Posted on 07/31/2018 6:42:06 PM PDT by EdnaMode
More than 1,000 tourists a day visit the island of Santorini from cruise ships in the peak season.
They use traditional transport on the hilly terrain - where cars cannot go - and are attracted to idyllic white houses in places such as the principal town of Fira.
Every day the donkeys make four to five journeys up its 520 white cobbled steps in temperatures of up to 86F (30C).
Animal rights activists claim donkeys are increasingly left with spinal injuries and open wounds from ill-fitting saddles.
They say that, with obesity on the rise, the animals are being forced to carry ever-heavier loads while they work long hours, seven days a week without shelter, rest and water.
The Help the Santorini Donkeys charity is calling for an eight-stone load restriction as the number of overweight tourists arriving from the UK, US and Russia has trebled in the past 10 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at express.co.uk ...
Better yet, stop going to a place that is no more a vacation than is Disneyworld -- too many people, not enough to do.
There is that too.
That picture...
Jiminy Christmas!
That looks like an avalanche about to happen.
And is that photo-distortion, or are buildings built on the downslope at the top?
It’s a distortion.
The bold blue double arrow is where the funicular runs.
They should move to blue states where no Donkey pulls even it's own weight.
They are. Infinitiy pools with fabulous views of the caldera and the sunsets etc. Seriously, check out the booking information for the nicest tourist hotels on Santorini, you may want to sit down first. The on-season rates are, well, the Greeks owe the EU a lot of money, so...
Zakynthos Real Estate
Solar- or wind-powered desalniation into a water tower, to supply a trickle irrigation system (a smart one, such as has been devel'd in Israel), could turn many of the desolate islands into olive production powerhouses, with room left over for grape vinyards.
I’m too long in the tooth to think about planting olive trees and grape vines and waiting years for a harvest. If I had heaps of money I would build me a blazing white-washed court-yard home near the water with a jetty for a sailboat...sure like the idea of a desalination plant.
Need to buy more lottery tickets.
About the donkeys...haven’t they had a rough deal historically? Hard to accept that in this century, people are still using them as beasts of burden.
FREE THE DONKEYS!
I do like that white wall/blue roof combo.
Speaking of overloaded donkeys... I saw a pic in one of the "for sale" pages which showed a Greek guy riding sidesaddle on some cargo strapped to the back of what looked like an underenthusiastic burro. Tough being an animal.
If cash were no object (great suggestion, the lottery; instead, I think I'll sell squares, 50-50 style, on when I'll be hit by lightning) I'd build a modern home in the Roman style (atrium/tablinum/triclinium/peristyle/etc) on a Greek island. :^)
I’ll get some quotes. (lol)
Hey, nice link! There are some “3d” reconstructions of Pompeiian houses, with a walkthrough and narration, on the Youtube.
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