Below - View to Aetos and beyond to Cephalonia from Kathara | Above - Vathy Bay from Kathara
Below - View from the road to Anoghi from Stavros
Below - Stavros harvest fires burning
Below - Island nomads setting up camp at Frikes Bay.
Below - Frikes Fishing Boat
Below - Back of Frikes toward Stavros
Below - View across islands to the Mainland
Below - Anoghi goat
Below - Coming into Stavros
Below - Stavros
Below - Leaving Stavros
Below - View to Cephalonia from Hani
Below - view across tha bay to Kioni
Below - View from Cemetery Beach in Kioni
Below - Vathy
Below - Vathy Bay
Below - Vathy Bay
Below - Aetos
Below - Aetos
Below - Hani
Below - Frikes
November Friday 9th - As yesterday, today, another blue sky day. Although the temperatures have dropped quite significantly, there is still warmth to be found under the sun. Days like this mean clear views right into the interior of Greece and all the islands inbetween Ithaki and the Western country.
Happy Name Day to all the Nektarios' who celebrated today. Hope you all had a great day!!
Saturday 10th - Another brilliant day. Everyone expects the skies to be bluer in summer, but they are actually much more vibrant and blue on a crisp autumn or winter's day.
It seems we have finally secured a reasonably stable timetable for both the Ionian Pelagos and the Andreas Kalvos (Ithaki - Patra). It would be great to have another service through the day to Patras, but 1 is better than none so some say. I say 2 is better than 1. For details go to the menu at top of the page and click on How To Get There.
The one thing that can be said about Lefki is that whether it's summer or winter, nothing changes. This mountain side village with it's white-washed walls is so well kept by it's community. No rubbish dumped, the roadsides are always clean. People in this village seem to have great pride in the appearance of their town.
Stavros, the northern hub of Ithaki, doesn't feel like it's a mountain village, but when you come in from the south, you realize that the village is perched on hills with a great view to Polis Bay beneath.
Tomorrow a demonstration against the measures which is dismantling public offices on Ithaca, amongst other issues, will be held in Vathy Square at 11am. The organizers are raising concern for the future of Ithaca and other islands, which are having their resources relocated or shut down.
One great concern is that there are certain high school subjects that have not been running in the Vathy High School due to no teachers for these subjects. The students studying them, have not had a single lesson in 3 months. Education is not a priveledge, it's a right, and thus teenagers here on Ithaca should not be disadvantaged. Whether you are a born Ithacan or one who has chosen Ithaca as his/her home, the organizers urge you to get concerned and make your voice heard. Personally, I am not aligned with any political party, as I've stated before, I can pay tax, but I'm not permitted to vote, I am however, concerned that with services and offices shutting down on Ithaca, we will be disadvantaged in many ways by living on an island. When we have to go elsewhere for small concerns, it is not only expensive for us, but time consuming. when you think Cephalonia is not only a short ferry ride away, but it's also a long wait for the ferry to return. A whole day or even 2 can be taken up by what would normally mean a couple of hours.
Monday 12 - A pretty grey and lack-lustre day today weather-wise, luckily I just happened to have a couple of photos from yesterday to share with you. Yesterday, as you can see, the skies were a brilliant blue as were our Ionian waters.
Meeting in Stavros tonight for the community to voice their opinions and share possible solutions to the degredation of the island's facilities and offices. To keep Ithaki viable, we need to make sure we have what it takes TO make it viable. I'm sick so I won't be there, but hope you'll turn up to at least show you have an opinion.
Thursday 15th - Sorry folks been a little ill lately so here are a couple of pics Demetri took to fill in the gap.
Due to unexpected circumstances, Yefuri Restaurant in Platrithia had to close its doors early this year. They were expected to stay open for a little while longer yet. Yefuri will be open for business again next Easter.
On Friday November 23rd, the Platrithia Omilo is putting on a celebration for 'Bourbourelia' at the Stavros Community Hall. There'll be 'live' music and food, all for 3 euro. Head along for an enjoyable night.
Rien Post, grill man at Rementzo Restaurant in Frikes has a new Insula site, this time on Twitter. He was blogging and photo-blogging long before blog was a word, he also ran a very successful webcam in Lefki and then in Stavros. To get tweeted see link here: https://twitter.com/Ithaca_Insula
Sunday 18th - The fine and mild weather continues through November. The leaves haven't even left the trees yet. Insects and flowers think it's Spring and we're not complaining either.
On Tuesday 20th November, there is a demonstration against measures to close down public offices on Ithaca and the new austerity measure that seem to be impacting smaller communities with a view to centralize the population, making it difficult, if not impossible, in some cases, to live on an island as we do. The demostration will be a peaceful show of community at the Vathy Square at 11am.
Tuesday 20th - A general strike was called for Ithaca today to voice opinions and concern for the degradation of Ithaca and it's viability for the future. Click Here or on photo left for more.
It absolutely bucketed down all through the night. Periods of intense wind too. It was still raining all morning, and although the skies didn't clear, the rain did hold off for a period of time. The General Strike was relocated to the Vathy Cinema to keep attendies dry, but it did mean a bit of a squeeze. The hallways and corridors were jam packed with the turn-out for this strike. Many businesses closed their doors to show unity, but many more, didn't. There was a great show for the General strike meeting, but for a subject that should concern us all, Ithacan or foreigners living and working on the island, the physical show of support wasn't as great as was hoped. Personally I would like to eradicate apathy from the psyche of all those who think it's a perfectly good way to live. For everyone sitting on their hands, there's someone getting their hands dirty to get things done that can't be done by sitting on your hands.
Wednesday 21st - Mostly sunny day today, but last night in the south of the island, it hailed stones the size of large marbles. In the north of the island, thunder and lightning, but not much else.
With olive harvest in full gear, there's lots of burning off. It's a time you need to keep an eye out when to shut the windows, otherwise you'll be ecompassed in the thick smoke eminating from the olive branches as they smoke up the atmosphere.
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Send an e-Thiaki Postcard
A Collection of ithacagreece.com photographs
made into virtual postcards for you to send
to your friends and loved ones.
Nothing can replace a real postcard
but this is a good second place when you
want the card to arrive before you do.
ithacagreece.com Mobile/Cellphone App
ithacagreece.com now has an app for your
mobile/cell phone. Covering many
platforms. To download through your
Mob/Cell Click on Icon Above.
Send an e-Thiaki Postcard
A Collection of ithacagreece.com photographs
made into virtual postcards for you to send
to your friends and loved ones.
Nothing can replace a real postcard
but this is a good second place when you
want the card to arrive before you do.
