0565 GREECE (Peloponnese) - Corinth Canal

Thought since antiquity, but become a reality only at the end of the 19th century (1881-1893), the Corinth Canal, which connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea, cutting the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separating the Peloponnesian peninsula from the Greek mainland, is now used mainly for tourist traffic, although it saves the 700km journey around the Peloponnese. Dug at sea level , without locks, it has 6.4km in length and only 21.3m width at the base, it's unpassable for most modern ships. Actually it never attracted  the level of traffic anticipated, because of its narrowness, of navigational problems and of periodic closures required to repair landslips from its steep walls. It was seriously damaged during the WWII, when it was the scene of fighting due to its strategic importance.

About the stamps
The first stamp on the left, depicting Palinurus elephas (0.02€), is part of the definitive set Riches of the Greek seas, about which I wrote here.

The second is part of the series Special Olympics Athens 2011, issued on March 18, 2011, consisting of five stamps:
• Volunteers Program (0.02 EUR)
• Host City Athens 2011 (0.04 EUR) - it's on the postcard
• Athens 2011 (0.60 EUR)
• Apollon Mascot Athens 2011 (0.75 EUR)
• Special Olympics Movement (4.20 EUR)

The third belongs to the series Green Renewable Energy Development, issued on April 26, 2010 and consisting of six stamps:
• Solar Energy (0.01 EUR) - it's on the postcard
• Hydro Power (0.40 EUR)
• Wind Energy (0.58 EUR)
• Self contained Man (0.72 EUR)
• Wave Power (2.43 EUR)
• Bio Energy (2.50 EUR)

The fourth is part of the series Games of the old neighborhood, about which I wrote here.

First on the second row is part of the definitive series Greek Dances, issued on January 2, 2002 and comprising 21 stamps:
• Kamakaki, Salamina (0,02 EUR)
• Bride's Dowry, Drama (0,03 EUR)
• Zagorissios, Epirus (0,05 EUR)
• Balos, Aegean Sea (0,10 EUR)
• Synkathistos, Thrace (0,15 EUR)
• Tsakonikos, Peloponnese (0,20 EUR)
• Pyrichios, Pontus (0,30 EUR)
• Fourles, Kythnos (0,35 EUR)
• Apokriatikos, Skyros (0,40 EUR)
• Kotsari, Pontus (0,45 EUR) - it's on other postcard
• Pentozalis, Crete (0,50 EUR)
• Karagouna, Thessaly (0,55 EUR)
• Chassapiko, Smyrne (0,60 EUR) - it's on this postcard
• Zalistos, Naoussa (0,65 EUR)
• Pogonissions, Epirus (0,85 EUR)
• Kalamatianos, Peloponnese (1,00 EUR)
• Maleviziotis, Crete (2,00 EUR)
• Tsamikos, Roumeli (2,15 EUR)
• Zeibekikos (2,60 EUR)
• Nyfiatikos, Corfu (3,00 EUR)
• Paschaliatikos (4,00 EUR)

The second, showing the greek actor Vassilis Diamantopoulos, is part of the set Greek Actors (belonging to a large series), about which I wrote here.

References
Corinth Canal - Wikipedia


sender: Milda Kriukaite (direct swap)
sent from Piraeus (Greece), on 13.12.2012