January

We wish everyone on Ithaki and all our Ithakian frends around the World a happy and healthy 2006!!Special thanks to Erica for all the news on the site, we live on it!

Sue and Mike Bennett - Kioni and London

Dear Erika and all those poor souls on Ithaki, As someone who has loved ones on Ithaki, needless to say i have been worried sick with the disasters on the island over the last week. My fiance is Kostas Skarmeas and he and his cousins have suffered with all of the others on island as a result of the combination of bad weather (not unexpected i may add) and the electric company imcompetance. His supermarket in Stavros currently has about 6 freezers and 2 fridges, full of produce. Due to the lack of assistance, they have had to pay for a generator - costing thousands for one that has the capacity for this amount of machinery. Luckily the produce has been saved, but for Kostas and his cousins, working 362 days a year, the money they had to spend on a generator takes a huge amount out of their ever declining profits. With huge prices to get supplies to the island anyway and now this, it is amazing that the people on the island can make any money whatsoever. It is high time that the people and the businesses on the island got a fair deal. I chose to live on Ithaki for the higher quality of life, thus taking a distinctly lower wage-but the benefits completely out weigh this, as those who have made the same decision will appreciate. I want my children to grow up in a safe environment where i don't have to worry about them walking around on their own. But with the way business is going and the potentially huge problems caused by lack of supplies and even electricity, not to mention health care assistance, i am afraid that the island will lose even more people for a more secure life elsewhere. Message from a distinctly warmer Crete.

Victoria McGuiness, Crete

Dear Ithacans, we are thinking of you in your desperate times and lend you our moral support during this electricity failure.

Pat and Denny, UK

I know we cant be much practical help from this distance but rest asured our thoughts are with you and you have our moral support.

kind regards Sue and Mike, UK

Hello there, I've found your page and its great to look at all the photos of ithica we've been coming to this little gem of a place for four years now and have booked for this year as well. we always stay at the Captains apartments in Kioni we love the walk down the old cobble street of an evening    a bit hard after a few glasses  of wine but we can highly recommend the captains apartments. Dion and his family are wonderful people.  It is highly recommended that you try the bar on the beach twenty minutes walk out of Kioni funny little school tables and chairs.  Great for a beer on the beach and a meal of a Wednesday and Saturday night great food and beautiful scenery.  Its nice to see familiar faces year after year it must mean something.  Hope Ruth and Brian see this from Devon and we will see you both in the summer.  If any of you out there decide to stay at captains don't forget top mention Yvonne & Les recommended captains but get in quick.  Don't go the Ithaka if you are expecting discos and night clubs its not that sort of place. Its beautiful, quiet, abd lovely people.  Hope it always stays this way.  If you Erica see Dion remember us to him.  Can't wait to see Kioni again only seven months to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LES & YVONNE FEW HOLLYWOOD NR BIRMINGHAM UK

I am devastated to hear all the news about the lack of electricity and on goings on ithaki. It is very unfortunate that you aren't able to enjoy the beauty of the snow and cold weather because of the lack of electricity. My thoughts are with everyone! I think it is disgusting as to how the 'authorities'have handled, or not handled, the situation on ithaki. Do these organisations, governments and councils forget that it is OUR islands that bring in millions of euros for Greece as a country and millions of people? Yet they fail to treat this situation as an emergency. Or even acknowledge that we are worth any effort at all!! Furthermore it angers me to see the 'authorities' take the easy way out of: shifting blame, and sitting back and adopting the Greek spinless attitude of 'what must we do?'. I hope that everything has sorted itself out, and that once you all have electricity again this matter is taken further and all are compensated. > From the civilised world 

Christina Haralambos

Remember me your friendly Kefalonia tour guide? I do not know if you know but some of your text is covering other parts of your text on your page! I checked it in Mozilla and IE! Ok here to give you some information from Kefalonia! I have quickly jumped into your site to find out how you guys are coping over there on Ithaca! Ok I can see you too have been "Kept in the Dark" the whole thing here has been a nightmare too! I have some photographs for my own site that I am building but I am happy for you to use them on Home Ithaca too It shows at least one of the Pylons very clearly screwed up like paper! The week has been hideous....even though you may have seen light on Kefalonia believe me this was not a total situation ......between 15% and 20% of Kefalonia had electricity.....and not continual!  Yet the press coverage said the island had 40% and would be back on by friday....not true! Personally I live close to the mountain range but even the coastal villages have not had electricity for 6 days....Nor water either! Nor have any emergency aid been sent in until the last two days to help the people in those mountain villages.....this is a ridiculous situation! There were certain cover ups lies etc. etc. ...but how can anyone prove this matter! It would seem that the .....only coverage of this has been on the Greek Channels and ....not outside....I wonder why? The effect on Tourism.....embarrassment maybe? The truth is since power went 6 days ago a few villages ....and I do mean a few...have had limited supply of power for just  a few hours. Several generators were installed.....a temporary measure we presume? Today power seems to have been finally resumed with no break and water is now running again! We are also to understand there are 25 mountain villages still in crisis with little access to them as the roads are frozen! Please Give my wishes to all on Ithaca.....Particularly my Friends!

Jackie Somewhere in Paradise

Just caught up with the Ithaki news, you really have been suffering.  It's 30plus humid and sub-tropical here.  We see the utilities in Greece are up to their normal standard.  Hope you have full power returned now and that you are nice and warm.  We know how much you suffer in the cold weather. We keep reading the sight weekly and love seeing familiar faces, keep up the good work.

Love, Linda & Derek

I would just like to let you know that you are not alone, we have all been watching the 'snow and power problems' as the story unfolded, whether it be on Antenna satellite TV, ERT TV or your ever fantastic web site (power permitting). It's been a major talking point all week, here in Newcastle. Its great to see our Ithacan community get together and boor it into DEH, why should DEH get away with this massive disaster that occurred in Ithaki. Actually, we saw the pylons coming down on the night it happened on ERT satellite TV. I, as an electrical engineer,  was shocked to see the amount of damage that had occurred on the Cephalonia power grid, it appeared that it would take months to re-build the grid. On the other hand, a couple of generators, feeding the undersea cable to Ithaki in Cephalonia would have had Ithaki 'up and running' within the time it took to transport the generators to site. From my electrical experience it appears the electrical reticulation throughout the islands including Cephalonia and Ithaki is very antique and 'out of date' in its original design. There should be TWO (a minimum of two) undersea power cables feeding every island from Zakinthos to Lefkatha. One cable circuit starting from the mainland Greece east of Lefkatha and running down to Ithaki,  Cephalonia, Zakinthios and Kyllini on the mainland peleponise and the other circiut, coming up from Kyllini to Zakinthos, Cephalonia Ithaki and Lefkatha and back to the mainland. Creating a fail safe loop, the same way power reticulation works in today's modern city's. I believe this was 'going to happen' when DEH uncovered a major problem with the undersea power cable crossing from Kyllini to Zakinthos. They found a 5 kilometer ravine drop, below the ocean floor. Instead of re-engineering the problem, DEH put it in the 'to hard basket'. This is not on,   Ithacans and Cephalonians should get together with the other island councils and demand DEH complete the new undersea power project. Every island should have a duel circuit of power supply, backed up by a generator,  to ensure a continuous, reliable  power supply to cope with winter and summer loads. I only wish i had the time to be there, in Ithaki, with your help, so we can take this further with DEH.  Oh ! and on the other hand, DEH could also run a fibre optic cable alongside their new undersea power cable to bring some broadband data to all the islands, after all this is the 21st centuary. Dont let them fool you, fibre optic cables are very cost efective these days.

O' elextrologos Spero Newcastle Australia

I don't think I can imagine what it's like. It must be a nightmare. I sincerely hope it doesn't take a month to sort out. Regards and keep warm.

Pat Fitzgerald S Africa

Hello and a belated Happy New Year to everyone in Ithaca and around the world.  I'm missing you all and the island, hope to see you all again in the summer.  Sadly i won't be there for the whole summer this year but will hopefully make it for the panighiri's.....Hope you are all ok after the power cut, was thinking of you all.Yeah i know, Erika, i still owe you an article......busy working at the moment but will put my creative hat on soon.....See you later

Paul Newton, UK

Dear Erica and all who know us in Kioni and beyond Like many others, we have followed your updates about the power crisis on Ithaki and Kefalonia. We sincerely hope that things have now substantially improved. Believe it or not, we had to live through similar conditions ourselves in the north of England last January. Heavy rain,  alarming floods and severe gales wiped out power and water supplies here in  Hexham, Northumberland. We were national news! However, unlike you, we were issued with masses of free bottled water ( yes, really!)  temporary portaloos ( quite comical), accurate daily updates as to when power would be returned and, more importantly, financial compensation for our hardship. As a result, our community felt that the electricity and water companies had responded promptly to our plight and behaved honourably. This does not appear to be the case on Ithaki. I think you are quite right to consider some sort of action. DEH should not be behaving in such a cavalier fashion. Go for it! Very best wishes

Trish and Mike ( Kioni house.........Shack no more.....) and UK

Thank you for your reports on your electricity blackouts. Heaven forbid if we had 5 or 6 days without power in our town of Dover. It just shows the nature of the island people in geting together and overcoming the situation. We all like freedom of speech but i fail to see how people can critize you for helping to get the situation in front of everybody and embarassing the fat pen pushers who make decisions in there sometimes plush offices p.s, sorry to hear of your probs with the internet ,but i have to smile as we have something called broadband (please dont hit me when we come out this year)!!!

Terry Whitehead, Dover UK

How sad it is to see dotted around our beautiful island dozens of old abandoned cars, cookers, cement mixers and other items that are without doubt not bio-degradable!!  Surely the authorities should be doing something to rectify this growing problem,the cars especially are taking up valuable parking spaces, which are at a premium especially in Vathy! If I were to park my car on a yellow line it is for sure the police would fine me, so why is it that folk are allowed to leave their old wrecks on the road side for years on end, and for the police to turn a blind eye to the fact that none of these vehicles are not taxed, have no wheels and even in some instances have olive trees growing out of their roofs!!! The council should also take responsibility for this problem and tow these unwanted objects away. As more people are owning cars this problem will only get worse, we should be adopting the attitude to appreciate our wonderful island and look after it with pride. I rest my case.... keep Ithaka clean and beautiful.

Yours Judith Levi Perahori Ithaca

Just love your web site and your island!  Can't wait to get back in July for our fourth visit and have just booked our holiday for 2006! ....Kioni.. AGAIN!  A big hi to everyone we know and see you all in the summer - ps Mike and Sue - hope the house is looking fab... best wishes

Sam and Nick are coming back xx

Hello World We have our electricity but now we have no ferry...!!.There has been a strike for the past 3 days, and will continue for another 2. I know this must be very inconvenient for many people however this wonderful island has to me, become even more magical. There is a feeling of being cut off from the rest of the world with all its troubles and strives, and in a strange way this is very comforting. The weather is beautiful, all the almond trees are in blossom and a certain peace prevails. It is hard to imagine now, sitting here, high in Perachori, with its breath taking views, how in only a few months time the whole nature of Ithaca will change as the outside world will come to us. It goes without saying that the summer months also bring their charm, but for today this is just perfect....I wish more people in the world could experience this feeling of tranquility. I do hope the strike made an impact on the powers that be and that normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. Even here in Ithaca we must get on with life!! But again I say, today is just perfect...........

Judith Levi,   Perachori

Good luck with your band Hard Candy in Athens. We wanted to come and see the performance, but got stuck with the ferry strike. Hurry back, we also need our fix of Ithaca, even living on Kefalonia is too far away. Hopefully music won't tempt you back to your old job. Don't think anyone else would give us so much of the island we love. Great work!!

Pano, Kefalonia

Just sat here in Manchester UK reading about your exploits in Athens. What great photos, and your descriptions of everything really bring the people and places to life.Thanks again for your efforts. Your account of the ferry strike made me sit back and remember not to moan next time I'm in a traffic jam here because however bad, I'm home the same day!!Well its pretty cold here -4c last night and snowing heavily first thing this morning but now that's gone and the sun is shining and the forecast for the weekend is cold , bright and sunny. We will be on Ithaca April 15th for two weeks at our beloved Levendis so hope very much to spot you out and about, along with some of the friends we have made during our visits.

Rob Harrison and Nita France, Manchester UK

Our first winter visit - a week (or so it started out) in Feb highly civilised trip via Athens and the "Kefalonia" was almost empty. A cold but sunny Ithaki is something to behold. The north of the island is not blessed with many places for the tourist to eat at this time of year but as always good food can be found. The big difference at this time of year - everyone has time to stop and talk. Our friends invited us to their homes for meals and coffee and the odd soccer match on TV !! plus watching Olympiakos win the Athens "derby"  in Spavento was amazing. Oh yes because of the infamous ferry strike we could not get off the island to fly home - aaaaah I hear you say that was tough!!. Our eventual departure "under the radar" by Kyeki was just perfect including the "in flight" movie played on the skippers laptop. The Ionian experience just gets better and better. Nick and Sam, yes the house is coming on very well, ask Erika to pass on our e-mail ddrss and we will get in touch. There are so many things top plan for July !! Very best wishes to all - at home and away.

Sue and Mike, UK

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