January 2013 - Tuesday 1st - Wishing you all a very Happy New Year. Patience, happiness, peace and all you need to get through another year.
Photo left was taken by Makis Raptis from Perahori, who caught the Vathy fireworks for New Years celebrations. More in the line of the worlds economic climate (and Ithaki's) than those put on in the rest of the world.
Thursday 3rd - It's been a stormy and wet winter so far on Ithaki. Wild weather with rare breaks of sunshine. In my absence it's been a little difficult to get any news from the island, pre christmas is usually quite uneventful anyway, but as always, the economic situation and the new and very harsh taxes are the primary concern of the locals.
Below are the current proposals for the Ithaki Budget 2013.
1. Organization and functioning of municipal services.
2. Cadastre
3. Spatial (215.000 euros)
4. Asphalt (560,000 euros). Includes: Road Marmaka 3 km. - Road St. John 1.8 km. - Road quotient of 600 meters. - Road Matzarou 1.5 km. - Road Merovoulou PERACHORA 1.7 km. - Road to Kaminia 2 km.
5. Palace of Odysseus (250,000 euros), includes configurations, fencing, grooming outside space and 20,000 for hosting archaeologists.
6. Paved central square (110,000 euros)
7. Buy desalination plant on the Cross (250,000 euros)
8. Nursing (725,000 euros)
9. Hall (20,000 euros)
Thanks again to Makis Raptis from Perahori for his photo contribution to ithacagreece.com in my absence. Makis has had his lens eye out on the island for many years and recently had an exhibition of his photographs in Patras.
I'll be flying out Wednesday 9th and heading back to Greece, so it won't be long before there will be many more regular updates again.
Saturday 12th - Arriving back on Ithaki was unfortunately a black and bumpy ferry ride. The big black swell of the Ionian rocked the Ionis ferry, which was doing it's first run yesterday. The Ionis will be doing the route until the 20th January. A sardine can that was reminiscent of the ferry I caught to Ithaki back in 1983. Much smaller than what we're used to, no escalator either. For those unable to tackle the steps, it was a bit of a shock.
The Ionis is small and old, but the reburbished lounge isn't too bad. The toilets are also a little old looking (and smelling).
Getting back to the island, I was immediately struck with how quiet it is. So many people have left, either for holidays or to look for good fortune elsewhere. Things will only get tougher from here on. Just because Greece isn't making headlines in the news anymore, doesn't mean that Greece has forgotten about it's problems. There are many and they continue to change the lives of all who make this country their home.
I'll have a bit of catching up to do over the next few days, but for now it's good to be back on the 'rock' we love.
Sunday 13th - Music seems to be the draw card this winter for some of the restaurants on ithaki. Chani has had great success with it's musical nights and now Paliocaravo in Vathy is having Rebetiko music nights on 14, 15 and 16th January. Get along. Should be fun.
Tuesday 15th - Mostly grey sky so far today and very chilly. Looks like it may clear in the afternoon, so we may just see some blue skies yet.
If you like sports, then you may be interested in the girls volleyball match at the Stadium in Vathy on Saturday. Sport is a good way to warm up this winter considering heating fuel prices. While I was in Patras, I was quite struck by the cloud and smell that covered the city. With more people firing up their open fire places, on a windless day, the whole city smells of an open fire.
Wednesday 16th - Several storms passed over the island since last night. Lightning and roaring thunder cut the power a few times, but luckily it cam straight back on again. Today was another mixed weather bag with occasional blue skies, black skies, rainy and stormy skies and just plain grey and non-descriptive skies.
A big black wall of bad weather is coming in from Lefkada way as I type. The power cut out and it's bound to go out again, so no more mucking around. Loading up now...
Saturday 19th - Stormy and raining all day yesterday. A power outage for 1.5 hours also encroached on the day somewhat. Wild storms continued to pass over Ithaki all through the day and night. One after another. High winds, lightning and further threats of sitting in the dark.
For the month of December 2012, I returned to Australia for a holiday to visit my family and friends. Unfortunately it was marred by illness, but I still managed to take a few pics to share with you all. I became an accidental tourist this last trip, staying in an area I knew little about. For more Click Here or on photograph Left.
Good news for Ithaca and Kefalonia is that a ferry route seems to have been approved that connects us with the town of Mesologhi on the mainland. Giving us another choice of ferry. It's reported that Aqua Maria Lines will take the route and it should be operational by June this year.
The Ionis Ferry has taken over the Andreas Kalvos route for the time being. Not sure why, but it's the Ionis until further notice. During bad weather nights, it also appears that Sami can't accommodate the ferry to dock there all night, so it's place is Vathy During these weather situations, it's probably best to check whether the ferry will leave from Piso Aetos or Vathy.
Sunday 20th - After wild storms ravaged Ithaki last night, the skies cleared to an almost sunny day. More bad weather coming after the weekend. Keep those shutters closed tight.
This morning Nikos Vlassopoulos (my father in-law) has his 40 day rememberence service in Platrithias at Taxiarchis church. It's hard to believe that 40 days have already passed since we received the news that Nikos, a very much loved local, had passed away at 94 years old.
Above - Must admit it was a bit of a surprise to see the travelling dvd guy walking around the empty streets of Stavros. Probably not a bad idea though. Not much on tele so a dvd or 2 would probably go down quite well on a winter's afternoon.
Left - Stavros toward Apostolata area.
Above - A little reminder of Christmas is still displayed outside of Sotiros Church in Stavros.
Above Left - View to Exoghi from Platrithia.
Left - Looking toward Lefkada and Mainland Greece.
Above - Hani olive grove.
Below - Frikes is almost like a ghost town, but if you look hard enough you'll see that Kiki's mini market is open every morning and evening and that Piperato Taverna also opens at night along with Fiorendino Bar. Panos Gift shop is also open for gifts and smokes.
Left - Hani is pretty much left to nature except for Chani Restaurant and Cafe, but that's quite a good thing. The views are always so peaceful and beautiful, houses here, could well ruin this lovely spot to contemplate our lives, hopes and dreams.
Although most have finished harvesting their olives, there's still alot of burning off going on around the island as people clear olive tree debri from their groves and land.
Below - Anoghi Cat. Quite a gorgeous slinky black cat passed before me. It can't possibly mean anything bad.
While I was in Australia, Gerry, a regular to Ithaki informed me that one of the local Frikes Cafe's has had it's name changed to Libro D'oro. I promised to take a pic for him so here it is. Unfortunately, the sun wasn't shining at this end of the street, but the cafe does look very cosy inside.
Above - Stones and shells from around the beaches of Ithaki.
Left - The Ithaki cat population know very well where there next meal is coming from.
Below Left - Looking over the Kefalonia Strait always has a surprise of colour.
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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.
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.