Families with babies in their prams and elderly Greeks, who moved with difficulty, participated in the protest. It was an “amateur” civilian mobilization, with no political ties. Most of the participants had never been to a similar protest. The Macedonian issue, however, moved them and feelings bubbled momentarily to the surface. Even though most of the participants were conservatives, they listened to celebrated “Zorba The Greek” composer Mikis Theodorakis’ address stunned in awe. They sang his songs. And this giant figure of the Left stirred up emotions for these pure conservatives and taught them about national reconciliation.

If someone goes to Lycabettus right after the sunset, he'll be surprised by the pictures he will see. As darkness spreads the impersonal buildings of Athens disappear and the eye goes up to the sky which is set on fire by the colours. The only human creation one can see there is the silhouette of Acropolis.

The place where the Gunpowder Mills of the 1821 Revolution (against the Ottoman Turks) were hidden and the birthplace of Patriarch Gregory V, who was hanged by the Turks in Constantinople. The village’s library has thousands of rare books -and it would have had many more if Theodore Kolokotronis’ men had not shredded the paper, with tears in their eyes, in order to make bandoliers for their Carlo E. Figli riffles (known in Greece simply as Kariofili riffles). Dimitsana does not only stir up emotions of national pride for Greeks but also satisfies the senses. Wherever one stands, he or she can see wild mountains and running water. In the morning, visitors are awoken by sheep bells and the sound of axes splitting wood in half. In the tavernas, one can eat omelet with salted pork and coq au vin with a side of hylopites, a type of Greek noodles. It is an amazing winter resort!

Constantine Cavafy was born in Alexandria in 1863 and his parents were of Constantinople descent. He was a cosmopolitan, since his family roots were spreading from Constantinople to Alexandria and from Trapezounta to London. He lived as an authentic Greek and as a world's civilian at the same time.

A multinational city with an oriental feel, which doesn’t contradict its western finesse. It does not have anything powerfully beautiful but nothing ugly as well. A vibrant society with high wages and government services that serve the people without submitting them to unnecessary bureaucracy. Even though there are many cars, oddly enough roads seem almost empty. The city’s centre has lost its traditional character to a significant extent but offers its visitors remarkable recreational and cultural outlets. It looks like the centre of Greek cities, but is less noisy and significantly less stressful. Organized and serene, it makes life easy for its residents and visitors.

"When my daughter got A in primary school I gave her a Cocker Spaniel as a reward. That was when my great love for animals was born. After a while I bought German Shepheard’s, Rottweilers, Labradors, Yorkshires, cats, hens, doves, gooses, peacocks. I also bought an estate so that they would have enough space to live”.

Since 1974 and up until today, Nicosia has been divided in two by barbed wire and fortification works. It is the only European Union capital that has been forcibly divided by foreign occupying troops. The free part of Nicosia has changed and is evolving with leaps but the images in the Buffer (Dead) Zone haven’t changed in almost half a century. The young soldiers of the Cypriot National Guard keep watch in the narrow streets of the dividing zone defending the ideal of freedom. Their fathers did the same. But for the powerful of the world, pacts and maintaining the balance with the intruder seem to be more important than these ideals.

In Nicosia, Cyprus there is a traditional patisserie next to the fortification sacks and barrels that separate the free from the occupied part of the city. Its owner is Thodoris Disios, from the Greek village Kria Vrisi in Giannitsa.

Many Greeks of the diaspora who passionately love Greece visit www.greecewithin.com. One of them is Dimitris Rellos, who was born in Kleitoria, Kalavryta, and migrated to New York 43 years ago. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Computer Science and became a manager in large U.S. companies, as well as owner of his own software development consulting firm. Every year, he visits his home village and reunites with family and childhood friends. We recently communicated and learned that he is a master of expressive photography and maintains the notable website www.DimitriRellos.com. We asked him to send us a series of photos he shot during his travels in Greece and to accompany each photo with a caption that describes his emotional response to the visual stimulus of each subject captured. The results are striking and affecting.

It was a city with a lot of mines where thousands of workers slaved under almost barbaric conditions. The total lack of environmental measures wounded it deeply and the “scars” can be seen up until today. After Lavrio was de-industrialized, the factories were left abandoned and ramshackled. However, this picture of destruction, created over time, is unexpectedly attractive. The area looks like an endless outdoor studio, where the color of rust prevails. Next to the piles of forgotten metals there are old buildings that have been renovated and have acquired significant visual value. The natural habitat is also amazing. And all of this, close to Athens. Photographers will definitely be impressed!

"I've learned to distinguish the Yunan (Greeks) in all the years I travel this route. Worshipers from Yunnanistan (Greece) never stop visiting Halki Theological School. They come all year round", said an old man, sitting beside us on the boat, on our way to Halki.

The “Art Athina 2017” International Contemporary Art Fair took place at the Tae Kwon Do Hall at Faliro from the 25th to the 28th of May. This fair is an annual event in Athens and is highly anticipated by many. The artwork presented in this article is just a small sample of what was showcased and in random order. Photographs don’t do the artwork justice as the pictures were taken with non-specialized equipment, during a tour of the fair.

When we left Dimitsana, a village in the municipality of Gortynia, on the road for Stemnitsa, we saw the village's football field. There was a football match taking place between two amateur teams “Athletic Union” of Dimitsana (red shirts) and “Glory” of Tripolis.

 The soldiers who defended Constantinople just before the Fall were hopelessly few, because the city's population was small and many young men betook to monasteries in order to avoid the recruitment. When Constantine Palaeologus asked to know about the last general recruitment’s results before the final confrontation with the Ottomans, his close partner Frantzis told him that only 4,937 out of 30,000 men were finally conscripted because the rest of them weren't able to carry arms. The king then sighed and asked him to keep the number secret.

“When I was in primary school, I saw a neighbor training pigeons. He called them divers, because they used to fly very high and dive downwards. I liked the show and the buzz they made as they were heading down. A moment before they reached the pigeon house they opened their wings and slowed down. Some didn’t make it and got killed on the paved road”.