January 2014 - Wednesday 1st - Happy New Year everyone. I wish you all a healthy, happy and safe 2014.
Although there were parties around the island to celebrate the New Year, I stayed put. After having a rather nasty bug, I didn't want to spread that around the island instead of the good cheer.
A rainy night brought in 2014. Quite cosy, although a short power outage put the fear into us for a moment. The young went around the villages singing for the Calendar, a Greek tradition. Here on Ithaca the donations made go to the football clubs. In return for your donation you get a song and a calendar with a photo of the football teams.
Friday 3rd - Hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's celebrations. Thank you all for you wishes!!
Well, the sun is out again today. Very pleasant. Life goes on as usual. Not much to tell, so let's have a look around the edges of Stavros.
Monday 6th - Greece celebrated Epiphany today. Unfortunately it was cold, windy and rainy, but still, despite the weather not being conducive to a public celebration, there was still a great turn out around the various villages, where local boys dive into the cold waters to retrieve the cross.
Wednesday 8th - After one rainy day with Epiphany, the weather fined up again as we continue with an Indian summer feel. It's very, very pleasant, sunny and mild temperatures.
Left - View to Lefkada as the skies cleared for another blue-sky day.
Sunday 12th - The fine weather continues on our side of Greece, making it just fine for walking and getting out and about. While getting the big picture is just great, I also like walking down an ordinary street and looking for the details. Today we take a tiny peak at Mesa Lahos.
Left - Frikes Bay. At this time of the year Frikes is always a bit dark and dank, but when the light is right, even Frikes sparkles in winter.
Tuesday 14th - Can't believe we're already half way through January. A mostly fine day today with lots of warm and sunny patches. Quite mild for this time of year really.
Sheep are grazing on the lush fields around the island and locals are retreating to where it's comfy and warm. Not alot else happening around the place. I'm ok with that. Winter is a time we get to recharge our batteries.
Friday 17th - Another fine day around our side of the world. More sunshine than not.
Left - Vathy.
It's true, there are people on Ithaca over the winter, but most of them are staying in, heading to the mountains for walks or attending their jobs.
The Ithaki Theatre Group, Forkinas, is again, getting ready for another piece of theatre for us all to enjoy. The 2014 season will Nefeles, an ancient Greek comedy brought to the stage. The group is in early stages of rehearsal now.
Monday 20th - A strange cloud of dust or smog hanging over the Ionian today. The horizon was completely obscurred. As the day goes on it seems to be lifting somewhat, but it looked very strange to be smoggy at this time of the year.
On 2nd February, the Ithaki Dance Group will be putting on their first 2014 performance at the cultural center in Vathy. Time: 7.30pm. Entrance: 5 euro. It's a time to enjoy traditional Greek dance, not only from Ithaca, but from around Greece generally.
Wednesday 22nd - Rain and winds overnight, and today, a mix of blue and grey skies. Could be more rain later today, but for now, it's fine.
Left - You just can't go past a pretty boat in the harbour, especially when the sun shines directly on it.
Yefuri restaurant in Platrithia, opens up early this year with Saturdays starting from 25th January.
Tonight at Chez Manu in Vathy, there'll be an Australian chef, making original fish and chips. Oh yum! I do miss fish and chip nights.
Ithaca is gearing up for local elections for Mayor this year. There'll be alot of faces putting on their best over the next weeks. Hopefully, party lines will be put aside, and Ithacans will choose someone who will take us through these trying times. There are many issues, firstly and foremost, healthcare, secondly the ferry situation, education, Piso Aetos dock, and many many more. We need someone that can take on the pile of S Ithaca has been left with through this economic whirlwind of a crisis.
Sunday 26th - Nearly the end of January and I must say, so far, we've had a very mild winter. I don't believe the temps have dropped below 10 degrees during the day. The last couple of days, some storms have passed through, one cutting out telephone lines and internet for a day in the north of the island. Luckily the OTE tech, who was in Cephalonia, was able to organize someone to fix it. Can't be without internet!! :)
Left & Below - A couple of photos taken by Alexandros Taflambas from Vathy. Walking is 'in' this year, for almost everyone, and why not? The weather is perfect for it.
Monday 27th - Yesterday, just after midday, an earthquake near Argostoli and Lixouri in Cephalonia, rocked our foundations here on Ithaca. It was felt around much of western Greece. 5.8 on the richter scale. No great damage or injury here on Ithaca, but there was some damage in Cephalonia. Earthquakes are always unsettling, but when you live in an earthquake zone, it is something to be expected. It is better to have them now and again, rather than pressure building up over long periods and then devasting areas. There have of course been many aftershocks. This is also a good thing I believe, as it tells us the earthquake yesterday was the main one and we don't expect a bigger still. The older buildings on the island may have a new crack or two, but no one has reported anything major to my knowledge.
Tuesday 28th - Another upside down day today with the electricity being cut in the north for hours after midday. It luckily came back on just before we all froze. There are still many aftershocks in the wake of the earthquake, which has now been confirmed to have been 6.1 on the richter scale. Some areas of Kefalonia are doing it hard with ferries brought in to house the homeless and those whose houses have been dangerously damaged. Luckily on Ithaca everything is pretty normal, although everytime the earth begins to rumble we wonder...
Friday 31st - It's been mostly grey skies over this past week, but there have been some patches of blue sky and sunshine. Walking continues to be the biggest past time this winter. A winter where we've experienced exceptionally mild temps. Earthquakes continue in our area, some very close. The rumbling just doesn't seem to stop. Last count I read was around 332 quakes since Sunday, although there were more through the night and this morning.
Photos, courtesy of Alexandros Taflambas from a walk with his friends to Ag. Andreas church in the south of Ithaca.
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