The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Monday, June 16, 2014

Cat cafes..[ 4095 ]

Cat-ching! Cat cafes take over world

By Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey, for CNN
June 16, 2014 -- Updated 0734 GMT (1534 HKT)
Cat cafes have moved out of Taiwan, through Japan, and now have spread across the world. This is the first cat cafe in Paris, which opened in September 2013.
Cat cafes have moved out of Taiwan, through Japan, and now have spread across the world. This is the first cat cafe in Paris, which opened in September 2013.

Le Cafe des Chats (Paris)
CNN,The world of the weird cafe has moved on from cats.
And yet, while some of these obscure cafes grab headlines for a few days and then vanish, cat cafes have proliferated around the world, to become if not the most novel, certainly the most enduring craze when it comes to themed coffee houses.
German philosopher Albert Schweitzer reportedly once said: "The only escape from the miseries of life is music and cats."
And so it would appear.
Started in Taiwan a dozen or so years ago with a cafe called Cat Flower Garden, the concept was most enthusiastically embraced in Japan where today there are more cat cafes than anywhere else in the world -- around 150 at the last count.
Now the rest of the world is cat-ching on.
In April the United States saw it's first feline coffee house open in New York, albeit only temporarily, London recently opened its first too and a number of major European cities now also offer purr-fect coffee breaks.
Australia is soon to join the fray as well.
"My partner and I went to Japan 18 months ago -- going to a cat cafe was an amazing experience and we decided to open our own in Melbourne," says Anita Loughran, owner of Cat Cafe Melbourne, which will open in July 2014.
"It's a place where animal and cat lovers can mingle, socialize and be comfortable in a quiet environment that reflects their interests."
MORE: 6 places where cats outshine tourist attractions
Cat cafe 101
For the uninitiated a cat cafe doesn't sound too complicated. It's a regular cafe that happens to have cats walking, or lying, around.
Lady Dinah\'s Cat Emporium in London is fully booked until October.
Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium in London is fully booked until October.
But there are nuances that distinguish this kind of cafe from others.
You often need to book before you arrive, because a) the cats are liable to walk out as you walk in, and b) the ratio of people to cats needs to be controlled.
"We now have a booking system, because 20,000 people wanted to come into a 30-seat cafe all at the same time," says Lauren Pears, founder of Dinah's Cat Emporium in London.
Her website says the cafe is fully booked until October 2014.
Sanitation and health issues also need to be considered, and have put some people off.
"Who wants cat hair everywhere? That would gross me out," says Diana Mullin, a non-customer from Vancouver.
But Loughran says there's nothing to worry about: "As the cats are completely separate from the cafe, this is not an issue. And if people still have their concerns they should actually visit a cat cafe first. We would not be able to open if we weren't super hygienic."
Most cafes also have a look-but-don't-grab policy, to minimize catty stress and potential clawing of customers.
MORE: 10 purr-fect vacations for cat lovers
Feline good
After all, the idea is that these cafes provide an almost therapeutic area to chill, as Café Neko owner Takako Ishimitsu in Vienna says.
Though she advises any mother visiting the cafe check her pram before leaving: some of the cats can inadvertently turn stowaway, having sought out the warm softness of a baby carrier.
Thomas Leidner, owner of the Cafe Katzentempel in Munich, says: "The popularity of these cafes is probably due to the fact that many people are not allowed, or are disinclined to have pets in the city, yet they occasionally feel the need for closeness to an animal.
"Life today is busy and hectic, so offering an oasis of calm, where you can relax over a drink and enjoy (vegan) snacks, is important to us."
Pears agrees. "I think a lot of our patrons just enjoy coming to play with them. We also find they tend to make conversation with other patrons. The cafe has a nice community feel to it."
Tokyo has more than a hundred \
Tokyo has more than a hundred "neko" or cat cafes.
"What could be better than a black Americano, a good book, and a cat curled up beside you (even better if it's on your lap)?" says Sandi from the UK, one of the trend's enthusiastic fans.
"Bliss! The only issue I have is struggling to leave."
And so the cat cafe continues to spread across the globe.
Look out in the future for KitTea, due to open in San Francisco later this year, and Purringtons Cat Lounge in Oregon hoping to invite people in for a cup before the end of 2014.
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