.October 2008 Page 1 2 3
 
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Monday 13th - Another fine and sunny day with a few visitors and locals swimming. Yes, it's October and there's still some splashing going on.
We may have an abundance of sunshine and blue sky right now, but there are tell tale signs of Autumn all around us. The most prominent signs are that the day ends more quickly, nights are cooler and that the villages are very quiet ... noticeably so. There's a peaceful calm that has most people walking around, smiling.
 
Wednesday 15th - Full moon last night
 
With 2008 Autumn resembling Spring, flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing and the birds are singing louder than in April and May. Local farmers are also preparing their olive groves for the harvest with burning off the scrub and crackle around the island. Thankfully the weather is warm (27C) and fine today, as the power went off this morning in Stavros due to repairs.
 
 
Thursday 16th - Lucky escape for this driver, but it is a reminder that although there is less traffic now then there was during the Summer Season, when driving, concentrate and drive carefully. The roads on Ithaca are mostly narrow with uneven and rough edges, and always winding. There are no speed limit signs on Ithaca and the police don't usually patrol in the off season
so it's up to us as individuals, to take responsibility and care on our roads. With road tolls in other areas of Greece being very, very high, we've been lucky here, but with more cars and faster cars (faster than donkey at least) this is one area Ithaca doesn't need to play catch-up with the rest of Greece. Left - The new building in Stavros has its first resident. Ex-Soris Creperie, now Sunset Creperie, has set up shop here. They opened their doors for the first time in the new location on 10th October.
Friday 17th - While in Kioni only half the restaurants are still open, nothing much has changed in Frikes, Stavros and Vathy, despite the fewer numbers of visitors now on the island. All the port villages, including Kioni, continue to have Flotilla visits which seem to hold off the inevitable winter until the last yacht sails away from our shores. Once even the fishing boats are dry-docked, we'll know it's over.
 
 
A strange light covered the island yesterday. Although the weather was fine, it did give an eerie feel to the place. Today too, low cloud hovers closely over the hills and drifts into the valleys, making the island feel a little damp to say the least. Unannounced power outs this week have killed some more valuables and mixed up their digital brains. Maybe it's time to return to pen and paper and send off a Mail Out.
 
 
Saturday 18th - A change in the weather yesterday saw a little rain and a little storm, but nothing too dramatic.
 
 
Above Left - Local Platrithia artist Kathy, seen here with her husband Phillipa, rarely tears herself away from the canvas for an afternoon, but yesterday she did just that to attend Northern Ithakis wedding of the year. Yes, Dini and Sofia from Stavros and Fiorendino Bar in Frikes, exchanged their vows yesterday and made their love for eachother official before the church, family and friends.
 
 
This wedding had a good dose of fun about it. Sofia, Dini and families all had smiles from ear to ear. Sotiros church in Stavros Square was bulging at the seams with a multitude of invited guests all trying to get a good position for the ceremony. Everyone being extremely happy throughout, and allthough the sky looked threatening, the rain held off right up until the last minute. Fireworks exploded over Stavros to herald the union and then it was off to Hani (Chani) Restaurant for the wedding reception with car horns echoeing loudly all the way there. Congratulations to the Fatouros families and to Dini and Sofia.
 
Monday 20th - The below car wreck has been an eye-sore in Exoghi for years, but no longer. The wreck was finally towed away, leaving space for a working car to park on the narrow road that leads out of Exoghi toward the edge of the world, high above Afales Bay.

It was a pretty grey and gloomy sort of day for most of today... quiet too. With the long weekend, many have escaped the paradise isle to see the world beyond. Not a bad idea. The world beyond, especially in the Greece region, can be pretty amazing. Could it be time for another road trip? Hmmm.

Saturday 25th - Great weather the past week, but despite the blue sky days, more and more people have left and continue to leave the island to return to their winter lives. The holiday company reps have packed up, collected their 2008 souvenirs and returned from where they came, and the part-time residents leave their Ithacan friends behind to make a winter living elsewhere. Ithaca returns to a tapered down state, where a small population of people experience the island with warts and all, far away from the Summer Season trimmings and hype and up close and personal to the pristine beauty this island has to offer... and ordinary life. Olympia from Symposium in Frikes is enjoying being a mum, Myrope is enjoying be an aunt. Poppy from Rementzo has left to prepare for the birth to her new baby, due in a couple of weeks, while Nektarios (new father to be) closes shop to join her next week. Rementzo has its last night this coming Sunday. Sunset Cafe Bar is already a big hit in the new building in Stavros and there's a rumour a new restaurant may open up there as well. More good news for next years holidayers is that there may finally be some quality accommodation in Kolieri - Homers View Villas. Kolieri is the north Ithacan village with a great view of Afales and a very friendly community.

 
 
ithacagreece.com has been on a whirlwind road trip through the Peleponnese over the past week, so check back soon for some photographs of the places and landscapes.
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