1936 On the Continent

considered as being unique of its kind.
    Good accommodation may be had at the hotels in Candia.
    C ORFU , the northernmost of the Ionian islands, is situated very near the coast of Epirus and Albania.
    The beauty of its countryside, with its wealth of olive, fig, orange and lemon trees, as well as the mildness of its climate, attracts and retains a good number of visitors.
    Good hotels are to be found in the picturesque town of Corfu, which is the starting-point for excursions to charming country places and pretty villages.
    There is regular communication between Piraeus, Patras and Corfu, as also between Corfu and Brindisi, by steamer and by airplane.
    M ETEORA . Under that name are known “the monasteries in the air,” built prior to the sixteenth century, on the tops of pillar-like rocks of great height in the vicinity of Kalabaka in Thessaly. One wonders how they were even built. Of the twenty-three monasteries that existed, five only are still inhabited. Until recently, the only way to reach them was by means of ladders or by means of a rope-net drawn up by the monks through a handworked windlass. Now there are stairs cut in the rock. Five or six hours are required for the entire visit. At two of the monasteries ladies are not admitted.
    Plain accommodation and horses or mules are available at Kalabaka, which can be reached by rail all the way from Athens (change of trains at Gephira). A road (85 kilometres) connects Kalabaka with Larissa through Trikkala.
    S ALONICA is the capital of Macedonia and the most important town of Greece after Athens and Piraeus. After the great fire of 1917 the town was rebuilt on modern lines and is now a modern city with fine streets and squares, handsome buildings and good hotels. Salonica is rich in historic monuments. There are many interesting churches; some of them have wonderful early Byzantine mosaics.
    Between Athens and Salonica communications are ensured by air, by rail and by sea. All express trains pass through Salonica on their way from Athens to central European towns. A road (603 kilometres) connects Athens with Salonica and is continued to all points of Europe through Bulgaria and Jugoslavia.
    M OUNT A THOS . The peninsula of Mount Athos is in the northern Aegean Sea and may be reached from Salonica either by steamer (104 miles) to its port Daphni, or by car (135 kilometres) to a point near its border called Trypiti, and thence by motor-boat (2 hours) to Daphni.
    The whole peninsula, the natural beauty of which is wonderful, is scattered with very old monasteries that possess priceless treasures of Byzantine art. In them tradition has remained unaltered from the seventh century down to the present day.
    On account of the special jurisdiction that obtains inthis peninsula, foreign passports are required to be visaed by the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Athens.
    It should be noted that ladies are not permitted to land.
Shopping
    Shopping in Athens is a pleasant occupation, both because of the quality of its products and also because of the low prices at which these are sold.
    Greek-Macedonian cigarettes have acquired world fame for their quality. Greek tobacco is of a milder, sweeter flavour and contains less nicotine than any other kind. A box of twenty-two of the best cigarettes sells for 20 drachmas; other varieties may be bought for as little as 12 drachmas.
    The many mulberry trees that grow in Macedonia and on some of the Greek islands have encouraged the silk producing industry, and Greek silks are strong, soft and pure. One can find in the Greek market silks for all uses, such as men’s shirts, ladies’ underwear, crêpe-de-chine, marocain, and printed materials for dresses, heavy silks for draperies, etc.
    Hymettus honey—celebrated from ancient times—is made of the nectar gathered from the thyme which grows in abundance on the Attican hills and especially on Mount Hymettus. It is of a very tasteful variety, because of the peculiar flavour which it has, and is sold not only in Greece, but also exported to England and the United States of America.
    The Asia Minor weavers of oriental rugs—Greek and Armenian women who came as refugees to Greece in 1922—have brought along with them their art. So that rug-weaving is now one of the leading industries in Greece.
    Greek peasant art is by no means the least important of Greek industries. Colourful patterns, from old peasant costumes, are finely embroidered on dresses, tea-sets, cushions,