A "NO" day like no other !

It thrills me when something happens for the first time ever!!
It feels like witnessing an important turning point!!

And today,for the first time in more than 60 years,the customary army parade in Thessaloniki has been cancelled!!!

More than 20.000 people booed the President of Greece-who felt insulted and left!
One of the most uplifting sights in years:Anonymus citizens on the officials' seats cheering the marching troops :))

In other major cities-where the students and not the troops march-some parades took place but the youth refused to salute the representatives of the government and the state.
They either turned their faces away from them or raised their fists holding a black ribbon.




The only place the students parade took place normaly was in Syros,capital of Cyclades.The parade had been cancelled by the authorities,so... the people staged it themselves and had a wonderful time :)

In Florina city a coffin took part in the students parade!!!

P.S The "No" day is one of the two major national celebration days in Greece. On the 28th of October 1940 Greece answered "No" to an Italian ultimatum to open it's borders to the Axis's troops.
P.S2 A political storm has just hit Athens! This winter will be interesting !

P.S3 A ray of sunshine: One of my favorite songs by Stamatis Kraounakis "With New Wings". It was used in a WWII era tv movie a decade ago.I thank the person who uploaded it.
"The storm will pass,
spring will be here again 
dressed in blue and white
and I will rest in your arms again
under a palm tree 
near the waves"

Πρωινό στα Πρασσα/ Morning in Kimolos

The sun is rising just across our bedroom window! A wonderful morning and a delicious breakfast are on their way!!!
Bring it on!!

Δεύτερο καλοκαίρι στα Πράσσα της Κιμώλου,για δεύτερη φορά στα καταπληκτικά στούντιο της "Κιμώλιας γης" και ετοιμοι να εφορμήσουμε στον μπουφέ που ετοιμάζει με τα χεράκια της η κυρία Οδηγήτρια!

Our landlady, Odigitria, has the buffet ready:Eggs from the village hens,rice pudding made from the goats' fresh milk, a cake she just baked, marmalades and Kimolos's famous honey,Manury cheese made by her father,master George,fruits,yogurt and-the best of the best-"ladenia", a local pizza with onions and tomatoes!!!

Αυγά απο κότες αλανιάρες,μανούρι απο τα χεράκια του μπάρμπα Γιώργου,μαρμελάδες και κεηκ πού φτιάχνει η Οδηγήτρια,ρυζόγαλο,φρούτα,μέλι Κιμωλιάτικο και "λαδένια" η απίστευτη πίτσα του νησιού με κρεμμυδάκι και ντομάτες απο το διπλανό περιβόλι!!!

While we're having breakfast,Giorgos,the older kitten is taking a much needed nap...he gets tired just by breathing,poor thing :p so he sleeps like a log 24/7!
In contrast,his younger brother,Tony, is always on red alert just in case there is a cheeky mouse around! He may be only a few months old but he is already a seasoned mouse-hunter!!

We first met their mother,Kate,last summer. She appeared from the fields one day,took a look around and decided this was to be her home! The land lady wasn't too happy about it,so we were a bit apprehensive about the cats wellbeing. But,Kate managed to warm herself into Odigitria's heart and is now the acknowledged mistress of the "Kimolia gi" hotel :) 

  Η γατο-οικογένεια του ξενοδοχείου ξεκίνησε πέρσυ το καλοκαίρι,όταν μια γατούλα,η Καίτη εμφανίστηκε απο το πουθενά και αποφάσισε να εγκατασταθεί! Παρά τις αρχικές αντιρρήσεις της Οδηγήτριας,η μικρή οχι μόνο έμεινε,αλλά εφερε και τους δύο της γιούς,τον Γιώργο και τον Τόνυ.Ο Γιώργος,κουρασμένος εκ γεννετής δεν βγαίνει απο το αγαπημένο του καλάθι,ο μικρός,ο Τονυ ειναι ηδη φοβερός και τρομερός κυνηγός ποντικών!

Time to meet the other neighbors...Just a few steps away,the horses,mother and son graze on a field. We come prepared with treats :lots of carrots and apples and of course they love it!

Μια ξερολιθιά παραπάνω καινούργιοι γείτονες,τα άλογα του βοσκού,μανα και γιός! Τα απογεύματα τα φιλεύουμε καρότα και μήλα:)
 

Up the hill,on the road to the main settlement of Horio ,two of the island's most treasured workers! Donkeys,once a common sight everywhere in Greece,are now found only in small villages,where old men prefer to ride them to the fields instead of driving a car.
 

Γαϊδουράκια στο νησί άφθονα. Οι γεροντότεροι τα προτιμούν απο τα αυτοκίνητα! Αλλωστε οι περισσότεροι εχουν μια απίστευτη σχεση αγαπης-μισους με τον γαϊδαρο τους,σαν τον παππού πού ερχεται τα ξημερώματα να ποτίσει τα ζωντανα του και βρίζει απολαυστικά το ατίθασο υποζύγιο!


Just a stone fence away from our room our landlady's goats.
Lady Maria,her mother, comes every evening to milk them.
We know she is on her way when the goats start running towards the little stone hut...

"Come ,my darling,be a good girl and stay still!",
we can hear her coaxing the unruly ones :)
Η γιαγιά Μαρία-μητερα της σπιτονοικοκυράς μας,αρμέγει κάθε απογευματάκι τις κατσίκες της απέναντι απο το δωμάτιο μας. Και τους γλυκομιλάει για να καθίσουν φρόνιμες "ελα αγάπη μου,έλα κορίτσι μου,μην κάνει αταξίες". Το γάλα τους σερβίρεται στο πρωινό!

Noon is here.The NATURA reserve island of Polyaegos is simmering across the bay and it's about time to hit the road to the best beach of the island-and one of the finest in the Cyclades:
The White beach of Prassa!!!

Η μερα μεστώνει,ώρα να την κάνουμε για την ωραιότερη παραλία του νησιού,τα Πράσσα, παρεα με τα βιβλία μας. Στο οργανωμενο κομματι της κάτασπρης αμμου ο Παναγιώτης φτιάχνει-εκτός ολων των άλλων-τον καλύτερο εσπρέσο του νησιού.
Το στούντιο,δροσερό και απλόχωρο θα μας περιμένει να επιστρέψουμε!!!
Δεν υπάρχει τελειότερο σκηνικό για να "αδειάσουν" τα μυαλά και να γεμισουν οι μπαταρίες :)

 

The room will be cleaned and ready for an afternoon nap when we get back...*sigh* I wonder why do I absolutely love it here!!!!

PS Prassa beach will have to wait for the next post:)

 

Sailing to Kimolos/Τσιτσο,το λιμανι φευγει!!

After spending the hot summer months in Athens,we finally embarked on our vacations journey to Kimolos!!!

What a joy to leave the harbor of Piraeus and all the bustle and hustle of traffic and city noise behind us!!

In recent years the journey to the Cyclades is done with new type fast ferries,all luxury,air conditioning etc BUT there isn't a place to sit and enjoy the sea crossing on deck.In fact there is no deck.It feels like traveling on a large airplane to be honest.
So,old,open deck ferry for us and our beloved scooter!!
I can lean against the rail -with an occasional cigarette on my hand (shame on me)-and gaze for hours at the foaming trail of the ship's propellers :)

Can't help remembering a little first-grade poem about the Greek flag:
"My country's flag is blue like the sea
and white like the foam!"

Very few passengers on board,mostly couples -old and young-and of course four legged darlings having a wonderful time. Since the ship is far from full,pets-mostly dogs-can spend the trip outside the special cages. I hate the sight of dogs on deck inside the cages-mandatory when the ship is crowded -and I hate ships where the cages are leaning on the hot hot metal of the chimney.
I often pick up a fight with the captain about it!!!

Some fellow passengers enjoy a little nap in the sun and Rex the German Sheppard is keeping an eye on the luggage ;)

It took us 8 hours on choppy waters to reach Kimolos but who's complaining? Meltemia,the annual strong Northern winds,have been particularly persistent this year and I love the way they stir the Aegean! As we say,they fill the sea with flocks of little white sheep!

The sun is heading to the West and we are getting near our destination.The ship made stops in Serifos,Sifnos,Folegandros and then -leaving the NATURA protected uninhabited island of Polyaegos behind-is heading for Milos and small Kimolos!!!!!