Flowers, Skopelos, Skyros

I love it when I suddenly get to know something I was wondering about!!!
Top photo is from today, the “smiling” yellow oxalis
who are all over now, yesss!
While reading about it I realized that several of the flowers,
unknown to me, that we saw in Skyros are another
kind of Oxalis, bravo!
I have never seen the pink oxalis here,
and we saw another yellow double too,
all so beautiful!

Oxalis /ˈɒksəlɪs/ is a large genus of flowering plants in the wood-sorrel family “Oxalidaceae comprising about 570 species. The genus occurs throughout most of the world, except for the polar areas; species diversity is particularly rich in tropical Brazil, Mexico and South Africa.

Many of the species are known as wood sorrels (sometimes written “woodsorrels” or “wood-sorrels”) as they have an acidic taste reminiscent of the unrelated sorrel proper (Rumex acetosa). Some species are called yellow sorrels or pink sorrels after the color of their flowers instead. Other species are colloquially known as false shamrocks, and some called sourgrasses. For the genus as a whole, the term oxalises is also used.”
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalis

CORRECTION – Silje says that it not Oxalis but

Life is to try to learn something new every day!

Use your brain, I read in a magazine today!

What did I do last night?
I had started my private lent, but a good friend tempted me;

Still 5,- € for 1 giros and 1 retsina, jamas!

So I am trying to start me lent today …

Went for two walks with my wouffies;

I have to show you this, written on a wall;

“I miss you so much
and still I love you
XXXXX
Sweet dreams
XXX”
— isn’t this beautiful?

Photos from the day we left for Skyros;

You know I love kaiikia too!

More Skyros;

How was Skyros? Great, and not that much has changed.
I love the town, it was more or less the same as in the 80-s.
All shops were open all the weekend.
Taxies runs 24 hours a day!!!
Very friendly people.
Much cheaper than Skopelos.

Sunshine on Skopelos today, so wonderful.
Temperatures between 11,4 & 7,6C.
We had coffee in the sun at Dokos,
1st outside café-coffee this year for me.

Wish you all the best and take care!

 

Skopelos – Skyros again …

Both photos from Sunday.
Cold winds but around +10C, over 40 mm of rain the last 24 hours.
– the wettest February that I have measured, started 2008.

Ioanna went for the dance performance at the school, I did not know about it. Mostly because I try to have a break from FaceBook!

New hairstyle:

 

And as usuall the next day it does not look nice any more!

Over to Skyros

Plenty of long beaches, nice places for eating, nice food, not expenceive, and very friendly people.

Can you read this note? K. Lilleput 6 persons

We knew that Frode was there, and we were happy to surprise him!

I fell in love with this guy:

Book in Norwegian Poems by Andre Bjerke

A very nice poem where he uses Greek words also, written while he was living one summer with his family in Skyros.

I am still Norwegian and proud when I see this:

Some cuttings:

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My translation: Exi-6 Ennia-9
Just because you are right, does not mean that I am wrong.
We just do not see life from the same side.

Have a good day and be nice!

25/2 Agios Riginos

Photos borrowed from the excellent photographer Costas Andreou.

Agios Riginos is the patron saint of Skopelos.
He lived in the 4th century and was a bishop on Skopelos.
He was beheaded at Gefiraki, see photo below,
because he did not give up his faith.
His relics are in the monastery you see up here, which has his name,
it is on the “new” road to Panormos, ca 3 km out of town,
on the right-hand side coming from town, a bit up on the hill.
The monastery was built in ca 1728 and the present church in 1960.
Nobody lives there now, but the church is used for weddings and baptism.

Here comes what I put up on in 2016;

25th of February name day of Skopelos` patron saint

This his coffin at his monastery.

Skopelos is the only Greek island who has this holiday.

“Sadly” for many now in 2018, the day came on a Sunday so no extra day off!
Unfortunately it was raining all day so I did not see any parade.
Normally they take his remains and walk in procession to town,
where a speech will be held and wreaths being put on his monument.

Still 2018, we “had to” go for lunch at Karidia, and had a good, long lunch
with live music and dancing;

Some seafood was on the menu;

Seaurgines, now is the season for them.

You know that from Clean Monday last week, here is the lent.
Many restrictions of what you can and can not eat, for sure no meat!
Nowadays you can always buy meat, but this time in 1984 there
was no meat at the butchers, and I could not understand why!!!

Hope you have a good day and try to be kind!

 

Skopelos – Evia – Halkida

Evia/Euboea, is it really an island?

Skopelos photos a bit further down here!

Halkida is where it is most narrow, about in the middle.

MAT is short for Mathoudi.

On our trip to Skyros we had to pass by Halkida/Chalcis/Chalkida
on Evia/Euboea, Greeces 2nd largest island, after Crete.
The name derives from χαλκός which means copper, bronze.
Chakis was mentioned in the Iliad.

Is Evia an island or – This is what Wikipedia says;
“The current consensus is that the Euripus was closed by a dike of coarse sediment until about 6000 years ago. It was opened following an (unrecorded) earthquake and remained open (see Herodotus, e.a. VII.173 and VIII.66, on the sea-battle of Artemision) until 411 BC, when the Euboeans decided to renounce their status as an island subject to Athenian hegemony and make themselves part of Boeotia.”

Please note the kayaks on the other side.

Halkida is said to have the 2nd best Apokreas in Greece, after Patra.
This year it was dedicated to Troy,
because it is said that the ships for the Troyan war gathered here.

The strait of Euripus is subject to strong tidal currents,
which can not really be explained.

The philosopher Aristotelis is said to have througn himself in the stream,
and died, because he could not explain the currents!

The stream turns about every 6th hour and some few times it is calm.
The water has a speed of about 12 km an hour,
– or 12 knop says another site!!!

Though kayaker tries to fight the current:

A new, big bridge is built a bit south of the old one.

We found a nice taverna Delfinia and had some good food
while we were waiting for the bus:

On the road:

NOW it is time for Skopelos and todays photos

It always makes me sad when I see places getting more and more ruined. For sure this must have been a place in use! Nobody builds so big outside kitchen if it was not supposed to be used!!! What happened?
There is a big house, looks like more than a kalivi, and a kalivi,
all not well looked after, so sad!

Partly clouded today as well, 8 mm rain last night
and the temp has been between 10,8 & 12,5C.

On Saturday 24th Skopelos will be celebrating our patron Saint Agios Reginos. The real day is on the 25th but then the priests are occupied in their own churches. Xronia Polla! PS it was raining all day, so I did go for it.

Since I did not take any photo, here is a great one from Costa Andreou;

Agios Reginos, Skopelos

Be good, call and old friends who might need to hear a friendly voice!

Next new page here on Monday morning!

Skopelos – Skyros

Typical Skyrian House

Skopelos today photos more down of this page!

 

Both Skopelos & Skyros belongs to the North Sporades,
along with Alonnisos, Skiathos and lots of small islets.
Skyros regional unit is Euboea/Evia while “our” islands are Sporades,
according to Wikipedia.
Skyros is 209 km2 and the absolute biggest of the Sporades.
Population only ca 3.000.
Hellenic Air Force has a major base on Skyros,
because of the strategic location in the Aegean.

From ca 10/5 untill sometime in September there is a boat connection
to Alonnisos and Skopelos 2 – 3 times a week with Achilleas belonging to Skyros.
All year the ferry goes Skyros-Kimi-Skyros.

More on that ferry at http://www.sne.gr and mail sne@otenet.gr
Summer timetable not ready yet!

Skyros is a more quiet island, with ca 10 beaches, with Molos, down of the town as the very longest. Here is the favorite beach of mr Frode;

 What is the name? Agalipa Beach, I think.

We did not see the small ponies that Skyros are famous for,
so we have to go back!!!

Here we are «The Skyros Team», from the left Norwegian Silje, English Marie in yellow, Norwegian mr Frode alias mr Lilleput, me, English Eddie and to the very right English Lesley, – and I can promise you we had a great time.
Fantatsic that 6 persons who was together a lot did not have to say one bad word, no complains between us, we were just being very happy!
Love you guys!
Marie, Eddie, Lesley and me lives on Skopelos, while Silje has a house here
and stay here more or less half the year.

We met new people and made new friends.

And we surpriced mr Frode, he did not know that we were coming to Skyros.
I like that!

We had a great time on Skyros!

4 of my other UK friends has already said they want to go next year,
would you like to come with us?

Over to Skopelos:

I woke up to this today:

Who can not be happy seeing that?
Weather is a bit unsteady, thunder and rain in the night,
but some sunshine today.
Temperature the last 24 hours from 11,2 to 14,6 in the shadow.

Later Ira and I walked a part of the road to Agnondas and
had lunch, the very best Garides Saganaki.

Procession of caterpillar larvae of Pine processionary moth {Thaumetopoea sp} on their way to bury themselves in the ground and pupate. They destroy the pineforrest, bad guys!

Thats all for today! Have a wonderful day and night, more tomorrow!

Skyros Apokreas 2018

What a suuuuper long weekend we have had!
We left here Friday at 12.00 from Loutraki going Mathoudi on Evia.


Bus to Chalkida, lunchstop, then bus to Kimi
and the Skyros ferry Axilleas out to Linaria.

There taxidriver Georgios waited us and he became “our” private driver.
I asked him until what time of night he was driving, and he said 24 hours a day!!!
I wish the Skopelos drivers could say the same!

He took us to the 

a very. very nice apartment complex down at the beach of Molos.

Photo from the net, not that many flowers out yet!

My 1st mornings walk, mostly to the loooong beach of Molos:

The wild flowers of Skyros had got further than here, even the poppies are out.

The main reason for our longweekend was the «Apokreas» alias carnavalli, so Saturday around 16.00 it started up at the monastery of Agios Georgios,
and the most interesting, fraightening was «Oi Geroi» and they look like this:

I was told that they are between 8 and 80 years of age, the bells around their waste can waight up to 50 kilos and the maskes are made of stillborn kids (goats). The costumes are a kind of family treasure. 

These guys were running through town all the time, very noisy, and since they did not see much through the mask, one had to be very carefull when one heard them coming! Some run alone, other had a “bride” behind them or other “creatures”!

The sandales are very spesial with a sole of old car tires.

It was so nice to see that many of the Skyrian people was dressed up, mostly in their islands costumes. People were very happy and everybody had fun.
Some was dancing all night!!!

The people of Skyros were very friendly and the prices for meals were cheap.
We never paid more than 15,- euros pr person for a big meal with lots of wine.

I have a lot of more photos but they will come siga siga!
We had lots of fun and dressed up a bit,
just wait and see tomorrow!

Bravo, Norway seams to lead the Olympics!

Wish you the very best and LOL from Skopelos!

Pavlos Agnondas is open, bravo!

Walked my doggies around Amarondas and was so happy to see that Thanassis has opened, we just need a bit of sunshine and we will be there!

SKYROS was fantastic!!!

Home after 5 days and 4 nights away!
More on that tomorrow, maybe a bit late due to me too busy today!

On the way to Skyros;

in Mortero, Ira was at my moms

Very quiet in Loutraki!

Take care and be nice!

Halkida 20/2

Waiting for the bus, to take us to Mathoudi on Evia, and then Home Sweat Home, Skopelos! We have had a fantastic time on

SKYROS

Here we are

Eddie, Silje, Marie & Lesley

Here you can see also the Lagana bread who is only made this day of the year

The group of 5 went to Skyros from Friday to Tuesday for the fantatstic «Apokreas» – and for once I could surprise my X boss of Gulliver and Lilleput who was on a trip by himself:

He was so surprised to see us!

What is this?

Thassos from International Café had his birthday the other day!

I have taken lots of photos and on Thursday morning you can see a lot more here, but I have to say that these guys are just stunning, «The Bell Boys»

All the best and be kind to oneanother

🤡🧞‍♂️🕺🏽💃🏻👹🧚🏽‍♂️👻💋

 

Rainy day …

Kalimera sas!
I am writing this on Thursday because tomorrow I go
for a small trip and I am not sure if I can send anything
from where I am going, – also it would be good to relax!!!
I have learned to pre-post so this will be published Saturday morning!

I can promise you that when I can send again, you will get
fantastic photos from a beautiful place!

Rain outside all day, so no new photos,
but I have plenty to take from,
here comes mostly Agnondas April 2016,
one of my favorite places on Skopelos;

 

The wooden jetty was detroyed by the heavy rain in 2015, but has been redone.

Here are some of what I love to eat in Agnondas:

– not to mention the Αστακό/Astakå Makaronada, you should try!

Here comes one of my best photos:

I just love it!

Here is one of my few famous people photos:

Can you see who it is? Bjørn Ulvaeus from ABBA, this was when the Mamma Mia was made here. Here he is with his grand daughter.

Some cuttings:

This is just fantastic!!!

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Nalla Nøff says: When you are sad and sorry – Think of those who loves you –

Are you ready for the Apokreas? We are:

The Trata who was …

Last Sundays Trata – photos from the Sporades Newspaper

Several photos of Xristos who works in the Skopelos Supermarked, he is such a nice guy. Last photo is of another Xristos, cute as well.

I am sorry that I was not there to see the parade, if you can call it that, but moms 90 years old day was more important!

Some cuttings:

This inspired me to go out and see how my «paskalitses» are doing:

The blue is lavender

Enter a caption

This last one has been amazing, in blossom since I got it as a present in the summer. Do not know the name, do you?

Last 24 hours it has been between 8,1 and 13,6 C plus, of course, outside. The rain started ca nine this Thursday morning, nice soft rain. All rain we gets now is so good for the summer, when the consumption of water is so big!

PS Friday morning, last 24 hours 75 mm of rain!!!

Greek lesson:

My translation: «Can you remembåer how we were jumping the line  when we were children?»

And this was all for today, have a nice Friday and get ready for the big «Apokreas» carnaval weekend in Greece!

❣️🇬🇷🤡🧚🏽‍♂️👹🧞‍♀️🤡🇬🇷❣️