Frikes Bay side still has its tents up. The Council meeting has now been postponed until Wednesday for the local business owners to make their case. The delay has given them the opportunity to be even more prepared. This meeting is not for permission to keep the tents, but only to be given the opportunity to make an application for the tents.

Above - During the season, tickets for illegal parking were almost a daily occurrence, now, seems you can get away with parking on the yellow line again. Left - Yefuri had its end of season party last night (pics from the Disco Inferno to come), but meanwhile it's main wall has had the pleasure of a Tina Geoghegan photograph adorning it. Just beautiful.

Sunday 2nd - Left - Yefuri Restaurant in Platrithia put on a 70s party to really get your ya ya's out to. It was alot of fun. Check out the pics.

Yefuri End of Season Party

Disco Inferno

Click Here or on photo left for more

Don't forget that there is no power today from 7am to 2pm. Go out and have some fun!! Nothing else to do.

Monday 3rd - Below and Below Left - Yesterday in Frikes, the anniversary of the capture of a German submarine in 1944 was remembered by a few Ithacan locals.

Above - First signs of the greener season. Left - Calypso Restaurant in Kioni has closed its doors for the Season. Below - Brunch at Yefuri is still a Sunday favourite for many in the north. Yefuri is now only open on weekends and probably only until the end of October.

Yesterday a ten minute storm passed over Ithaki. A little thunder and sudden downpour and it was all over. The front came in from the Mainland, but it had no teeth this time.

Wednesday 5th - Forecast is for cooler weather today, some cloud and possible rain later in the week. Left and Below Left - - Water views in Vathy bay. Below - Frikes can look quite empty at times, especially on the weekends and late in the week. Midweek there is still some Flotilla action going on.

Left - Elaine and Martyn are here from the UK. There main holiday has been spent in Cephalonia, but they were happy to hop over to Ithaki for 3 days to catch up with some friends. I had the pleasure of a special 'hands on' (or hands off as the case may be). Martyn is a Reiki Practitioner, who gave me a little soothing and a photo to include on the site.

Ithaca no longer has a service center for OTE (Greece main telephony provider) in Vathy. The technical staff (probably one) is still available, but no more service desk.

Thursday 6th - There is always a little sadness when the season ends. Saying goodbye to loved ones and friends, here only for the summer, leaves a hole to fill. Left & Below - Lucky and Maria from Polis Beach left yesterday to head back to Australia via the UK and then Bangkok. They've been living the dream on a 5 - 6 monthly basis for many years.

Above - An Exoghi path. Left - Will and Holly were here for a short 3 days from Toronto in Canada. Will has his family roots on Ithaca, but also in Athens, where they like to spend much of their time when in Greece. I met Will and Holly for the first time back in 1983. They were responsible for showing me the side of Athens I have learned to love over the years.

A small, but important victory for Frikes last night when a case was made at the Ithaca Council meeting for the Frikes Pergolas to remain (for now), due to a legality. It appears that Frikes seaside was never legally handed over to the Federal Government and thus remains under the jurisdiction of the Ithaca Council. This means that the pergolas do not come under the same regulations that make pergolas on the seaside illegal. First thing is that the businesses can't be fined as the Council had given permission for them. Frikes businesses will now have to take their case to an Architectural board who will determine if the pergolas fall within their guidelines. There is still a beaurocratic road ahead, but the first battle is won. Representative and spokesperson for the Frikes Business community, Poppy Pagoulatou from Rementzo Restaurant, presented her case with an engineer of whom she had asked all the right questions in order for this oversight to have come to light. Guess there will still be a shady spot to sit in Frikes for a little while yet. It should be noted that due to the seaside being under the jurisdiction of the Ithaca Council, the Council could decide that it will no longer allow them at any time it wishes to do so. This is however not seen as a feasible possibility, as it would injure the businesses of the town. There was a big sigh of relief in Frikes last night knowing that the big fines that were promised, would now not be inevitable.

Friday 7th - The forecast had rain on our horizon, but yesterday, nothing eventuated. Let's see how the weather pans out today. For now it's fine. Left - Agalaio region of Kioni. Below - Frikes windmill.

Left and Above Left - Lefki has an amazing late afternoon light, golden and warm. It's sunsets aren't too bad either.

Saturday 8th - Yesterday storms rumbled distantly all around, but the skies over Ithaki were mostly unaffected. No dramatic storms for us, just a few large drops of rain that evaporated almost before they hit the ground. Left - Forkys Bay at Dexa. With occasional dark skies and the sun shining through, the colour over Ithaki was magnificent.

Above - There are still a few October holidayers around in Vathy, but also in the north. People who enjoy walking, painting, writing, find Ithaca very inspirational at this time of year. No big crowds, changing skies, time to visit with the locals who are preparing for the winter. Left - The last weeks of Yefuri restaurant in Platrithia before the owners head back to the UK, but the promise is that there may be one more party there before the doors close. The space at Yefuri (and atmosphere) is just perfect for a 'Let's let our hair down' party one more time before we settle into the winter lull.

I've noticed this year that there haven't been many locals picking olives yet. The olives are still a bit green on the tree. Also heard a rumour (will check on this today if I can) that the oil press in Frikes (and maybe in Vathy) may not be running due to the laws that dictate how to get rid of the pip waste. If this is true, then locals will need to go to Cephalonia to get their olives pressed. It would also beg the question, is it then illegal to let your olives fall to the ground where eventually only the pip would remain? I'm hoping that this is just someone making a bizarre joke.

Looks like there's no avoiding the rain today. Just now (11.11am) started to fall.