Above - Nikos Douglas from The Gods Gift shop in Frikes, philosophizes about life.

Above - Brandon. Below - Matt. The boys are here from Cape Town SA and showing off their skills as card sharks.

Above - Mel, Liz and Paul are sailing around the Ionian again, and as usual, dropping in on Ithaki to say hello to the friends they have made over the many years.

Saturday 16th - Hot Hot Hot. Ok, time for a little relief please. Tomorrow is the Exoghi Panighiri. A few years ago on Panighiri night, the temperature was around 35C at 11pm. Looks like we could have a repeat this year. Very hot wind blowing...Even Frikes is HOT.

Above Below and Right - Anoghi, around the local Cafe. If you call Niko a couple of days before, you can book a table and meal at the local Cafe, made just for you and your party. It's usually a simple fare, traditionally made in the Cafe kitchen. Fresh and local.

Monday 18th - Last night was the Exoghi Panighiri, the one so many of the locals have placed as their favourite. The Exoghi Community put on another great night, even though the numbers were down this year. Who knows, the profits could still be up depending on everyones thirst and hunger. After so many days of heatwave temperatures, drinking would have been a high priority. In the late afternoon, it seemed that the wind had cooled us all down a bit, and by the time people headed up to the mountain village of Exoghi, the heatwave had broken. Below - Polyfemos Restaurant in Stavros is looking just lovely at this time of year.

Above - Malcome is here from Melbourne Australia, visiting his friend, Lucky from Polis.

Tonight it's the Kioni Panighiri - Ag. Lia so there'll be pics from that tomorrow. Also coming up is the official presentation of the Ag. Sarantas church Frescos, painted by Bruno Mazalli. That's coming up on the 2nd of August. The church will open around 7pm I believe with a Liturgy. If you haven't had a peak at the interior of this little church since the frescos were painted, you'll be in for a great surprise.

Friday 15th - Yesterdays temp of 34C (taken from Meteo.gr, usually a good solid weather source) felt more like 38C. When the air did move, which was rarely, a hot south wind dried the breath and wrinkled the skin. Those lucky enough to be on holiday, move to the beach to cool down, those who are unlucky enough to be working, sweat it out and wait for night.

Above - Nick Varigos, the president of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society of Melbourne Australia is here this Summer for a big family reuinion. That's one way of injecting the failing economy with a little life.

Left - Lefki Main Street. By midday the tar was steaming. Above and Below Left - Snorkeling off the Frikes Pier. The best way to cool off.

Above - Afales Bay. The rugged landscape of the shoreline, makes this a favourite beach to many who live and visit Ithaki. Above - Left - Laki and Aggelos while away the time on a Saturday afternoon. A little joke between them takes their mind off the heat.

Sunday 17th - Tonight it's Ag. Marina Panighiri in Exoghi, but last night it was dinner at Yefuri for a few. Saturday always seems to be more quiet with it being 'changeover' day for the companies. The weekend is also known for less yachting traffic.

Above - It's amazing what people will wear down a Main street of a town when on holiday. Left - A red halo for Exoghi before the Panighiri last night. Below - New stone wall and paving for the far side of Frikes Bay.

Now that we are mid way through July, the traffic is beginning to encroach on our usually peaceful roads. It's road rage time for me. The speed at which some bikers and drivers are going, sometimes with seeminly no regard at all for even their own welfare, is nothing less than reckless. While we're getting fines for parking in areas which are not even marked as a NON parking areas, speeders get away with no consequences at all. Surely safety should be number one concern, especially at this time of the year. Please drive safely everyone because you're not always the one in control. Maybe if the police are inundated with complaints about the usual culprits, they may be forced to act before there's an accident that could well have been avoided. We have been LUCKY until now. I walk from Stavros to Frikes almost daily and it's not unusual for me to jump like goat onto the dry stone wall to avoid a DH. I am now stepping off my soap box. Enjoy the great weather today. The heatwave is over.

Tuesday 19th - Only 1 day to go before the Kioni Panighiri. Are you ready? For now we just have some more good weather with lots of time to enjoy at the beach or at a local taverna. Below - A Frikes alley. Below Left - Emma and Bernard with their boys are from Melbourne Australia. They've been enjoying their holiday in Ag. Sarantas going from beach to beach.

Left - Dominic and Lucy Judd are here from the UK with their 2 children, Freddie and Henrietta, and family friends. They are nicely settling into their Ithaki corner, a little paradise in Kioni.

Wednesday 20th - A very hot 39 C yesterday with a forecast temp of 40 today, will have all the air-con units working overtime. This morning it's very still and you can see the heat mist blurring up the horizon. Let's hope theirs a cooling breeze later today. Below - Spavento Cafe Bar in Kioni on their bayside seating. Left - It's nearly grape season again.

Left and Below - Fiorendino Bar in Frikes had it's usual summer party night. Last night the theme was Australian. Quite appropriate considering that there are so many Australians on Ithaca at present, especially in the north of the island. There was dancing on and off the bar, stage (bar) diving, a couple of tiffs between mates, alot (and I mean alot) of drinking, loose morals and tight pants, boys with their shirts off pounding their chests with Aussie pride and girls barely making it through the Aussie slur. Locals gathered around the edges, entertained by the brash Aussie manner and the Aussie accent that seemed to be more distinguishable after a few beers. All the usual things one expects from a wild Fiorendino party. Guess the 'accident report' will be circulating this morning, as will the 'brawl report'.

Below - For the special party night Fiorendino Bar got in a Dj. Music was actually quite good, except for 'Land Down Under' being played again and again ... and again ... and again.

Ag. Lia - Kioni Panighiri Wednesday 20th 2011

For more pics Click Here or on Photograph Left

Thursday 21st - After yesterdays 40C it was a great relief for cooler wind to pass over the island over night. Today has turned out very pleasant. A few blackish clouds in the morning made us wonder if it wasn't going to rain, but they soon cleared to leave a bright blue sky.