Above and Right - A mysterious man went around the villages today, marking the roads and some poles with the above. Locals asked what this meant, but the mystery man wasn't very forthcoming. Any ideas anyone? I think it could be mapping code? Kioni road has the M14T, Frikes has M13T and my guess would be that Stavros, which has apparently also been marked, will be M12T. Why the secret though....Strange!

Above - Spyros and Artemis take a coffee break with some regular guests to the island. Helen and John Bysouth who have been coming to ithaki for many years and as most of Ithaca's regular visitors, have made many friends, both Ithacan and from around the world. So is the way of an Ithaki holiday.

Above - The Kanelata area of Vathy, taken from the road to Marathia on the other side of the valley. To get to Filiatro Beach, you drive through Kanelata. The narrow road is lined with traditional houses and structures, making the drive to the beach a scenic esperience. I believe that the Filiatro Beach Cantina is up and running, as is Polis Beach Cantina beneath Stavros and Cemetary Beach Cantina in Kioni. Gydaki Beach Cantina is as yet not operational, but should be happening soon.

Last night was Panighiri night in Frikes. It was the first of the Season and VERY successful. I don't think anyone missed out in regard to the businesses. Wherever you looked, a sea of people.

Frikes Panighiri
Saturday 30th June 2012

Bigger than Ben Hur... well almost. This year's
Frikes Panighiri was noted to be the best attended
since it was resurrected from the Panighiri ashes a few years ago. All the businesses did very well and the community would also have benefited from the cash injection of this festival. The main street of
Frikes was heaving and throbbing. There was eating, lots of eating, drinking, lots of drinking, even more drinking than eating I suspect, and there was dancing, not quite as much dancing as eating and drinking, but enough to heat the road surface. What would be better than dancing in the streets?
Not much. Click on photograph left or Click Here
for more photographs of the Frikes Panighiri.

Just a note: I forgot to compress the photos, so although they are reduced, are quite a large file size. Please be patient for their download. Also, thank you to everyone who smiled for the camera and allowed me to share their Panighir online. I really appreciate it! I know there are some I missed, but if you don't yell, I can't see you. I am blind as a bat folks (nearly). If you want to be included, I would be thrilled, so just call out. :)

Tuesday 3rd - Where did everyone go after the Frikes Panighiri? The past couple of days, it's been very quiet again. Did everyone knock themselves out after just one party? Who knows, but the only noisy thing going on these past couple of days were the gypsy trucks amplifying "Patates, Tomates" through their loud speakers. There was some dinner trade, but the afternoon was very quiet, especially up north.
Left - An (almost) full moon illuminates Polis Bay just outside of Stavros.
It's been a busy week for me, but I'm all caught up now, ready for some more photo days ahead (I hope).
Please continue to support the businesses around Ithaca. Times are difficult and they need all the help they can get. Most people running businesses, live off what they make in the summer, all year around, so if the Summer is slow, the rest of the year ends up being a financial struggle for many. Remember when the cafes were full from morning to night? Those days seem long gone now. It was one of the most notable changes in the Greek culture since Greece joined the EU. Let's hope the islands (not just the Aegean islands) get some stability back soon and a much needed injection of hope, in way of some financial incentives. The islands are the tourism back bone of Greece and deserve some special attention. (unless the plan is to get everyone back into the cities)

Wednesday 4th - Very hot days lately, yesterday luckily, there was a little refreshment in the breeze coming off the sea, but mostly it's just been so hot that you just want to either be at the beach or sleep under a shady tree.
Left - Kioni Bayside. Alot of boats in the harbour, but very few people on shore.

Left - Frikes Bay. There were a few yachts in, but not as many as Kioni or Vathy, but it was only early. Many yachts come in as the afternoon dims into evening. Below - Kioni.

Left - Laertes Fruit and Vegie market loads up its truck daily and makes its way around the northern villages, delivering supplies to the shops and restaurants or selling to locals around the villages who have difficulty getting to the northern center of Stavros where the business is located. It's the extra service we take for granted mostly, but when you think about it, it makes shopping very easy. Laertes doesn't just do it during summer, but all year around.
Below - Kioni. Avra restaurant is having another Australian night. Posters are on the boards, so if you want to join in, get along. I read the poster, but forgot to note down the date. I'll get it next time and let you know.

The Cultural Program from Fimios for July has been released. Check the events calendar regularly for all the things happening on the island during summer. Updated today with quite a few things, so take a look.

Thursday 5th - If it's raining where you are, or it's cold and grey, take a look through ithacagreece.com to cheer yourselves up. Nothing but blue skies here, and they're still free to sit under and look at :)
Left and Below - Aetos. Boats in the bay and a few people enjoying the refreshing aqua waters through another very hot day.

Left - The modern Ithacan man taking on home duties with his children. Contrary to popular opinion, the new generation Greek is as modern as the first world man. Nonta is a counsellor helping his community cope with the problems that befall us all at one time or another, but also a dedicated father. As I've said many, many times before, Ithaca is a family friendly island. Safe and child friendly. For a family on holiday, it's the perfect place to be.

Above - Looking down onto Vathy from the Mazarata area of Ithaki's Capital. Below - More mysterious markings made by a mysterious man with red paint. This time in Vathy around the Dendraki area. It must be some mapping code, don't you think?

Friday 6th - Beautiful days folks! Tourism may be down, but it doesn't change how Greece looks or feels. I heard today that Greece is still getting very bad press in some places around the world and I guess we'll have to put up with that, but when I hear of so many people cancelling their holidays due to the fear that's been instilled in them as to just how dangerous Greece is at present, it really makes me mad! My daughter lives almost in the heart of Athens, no one has ever assaulted her, she's never been caught up in any kind of danger. If anything, there are less people in the streets than there used to be. Certainly there are areas from which you want to stay away from, but those areas exist in every city in the world. Imagin no one going to New York. I'm not frightened to be in Greece. Everyone I know, isn't frightened to be in Greece, yet the media wants to convince you that it's a dangerous place. There are many dangerous things in the world folks, but coming to Greece is NOT one of them. If any of you know anyone in the media saying this BS about Greece, give them a kick in the shins for me please :)
Above Left - Forkis Bay. Left - Aetos Bay

Above and Left - When I have the time, I just love wondering around the back of and above Vathy. The town, although it's Ithaca's capital, still has such a wonderful traditional feel.

Left - Nektarios (Left) from Rementzo Restaurant in Frikes got a nice surprise this week when one of his childhood friends, Vangelis and his wife, Rebecca from SA drove up and surprised him. It's the little things that can make our day.

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