The romantic comedy cinderella hit indie film ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ was released in 2002 and was written by Greek-Canadian Winnipeg native Nia Vardalos. Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson saw the original play and later made the film on a $5 million budget. Nia starred in the film as Fotoula “Toula” Portokalos, a middle class Greek-American woman that falls in love with the upper middle class “xeno” (non-Greek) Ian Miller. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.  The indie sleeper hit became the highest grossing romantic comedy of all time, grossing $241.4 million in North America,…

To honour the bicentennial 200 years (1821-2021) since the declaration of the Greek war of independence, on March 25, 2021 many iconic landmarks worldwide will dawn the beautiful blue an white colours of the Greek flag. Some of the iconic landmarks that will honour Greece include: The Sydney Opera House in Australia, Toronto’s 3rd tallest in the world the CN Tower in Canada, North America’s largest waterfall Niagara Falls, the San Francisco City Hall in California, are a few of the many landmarks that have announced they will honour Greece and her fight for freedom from Ottoman rule.  In all corners of the world where Greek Diaspora are present, the…

Greek Independence Day is the biggest national holiday for Greeks in Greece and around the world. This year marks the 200 year bicentennial celebration 1821-2021. On March 25, we commemorate the beginning of the Greek Independence War in 1821. It falls on the same day as the Greek Orthodox Church celebrates the Annunciation to the Theotokos, when the Archangel Gabriel came to Mary and told her she would bear God’s son. Greece had been under the rule of the Ottoman Empire since 1453. On March 25, 1821, Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the revolution flag over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese, sparking the Greek revolt from Turkish…

The legendary Melina Mercouri who was a very famous Greek actress, singer, socialist and politician received an Academy Award nomination and won a Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award for her performance in the film Never on Sunday. Melina in her determined campaign for the return of the Parthenon marbles to their home in Athens had said to the British Authorities: “You must understand what the Parthenon Marbles mean to us. They are our pride. They are our sacrifices. They are the supreme symbol of nobility. They are a tribute to democratic philosophy. They are our aspiration and our name. They are the essence of Greekness”. It seems like everyone…

The Greek Tourism Minister, Harry Theocharis, announced this week that Greece will be open to tourists this summer who have either been vaccinated, who have antibodies, or who have tested negative for the coronavirus. The plan is for Greece to reopen by mid-May, which is only a couple of months away. As Theocharis stated: “Greece is ready with a complete protocol for summer 2021. Tourists will be welcome if before travel they are either vaccinated, or have antibodies, or test negative. All tourists will be subject to random testing.” – Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis Greece is part of the EU which has been closed to a large majority of…

Greece is a very magical and unique place that makes everyone feel like they are in heaven on earth. In the BC world, before Coronavirus, Greece had over 30 million tourists per year and the Ministry of Tourism plans to open for summer (in May 2021) to tourists who have been vaccinated, or have tested negative upon arrival of random airport screening. With so many historical sites and 227 inhabited Greek islands, what is there not to like of Greece. Like Henry Miller had said, “It takes a lifetime to discover Greece, but it only takes an instant to fall in love with her.” Many tourist already know the beauty…

George Clooney is not just seen as a handsome Hollywood actor anymore. He has a deeper love for Greece and her antiquities since being married to Human Rights lawyer Amal. Clooney has called for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece in a recent talk with Janet Suzman, chairwoman of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, according to reports from Ta Nea, the Hollywood actor told Suzman: “There are many objects of historical value that must be returned to their original owners. However, none of them is as important as the Parthenon Marbles.” George Clooney called on Britain to allow their permanent reunion in their…

Most Greek last names are very unique, long and difficult for many other cultures to pronounce. The most common Greek last name of all…Papadopoulos! In Greece, the Papadopoulos last name is like “Smith”. A research study was undertaken by the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection (ASEP) to determine the most common Greek surnames. Listed below are the Top 20, with Papadopoulos, of course, in 1st place right at the top. Have a look and let us know if you have one of these last names in our comments! # 1. PAPADOPOULOS (Son of the Priest) # 2. PAPPAS (Priest) # 3. KARAGIANNIS (Black-haired Giannis, “Kara” in Turkish means black)…

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of at least 6.0 up to 6.3 according to US surveys rocked central Greece Wednesday and was also felt even in the Balkan countries Albania, FYROM, and as far as Kosovo and Montenegro. One Greek man was injured by falling rubble and thankfully there were no other reports so far of any serious injuries. Greek officials reported some serious damages to mainly old houses and some minor damage to buildings that saw walls crack. The earthquake sent thousands of Greeks rushing into the streets in Larissa and Tyrnavos, the closest towns to the epicenter, west-northwest of Larissa. Some aftershocks hit the area, the most…