| Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of and is
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| | that's off the beaten path with fantastic
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| pleased to have as a guest Tom Savvides,
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| | sea views.I really need to mention a few
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| expert on Greece and co-owner of National
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| | places on the mainland of Greece in the
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| Travel Service Inc located in Livingston,
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| | Peleponese region. Although not a big
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| New Jersey.Thanks Tom for accepting our
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| | tourist area it offers many interesting
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| invitation to be interviewed.NORM:Can you
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| | historical sites, beautiful beaches,
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| tell our readers something about yourself
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| | unspoiled villages, terrific wine regions
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| and your expertise pertaining to Greece
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| | and fun cities as well.* The city
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| and the Greek Islands?TOM:I am a co-owner
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| | of Nafplion, the first capital of modern
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| of National Travel Service, Inc. Our
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| | Greece, is a lovely port city with a
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| agency was started by my family in 1969
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| | fascinating history. Above the city sits
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| specifically to assist the Greek
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| | the Nafplia Palace Hotel. It has a
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| community in the NY/NJ area with their
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| | private split-level building for
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| travel needs. Since that time we have
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| | receptions. It is built on the side of
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| evolved into a full-service travel agency
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| | the hill overlooking the harbour. Three
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| specializing in travel to Greece. I
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| | sides of the building are glass which
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| personally lead an annual food and wine
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| | allows beautiful panoramic views. They
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| tour to Greece and have traveled there
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| | have an excellent restaurant and wine
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| since I was a child.NORM:Could you give
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| | steward. The beach town of Tolo is just
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| our readers an idea as to what
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| | outside of Nafplion and is a great
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| differentiates five of the most popular
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| | alternative to staying within the
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| of the Greek islands from one another
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| | city.NORM:How far in advance should a
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| from point of view of topography,
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| | couple prepare themselves for a honeymoon
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| climate, and anything else you consider
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| | or romantic getaway in Greece?TOM:If you
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| different?TOM:The 5 most popular islands
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| | are traveling during the height of the
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| in terms of the number of tourists
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| | tourist season I would suggest planning
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| visiting annually are:*Santorini,
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| | your honeymoon at least 6- 8 months in
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| *Mykonos
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| | advance. This way you can secure the best
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| *Crete
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| | airfare and accommodations at the hotels
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| *Rhodes
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| | of your choice. If you are traveling in
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| *Corfu.In my opinion Santorini is the
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| | the off- season you could plan a
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| most unique and beautiful of all the
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| | honeymoon literally within a month or so
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| Greek Islands.It is unique due to the
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| | of your departure date.NORM:What advice
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| fact that it is literally the tip of an
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| | would you have for destination brides who
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| ancient volcano whose explosion in 1500
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| | plan to bring along a wedding party to
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| BC was arguably the largest in
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| | Greece? It's a growing trend for
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| history.The archaeological site of
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| | destination weddings to now have a fairly
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| Akrotiri is considered by experts to be
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| | sizeable wedding party sometimes about
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| the lost city of Atlantis.The views and
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| | 50' so it would be great to get their
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| sunsets are the absolute best!Mykonos is
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| | tips on group airline discounts, hotel
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| known mostly for its wild nightlife,
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| | blocks.TOM:The one thing you need to keep
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| beautiful beaches and fine jewellery
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| | in mind when considering Greece for a
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| shops, specifically gold. The island of
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| | destination wedding is the size of the
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| Delos is close to Mykonos and is the
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| | hotels. If you brought 50 guests to
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| location of a significant archaeological
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| | Santorini in the height of the tourist
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| site.Crete is the largest Greek island
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| | season it would be unlikely that you
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| and offers everything from cosmopolitan
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| | would find a single hotel that would
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| cities, ancient ruins, beautiful beaches
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| | accommodate all of your guests. The Greek
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| as well as the longest gorge in
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| | islands are known for their small,
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| Europe.Rhodes is very similar to Crete in
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| | intimate and family run hotels not for
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| terms of the diversity of sites &
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| | their big resorts. Don't get me wrong
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| activities and climate although it is a
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| | there are several large resort type
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| much smaller island.Corfu is located in
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| | hotels on several of the islands however
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| the Ioanian Sea far from all the other
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| | they are quite expensive and usually have
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| islands we have mentioned. It is a
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| | less charm. Whether you're planning a
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| popular island for visitors from the UK.
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| | wedding for 10 or 50 you must do it way
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| It has a diverse climate and terrain
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| | in advance.As far as the airfare goes you
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| offering everything from beautiful sandy
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| | would need only 10 passengers traveling
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| beaches to pine forests.NORM:Why would
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| | on the same flights in order to qualify
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| you consider Greece a good choice for a
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| | for a group discount. This would also
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| romantic getaway or wedding and honeymoon
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| | need to be done well in advance if you're
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| destination, and if you had to choose
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| | looking for a discounted airfare in the
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| your 5 favourite Greek Islands, which
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| | high season.NORM:How does one go about
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| ones would they be and why?TOM:This is an
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| | checking on the reliability of a hotel or
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| easy question. The unrivalled beauty of
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| | resort in Greece when it pertains to
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| the Greeks Islands is what makes them a
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| | service, food, etc?TOM:One way would be
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| romantic destination. As I mentioned
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| | to book your trip through an experienced
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| before the warm beaches and romantic
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| | travel agent like myself who has either
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| sunsets are the best. The Greeks are
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| | personally been to the hotel or resort
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| masters at making people feel relaxed and
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| | they are recommending or has sent clients
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| comfortable which are all prerequisites
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| | there already and has received positive
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| for romance.My favourite Greek Islands
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| | feedback. You can also goon-line as I do
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| would be Santorini for its sheer beauty
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| | occasionally. There are several sites
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| and amazing cuisine, Crete for its
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| | that offer unbiased reviews from
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| diversity, wealth of activities and
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| | travelers that have stayed at the resort
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| delicious wines and food, Mykonos for its
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| | you are interested in. One site that I
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| fantastic nightlife and gorgeous beaches,
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| | use quite often is I still think the
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| Chios and Andros because they are not
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| | best way to be sure of what you're
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| such popular islands for tourists and for
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| | getting is to book through an agent that
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| all the warm and wonderful people I've
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| | is considered an expert in the particular
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| met from these islands.NORM:What is the
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| | destination you are traveling
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| best time to visit Greece from the point
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| | to.NORM:What should people know about
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| of view of weather, costs, and crowds? As
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| | planning a wedding in Greece as far as
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| a follow up, how do costs vary from one
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| | legal requirements are concerned?TOM:The
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| season to another?TOM:Personally my
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| | details are far too many to summarize. It
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| favourite time to visit Greece is in mid
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| | is best to go directly to the web site
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| to late September. The weather is not as
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| | for the U.S. Embassy Athens Greece
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| hot as in the peak travel months of July
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| | Consular Services at US EMBASSY for
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| and August, airfares and hotel rates are
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| | details. One should never rely on advice
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| slightly cheaper and the crowds have
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| | from anyone other than an official
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| thinned out somewhat by that time.
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| | representative of the Greek or U.S.
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| Clearly the best time to travel to the
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| | Embassy. It would be very difficult for
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| islands would be in the peak months of
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| | anyone without a direct working knowledge
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| June to September specifically because of
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| | of these requirements to be constantly
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| the weather. Most of the islands are
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| | informed and up to date of any and all
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| fairly quiet in the off- season except
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| | changes.NORM:How safe is travel to
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| for local residents. It is true that you
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| | Greece?TOM:In terms of terrorist acts,
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| could save considerably on airfare and
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| | which everyone seems to be concerned with
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| especially your accommodations in the off
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| | these days, Greece has just made it
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| -season but, the islands are not the
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| | through the Olympics, which is the
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| place to be when it's cold and
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| | largest international event in the world,
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| rainy.Please keep in mind that Greece is
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| | without any incidents. Their airport is
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| now part of the European Union and
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| | the newest and most high tech in terms of
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| therefore uses the Euro for its currency.
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| | security in the world today.In terms of
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| As you know the US Dollar is very week
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| | safety within Athens or on the islands it
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| versus the Euro, which means that Greece
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| | is not necessary to take any extra
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| is no longer considered an inexpensive
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| | precautions when out and about. Like any
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| travel destination. This in turn has had
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| | place you will ever go to there are good
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| an adverse effect on tourism to Greece
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| | and bad parts of town. A little common
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| the past few years. It does not mean you
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| | sense goes a long way in avoiding any
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| won't get your money's worth only that
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| | problems.One's personal safety should not
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| the prices are more on par with those in
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| | be a deterrent from planning a trip to
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| Italy and Spain which were typically more
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| | Greece.NORM:Is there anything else you
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| expensive destinations than
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| | would wish to add as it pertains to
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| Greece.NORM:If you had to choose 5
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| | romantic and wedding destinations in
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| unequalled, exotic and unique areas such
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| | Greece?TOM:There are many unique and
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| as parks, beaches etc in any of the Greek
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| | beautiful Greek Islands, however, some of
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| Islands or in Athens to celebrate a
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| | the smaller more remote islands may not
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| wedding, which ones would you choose from
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| | be suitable for a destination wedding or
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| the point of view of popularity and
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| | even a honeymoon. They are not geared
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| beauty?TOM:* I love Orizontas
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| | towards tourism and may not offer the
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| Restaurant in Athens. It sits on top of
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| | type of amenities one may require for
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| Lycabettus Hill and offers the best view
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| | this very special occasion. There are
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| of Athens as well as fantastic sunsets.
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| | many islands that do offer everything you
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| You actually take a tram through the
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| | would desire and you should seek the
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| hillside to reach it.* The St.
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| | advise of a travel expert to help you
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| George Lycabettus Hotel in Athens is an
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| | choose the perfect location.Thanks Tom
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| excellent choice for the same reasons as
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| | for accepting our invitation to be
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| well as their courteous staff, wonderful
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| | interviewed.For over thirty- five years,
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| cuisine and a beautiful roof top pool and
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| | Norm practiced as a Title Attorney and
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| bar.* Santorini has several areas
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| | Civil Law Notary in Montreal, Canada.
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| to consider. The Dana Villas hotel in the
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| | After his retirement from the legal
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| town of Fira offers a fantastic honeymoon
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| | profession, Norm pursued two of his
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| suite and a wonderful pool area that
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| | passions - book reviewing and travel
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| hangs off a cliff over the sea, which is
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| | writing, implementing many of his
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| a breathtaking location for a ceremony or
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| | research skills he had been practicing
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| reception. They even have their own
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| | for 35 years.Norm and his wife Lily are a
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| wedding coordinator.* The town of
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| | unique husband and wife team, writer and
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| Oia is world famous for its romantic
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| | water colorist, who write and paint about
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| sunsets and the small cove of Ammoudi
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| | romantic destinations and wedding
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| Beach, which is located below the cliffs
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| | destinations.
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| of Oia is another unique destination
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|
