Tuesday, 28 February 2012

A windy day in Katapola, Amorgos - 28 February 2012

Today was very windy on Amorgos, with Force 8-9 winds.  The local boat, the Express Scopelitis, did not run. 

When the sun was shining this morning I went for a walk  - here are some of my photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52802925@N02/sets/72157629110250948/



Greece is Changing - Give Greece a Chance

http://www.greeceischanging.com/

www.facebook.com/Greeceischanging

What is “Greece is Changing”?

It is a one-off public service initiative funded by a group of leading Greek business people. Our aim is to ensure that the sacrifices made by every Greek under the toughest austerity package in modern history do not go in vain.

Monday, 27 February 2012

Naxos webcam

See the Naxos webcam

http://www.naxosisland.eu/portara.html

A grey and wet day today - but I can see the sea is calm in port from the comfort of my room!

But don't be deceived by the "panoramic Chora view" - that was last updated in April 2011 - hence the blue sky when all around me is greey!

Wintry weather in Greece - 27 February 2012

Athens News
WINTER WEATHER Much of mainland Greece saw continuous snowfall and very low temperatures yesterday, making mountainous roads impassable without snow chains. According to meteorologists, the cold front will intensify over next two days, with northerly winds reaching 5 Beaufort. Temperatures will fall in the northwestern parts of the country to as low as -20C, with sleet forecast again for much of the country. Milder weather is forecast from Wednesday.
There was hail in Naxos this morning, but the sea looks calm and the temperature is mild.   But the BBC weather forecast shows that 40 mph winds are forecast - force 8, enough for ferries to stop.

Advice to British travellers in Greece 'alarmist'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/9096661/Advice-to-British-travellers-in-Greece-alarmist.html

21 February 2011

William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, has been criticised for urging holidaymakers in Greece to register with the British consulate in case of civil unrest in the country.
 I hadn't read this article before arriving in Greece on 24 February.  Admittedly I am on a smallish island, but the only "bombs" I have seen have been a few flour bombs in a carnival procession.  

Sunday, 26 February 2012

Torchlit procession (Lampadiforia), Naxos Chora, 25 February 2012

Some of the photos I took last night.  Great fun as always!

I've also put a short video on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBwFceL2D_o




































Destruction of fishing boats on Paros

See the photos here
http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.3440316089419.2166886.1316067967&type=3 (Oona Giesen)

and comments on Paros and Naxos Life's Facebook page here http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.3440316089419.2166886.1316067967&type=3

It seems that the boats are being destroyed to get an EU subsidy, but the traditional old boats that are bing destroyed are not being used for the over-fishing that is the reason for the subsidy.  The much larger fishing boats are the one's that overfish.

Some of these old wooden fishing boats are works of art, and add so much to the atmosphere of many islands, not just Paros.  I wonder if these old boats are being destroyed elsewhere in Greece? :-(

Greek bailout agreed

Reading the news.  And wondering if the foreign monitors to be based in Athens will stop Greece getting into the same position again.

Eurozone ministers back 130bn-euro bailout for Greece (BBC News)

Q&A: Greek debt crisis

Eurozone reaches deal on second Greece bailout after all-night talks (The Guardian)

Eurogroup seals deal on second bailout (Athens News)

Saturday, 18 February 2012

You're in Greece, Greece leaves the euro. What happens..................

Read Simon Calder's article in today's Independent.

Making a drachma out of a crisis

Taking a wodge of cash is one way of coping when cash machines stop working, and banks are closed long-term.  But Greece, once so peaceful and law-abiding, is changing.  A conundrum.

Paravion Press, Sanotorini -Hand-making Books from a Cave in Greece

A novel idea from Paravion Books on Santorini.

Paravion Press was born in a bookshop on the cliffs of an island in the south of Greece. The shop swarms with people who love stories and who are far away from loved ones. And it occurred to us that by sending a story in the mail there might, as John Donne put it, be a moment to “mingle souls: for thus, friends absent speak.”
http://www.paravionpress.org/

Wednesday, 15 February 2012

And meanwhile in Italy - and Luxemburg ...........


Going back many years, before I had discovered Greece.  I was staying at a youth hostel in Luxemburg.  Over a meal of some sort of stew, I was chatting to some Belgian fellow hostellers (I was living in Belgium at the time).  I was explaining the English expression "as hungry as a horse".  Horsemeat was something that I would never (knowingly) eat.  My fellow diners looked bemused.  "But we are eating horse."

My appetite vanished like a lead weight.

Eurozone crisis: contingency plans in place for Greek debt default

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/feb/15/eurozone-crisis-contingency-plans-greek-default

Central banks across Europe have a collective nightmare. It is of the day Greece defaults on its debts, and the Aegean Sea is awash with small boats in which fleeing Greeks huddle with suitcases full of euros.

Greece turmoil fails to deter UK holidaymakers

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/feb/15/greece-turmoil-fails-deter-uk-holidaymakers

The number of people planning to visit Greece has slightly increased from 8%-9% over the past 12 months, research shows

I am thinking of a few years ago. It was February, or perhaps March, and I was about to fly to Greece.  There had been really bad storms, and much of Greece was flooded.  States of emergency had been declared.  I asked GNTO about visiting Greece; the reply was that everything would be normal when the tourist season started in May.  But it was February / March and my flight was the next day!  So some people may make travel arrangements before "small local difficulties" arise.

I am going to Greece soon, and my plan is to get away from the Athens area asap, and spend as little time there on the way back.

Britain Promises to keep her Pledge to help Greece



Britain Promises to keep her Pledge to help Greece

Sorry, a little tease ...................... :-) The article was written in 1940.

A few years ago I remember a regular evening routine.  I was on a small Greek island.  I didn't then have internet access in my room in Greece (I now take a small laptop, usb modem and Cosmote sim, and the internet is at my fingertips, faster than at home!).  Radio reception was not good, and I didn't watch TV.  So my only source of news was the newspapers that came off the evening ferry.  I was sitting in a bar by the harbour avidly scouring the newly arrived paper, either the Athens News or Ekathimerini, I forget which. I read about the general election results in England.  Odd, I thought, I had only been in Greece just over a week, and there was no general election planned when I left.  Then the lepta dropped - I was reading the "on this day umpty years ago" column!

Monday, 13 February 2012

Sites & Sounds: The Evangelismos Walk, Amorgos (video)

Sites & Sounds: The Evangelismos Walk, Amorgos (video)

Not one of my videos, but a video of one of my favourite walks.  The circular walk is not too strenuous, but the views are marvelous.  The walk starts (or ends!) in Xilokeratidi (across the bay from Katapola), you gradually wind up to a ridge, then there is a flat walk with marvelous views.  Spot a solitary tree, and that will help you find the path down.  Go through a white painted gateway to see the old church of Evangelistria (where there are ledges to sit and rest), then back on the main path to wind down to the Agios Giorgios Valsamitis Hotel in Xilokeratidi. 

Lampadiforia - Carnival procession with torches - Naxos 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwIu2r4R56M&feature=share

Watch last year's procession.  The procession usually takes place on the Saturday evening before Clean Monday.

Keep up-to-date - read the Athens News blog as events in Greece as they unfold

http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/53244

The 12 February - the link seems to change daily.  There has been a link to the latest link at the lower right of the front page.

The potential for Greek default and a return to the drachma

The potential for Greek default and a return to the drachma


Greece joined the euro in January 2002.  I was in Naxos on Carnival weekend that year, and saw the Carnival procession along the Paralia.  One of the floats was a "funeral" for the drachma.  How would the Greeks view a return to the drachma?

Wednesday, 1 February 2012

Greece - or England?? Cold, snow and gusty winds throughout the country

Head to Greece for a sunny winter break??  As well as snow, there are gale force winds and ferries are not running.  Roll on summer!
http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/1/52821

I've endured many English winters, but the only time I've seen snow chains in use on a car was in Chalki on Naxos.