opening one Joanna shows me the orange food inside then eats it raw passing some to me. Tasting similar to mussels I was pleasantly surprised.

Brown bodies abound I could still distinguish between Germans, Scandinavian and Brits. The Italians are a category apart; cultural backgrounds can manifest themselves even on a nudist beach. Fashion conscious Italians, beer swilling Scandinavians, territorial Germans and lobster coloured Brits can be distinguished with ease. Yet the difference between the residents and hardcore travellers was harder to judge. ‘The best time to get to know who’s who is in the evening” says Joanna. “As quite a few sleep on the beach overnight.”

As the sun gets low in the sky the day visitors begin to leave, a precession of coloured garments snake there way slowly up the winding path and disappear from view. “Quality time” as Joanna described it, starts about now.

Ambling along the waters edge, wearing a sarong in ‘Beckham style’ I stumble into the travellers’ encampment hidden from view of the main beach. Attracted by the aroma of grilled fish, life here looked primitive, yet I could see there were plenty that had chosen to camp on the beach for weeks. Familiar faces sitting in the shade only hours before were grouped around a campfire. Rhythms of ‘Cat Stevens’ strummed on a guitar mingle with the evening heat. Sleeping bags arranged in groups, logs arranged around the campfire all were changed and ready for the evening to come. At such a perfect moment it seemed a shame to leave.

Getting there from Corfu Town & airport.
Myrtiotissa beach is 15km west of Corfu town. Take the Glyfada (Via Vatos) green/cream bus (45mins) from the New Port central bus station in Corfu Town and ask for Myrtiotissa beach bus stop (40 mins), you will be dropped of by the side of a road next to an Olive grove with a dirt track. Follow the signs to the beach (The last bus back to Corfu town is 20:30). If you take a car make sure you park in the parking place half way down the dirt track in the olive grove. Beyond the parking area the dirt road becomes really steep a 1in3 incline. Taxis direct from the airport can cost up to 40 euros so ask the price first and then haggle. The Green Bus station from the airport is 4 km so a local bus to the bus station is needed.

Sleeping on the beach…
In Greece, it’s illegal to camp on a beach as there is no revenue earned through its tourism, at Myrtiotissa those that chose to sleep overnight on the beach take their tents down during the day and only put them back up in the dark, others just have their sleeping bags and netting. Myrtiotissa’s isolated location makes the policing of unofficial campers, difficult. As long as no tents are seen it’s possible to become one with the beach and the sea without paying for any accommodation.

Accommodation…
Panorama rooms. Are located in an olive grove at the top of the cliff, overlooking the sea and a 5-minute walk from Myrtiotissa beach. The accommodation is private but you share the communal showers and kitchen. On the main road 300 yards north/south of the bus stop are a lot of apartments to rent. Villa Myrto, Villa Natassa and Villa Capella are only just a few of them. They offer average to high standards.
http://www.panorama-rooms.gr
panoramarooms@yahoo.gr

Vatos Camping is a 30 min walk from the beach and on the outskirts of Vatos village. (The same Corfu-Glyfada bus takes you there) They provide free regular coach transport to Glyfada beach stopping at Myrtiotissa from their campsite.
Tel 0030 26610 94503

Eating out & nightlife…
Mythos bar, Labis bar, Spiros 97 are all within a 30 min walk from the beach and are located in and around Vatos village. There is a local disco ‘Pam Pam’ (Operated by Vatos camping) that opens from July.

Myrtiotissa beach information guide http://www.mirtiotissa.com/

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