Thursday 14th - Above - Kioni had it's first ever avant garde, innovative and experimental street theatre with the children of the village. Three nights and last night, the finale. The local, the political and the environmental message came across loud and clear through the humor of the participants. For more pics, CLICK HERE or on photo above.
August 2014 - Sunday 10th - So much going on this weekend, I can't possibly get to everything. The Farmers Market is on in Vathy Square. Get along to get some good local produce and gifts, and of course the 2nd Kioni Music Festival, which started last night.
For all the pics of the 2nd Kioni Music Festival, CLICK HERE or on photo left. Last night's performance was with Gadjo Dilo and Tassos Tsalapatis Quartet, tonight are the B-Sides and The Callas. If you head along, there is no entrance fee, but you can leave a donation at the bar of the venue.
Looks like Summer may finally have arrived on Ithaca. Up until now, the weather has been changeable with too much wind and very, very cool nights, so strange for this time of year. Let's hope the weather is stable now, so that we can all enjoy some warm, balmy nights amongst the summer activities.
Monday 11th - I stayed up way past my bedtime last night for Day 2 of the 2nd Kioni Music Festival. My personal favourite, The Callas, weren't the crowd fave because of their noise/rock/grunge sound, but for me it was music to my ears, so I stayed until the last stage dive and the bar closed.
For the lodown and photos of Day 2 at the Kioni Music Festival, CLICK HERE or on photograph Left.
Incase anyone has forgotten, tonight is the Panighiri (Festival) in Anoghi. It's always a wonderful night with lots of live music and dancing under the church tower. With a very warm day today, it should be just right up in the mountain village tonight, but still take a little jacket, you never know.
Tomorrow is of the course the finale of Panighiri season, with the Platrithia festival at Limnes. It's not the last however, there is one more at Kathara Monastry in September. It's a festival that has taken off again over the past couple of years.
Friday 15th - Last night was the Anoghiri Panighiri. Another successful summer festival with both north and southern island coming up to the mountain village to celebrate.
For more pics CLICK HERE or on photo Left.
Tonight, it's everyone to Platrithia, where the big summer festivals reach their finale. See you there.
Sunday 16th - We've reached the half way mark of August and although everyone assumes this is the time things begin to wind down again, the past couple of years have proven to be the opposite, with more people coming in September and October. Let's see what this year holds for Ithaki.
Last night was the Platrithia Panighiri for Panaghias. It's always a big and special night and this year's festival was no exception.
For more pics CLICK HERE or on photograph Left.
While in the low lands of Ithaki the temperature hovered around 30C, up in the highlands of Kathara, it was a very comfortable 24C with a refreshing breeze to boot.
Left - Kathara Monastry is a popular place for bus tours to stop. The monastery has been getting a facelift over the past couple of years.
The Kathara Monastery has a wonderful old church with stunning stain glass windows and alot of gold trim to rival the vatican, well maybe not, but it is laden with shiney things.
Below - The old Stavros medical surgery is now a gallery of sorts and the new public surgery has moved down the road a little with designated operating hours, but now you can also see a doctor privately at any time, with a new doctor's office which has recently opened up just behind the old surgery (see the arrow on the sign below) Dr. Anastasia Skarmea is available for all your little or big emergencies to help either medically or with some advice. You can contact her at the surgery here:
+30 26740 31188
or on her mobile here:
+30 69744 24133
These are a couple of numbers to note down folks, you never know when you may need a little medical help, and as the public surgery is not open every day, this alternative could be timely when you're in need. You can also contact the doctor through the Stavros pharmacy.
Since the kiosk has opened up in Stavros, after many, many years absence, the northern center is getting some well deserved life back, but there's not just the kiosk that attracts attention. Stavros has some fine restaurants and taverna's, Ithaki Restaurant (fine dining), Polyfemos Restaurant (traditional fare with a touch of individuality) and Yianni's taverna (Home cooked favourites from the Greek kitchen) for example, and it's also the home of some of the best cafe bars on the island, Margarita Cafe, an icon in itself, and of course Sunset Cafe, which overlooks Polis Bay. Personally I get my spinach pie from Margarita and Rovanni from Sunset, but I'm sure if you switched it around, you wouldn't be disappointed. Stavros does pretty well for not being right on the sea-side. It's a place for locals and visitors to get into the real part of ithaca without the tourist rush.
Luckily for Ithaki, Summer did come just in time for August, although today it's beginning to cloud over again and a fresh wind blows.
As you can see from the updates on this page, it's been a pretty busy month, and things haven't come to a standstill yet. Still lots happening and going on around the island.
Tuesday 19th - It's probably the coolest August we've had in over 10 years, but it's only made it even more comfortable to be outside at this time of year. Lots of people still around, enjoying our mild summer weather.
Left - Just because the rubbish is in the backstreets, doesn't make it any better for anyone, especially not those people living around it. Rubbish collection, or lack thereof, is always a big issue on small islands. Where do we take it, how do we pay for it... With smaller Greek communities being sapped of all their already dwindled funds, rubbish collection becomes as stagnant as the rubbish piling up.
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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.
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.
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.