For those who thought they'd come early in the season for their holidays, to avoid the great heat of Summer, would have been a little surprised to find temps of around 40C for June and July. Now in August, the weather has been amazing so far - warm, cooler evenings... very pleasant. With the Platrithia Panighiri only a couple of days away, the island is now at its most populated. There are people everywhere, traffic hold ups, cars, bikes, you name it. Many familiar faces and many new faces mingling in the restaurants, bars and streets of Ithaki. With an evident slow start to the Season, those working 16 - 20 hours a day, seem relatively calm and still in good cheer. Once upon a time, the end of the Platrithia Panighiri marked the end of the main season, but over the past few years, Ithakis season has been extended into October and there is no reason to believe it won't be the same again this year. With headline threats of earthquakes plaguing the tourist community (which by the way, the Predictor is still trying to redeem himself by predicting it now for August, after his July catastrophe didn't happen) there were many who stayed away from the Ionian not to get caught up in the predicted 8 Richter disaster. Predicting earthquakes is a little redundant in the Ionian (and in Greece generally) as somewhere, sometime there will be a tremor or quake, but I have to say that on Ithaki, we all feel pretty safe. In the 53 earthquakes, yes houses came down, but they were built with dry stone walls. Since then, building laws determine new houses are earthquake proof, usually to 10 Richter. Anyway, the flu is on its way out, so I'm looking forward to village hopping again with my camera in hand. See you at the Anoghi and Platrithia Panighiri.

Thu 14 Aug - Tonight it's the Anoghi Panighiri. There'll be more than getting a little high on altitude in this mountain village once you get your taste buds tempted by the local tsipouro or wine. Below - Vathy Bay getting many large yachts coming into moor now. Could it be the expensive mooring fees around most of Greece, Spain, Italy and France, could make ithakis little ports (free ports) so tempting... besides the calm waters and beautiful views of course.

Below Left - Kioni during an ordinary hour and Below Right - Kioni during a 3 x Day Tripping ferry mayhem, where people spill from the promenade into the water trying to find a piece of concrete to step on, and the restaurants and bars struggle to feed the masses, crowding into this usually quiet and quaint little bay side village.

Below Left - The Palmos family is here again from Athens - Anastasia, Danai and Costas. Although their usual haunt is down south, they have an emotional bond to the north of the island. We caught up with them after lunch at Rementzo. Below Right - A nice little Frikes scene.