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Winter time is great for a holiday on Ithaca. Experience the traditional life on this Greek Island. |
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Winter on Ithaca 2006 - 2007 |
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Mon 30 Oct - Secondary School teachers went to work this morning to find that the proposed cancellation of the Secondary Students Protest was in fact cancelled. Yes, the cancellation was cancelled. Still no school. It seems many schools are back to normal, including those in Cephalonia, but in Athens and on Ithaki, they're not happy to hit the books again just yet. |
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The first drops of rain before the downpour. |
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After a sunny and mild morning, the sky closed in to blacken the horizon. The fisherman had all said the bad weather was heading to Lefkada, but someone up there must have been using a faulty compass because a fierce storm hit the island and dropped buckets of rain as the thunder roared and the lightning struck. It cleared up almost as quickly as it came, leaving a blue sky in its wake...for now. |
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A very quiet morning in Vathy today. Most locals are up with the birds as they head to their olive groves to harvest their crop. They're too busy for anything else. Fires smoke up the hillsides as old olive branches burn. October and November have a distinctive aroma. Welcome to Winter on Ithaca. |
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Tues 31 Oct - Rementzo Restaurant in Frikes has now also closed its doors early in the week. They open Friday, Saturday night only. Saturday nights the Greek music night continues at Rementzo, with Maki Andrianatos. For other eating out options in Frikes, there is also Symposium and Piperato, which will have an open fire place to be warm in front of this winter. |
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Left - The mountains of Lefkada glow pink under the setting sun. Yesterday afternoon the skies cleared to crystal, but the temperature also dropped dramatically. It's safe to assume our little Indian Summer is over now. |
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Golly Gee!! Is it November already? |
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Wed 1 Nov - While the weather still permits, the sea planes come twice daily to Vathy. It even left a couple of days ago when a very heavy storm hit the Ionian. Guess if you're going to fall out of the sky, it's pretty safe to use a plane with floaties. Yesterday we got a little closer to this modern day marvel. Click here to see. |
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Left - Big yachts still sailing into Vathy Harbour. The skies looked a little bleak, but by early afternoon (Above) they cleared to reveal a wonderfully clear and sunny day. It is quite a bit cooler however. |
It's been reported that the Kioni ghost had a drink with a local and stated that the mask would soon be lifted to reveal the identity of this fantasma. Ooh Aah. |
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Thu 2 Nov - The day started off great, more blue skies and sunshine, even quite warm, but by lunchtime, black clouds started moving down from Anoghi to soon cover most of the island in a dreary grey. Looks like rain, but who knows, it looked like rain yesterday too, but not a drop.
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Many people ask whether living on a small island is restricting, usually I answer 'a little, but not really. Today they are concreting the only road in and out from my neighbourhood, and yes, I feel very locked in. Concrete won't be dry until tomorrow afternoon, Guess we're stuck walking the goat track |
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til then. No signs to warn the neighbors. Luckily some of us got the car out in time. Others weren't that fortunate. Aah, I love the sound of cement mixers in the morning. |
Fri 3 Nov - The wind has been howling and whistling since last night, churning up the usually quiet and calm seas around Ithaki. The coastline of Ithaca is not usually known for its surf, but today "Surfs Up". We could easily be mistaken for an island in the windy Aegean. The worst effected area is the Cephalonia Strait. A ferry crossing can be a little bumpy across here even on a regular day, but today, if the ferry is permitted to leave Patras, they may be in need of stocking up on the 'sick bags'. |
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Left - A passing ship takes refuge in Aetos Bay to take shelter from the elements. Below - Stavros Cafes outdoor areas, quiet this morning. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr |
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Last night the OTE internet connection was doing its 'winter thing' by not working, hanging or just refusing to go anywhere once connected. Ok, bound to get a line at some stage. No? Ok then, a trip to Vathy for an ACN web card. Dial, connect and off we go. Cyberworld here I come...not so fast! Think you can trick OTE? Take this! Phone lines go silent. Not a beep, not a dial tone. Great! 'The number you are calling is temporarily out of order' all over the northern island t hank you very much. |
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Sun 5 Nov - Who would have thought that we'd still be seeing Who's Here in November. Above - Delphine, Michael, Tina, Dan and Right - Phillip. They're here for 1 week enjoying the wild and rapidly changing weather, swimming and discovering Greek Music night at Rementzo. These Irish believe there's a little Greek running through their veins. |
Last night was the first night of Greek music night at Rementzo in Frikes, with the return performance of Maki and Maki. The restaurant was fully booked so those who came late, had a choice of Take Away or Eat at home. |
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They came from Vathy and Kioni, Stavros and inbetween. As usual, Maki and Maki didn't disappoint. They gave exactly what was expected. |
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A special note must go Symposium Restaurant, Rementzo neighbour and usual competition. Meropi and Olympia owners of Symposium Restaurant in Frikes, helped out Rementzo to fit in all the people who booked by lending them their tables and chairs. Why their table and chairs? Don't Rementzo have their own?? Yes, they do, but Symposium tables and chairs are smaller which allowed Rementzo to pack them in without the squeeze. How's that for being neighbourly, kind and thoughtful. Applause! Applause! |
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Above Left - Platrithia looking good in the sun. Above Right - Ithacan blow fly. Luckily they're smaller than we are, otherwise we'd never leave the house. |
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There's nothing that sends a shiver up the spine more than when the reverse cycle air-con unit beeps early in the morning and you know the power is off. A scheduled, but not well publicized 'power out' had everyone trying to get warm in the sun from 8am to 2pm today, during these record chilly temps. I'm still not talking to DEH (Electric Co) since this years' week long power cut for which we still had to pay, and with a rate increase to boot. What a cheek! What I want for Christmas is electricity and the phone working. Anyone know if DEH and OTE have put that into our Christmas stockings? |
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(C) ithacagreece.com 2003 - 2006 |
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