Former U.S. President Bush arrives in Greece

Photo: Former U.S. President Bush arrives in Greece

Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush arrived in Greece on Monday to take part in sailing holiday around the Greek islands as a guest of a shipping tycoon.

The former president landed early Monday in Athens and changed planes for Kavala, a port city in northeastern Greece, where he arrived shortly after 11 a.m. (0800GMT). He is expected to visit the northern islands Thassos, Limnos and Samos during a tour expected to last at least a week.

Bush is a guest of Greek shipping tycoon Spiros Latsis, on whose yacht he has also vacationed in the past. Latsis, who ranks 55th on the most recent Forbes list of the world's richest people, has frequently offered his luxurious vessel to other prominent visitors - including Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, during their honeymoon two years ago and to Camilla again last month.

Bush is accompanied by a party of 19, including his son Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida.

The 41st U.S. President, who served from 1989-93, is the father of current U.S. President George W. Bush - who arrives separately in Europe today for an eight-day, six-country trip that will include the annual summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in Germany.