OK, I admit knowing nothing of Eleftherios Venizelos when coming across the statue along Embassy Row on Massachusetts Ave. by the Greek embassy. But that’s the cool part of being a tour guide – you learn, learn and learn.
Venizelos was prime minister of Greece from 1910-20 and 1928-32. During his time, Venizelos helped re-unite Crete and Greece, aligned with the Allied forces during World War I despite the monarchy’s opposition and doubled overall population and geography by gaining Macedonia, Epirus and the Aegean islands.
If you fly into Athens nowadays you’ll see its named for Venizelos.
