On Friday 20th Ores Gallery is having an Carnival Costume Exhibition and then its party afterwards. That should be alot of fun.

Although the Stavros Childrens Carnival will not be held in the village Square this year, the Primary School Mothers Club has organized some games and events for this Saturday at the Ethousa (Community Hall) You'd be surprised the things you can find on the internet that aren't bad for you. So go along and join in the fun. The Carnival you have when you don't have a Carnival.

Thursday 26th - Took a little trip to Athens, and there, as on Ithaca, snow-capped mountains all around. There's an icy chill blowing and although the sun shines (sometimes) it's very cold.

Left & Below - This corner in Athens, around the Plaka area, has been politically going strong for many, many years. There's always a statement and quite a bit of humour associated with it.

Below - Patra, portside, has changed quite dramatically. High barbed wire fencing keeping out (?) transients (mostly male) who use Greece as the exit point to enter the rest of Europe. It's a disturbing situation and quite humbling. We are indeed very lucky to have been born into the circumstance we were born in, for those not so lucky, there is little happiness to be achieved when freezing nights bring no relief and the days are long and uneventful. These people, many of them just children, try to hitch a ride under a truck heading for Italy, but with big fines for the truck drivers on the Italy end, Greek port authorities have battoned down the hatches to make sure this doesn't happen anymore. Personally, I don't know what the solution is for these people, but it seems with intelligent minds the world over, some solution could be achieved to relieve the suffering they go through. They're not going to stop looking for a better life, no matter how hard we try to stop them. Apologies for the Soap.

The mountains behind Patra are absolutely covered in snow. When the wind blows, it blows the chill off these icy tops right down into the city. Still people go out and have their coffee, do their shopping and wear Spring clothes. The saying "Dress for comfort" was not first quoted by a Greek woman.

Saturday 28th - Above and Left - The blue sky views from Apostolata, Stavros. Sunny, mild and not too cold today for the last day of February and Winter. Once we get a taste of Spring, it makes us all feel a little better.

Tonight is the Forkis Carnival Party at the Mentor hotel. As usual there will be some spectacular costumes on parade and no doubt, the Theatre Co. will have gone all out on the decorations. I'll be there to take some pics.

Sunday is Carnival Day in Vathy. If the weather is like today, which the forecast predicts, then it should be a really wonderful day out. Last year it rained on our parade and it sort of fizzled, so we want it to be a good one this year.

My personal favourite on the Ithaki Calendar happens on Monday. Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday) when Ithaca heads up to Anoghi to picnic and fly kites. The past couple of years, this day was also rained out, but it doesn't matter, it's a great day up there anyway.