August 2013 - Saturday 10th - A very hot day today with an increasingly overcast sky as the day went on, threatening something a little less than what we expect for a summer day.
Tonight it's the Farmers Market in Vathy which goes through the weekend, and also live music in Frikes. A busy night.
Sunday 11th - Another big weekend for Ithaki. The Farmers Market in Vathy last night started off a little windy, but the wind thankfully died down for an enjoyable night.
Below - Then onto a delicious dinner at Libretto Trattoria. What a wonderful atmosphere Libretto has managed to express. The service is excellent and so is the food. Very impressed.
After dinner it was back up to Frikes, where everyone was treated to some live music from Mnistires and Lolek. I'm saving my Lolek experience for Kioni tonight as the community had been advertising their music festival for weeks.
Cars were parked almost up to Lahos and down to Krouvoulia 1 as people gathered along the bayside for a little more music and some dancing. I expected it to be a little rowdier, but a well behaved crowd listened and enjoyed.
Below - A second festival for Frikes.
Above - Two day Kioni Music Festival starts tonight at the old school in Kioni. Starts 10pm. Get along and support the community with this great initiative to bring a little culture and spice to this bayside town.
I think we're all going to need a holiday after this holiday season. So much to do, so little time.
Left - Mylos Creperie on the bayside in Vathy. Popular place for drinks, snacks and some great music selected by the owner Nikos Karantzis.
ithacagreece.com has made a handful (limited edition) of 6 x 6 inch calendars, only available at Julia's Gift Shop in Frikes (opposite Piperato restaurant). Lots of photos of Ithaca from the ithacagreece.com lens.
Monday 12th - Last night's first ever Kioni Music Festival started off with a big bang, and by the looks of it, will be a great success. Lolek and Panos Birbas, backed by accordian player Kostas Polis, had the audience enthralled with it's dark, melancholy of both orginal songs in English and in Greek, with some notable covers thrown in like Johnny Cash's 'Falson Prison' and Depeche Mode's 'Personal Jesus' (one of my all time favourite songs).
Both Lolek and Panos Birbas have a baritone, grungy croon, a little right of Nick Cave and a little left of Leonard Cohen. It was a nice surprise for many of the locals who had gathered without knowing much of what may be expected from this concert.
The Music Festival location was the basket ball court behind the old school in Kioni and was large enough to accommodate the audience and intimate enough for the accoustic set played by both Lolek and Birbas, who took turns in showcasing their songs.
I must also make a note that Kostas Polis on accordian, took the instrument to a completely different level to that we assume about this instrument. Very creative playing on what is thought to be quite an old fashioned instrument. Contemporary, and albeit it quite a dark couple of hours, it was a very entertaining night of music.
Congratulations to the organizers of the Kioni community for putting on such a shift from the usual entertainment that one has learned to expect during the summer festive season. Although clearly the entertainment was directed at those who are a little familiar with underground music, those completely unfamiliar, had an equally entertaining evening.
Wednesday 14th - Tonight is another summer festival in Anoghi. This panighiri is another of the local favourites. The mountain village of Anoghi is a little out of the way, away from tavernas and bars, so it has a very community feel about it.
Very hot days this August, but the nights have had enough of a breeze to make sleeping comfortable. Now we've reached mid August, the season begins (supposedly) to wind down, but we'll see how the rest of August pans out first. Sometimes, it can get even busier.
So many people around everywhere now. After everyone assuming it would be a really quiet summer season, it's ended up being even busier than last year.
Last night, local singer, Athina Arseni and her band gave a performance in the Stavros village square to an intimate, but attentative crowd.
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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
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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
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mobile/cell phone. Covering many
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