Beauties of Greek Islands – 10 Pictures
Greek island cats achieved great fame and became a true symbol of Greece. They are everywhere! Restaurant owners give kittens fresh fish, monks provide them with places to sleep at the churchyards and tourists take thousands of pretty cat pictures.
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There is a legend about the origin of the cats on the islands, explaining this big love of warm-hearted Greeks towards fluffy little creatures. A long time ago the island was full of rats and mice that tended to spoil all the harvest. Local inhabitants stayed terrified under the invasion of rodents until some traders from Egypt introduced the islanders with cats. It was a mutual love and understanding since cats hunted the mice and their new masters paid them back with respect and care.
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This is a typical blue and white landscape on Santorini Island, one of the most picturesque and popular among tourists from all over the world. No doubt, without the cats Santorini would lose a big part of its attraction!
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These cat gang on the iconic old photo is patiently waiting for the fishermen to share their morning catch with them. Fresh fish is healthy for any cat’s breakfast!
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Bright sun, welcoming sea, vivid colors… No wonder that a Greek isle might be the most romantic place in the world if you find your right one. Seems like this couple has been recently told about Romeo and Juliette.
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Ancient Greek myth tells us about a beautiful girl Galinthius, who tricked mighty goddess Hera in order to save Zeus’ bastard, Hercules. Furious Hera turned the lady into a cat and sent her to the dark underworld to serve gloomy goddess of witchcraft Hecate. Maybe, cats remember their magical ancestors, and this is why they like chilling out on the ancient ruins so much?
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The other legend states that witch-goddess Hecate herself could transform into a cat if she needed to escape the danger. Fortunately, modern Greeks do not remember the superstitions of the Ancient ones. They simply adore their cats and no black magic included.
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Cat-lovers have probably heard about Aegean cat breed that originates from the Aegean Sea islands. This cat is considered to be among the oldest domesticated cats that developed without human involvement in their breeding. Aegean cat is not recognized by any cat register yet, although, it is just a matter of time. There were Americans, who adopted homeless kittens from Mikonos, Santorini, Naxos, and Paros, and now Aegean cat breed is spreading worldwide.
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If you want to get to a real cat paradise, you should visit Mykonos Island. This island is known for the biggest population of cats, most of which live without having an official owner. You can easily pet, feed or even adopt one.
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Cat-islands are welcoming destination not only for the pet-lovers but also for those, who are seeking an escape from civilization and ready to go back in time. On some isles, you even cannot use a car! And the free walking cats, playing in the shade of old-style houses, kind of suggest, that here time actually can be stopped.
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Image sources:
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