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Monday 10th - The annual Ag. Nikolas Festival was on again at Mavrona this morning. A great turn out and why not, as always the community goes all out to make it a very, very special occasion with lots of food and lots to drink. For more pics and information, Click Here or on pic above |
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Right - Another wonderfully traditional event takes place on Saturday 15. Stavros' Papoulaki brings in clergy from around Ithaca and from Lefkada. The celebration of an unofficial saint. |
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At 6.30pm there is a Service at the quaint chapel Ag. Barbaras just above Stavros town, from there a parade of locals and clergy bring down the bones of Papoulaki to Sotiros church in Stavros center. If you've never been to this celebration day, mark it on the calendar. It's a colourful and traditional parade that you won't easily forget. Join the congregation and parade along with them. It's not every day you can take part in carrying the bones of Ithakis unofficial saint, Papoulaki. On Sunday 16th, the celebration of Papoulaki continues with early service at 7am at Sotiros in Stavros. To help the church community you may like to bring some change to leave a donation. |
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Left - Proud grandmother Flora shares her pride with me about her granddaughter, Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA and working Model, Elena La Quatro. Elena La Quatro, granddaughter of Flora and the late Georgios Alexandratos. is making quite a name for herself in the modeling world. To find out more about Elena you can google her. Meanwhile Flora does her bit to promote the granddaughter she is so proud of. |
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Above - Margarita Cafe Bar pulls down the plastics on a windy night |
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With booking cancellations and fearful & worried phone calls I would just like to mention that Ithaki is not effected by demonstrations or acts of violence. It is still the sleepy traditional Ionian island that we all love to bits and feel completely safe in. The media around the world seems to be giving the impression that no one in Greece is spared from violence, that's definitely not the case and has more to do with selling media than reality. Ithaca is probably one of the safest places in Europe and maybe the world, for you and your families to holiday. |
Looks like Wednesday locals and visitors alike will be hitting the beaches in ernest. The weather forecast predicts 35+ C. It's not a normal May temperature, but also unusual for us to have a hot day here and there around this time of year. |
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Wednesday 12th - Not as hot today as predicted, but still a very pleasantly warm day with calm seas. |
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The far bayside is also having some work done. It looks like a stone retaining wall will be keeping the erosion at bay. Local business owners will be happy when the broken jetty is replaced. The farside of Frikes bay isn't the most ideal place to moor the yacht, especially if there is wind and a roughish sea. |
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Above - Polis Bay under the northern village of Stavros has a very peaceful atmosphere as the afternoon draws to a close. Fisherman come back to shore after a day fishing for the perfect 'catch'. Below - Frikes has had alot of Flotilla action this past week. |
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Familiar faces are back in Kioni as the village begins to wake up after a quiet winter season. |
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A private renovation in Kioni is unfortunately disturbing the peace throughout the day, driving locals and visitors a little nuts. The noisy works are due to stop soon, or at least that is the hope. |
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Below - Frikes Bay is still attracting in the Flotillas regardless of the economic situation. The Ionian is such a joy to sail, it doesn't really matter what is being publicized on the worlds media. |
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Yachters make up a big part of the tourism that comes in to Frikes. It's a good sign that the Flotillas keep coming. It makes the business owners of the area feel a little more secure in this uncertain economic climate. |
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Friday 14th - The weather is forecast to change on the weekend, but for now we're still enjoying warm, sunny days. In Frikes, the community went about making sure all the bulbs for the children's playground were in good working order. Now that we locals are out and about, it's important to see where we're going. Below - Yefuri Restaurant in Platrithia is opening up for business again this weekend. |
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The sky over Exoghi late yesterday may have seemed a bit gloomy, but through the night, the wind had blown the grey away and left Ithaki with a warm sunny, and windless, day. |
Don't forget Papoulaki tomorrow at 6.30pm at Ag. Barbara chapel just outside of Stavros. This is a very traditional, and very Ithaki specific service and parade. Get out your cameras, there'll be enough clergy to enlighten us all, with Priests coming across to ithaki from Lefkada and from around the island itself. Papoulaki's (Ithakis unofficial saint) bones will be paraded from Ag. Barbara down to Sotiros in Stavros with the congregation following behind. |
Sunday 15th - Wind and rain all through Friday night into Saturday, but on Saturday during the day, the cool air turned hot under an occasional sun. |
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Above - A strange low cloud hangs between Ithaki and Lefkada in the early morning of Saturday. Left - Dimitris Danis is excited about his Nostospassword project to be held in Turkey in October 2010. This year he will also be presenting various exhibitions at the Gallery in Vathy. It's about time he let his artistic juices flow again. Below Right - Loutsa Beach in the south of Ithaca. Below Left - Porto Restaurant in Vathy. |
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Above - Marathia area, south of Vathy has a very different landscape to much of the island. A murky and misty day hides the usually clear blue horizon. Below - Yesterday, Ithaca celebrated Papoulaki, it's very own Saints Day at Aghia Barbara and Sortiros church in Stavros. Click Here or on Photo below for more pics & info. |
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Right - Ithaca's captial of Vathy and it's natural harbour with Lazareto islet just off center. |
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Monday 17th - What a windy day yesterday. In several areas around Ithaki, it blew a gale and others just a coolish wind. There were enough patches of blue sky and sunshine to make the day worthwhile, but as it approached late afternoon, the sky did begin to threaten storms. There weren't any however, just more and more wind. The weather is supposed to clear up by tomorrow. |
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The one good thing about the wind is that there were some clear views to be enjoyed around the island. Left - Views north to the islands from the road between Stavros and Anoghi. |
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Left - View from the road between Ithakis mountain village of Anoghi and the Hani area, toward Vathy and Aetos with Kefalonia in the distance. |
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