Torches on EBAY

 Greek actress Maria Nafpliotou, playing the role of high priestess, lights a torch during a handover ceremony at Panathenian stadium in Athens October 29,2009.

Photograph by: Yiorgos Karahalis, Reuters

 VANCOUVER - The 2010 Olympic torch relay has barely started, and already somebody has put one of the 12,000 torches being used up for sale on eBay.

The starting bid is $2,500 US, and has attracted one bid in three days. The auction ends Saturday at 1:44 p.m.

It seems somewhat unpatriotic for a Canadian to turn around and sell their torch mere days after the Olympic flame reached Canada. But as it turns out, the seller probably isn’t Canadian — the torch is being sold from Athens, Greece.

The seller’s eBay name is Douramakos, and states that they have been selling Olympics memorabilia for 25 years.

“This is one of the first torches used in the torch relay in Greece,” reads the eBay listing.

“The gas canister was taken out from all torches by the organizers after each torch bearer finished their run.”

It is a fairly detailed listing — Douramakos has put up 15 photos of the torch. You can find it by searching “2010 Olympic torch” on the eBay site.

Torches are one of the most prized collectibles from the Olympics. Some are quite valuable — an Olympic torch from the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary is worth about $10,000 US.

By John Mackie, Vancouver Sun

 The story of the Greek pioneers in British Columbia is the story of Greek sailors who, having drifted up to the Pacific coast, remained and made their homes there. Such sailors, in addition to Capiotis, his son-in-law Chugranis of Victoria B.C., are Nick Stevenson Moreas of Ladner B.C. and many others of whom unfortunately no valid record is to be found.

One of the first Greeks to settle in Vancouver was old man John Deliyannis who was not certain as to the date of his arrival there, probably it was in 1882. In his younger days he was very prominent in the candy business. He passed away at a ripe old age.

George Kanaris was the proprietor of the Vancouver Fish and Oyster Co., the oldest retail fish market in Vancouver. George Berbinos was his partner. Kanaris was very prominent in the Greek Community affairs, having made large contribution to the founding of the Greek Orthodox Church of Vancouver. He made quite a fortune in real estate and owned several houses and properties. He passed away at the age of 65.