|
To view previous months, please click on 'What's New on Ithaca' above right for menu options. |
|
|
|
|
Friday 3rd - No, I have not taken a trip to the moon. This is actually Mount Niritos, the arid and rocky hood over Ithaki. It's one of the tracks walked by guide, Ester van Zuylen, who kindly sent in these photos to share. This side of Ithaki is in vast contrast to the green hills and valleys below. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's the first Marida Festival I've missed in a long while, but luckily Ester van Zuylen got this pic to show all is okay at Polis bay. The fish were frying, despite the (almost) demise of the Cantina last month and the rain held off until the festival was over. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Monday 6th - Okay, below is not Ithaki, but without Athens (or any other overcrowded city around the world), Ithaki wouldn't be so special. It's important to get off the island a few times a year to regain perspective and to relearn how to move your finger in an upward manner at the annoyances of life. After 1 week absence, Ithaca has moved completely into Autumn. It's been a few years I think, since the seasons changed so forcefully from one to another. It's quite a nice change. It's predicted to be a cold winter, and seeing Summer stopped so abruptly, maybe a longer than usual winter too. As long as the electricity stays on, let it be cold and let it snow. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Right - After weeks of unpredictable weather with rain, high winds and storms, today showed itself to be what we expect at this time of year. A cool breeze, blue skies and a clear view down to Dexa Bay. |
|
|
Left - An Athens Tom sorting out playtime and dinner combined. They raise them tough in the city. This cat eventually leaped into the air and pulled a bird out of the sky. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stavros (Right) is again the sleepy northern village that is open for business all year round, regardless of the Tourist Season. With friendly locals ready for a chat at the Cafe bars along Main Street, it's a nice time of year for some good conversations over a coffee. Sotiros Church as always, is the beacon that leads the visitor in to the village. Just look at that blue sky today. Very nice. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Wednesday 8th - Left - Flotillas are still sailing into ports around the island until end of October, but otherwise the island is very quiet. There are of course some land bound visitors on the island, and when a couple of them walk the streets in the north for instance, they are immediately noticeable. Below Left - Kolieri is a village rarely visited by tourists coming to the island, but it's a village with some wonderful scenery and views to Afales Bay. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday 9th - Wow! What a day. Everyone here today feels like they live in paradise. The skies are blue, the sea is flat and pristine, and the faces on the locals are all with smiles. It's back to the birds, bees, church bells ringing (first in Stavros and then 5 minutes later in Platrithia) heralding midday, goats and sheep, and a silence void of motor engines and revved up scooters, usually so prominent in the height of Summer. |
|
|
|
|
Sunday 12th - No one has had any complaints about the weather this past week, but the forecast is predicting some bad weather again in the near future, so we better make the best of the sunshine. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Soon it will be time to harvest the olives which will mean wood fires burning in the groves and long days under the olive tree, combing the fruit from the branches. |
|
You can see the difference a month of rain (on and off) has made to the island. Everything is green again. In place of the Summer thistle is lawn. It's looking very pretty from one end to the other. Bees think it's Spring, and are feasting on every blossoming weed. Visitors here now get to enjoy some wonderful walks and views. Life on the bayside has decreased, but it's not finished with yet with yachts still sailing in. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
