Above - View to Atokos from Exoghi | Below - Red Hot Chilly Peppers now in Stavros garden.
Below - View to Afales from Exoghi | Right - Lower Exoghi to Platrithia.
Below - Andreas Kalvos ferry interior
Below - View from Andreas Kalvos ferry when docking in Patras.
Below - Pilikata | Below Right - Ag. Sarantas
Below - Photo by Rien Post
December 2012 - Saturday 1st - More rain and storms ahead for the next week. Our first December week will be very, very wet and mostly grey by the look of the long term weather forecast. I see one sunny break amongst the rain early next Thursday before... you guessed it, more rain.
Make hay while the sun shines... well, tend your garden and harvest your olives. Thanks to Rien Post for sending me photo above and photo left.
Monday 3rd - Winter has finally reached the Ionian with chilly temps of 10 - 15 and quite a bit of wind and rain. It had to happen sometime. I'm on vacation in Australia and although it's supposedly summer here, the weather isn't much warmer in Melbourne at present. Before I left I took a few photos so I can keep uploading while away and I have also asked some friends to send me some pics and news from the island, to keep me and you updated on what's happening.
Hope everyone has eased comfortably into December.
Wednesday 5th - Ithaki continues to have it's share of the bad weather over our region. High winds, lots of rain and storms. Inbetween the bad weather, locals endeavour to finish picking their olives during this olive harvest time.
Friday 7th - Seven honor students from the Ionian district were honored recently in Patras by Eurobank, under the sponsorship program "Great Moment for Education". Among the students honoured was Ithaki's Mary Kallistrates Petratos. Congratulations Mary!
Sunday 9th - Ithaki has had it's share of rain and bad weather over the past week. High winds and a big chill that has some hoping for snow.
In the north of the island it appears there's an olive thief. Picked olives are disappearing from some owners stashes. Does this qualify as a crime wave on Ithaki? Probably not, but it is a little news from a very quiet Ithaki news front.
HAPPY NAME DAY TO ALL ANNA'S. We hope you have a wonderful day celebrating this wonderful name.
Tuesday 11th - Not much news to tell. Not much but cloudy skies and rain on the horizon, except for Thursday when the forecast is predicting a little sun for a great part of the day before returning to grey skies again.
Thursday 13th - It's a chilly time on Ithaki. Winter has fully set in. Through December the olive harvest season continues with fires burning around the island as people burn off old branches and leaves. Thank you to Rien Post for sending me a couple of photos to include on ithacagreece.com in my absence.
Tuesday 18th - Nikos Vlassopoulos was a much loved and gentle man who lived his entire life with dignity and honour. He valued his family and thus was much loved by all who knew him. Nikos was also my father in-law. He never ceased to inspire me with his good will and humanity, his dignity and his gentle ways. He was buried today in northern Ithaki after living a long and productive life. He was 94 years old. He will be missed by many, but also remembered in their hearts. Rest in peace dear Niko.
Thursday 20th - On Thursday 20 and Friday 21st , December at 7 pm 'The Red String Knit' shows the area of the Christmas tale "The showcase of Dreams" in Smara Manoudis music and Dimitri Tzavara. Wear comfortable clothes and you come and sit comfortably on the wooden floor and travel to magical places, full of fairy dust, dwarves and elves Admission is free.
Also on Thursday 20th at the Stavros town hall, the primary school Christmas play is on at 5:30 pm with food and drinks for all. AND
On Friday th 21st again at the Stavros town hall, Platreithias kindergarden school play at 6:30pm, with food and drinks.
Sunday 23rd - Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and holiday season. Health and happiness to you all with a bright and more positive 2013 ahead.
Tuesday 25th - Although Christmas in Greece was in the past an almost non-occasion, it has in the past 10 years grown in popularity to almost western mania proportions. I think Ithaki still has a long way to go before it reaches the over consumption that Christmas has reached here in Australia. Everyone shops as if it will be their last ever opportunity.So I hope you're all enjoying your abundances and have a great, safe and warm Christmas.
Thank you to Rien Post for sending on some photos of Ithaki in my absence. ithacagreece.com will be back to normal from around the 8th January when ferry timetables and weather permitting, I'll be making my way back to 'the rock'.
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Send an e-Thiaki Postcard
A Collection of ithacagreece.com photographs
made into virtual postcards for you to send
to your friends and loved ones.
Nothing can replace a real postcard
but this is a good second place when you
want the card to arrive before you do.
ithacagreece.com Mobile/Cellphone App
ithacagreece.com now has an app for your
mobile/cell phone. Covering many
platforms. To download through your
Mob/Cell Click on Icon Above.