|
|
Monday 5th - What an Easter. It's been non-stop fun, food and drink. On Friday the ferry was full to capacity. No one has ever seen the ferry so packed. There was barely any breathing room. Every corner was taken up with a body and bag. |
|
Easter Monday was spent at the Levy's for a Bbq which I am able to share with you all. Click Here or on photo left for more pics. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday 6th - Last night Easter celebrations concluded with the annual fund raising dance for Northern Ithakis Football Club, Odysseas. This night was good training for burning the candles at both ends, getting ready for the summer, when there will be little time to sleep. An excellent turn-out assured the Club of a generous reserve of cash, although there is always need for more. Ithakis football teams rely on donations and the goodwill of fans to keep them on the field. |
|
Click Here or on photograph right for more pics of Dancing with Odysseas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
So what's happened to North Ithakis ADSL? That's the question on the lips of locals in the north with computers and internet connections and those who came to the island over the Easter period expecting to have the service in place. The answer is... 'So near and yet so far'. We know the lines are in place, we all tolerated the roads being dug up all over the north island (except Kioni) for ADSL service and were even excited every time we saw a new pile of rubble on the road. We heard that new equipment needed to be fitted in Vathy and that was the last we heard. Meanwhile there have been new roads made, paving around the capital and we in the north are still holding our breath for this elusive ADSL service which the south island has been happily using for a couple of years now. Those with wireless broadband like myself are not too badly off in the winter, but even now with Easter and so many more people using the service, we're lucky if we can get GPRS. In Summer 2am connections are usually the go. WE WANT ADSL WE WANT ADSL WE WANT ADSL... and we want it to work of course. Most people anxious to have ADSL in the north are small businesses that rely on the internet for their business. Northern villages should not be disadvantaged. Please whisper this into the right ears. Thank you. :) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Good news for Stavros locals and visitors alike is that Fatouros Taverna & Grill is open for business again after having closed over the the winter. It's a popular local haunt and a traditional icon of the village for many years now. Right - Forkis Bay at Dexa just outside of Vathy in Ithacas south. Below - More views of Afales in the north of Ithaca. |
|
|
| |
Wednesday 7th - Yesterday there was rain and wind, today the skies were blue again, although a cool wind still blew, and the sun was shining. Afales Bay (left) was so vibrantly blue (no filtering or photo-shopping here, just stunning bright colours of the sea) that you just couldn't go by without taking a photograph. |
| |
The island is now quiet again after the mass influx of visitors and ex-locals for the Easter weekend. The difference is very noticable. That's not to say there aren't any people here. Every day there are more and more tourists, independent travelers, spotted along the roadsides, either walking the trails or riding their bikes, also as the month progresses, more yachts begin to sail into our ports. |
| |
|
During this short lull, it's a good time for locals to enjoy their island after a long, wet winter. It's a great time to be here. Everything is in bloom and the weather is really fantastic most of the time. Rainy days should be almost behind us now. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friday 9th - Left - Kathara Monastery, high up on Ithaki. There you here the wind howl, the cats whine and the birds crow into the skies. It's good to know that when sacred places need some work, there's a spiritually aware supplier ready. See below. Hallelujia Tiles. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Above - Paving is still going on in Vathy. The backstreets are looking really great. It's also much easier to walk through them. No more pot holes. Right - The 'still' broken floating jetty in Frikes. Below Left - The road to where another road already leads. This Frikes road replaces a scenic walking path. Below Right - Wild flowers take over the village of Exoghi. |
|
|
|
|
| |
The days have been starting a little cool, but they soon warm up around midday when the sun and blue skies are open all across the Ionian. After the Easter rush things have quietened down a little, but there are still people here and there. The weather is too nice now to hide out. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Above - Afales Bay looking spectacular from Exoghis vantage point.
|
| |
Left - Today was the Feast of Panighi at Stelatata in the backwoods of Stavros. Before the glitz and electric bouzouki this was how the Festivals looked. No fuss celebrations. |
| |
Click Here or on photograph Left for more photographs of Stelatata Panighiri 2010 |
|
|
|
|
I have to say that Spring time on Ithaca Island is really wonderful. We're living in a picture perfect post card. The seas are aqua, the grass is very green and the skies are very blue. The fields of wild flowers at our feet are enchanting, and with almost everyone in a good mood these past days, being here right now just feels very magical. Life isn't always perfect here, but when you tit for tat, Ithaca wins hands down for me. |
|
|
|
|
|
