Far from the familiar white washed island villages and the chaos of Athens- there lies another, very different Greece that few tourists ever see
Here, in the mountains of Macedonia
This is home to Yiannis Boutaris a member of Greeces most prominent wine making dynasty.He walked away from a life as a powerful industrialist after accepting the bitter irony that having built a fortune on alcohol he was also an alcoholic.
YIANNIS BOUTARIS(01:16) When I got fed up with many things, alcohol, a way of life, businesses and running after money and all these things, it seems that I woke up one morning and I said enough! (01:42)
Boutaris in cellars. He sold out of the family business buying this smaller winery to fund the new passion in his life conservation.This born-again environmentalist now calls on fellow Greeks to pause in their increasingly frenetic urban lives and smell the sweet mountain air.
And his new vision is focussed here- on the village of Nymphaeo ancestral home of the Boutaris family(07.13) this is where I come from,this is my history its a compact thing of the way I want to live,is easy going thing not many needs, you dont have too many needs (07:35)(07.37)the aesthetics of the village, the aesthetics in general is something very very important from my point for mans life
( 07:47)Like so many Greek villages Nymphaeo was dying the young lured away by the prospect of a better future in the cities and overseas.Just a handful of pensioners remained-whod endured long years of war and rural poverty.Determined to preserve part of Greeces rapidly disappearing rural heritage, Yannis invested millions of dollars fathfully restoring the village.
Walking through restored mansion with reporterWorkmen on rooftops To help fund his dream hes opened a couple of small hotels.-recreating Nymphaeos glory days of a century ago.When this was a prosperous village of Greek traders who travelled the length and breadth of the Ottoman Empire.
UPSOT .so this is typical Nympaeo. It looks very Ottoman,very Turkish, there is no difference between Turkish way of living and Greek way of iving over that period.Now, younger villagers whod thought theyd left Nympaeo for ever are also returning home to help rebuild this version of paradise.
Thought track as he talks to builders tilers at the church walking through town GRAB YIANNIS BOUTARIS(T2 27:43) I love creating jobs for people, this is very important for me that you dont give money to somebody you create the conditions so that he can start working by himself, this is what I try to do. (28;07)
Yannis walks up street talks with village women Time Magazine declared him to be one one of Europes amazing people.In town hes reluctantly taken on the mantle of local hero
GREEK - SUBTITLE YANNIS WITH OLD LADIES(43:32)Yannis: This is Maji and shes a whinger (33)(laughter)(43:33) Maji: Im a whinger (43:36)///..(44:47) Maji:thanks to Mr, Yanni we have a village. If it wasnt for Mr. Yanni, there wouldnt be a village (44:51)
Group of 20 schoolkids walking down forested walkwaySurprised look and points. UPSOT MUSICGrateful Macedonian villagers arent the only ones returning home.Nympheio is fast gaining a reputation for its other, somewhat furrier inhabitants brough there by Yiannis.UPSOT19.11 (kids)theres a bear!weighing up to 250 kilograms they usually live deep in the surrounding forest.
Bears in Arcturos compound Once common to these mountains -Greeces brown bears were almost hunted to extinction. Now, fewer than 200 are believed to be roaming the forests.
Others were raised in captivity as dancing bears tormented and tortured by their gypsy owners to perform on street corners.Greece outlawed bear troupes 35 years ago.But the ban has only really been enforced in the past decade since Yiannis helped found the bear preservation group - Arcturos.13 dancing and zoo bears have been rescued and now live at the Nympaeo Sanctuary.
They are not able to get back to nature, first of all being dancing bears they have destroyed teeth, they have many psychological problems, and they have not learned to live in the world(25.30???)
Lazarus/Yiannis/Mark this here is a kukla, kukla means dog
3 shot Lazarus/Yiannis/reporter Chief bear keeper Lazarus has a healthy respect for his charges.
3 shot Lazarus/Yiannis/Mark REPORTER AND LAZARUS(04.21) Q.. do you have any physical contact ?A.. NO NO (04:23-04.24)They may be big but theyre not exactly cuddly. The electrified fence is there for a very good reason.One day during feeding Andreas-the biggest Arcturos bear-escaped and decided he wanted to play.
Nobody knows how it happened, but Lazaraus got in and he forgot to close the gate for the bear so the bear to come in and he started huggingLazarus laugh laughBut Andreas is probably 250 kilos and youre 70/80.
Reporter: How badly hurt were you ?Lazarus: nothing serious, only some wounds, broken homoplatis . Boutaris: His back here was broken.nothing serious, he says ha haLazarus: he tried to play if the bear wants to make damage he has power to do.
Bears frolicking in the the compound
Education centre interiors Yiannis says Greece is only now slowly discovering the benefits of environmentalism and conservation.His strategy - to focus on educating the next generation here at the purpose built Arcturos information centre.Some 40 thousand people mainly - school children now visit the Nymphaeo bear sanctuary every year.
GREEKActuros teacher with kids in information centre 11.14 Q. did you like the bears?A. yes 9(17)Q. do we have to save them ? yes (20)Teacher: why should we save them them ?(29)A. because we love them A. because they could become extinct (32)
MUSIC
Scenic segue kids to bears GRAB YIANNIS15.14Q. do you think people in Greece are hearing your message ?A. .Im not very sure about it, Im not very sure about it. (15;24)Its more important to persuade people who live in the villages to be more protective of their environment, how important it is to preserve certain wild life areas. And also it came up many questions, okay we do that now, what will happen in 100 years MUSIC
YIANNIS BOUTARIS(01:16) When I got fed up with many things, alcohol, a way of life, businesses and running after money and all these things, it seems that I woke up one morning and I said enough! (01:42)
Boutaris in cellars. He sold out of the family business buying this smaller winery to fund the new passion in his life conservation.This born-again environmentalist now calls on fellow Greeks to pause in their increasingly frenetic urban lives and smell the sweet mountain air.
And his new vision is focussed here- on the village of Nymphaeo ancestral home of the Boutaris family(07.13) this is where I come from,this is my history its a compact thing of the way I want to live,is easy going thing not many needs, you dont have too many needs (07:35)(07.37)the aesthetics of the village, the aesthetics in general is something very very important from my point for mans life
( 07:47)Like so many Greek villages Nymphaeo was dying the young lured away by the prospect of a better future in the cities and overseas.Just a handful of pensioners remained-whod endured long years of war and rural poverty.Determined to preserve part of Greeces rapidly disappearing rural heritage, Yannis invested millions of dollars fathfully restoring the village.
Walking through restored mansion with reporterWorkmen on rooftops To help fund his dream hes opened a couple of small hotels.-recreating Nymphaeos glory days of a century ago.When this was a prosperous village of Greek traders who travelled the length and breadth of the Ottoman Empire.
UPSOT .so this is typical Nympaeo. It looks very Ottoman,very Turkish, there is no difference between Turkish way of living and Greek way of iving over that period.Now, younger villagers whod thought theyd left Nympaeo for ever are also returning home to help rebuild this version of paradise.
Thought track as he talks to builders tilers at the church walking through town GRAB YIANNIS BOUTARIS(T2 27:43) I love creating jobs for people, this is very important for me that you dont give money to somebody you create the conditions so that he can start working by himself, this is what I try to do. (28;07)
Yannis walks up street talks with village women Time Magazine declared him to be one one of Europes amazing people.In town hes reluctantly taken on the mantle of local hero
GREEK - SUBTITLE YANNIS WITH OLD LADIES(43:32)Yannis: This is Maji and shes a whinger (33)(laughter)(43:33) Maji: Im a whinger (43:36)///..(44:47) Maji:thanks to Mr, Yanni we have a village. If it wasnt for Mr. Yanni, there wouldnt be a village (44:51)
Group of 20 schoolkids walking down forested walkwaySurprised look and points. UPSOT MUSICGrateful Macedonian villagers arent the only ones returning home.Nympheio is fast gaining a reputation for its other, somewhat furrier inhabitants brough there by Yiannis.UPSOT19.11 (kids)theres a bear!weighing up to 250 kilograms they usually live deep in the surrounding forest.
Bears in Arcturos compound Once common to these mountains -Greeces brown bears were almost hunted to extinction. Now, fewer than 200 are believed to be roaming the forests.
Others were raised in captivity as dancing bears tormented and tortured by their gypsy owners to perform on street corners.Greece outlawed bear troupes 35 years ago.But the ban has only really been enforced in the past decade since Yiannis helped found the bear preservation group - Arcturos.13 dancing and zoo bears have been rescued and now live at the Nympaeo Sanctuary.
They are not able to get back to nature, first of all being dancing bears they have destroyed teeth, they have many psychological problems, and they have not learned to live in the world(25.30???)
Lazarus/Yiannis/Mark this here is a kukla, kukla means dog
3 shot Lazarus/Yiannis/reporter Chief bear keeper Lazarus has a healthy respect for his charges.
3 shot Lazarus/Yiannis/Mark REPORTER AND LAZARUS(04.21) Q.. do you have any physical contact ?A.. NO NO (04:23-04.24)They may be big but theyre not exactly cuddly. The electrified fence is there for a very good reason.One day during feeding Andreas-the biggest Arcturos bear-escaped and decided he wanted to play.
Nobody knows how it happened, but Lazaraus got in and he forgot to close the gate for the bear so the bear to come in and he started huggingLazarus laugh laughBut Andreas is probably 250 kilos and youre 70/80.
Reporter: How badly hurt were you ?Lazarus: nothing serious, only some wounds, broken homoplatis . Boutaris: His back here was broken.nothing serious, he says ha haLazarus: he tried to play if the bear wants to make damage he has power to do.
Bears frolicking in the the compound
Education centre interiors Yiannis says Greece is only now slowly discovering the benefits of environmentalism and conservation.His strategy - to focus on educating the next generation here at the purpose built Arcturos information centre.Some 40 thousand people mainly - school children now visit the Nymphaeo bear sanctuary every year.
GREEKActuros teacher with kids in information centre 11.14 Q. did you like the bears?A. yes 9(17)Q. do we have to save them ? yes (20)Teacher: why should we save them them ?(29)A. because we love them A. because they could become extinct (32)
MUSIC
Scenic segue kids to bears GRAB YIANNIS15.14Q. do you think people in Greece are hearing your message ?A. .Im not very sure about it, Im not very sure about it. (15;24)Its more important to persuade people who live in the villages to be more protective of their environment, how important it is to preserve certain wild life areas. And also it came up many questions, okay we do that now, what will happen in 100 years MUSIC