DESTINATION: EASTER IN GREECE
Easter is one of the best times to be in Greece even if you have no religious affiliation. You cant help but be moved by the ceremonies and if you travel to the countryside the wildflowers are in bloom. But Easter does not just happen during Holy Week. It actually begins weeks before. Heres a schedule of events:
 Apokreas Athens people dress in costume and go to the Plaka on weekends to hit each other with plastic clubs and throw confetti. After the last weekend of Apokreas many Greeks begin fasting on Clean Monday and go to the countryside to fly kites.
Holy Week
Easter week begins on Palm Sunday with church services every day and evening. On Friday women weep to mourn the death of Jesus and churches hold funeral services and parades. On Saturday Holy Fire is flown from Jerusalem to Athens and distributed to churches all over Greece. By evening most people are in church and at midnight the lights go off until the priest announces Christ has risen from the dead. Then candles are lit, bells ring and fireworks, dynamite and even guns are fired in celebration! Then everyone heads off to eat margeritsa, a thick soup made from the intestines of the lamb to be roasted the following day.
Easter Sunday
On this day friends and families get together to eat a roasted lamb, drink, talk and dance. In some towns it is a community celebration with rows of lambs roasting in the village square. Most Athenians return to their villages on the islands over Easter. Those that are still in Athens will go up to Mount Parnitha or somewhere in the countryside after the main meal to pick wildflowers.
If you are planning to be in Greece for Easter you should make reservations well in advance. You will also find it very difficult to get transport during the final stages of Holy Week. See the links below to hostels all over Greece. And take advantage of the VIP card for savings on accommodation, tours and services. | AUSTRALIAN TRAVEL NEWS
5 TOP SUMMER LOCATIONS
1. Fraser Island, Queensland
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This famed beach right near central Sydney is a kilometre long and lined with restaurants and cafes.
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The Sunset Coast is a strip of unspoilt beach which starts in Perths port city of Fremantle and stretches 45 minutes drive north to Yanchep.
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The most easterly point of Australia is replete with hippie markets, good waves, alternative culture and laid-back lifestyle.
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A myriad of tropical islands and clear blue water to explore by boat, with a snorkel and mask or on a powder white beach.
picture above: Whitsundays, Queensland
UPCOMING EVENTS
> Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (February 28 - March 1)
> Adelaide fringe festival (Feb 22 - March 16)
> WOMAD, Adelaide (7-9 March)
> Melbourne Grand Prix (13-16 March)
> Byron Bay Blues and Roots Festival, Byron Bay, NSW (20-24 March)
> Melbourne Comedy Festival (19 March - 13 April)
> Anzac Day, Australia wide (April 25th)
> Dreaming Festival, Woodford, Qld (8-11 June)
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