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November on Ithaca 2006. Winter on the Greek Island in the Ionian in Greece. |
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Winter on Ithaca 2006 - 2007 |
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The Ithacan Society of Melbourne has invited me to look at their newly renovated Club Rooms and to see the ladies Bingo on Thursday, so I may just pop along for a peek at legal gambling 'Ithaki away from home' style. Many Melbourne Ithacans visit the island each year. Most admit that Ithaki is in their bones, they have relatives or family homes there, but choose to live in the sun burnt country. Maybe we'll get an insight as to 'why'. |
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The Ithacan Recipes 'Australian Memories' Cook Book, which sold out of its first print, has gone into a second. If you missed out the first time, here is another chance. You can contact the Ithacan Philanthropic Society at www.ithaki.org.au for their contact details if you want to get your fingers on one of these cook books before they sell out again. |
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Sun 3 Dec - Dimitris Danis reports that the weather has been just great over the past week. Olive oil production has also been very successful. It seems it was a good season for many. Dimitris himself, achieved 250 kilos of oil from his crop. |
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Yesterday saw Emmanuel from Chez Manu and Dina from KEP, marry. By all reports they had a great celebration party. Congratulations to all. |
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Left - A cloud covered moon over Vathy town. Photo by Dimitris Danis. |
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Above - Melbourne, one of the biggest Greek communities outside of Greece |
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Mon 4 Dec - bottom Left - Not an Anoghi goat, but the Kooweerup kind in country Victoria. |
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Thu 7 Dec - Above - No equivalent on ithaca to this bird. It's the magpie. A swooping, eye-pecking bird that |
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during certain periods of the year targets humans with a vengeance. In country Australia they occasionally come in cat sizes. |
Below Left - Ithacan women get together at the Ithacan Philanthropic Society Club rooms in down town Melbourne for Bingo. |
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Above - The golden sands of Mornington Peninsula with the relatively calm waters of the bayside and the torrent tides of Bass Strait ocean beaches. |
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Fri 8 Dec - Each Thursday fortnight, Ithacan women of Melbourne get together at the Elizabeth Street Club Room for Bingo. The newly renovated Club rooms are bright and spacious. A foyer and elevator now welcome ithacans to their Melbourne domain. Very nice. I spent a couple of hours there taking pics and speaking with some of the women, many of whom have family on the island. Click here for Keeping the Connection Alive - Bingo Ithaki, Melbourne style. |
Ithacan Philanthropic Society Melbourne Australia |
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Sat 9 Dec - Above Left - Judi Levy of Perahori and Dimitris Danis of Vathy, polish up nicely for a December wedding. No, not their own, Judi is already married to Dr. Nick Levy and Dimitris should be, not to Nick, but someone for sure. If you're not confused then you've had too many Metaxa on a winters' night. Looks like the Vathy social calendar has been filled with party events. Above right - Judi celebrates her birthday with friends Mark and Lilia, Bettina, Diamanto who many of you may recognize from Proto supermarket in Vathy, formerly ENA, and hidden behind the camera lens is Dimitris Danis, who has so kindly sent ithacagreece.com the pics. |
Left - Blue skies begin to turn grey as the winter weather finally catches up with Ithaki. Locals have been enjoying fine days up until now. |
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Above - Melbourne skies turn brown as smoke from fires all over Victoria and NSW block out the sun. The expected 39 C (really feels like 45C by midday) and the forceful, dry and soffocatingly hot north wind will no doubt fan the fires and probably kill me off. I forgot just how hot it can get in good old Melbourne. The ozone hole must have increased over the past five years. How is it on Ithaki? I invite anyone on Ithaki to send me a photo. Please click here. |
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Above - As always, there's high fashion in the outer suburbs. Never see this in Frikes. |
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Sun 10 Dec - Frikes heats up for Winter. Piperato Taverna, just behind Rementzo Restaurant and opposite Antikeimeno Tzoulia, the Gift and Hand made jewellery store, has been busy renovating and extending the business these past months. Tonight, Ithacans will have their first opportunity to see what all the hammering has been about. Piperato opening night tonight with open fire, and a little birdy tells us, music too. Dimitris Danis has promised pics to come. |
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Mon 11 Dec - Above - Piperato in Frikes had a successful opening yesterday evening with wall to wall patrons sampling the new environment. By all accounts it's a 'thumbs up' for the local taverna. Above Right and Right - Signs of Christmas are evident all over the island with only a couple of weeks to go until the Festive Season climaxes. Bigger than Christmas on the Greek religious calendar however, is of course the New Year, this, and not Christmas Day, is the traditional day gifts are handed out, but as western culture seeps into Greece, Greece now also has Chrissy presents. By the way, who hid Plastic Santa? |
Wed 13 Dec - Poppy Pagoulato, mother and proprietor of Rementzo Restaurant in Frikes, has kindly sent in photos (below) of her Ithaca winter views. |
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Above Left -
Christo and Vivika Skarmea of Stavros. Those who are not picking olives are drinking a coffee outdoors or taking a stroll on sunny winter days around Ithaca. Above Right - Aphrodite Soboula and son. Below - Music night continues at Rementzo. Left - Andrea leads the dance. Right - Maki leads the tune. |
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Above L - R - Aki, formerly of Bemenis Bar is back on the island with his brother and girlfriend. |
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Chrsitmas decorations are up all over the island. Right - The Zac follows the new traditions and brightens up its' Cafe for the festive season. |
Below - Ariadne Pagoulatou- Vasilopoulos celebrates her second birthday at her parents restaurant in Frikes. |
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Above - Anna-Maria - dancing queen at Ariadnes' Birthday Party. Right - Ariadne and dad Nektarios. Other Ithaki stars to attend were Jennie from Spavento with twins in hand, grandmother Tasia and papou Lazaros, auntie Lila and Uncle Andrea. |
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(C) ithacagreece.com 2003 - 2006 |
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