find a billion artists: December 2014

The Greek Government, sponsored by the Greek banks, will be holding big celebrations for Christmas and New Year all over Greece so as to thank the Greek people for all their sacrifices these last few years.
The main feature of the fiesta will be party till you drop! Certainly there will be more of these feasts to follow for whoever succeeds and survives this one! Eventually no one will be able to escape!
Gifts such as rope for hanging and coffins of excellent walnut wood with double glaze layer will be given to conscientious citizens who will decide that banks are above all. The remaining insensitive and ungrateful citizens will be duly settled in subsequent celebrations!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to those who survive!

Η Ελληνική Κυβέρνηση με την ευγενική χορηγία των Ελληνικών Τραπεζών διοργανώνει εν όψει των εορτών των Χριστουγέννων και της νέας χρονιάς μεγάλες εορταστικές εκδηλώσεις σε όλη την Ελλάδα για να ευχαριστήσει τον ελληνικό λαό για τις θυσίες του τα τελευταία χρόνια !
Διασκέδαση μέχρι τελικής πτώσεως θα είναι το κύριο χαρακτηριστικό της φιέστας ! Βέβαια όποιος καταφέρει και επιβιώσει απο αυτό το γλέντι θα ακολουθήσουν και άλλα ! Που θα πάει δεν θα ξεφύγει κανείς !
Δώρα όπως σκοινί για κρέμασμα και φέρετρα απο εξαιρετικό ξύλο καρυδιάς με διπλή στρώση λούστρου θα δοθούν στους φιλότιμους πολίτες που θα αποφασίσουν οτι οι Τράπεζες είναι πάνω απ΄όλα . Οι υπόλοιποι αναίσθητοι και αγνώμονες πολίτες θα τακτοποιηθούν δεόντως σε επόμενες εορταστικές εκδηλώσεις !
Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Καλή Χρονιά σε όποιον επιβιώσει!

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Sunday, December 21, 2014

Museum Street

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Along Museum Street to Duncombe Place, York, North Yorkshire, England.

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Dales Walk

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Country walk in the Yorkshire Dales at Bolton Abbey.

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Saturday, December 20, 2014

San Fernando #40

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[![San Fernando #40](http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1389/5178398528_55a955f1b0_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/5178398528/)

Looking up the main street in San Fernando, Spain

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Mojacar & Garrucha #8

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Desert Springs Golf Club near Mojacar

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Scarborough Lighthouse

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Scarborough Lighthouse captured through the arc of the street lamp

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In The Chapter House

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[![In The Chapter House](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7522/16053789111_ecb5530be9_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/16053789111/)

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Wide angle view of the interior of The Chapter House in York Minster, North Yorkshire, England.

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Friday, December 19, 2014

Ingleton Viaduct

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View of the viaduct in Ingleton, North Yorkshire, England.

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Bolton Abbey Village Green

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[![Bolton Abbey Village Green](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7493/16025194166_3b33c55827_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/16025194166/)

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In the village of Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire, England.

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Photographer & The Lighthouse

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[![Photographer & The Lighthouse](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5288/5233684093_0f1cea6078_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/5233684093/)

Photographer at Cape Trafalgar, Spain

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Walking On The Canal !

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[![Walking On The Canal !](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5241/5356258627_82c51c0e41_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/5356258627/)

Frozen canal, Skipton, Yorkshire.

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Thursday, December 18, 2014

Arty Goathland

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Arty take on the road leading through Goathland, North Yorkshire, England.

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Flare Under The Bridge

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Under the old railway bridge just outside Bishopthorpe, York, North Yorkshire, England.

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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Arch In The Minster

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[![Arch In The Minster](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7541/16035644242_3e8de3d062_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/16035644242/)

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Looking through to the Nave in York Minster, North Yorkshire, England.

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Teeside In The Distance

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[![Teeside In The Distance](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8584/15848306768_76e712ea3b_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/15848306768/)

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Sailing off the coast at Hartlepool, Cleveland, England.

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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Sea Wall On The Headland

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[![Sea Wall On The Headland](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8657/15843338859_15f9930841_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/15843338859/)

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Sea wall on the Headland in Hartlepool, Cleveland, England.

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Monday, December 15, 2014

Scarborough South Bay

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[![Scarborough South Bay](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7480/15398658043_677cb5a02b_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/15398658043/)

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View across the South Bay from the Spa Bridge, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England.

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Sunday, December 14, 2014

Across Ullswater

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[![Across Ullswater](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8567/15823320450_a096f025d1_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/15823320450/)

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Winters day across Lake Ullswater at Pooley Bridge, Cumbria, England.

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Saturday, December 13, 2014

Mill Brow

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Along the street in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, England.

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Friday, December 12, 2014

Over The Wharfe

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[![Over The Wharfe](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7524/15809306420_126db4e481_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/44292341@N03/15809306420/)

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Stepping stones over the River Wharfe at Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire, England.

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Driving to Baros passing

[amalia lam](http://www.flickr.com/people/amalia-lampri/) posted a photo:

[![Driving to Baros passing](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7478/15743973136_d6bb7d2f10_m.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/amalia-lampri/15743973136/)

[www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMtRq_Myx-4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMtRq_Myx-4)
(STAMATIS SPANOUDAKIS - Stone Years)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the summer of 2011 I decided, along with my daugther, to follow the route from Karditsa to Ioannina through central Pindos. From the village Pili in Trikala we ascended the southern Pindos (I will not dwell upon this region and its mountains because I owe mountain Koziakas its own tribute. For all of you who have visited it you know what I mean).
In the villages around Aspropotamos area one comes across the turns in the road which reveal an astonishing mountain landscape. Gorges, steep slopes and lush green forests lead to the nape of Baros, one of the three accesible mountain passes from Thessaly to Epirus. At the point where the mountains Kakarditsa and Peristeri meet and at an altitude of 1905m, you will find one of the most difficult passages of Pindos known for its snowstorms which break out even at springtime. The borders between Greece and Turkey were at this spot until 1912. The mountain crossing of Baros was known by many centuries before to the caravans of mule owners who were transporting people and goods, but also to the chief shepherds of Pindos who would move every summer their cattle from the winter pastures of Thessaly to the high alpine meadows of Pindos , for free range feeding. Back in that days, the villages were full of life! Later, the Civil War and the new living conditions resulted in the devastation of the area and the mountain pass of Baros getting scrapped and forgotten.
For many years, there have been works and efforts trying to open and pave the road and the last part of the asphalth was delivered in 2013.
This area of Central Pindos is considered to be the most beautiful in the country but unfortunately it is threatened by the ever increasing human interventions which not only mince and alter the alpine highlands but also brutally disrupt the ecosystem.
The forests of Kakarditsa, Lakmos (Peristeri) and Rona, are home to all the large mammals of the mountains of the Balkan Peninsula, like the brown bear (Ursus arctos), the wolf (Canis lupus), the elk (Cervus elaphus), the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), the wild boar (Sus scrofa) and the otter (Lutra lutra) that have now disappeared for years from the mountain habitats of Europe.

Καλοκαίρι του 2011 και αποφασίζω, παρέα με την κόρη μου, να ακολουθήσω την διαδρομή Καρδίτσα -Ιωάννινα μέσα απο την κεντρική Πίνδο . Απο την Πύλη Τρικάλων ανηφορίζουμε τη νότια Πίνδο (Δεν θα σταθώ σε αυτή την περιοχή και στο βουνό Κόζιακα γιατί θέλει δικό της αφιέρωμα. Για όσους την έχετε επιισκεφθεί ξέρετε τι εννοώ ,οι υπόλοιποι αν μπορέσετε να πάτε θα καταλάβετε )Απο τα χωριά του Ασπροποτάμου αρχίζουν οι στροφές μέσα σε ένα εκπληκτικής ομορφιάς ορεινό τοπίο. Φαράγγια ,απόκρημνες πλαγιές και πυκνόφυτα δάση οδηγούν στον αυχένα του Μπάρου, ένα απο τα τρία προσβάσιμα ορεινά περάσματα απο την Θεσσαλία στην Ήπειρο. Στο σημείο όπου συναντιούνται τα βουνά Κακαρδίτσα και Περιστέρι και σε υψόμετρο 1905μ., βρίσκεται ένα απο τα πιο δύσκολα περάσματα της Πίνδου γνωστό για τις χιονοθέλλες που ξεσπούν ξαφνικά ακόμη και την άνοιξη . Εδώ βρίσκονταν μέχρι το 1912 τα ελληνοτουρκικά σύνορα.Η ορεινή διάβαση του Μπάρου ήταν γνωστή απο πολλούς αιώνες πριν στα καραβάνια των αγωγιατών που μετέφεραν ανθρώπους και εμπορεύματα, αλλά και στους τσελιγκάδεςτης Πίνδου που ανέβαζαν κάθε καλοκαίρι τα κοπάδια τους απο τα χειμαδιά της Θεσσαλίας ψηλά στα αλπικά λιβάδια της Πίνδου για ελεύθερη βοσκή .Εκείνη την εποχή τα χωριά της περιοχής έσφυζαν απο ζωή ! Αργότερα ο Εμφύλιος πόλεμος και οι νέες συνθήκες ζωής είχαν σαν αποτέλεσμα να ερημώσει η περιοχή και το ορεινό πέρασμα του Μπάρου να περάσει σε αχρηστία και να ξεχαστεί .
Εδω και πολλά χρόνια ξεκίνησαν έργα διάνοιξης και ασφαλτόστρωσης του δρόμου και το 2013 παραδόθηκε ασφαλτοστρωμένο και το τελευταίο τμήμα .
Η περιοχή αυτή της Κεντρικής Πίνδου που θεωρείται από τις ομορφότερες της χώρας δυστυχώς απειλείται από τις όλο και αυξανόμενες ανθρώπινες παρεμβάσεις που κατατεμαχίζουν και αλλοιώνουν τα αλπικά υψίπεδα και διαταράσσουν βάναυσα το οικοσύστημα.
Στα δάση της Κακαρδίτσας, του Λάκμου (Περιστέρι), της Ρόνας ζουν όλα τα μεγάλα θηλαστικά των βουνών της Βαλκανικής Χερσονήσου όπως η καφετιά αρκούδα (Ursus arctos), ο λύκος (Canis lupus), το ελάφι (Cervus elaphus), τα ζαρκάδι (Capreolus capreolus), το αγριογούρουνο (Sus scrofa), η βίδρα (Lutra lutra) που πλέον έχουν εξαφανιστεί εδώ και χρόνια από τους ορεινούς βιοτόπους της Ευρώπης.

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