ΡΕΒΕΤΙΚΟ ΦΕΣΤΙΩΑΛ ΣΚΟΠΕΛΟ 2019

Come and listen to the
SKOPELOS REBETIKA FESTIVAL
15. – 18. July 2019
You can find the program in most of the shops …
In Greek and English together, bravo!

“…γιατί στη Σκόπελο χτυπάει η καρδιά του Ρεμπέτικου! 15-18 Ιουλίου στο Παλιό Λιμάνι”

“… because in Skopelos beats the heart of rebetiko!”

Keep in mind every evening there will be great LIVE music in The Old Harbor with fanous local and visiting musicians!

Take a look here (all in Greek)

Welcome to The Old Harbor with great music!!!

 

 

Στην υγειά μας ρε παιδιά!

Hi there! To know where is open and who has live music, click on FOOD AND MUSIC up here to the right, just under the top photo.

🇬🇷🎼🇬🇷🎼🇬🇷

Πω, πω, πώ!

Cheers guys!

If you love Greek music,

this is the TV progam to follow!

 

Στην υγειά μας ρε παιδιά!

με τον Σπύρο Παπαδόπουλο…

By chance I saw that the program came to ΣΚΑΪ TV Saturday night, and I sat up till one in the night just enjoying, so fantatstic, – IF YOU LIKE GREEK MUSIC this is a must ‼️

I do not know how you can see this from abroad, but it is possible. If you know, tell me. Anyway you can go into http://www.skai.gr

Last night the whole program was dedicated to:

Here is a bit of what Wikipedia says about him:

“Dimitrios “Dimitris” Mitropanos (Greek: Δημήτρης Μητροπάνος) (2 April 1948 – 17 April 2012) was a Greek singer. He was renowned for his mastery of Laïkó, a Greek music style.

Mitropanos lived in his native city of Trikala in northwest Thessaly until the age of 16, beginning his musical career in 1964.

He worked with some of the most renowned Greek composers, such as Mikis Theodorakis, Stavros Xarhakos, Giorgos Zabetas, Manos Hatzidakis, Marios Tokas, and Thanos Mikroutsikos.

Here is a bit of Greek lesson in some of the titles of his songs:

Πες μου πού πουλάν καρδιές (Pes mou pou poulan kardies, Tell me where they are selling hearts)

Άλλος για Χίο τράβηξε κι άλλος για Μυτιλήνη (Alos yia Chio travixe ki alos yia Mitilini, Someone sailed to Chios and someone else to Mitilini)

Tα Λαδάδικα (Ta Ladadika, The greasy sites (referring to the brothels))

“Mitropanos concluded his concert with a passionate performance of his famous song “Αλίμονο,” with all in attendance giving him a standing ovation as he walked off the stage. As is commonplace among Greeks to show appreciation for a singer’s performance at the conclusion of a concert, chants of “kialo” followed, meaning “more.”

“Kialo” actually is “ke allo” meaning and another  and/or more!

What song to listen to? I will suggest Θτς, go to YouTube and search for

Δημήτρης Μητροπάνος-Θες

Another link to the program, you find more now on YouTube

Στέφανος Κορκολής – Σβήσε το φεγγάρι (Στην υγειά μας) {30/9/2017}

“Svise to fengari” – Close the moon

🎼 🍁 🇬🇷 🍁 🎼

And now we need some Skopelos here, some photos from earlier in September:

Something to think about:

Over to my favorite summer drink, RETSINA MALAMATINA:

On the 1st photo it says: With a Malamatina in your hand, on the consert of ΔΕΘ – sorry I do not know what that means!  2nd photo: On you Sunday family table, – meaning at you family lunch!

The weather is automn, in the night it was down to +15,3, it is windy, lots of clouds, but very little rain.

Have a “Kalo Evdomada” ❣️

Greek Music – my favorites

If you know me, you know I love Greek music and dance,
so I would like to share some with you!

All bouzouki photos borrowed from the internet

In my 1st winter here I saw a concert on TV that made me go crazy,
I loved it soooo much, the singer was Georgios Dalaras,
I will never ever forget it!
Keep in mind I did not speak much Greek
and I had just moved here!
I never found it online but I found this with Xaroula Alexsio too,
if you have time (over 2 hours) just sit down and enjoy,
many of these links only works on my old PC
not on IPad or phone;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2xTSO-o0F0

Remember this was 1984, the technology was not so great,
but the voices, the instruments …
I love Greek music ;o)

Here is a coment from YouTube;
Πολλά ευχαριστώ για την θαυμάσια συναυλία που ανέβασες, έτσι για
να βλέπουν και οι πιτσιρικάδες τι εστί παλιά ελληνική μουσική.
Many thanks for the wonderful concert that you uploaded so that
the kids can see what old Greek music is.

My favorite song Mi mou thimonis matia mou
Do not be angry with me my love
has a great story from the day it was made.
I believe that it is one of the best Greek
Love Songs ever, the clip is nearly 10 minutes,
take time to read and listen …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnszOJ14t6c

A part of the lyrics you find in here:

Open ypur window .. – photo from Blo, Panormos

Here comes two of Greece’s now “Old Boys”
and/or legends, both still alive,
Dalaras born 1949 and Parios 1946
– my age – with “I love you” – another very great love song;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R8az2A5f8g

What is life without music?

From Wikipedia;

The bouzouki (also buzuki) (Greek: μπουζούκι pronounced [buˈzuci]; plural: μπουζούκια) is a Greek musical instrument that was brought to Greece in the 1900s by Greek immigrants from Asia Minor, and quickly became the central instrument to the rebetika genre and its music branches.^[1] A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but pitched lower. There are two main types of bouzouki. The trichordo (three-course) has three pairs of strings (known as courses), and the tetrachordo (four-course) has four pairs of strings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouzouki

— and I love it!

A Swedish singer once song
Music should be build out of joy …

Not to forget another beauty;
Η ΠΙΟ ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΩΡΑ – The greatest moment
1st made famous by Giota Lyda

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvNIeXNVx1s

The lyrics are there, the translation comes here;

The greatest moment is now,
the moment that life is born,
the moment that your breath
blends with my breath.
And even if it’s the start of the downfall
the greatest moment is now.

The greatest moment is now,
the moment that you wipe out my sorrow,
the moment that even my thought dies
and I want it to be endless.
And even if it’s the start of the downfall
the greatest moment is now.

The greatest moment is now,
the moment that I like to feel pain,
the moment that I give you my soul
without feeling cheap.
And even if it’s the start of the downfall
the greatest moment is now.

First time I ever noticed this song was in 2006 in Thessaloniki,
my mom was at the hospital, seriously ill, and when a friend and I came back from the hospital, we needed some food and went into a small taverna. Here is a cut from Skopelitissa.com – without the mentioned photos;
“The first night we went to Ta Louloudia I saw a bouzouki on a table, and hoped that meant Live Music! And it did! The boys on my photo was a bit old fashioned – not negatively said, and they plaid exactly the music I needed!
I was very exhausted after the long days at the hospital
and the music helped me to heal!
We got good contact with the bouzouki player, Demos, the one with his face this way. They played a song I have heard before, but do not have; “E pjo megali ora” – it is just lovely. I asked where I could get this song, and Demos said he would bring me a CD the next night. I got it and it was full of their songs, all beautiful, but my new song was not there. Demos said come back tomorrow and I will have it. He had made a CD for me, starting with my new song by Alexsiou, and filled it with music perfect for me. Songs like; S`agapo, Mi mou timonis matja mou – with Dalaras, Marinella and more, I just love it! Music is the best therapy!”

Unfortunately that taverna does not exists any more!

Always keep a song or two in your head,
never forget your dancing shoes!

Ta Kimata – The Waves

I had a nice talk yesterday with Riginos Grypioti,
chef at Ta Kimata alias Angelos Taverna
in the Old Harbor, – a place I often eat.
He is 37 years old and started to help in his families taverna
when he was 7 years old.
So you might say “he grew up in the taverna”!
Those days he and his 3 brothers lived with mom and dad upstairs.
The whole building was redone in 2005 and upstairs now
is Pavlos, a nice bar where you can sit up
at the terrace and admire the view.

The “double” name of the taverna is due to that their father, Angelos,
worked the taverna for many years, and we used to say;
LET`s go to Angelos!

 It is the oldest taverna in town, the brothers
great grandmother started it in 1896.
When I came here in 1983 it was Angelos,
the boys father who was the face outside,
and his brother Takis was the chef.
Unfortunately both has left us.

Photo from 2003, the proud father with his 4 sons,
who all wanted to work at the family taverna.
What a great photo!

Today Riginos and his 3 brothers runs the taverna,
sometimes with help of the younger generation!
Angelos is the name of the 2 male grandchildren
of Angelos, – that’s the tradition.

Ta Kimata offers real traditional, home cooked meals,
but Riginos can also cook a very special meal for
a wedding or other occasion.
Just go and talk to him or one of his brothers.

I really like to go inside to the kitchen and look at the display of food,
my problem is that I can not have one of each dish,
so what to choose?
One of my favorites is Stuffed Squash.
If  you have company you may share your dishes.

 Riginos is one of Skopelos best chefs, he has a
Certificate from the French Culinary Institute in New York
and he has worked at the Michelin Restaurant OCEANA in New York,
where he really learned to make great seafood.
Many winters he works at other places like Thessaloniki or Athens
to learn new things and get experience,
– when the taverna here is closed.

;o)

FOOD

A very important part of Greek life is the food,
here are some new and old photos in order to tempt you.
I start with Gorgones where we were the other night;

Gorgones is situated in a small street inside of town,
it is a very charming place where there are tables in the “step-street” but this time of the year it is better to sit inside in the lovely room where the fire is on.
3 of us had the lentil soup, it was served in a big bowl and we could eat as much as we liked.
It was the very best I ever tried, – and lentils are not my favorite!!!
We got a small tzipouro as a welcome-drink,
thanks a lot Lefteris for a great meal!

Over to Pavlos in Agnondas who is also open now;

If you know me you know that I love food,
here are more photos;

Skopelos have a lot of nice real Greek food to offer!

I love a lunch at the beach in Panormos with my parea. Parea – is the Greek word for your group of friends.

Here are some Skopelos specialties;

 

IMERO – I love it, specially with the ink inside.

I learned something new about kalamari,
– some years ago!
Here you may be served 2 different kinds; Θράπσαλο/Thrapsalo and Ήμερο/Imero, – in the Mediterranean exists about 5 spesies. The first one has 2 long tentacles extra to the rest, the “ears” hangs to the body, it is bigger than Imero, is used more and is cheaper! Imero is said to be the best, but many people here does not agree – Skopelos is known for having very good Thrapsalo. Imero are captured mostly in the spring. The “ears” are kind of attached to the body and the tentacles are straight. In my book Mediterranean Sea they are described very much alike, but the Thrapsalo is bigger!

In Norway we  have a lot of Akkar, Todarodes Sagittatus, that has 10 arms.
Their class is Cephalopoda
(in Greek kefoalos = head and poda = feet), the best developed class of mollusks!”

Skopelos Cheese pie – you must try that! The onionpie is also great!

Rofos Stifado – and ugly fish that tastes delicious and specially with the tomato sauce and small onions, nam nam “nostimou”!

 

Skopelos Yogurt Special, also nam nam nostimou!

Hope you long for Greek food now!
These days Skopelos is waking up, you see people painting,
moving tables and chairs and and …
Many are dressed in old clothes full of paint,
and nobody comments that you are not
dress up in order to go out and eat!

We have several cafes open and some few places for eating.
Extra to what I have mentioned here are;
Klimataria in the Old Port,
Ambeliki Taverna on the waterfront
on the way to the monasteries,
Gousto SnackBar close to the olive factory,
Magali “Souvlaki”  with great gyros at the Platanos square

It happened!!!

I am in LOVE again! Well, just in a song, but it is a long time since last time I found a “new” song to fall in love with! This one is from 1967, long before I became Skopelitissa!

Ο΄τι αγαπάς δεν τελειώνει

What you love does not end
– is the name of the double CD,
it is with Miltos/Miltiadis Pasxalidis
and many other great musicians.

Arleta was the 1st one the sing it.
Also Xaroulla (Xaris Alexsiou) has made it and some others.

Listen to it here;

Here it the lyrics from http://www.stixoi.info – translation a bit down;

Φώναξέ με, αγάπη, φώναξέ με…
στο νυχτωμένο σπίτι ν’ ακουστεί η φωνή σου
προτού μέσα στη νύχτα να χαθώ
στους λυπημένους κήπους ανατέλλεις.
Φώναξέ με αγάπη, φώναξέ με…

Κράτησέ με, αγάπη, κράτησέ με…
μη μ’ αφήνεις τόσες νύχτες μόνη
στα γέρικα πλατάνια και στις δάφνες
το βράδυ πια δεν αγρυπνά
Κράτησέ με, αγάπη, κράτησέ με…

Lyrics: Akos Daskalopoulos
Music: Notis Mavroudis

Call out for me, love, call out for me….
in the nighttime house, so your voice will be heard
before I am lost in the night
in the saddened gardens you are rising
Call out for me, love, call out for me

Hold me, love, hold me….
don’t leave me so many nights alone
in the old plane-trees and the laurels
the evening doesn’t stay awake any longer
Hold me, love, hold me….

Sooo beautiful, so sad, so …
I love it!

Kalo Mina

Hope you can see that this is Skopelos, photo taken from the morning ferry Proteus, a Saturday morning in the summer on my way to Skiathos.

Καλό μήνα και καλή εβδομάδα

Good month & good week
is today 1st of February`s greeting.

2 of the most photographed boats in the old harbor,
belonged to 2 old boys who are no longer with us;
Angelos & Takis from Ta Kimata.
They are named TOLMIROS

τολμηρός

daring, bold, dashing, risque, hardy, desperado

We were at Ta Kimata on Friday night;

I love the salad with rocca, beetroots and orange,
I also love Greek music – and I love when we can sit close
to the music and listen, even better in good company.

Bacoa, Kifisia, Athens – a new Latin American restaurant where
chef Rigas, from Ta Kimata,works in the winter.
You are welcome.

3 places in Skopelos had live music this weekend,
amazing in the middle of the winter.
I love my Skopelos winter.

The sun is out, maybe 17C in the shadow, let`s go for coffee at Platanos.

 

I like this, that the company I work for says that these 2 photos is the reel Greece, photos from Skopelos, not from any of their other destinations!

Every day more and more flowers shows up.

The Norwegians on Skopelos, – only mom not there.

Silje also loves Greek music

Ella Thanassis

I love this too – it is mostly served at Easter time.

 

Φασολάδα – I love the fasolada too – been soup

 

 

I passed a closed house and I thought this mix was great!

 

 

Webcams

If you like to have a closer look at Skopelos, visit the webcams;

http://www.skopelosweb.gr/webcam/

http://www.skopeloswebcam.com/

http://www.webcamgalore.com/EN/webcam/Greece/Glossa-Skopelos/3336.html

When/if you want to see this page again,
you just go to the left here and click on WebCams,
– on most phones it will be at the bottom of the page.

Whatever weather – summer will be back;

 

A not Greek song, but a song I love;
Summertime and the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high
Your daddy’s rich and your ma is good lookin’
So hush, little baby, don’t you cry

One of these mornin’s, you’re gonna rise up singin’
you’re gonna spread your wings and you’ll take to the sky
But ’til that mornin’, there is nothin’ can harm you
With Daddy and Mummy, Mummy standing by
Don’t you, don’t you cry

Read more: Ella Fitzgerald – Summertime Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Better listening to it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3kQt14_5OQ

Skopelos 15/1

I will try to put up a new page every Tuesday and Friday mornings from now on!

Photo from Friday 15th.

Now Saturday noon it is gray here, windy and +16C, but bad weather is coming. No complain, we have had great weather all this year.

Last night I heard this great trio, and again I was the last to leave a music event, because I love this music. In Skopelos now we have 2 places with live music, amazing!
We had nice food as well, lots of water and a dash of retsina!

— and a blue door, I love BLUE!

Small photos; They are fixing up, real good, what I call “The Disco Street”, the street that goes from Platanos Square, passing the post-office and ending at the beginning of the RingRoad.
What is happening with the childrens playground?

I made a winter jam with dried figs, prunes, cranberries, raisins, some bitter oranges and lots of spices;  cinnamon, ginger, star anise and-and, and a bit of fresh chilly from the Mortero garden.
Got an proximate receipt from SK, a Norwegian friend,
and worked on that.
My favorite food at home for the moment is a slice of dark home made bread with a thin layer of that jam, some greens picked from my garden and topping up with some wonderful edam cheese, could it be better?

And I walk it all off;

Some of the flowers on my path;

Saturdays lunch; PØLSE OG LOMPE med IDUNS senep
– in other words Norwegian hotdog with thin pita and mustard.
all thanks to the good friends who brought it here ;o)

— and SKI on TV —

Keep on skiing, I will keep on walking …

1st time …

Great lunch as usual, but the end of the day was even greater …

What a sight!

Specialtie, is fished only now!

The twins and their cousin having fun

Here comes my 1st time; all guests had left, only me still there and Panagiotis let his sons sing with him.

 

Sorry wrong, this is also Ioannis on daddies lap!

I had 3 songs with only me as audience, what a privilege!

Then I “flew” up the hill to Raches, singing …
I do not drink and drive, – and I did have some retsina ;o)

Sunny is Skopelos today, now at 10.30 we have +15 in 100% shadow, just great!

Have a lovely day!