Sunday 25th - Although we're only days from August, things still look a little quiet in Vathy. The north looks quite busy, but then the villages are small and it doesn't take much to fill them up with activity. Below Left - Sirens Restaurant, always looks great.

Saturday 24th - One hot day & warm night after another over the past weeks. The horizon is blanketed in a thick heat haze that obscurs the islands and the Mainland beyond.

Left - For quick and affordable snacks, GYRO is a good way to fill up before a night out in Vathy town. Below - Soulatso Cafe Music Bar. Below Below - Mylos Creperie. These two bars are on the opposite side of Vathy bay and each offers a unique brand of music and snacks.

Left - Ithaca has a genuine Ouzerie now right on the bayside of Vathy. Traditionally an ouzerie offers alcohol and a selection of traditional snacks that help the ouzo from doing too much damage. By the looks of it, it's something that's been missing from Ithaki. Each time, day or night, I go past, there are people having a good time.

Last night a very warm wind blew across Ithaki and everyone knew it would be a sleepless night without air-con. Below - Vathy bay rippled and heaved on and off as the wind stirred the bay into a mini frenzy. The wind also blew the smell from the smouldering Tip fire into the town and surrounding areas.

Wednesday 28th - The heatwave passed a couple of days ago when a hot wind turned cool over the island and since then, we have mild, warm weather with cooler nights. With August almost on our doorstep, the increase in the population is indeed, very noticable. The Day Tripper ferries bring capacity visitors, who eat up whatever is available on the island in a matter of an hour and a half, the yachters fill the tavernas and now with August, we'll see if the awaited Greek visitors will grace our shores in the numbers Ithaki is accustomed to, or whether the crisis will show itself here with a noted decrease. Below - Afales.

Thursday 29th - Perfect weather over the past days. There are still some beaches you can be alone on.

Above - Kosta from Avra Restaurant in Kioni. Right - Cleopatra, super waitress from Spavento Bar in Kioni, still hurrying after a busy Day Tripper shift.

Below - Krouvoulia Beach 1 just outside Frikes in the north of Ithaki. Right - There's a new restaurant in Stavros town opposite the town park. Ithaki Restaurant is the love child of Dina Vasilopoulos, one of the northern Ithaki Hairdressers and also the face behind Spilia apartments

Right & Below - Fatouros Restaurant in Stavros. Fatouros has been serving traditional fare to locals and visitors for decades.

Above - Yiannis Taverna in Stavros is one of the faves of the visitors to the island. Yianni and Dorothea always go out of their way to be helpful and friendly. Right - Twilight view from Exoghi down onto Platrithias. In 1986 there were few areas on Ithaki that had streetlights to be seen from Exoghi or anywhere.

August is only a couple of days away and although this crisis year had fears of a radically decreased tourist season, the numbers are showing that it's actually not too bad at all. There are some casualties, but on the whole, the Ithaki Summer Season is holding up extremely well under the pressure. Don't forget that 5th and 6th of August mean Sortiros Panighiri in Stavros. It's the BIG Summer festival of the season and usually so well attended that both nights are brimming with people and excitement. Below - Dusk over Afales Bay.

Left - Rena from Melbourne, Australia is in Kioni, on the phone to Melbourne Australia. Below - This is one of the rare times that beautiful Mina from Avra Restaurant in Kioni, gets the time to strike a pose.

Below - Margarita Cafe in Stavros, also known as 'The Zac'. When there's football on, you can bet the locals head there to watch it on their big screen.

Friday 30th - Left - Frikes locals enjoy a mild night on the town playing 'Tavli', drinking beer and eating watermelon.

Big 'Pineapple' Wednesday at Fiorendino Bar in Frikes this week had hangovers lasting days. Peter Poutana added his mix to the mash for a wild wild night.