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Above - Teddy from Bulgaria is selling his music cds on the streets of the Plaka and Monastiraki to make enough cash to take him to India. |
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Above - On the road between Nafpaktos and Delphi. Back on Ithaca, the Season has really changed now. The nights are much cooler and the days quite a bit fresher. The horizon is again visible with the heatmists cleared after the storms. Don't forget that the Marida (Sardine) Festival is on at Polis beach on October 1st. It's usually a great way to spend the day. Rumours have it that the fishing restrictions on Marida have made it impossible to serve fresh Marida, so an alternative has been organized. |
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2011 Summer is over...
bring on Autumn |
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September Saturday 24th - A bit of cloud building today, but it's still very warm and mild. Calm waters make it another ideal day to spend at the beach. Many businesses have already closed down, especially in Vathy. You can notice it especially by the lights that have dimmed around the bayside. Left - Platrithia view, taken from Pinnerakia above Exoghi. |
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Left - Kioni views from the hills toward the windmills. Above - Late night ferry docks in Vathy. |
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Sunday 25th - The season is changing. Although the days are still mild, there is the smell of autumn and the end of summer in the air. Above - Kioni at dusk. Above Left - Afales beach. Left - The olives aren't quite ready for picking yet, but by the end of October, mid November, locals will be out in their groves, picking these olives which are harvested for oil. |
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Frikes bayside restaurants and cafes, have so far not had the dreaded notice to pull down their tents. The business owners are hoping that their case will be successful at the next Council meeting, due around the 3rd of October. |
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Friday 30th - I was in Athens for a few days and was made profoundly aware that life is getting increasingly difficult for Greeks. Although the Athens tourist numbers were positive, it seemed like the places usually filled with tourists, were noticeably lacking the numbers, such as the Plaka and Monastiraki. Many shops have closed down and nearly every business owner was complaining and worrying about what the future would hold for them. The first 2 days of my stay were impeded by a Public Transport strike and then on the 3rd day, the taxis were out too. People stranded at the airport arrivals and those departing left stranded wherever they were coming from. The protests are against the government, but those impacted by them, are just ordinary people, locals and visitors. More strikes on the horizon next week. No wonder visitors to Greece are hesitant in taking the leap across the border. |
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Above - The changing of the guard at Syntagma Square, while demostrators began organizing themselves for another day out, visitors to Greece pose with the guards.. Left - Polic delineate their buffer zone while a demonstration of Unionists gather and build in Ermou street. Below Left - The ancient sites around the Plaka and the Acropolis were still bulging with bus tours and tour groups, but the cafes around the area were almost empty. Below - Delphi is an amazing site no matter what time of the year you decide to go, but Autumn and Spring are undoubtedly more comfortable than summer when it comes to climbing up the mountain to see the ruins. |
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