It's been a while since I've posted on my blog......I can't believe November 22nd 2020 was my last post. No excuse really but I'll let you know what the delay has been.
During the ensuing lockdown because of Covid and all of the restrictions that came with it, I thought I'd get started on my life story; not for publishing though, just a snapshot of my life to leave to our son and his generations to come. I thought I would include just a little about my parents' lives and immediate ancestors too, from our family tree. The snapshot just became a gallery! How much I didn't know about my parents' lives and grandparents' lives!
My paternal Grandfather was a soldier in the Army in WW1 and fought in the Battle of the Somme, Battle of Arras, Passchendaele and the Battle of Cambrai and my Dad served in WW2 in the RAF in India, Ceylon and Australia. Of course I then had to write their stories which involved a lot of research but which I really enjoyed doing. Their stories are finished now so it's back to my life story and my blog.
Talking of which...time for an update on my blog!
The last post mentioned the Medicane which hit the island in September 2020 so I'll give you an update on that. The island has slowly got back to normal but it took a long time to clear the debris in villages and along the coastline. In fact the 2 footbridges along the promenade at the sea front connecting Sami with Karavomylos, which were in bad shape anyway but further seriously damaged in the Medicane, were eventually replaced just recently in April 2022 - 18 months later. In that 18 months, it was impossible to walk the full length of the promenade unless you attempted walking precariously over a makeshift bridge....and of course, we did!
Makeshift bridge
Both original footbridges were made of concrete and the one below had started to warp so when you walked over it, there was a tendency to veer from the right to the left. Unfortunately, there was a railing (or two) missing at that strategic point so caution was needed and yes - people, including ourselves, actually still used it! As visitors to the island also regularly used it in the summer months, I'm surprised no-one ended up in the water after having a tipple or two.
One of the original footbridges 
This bridge, as was the other, was eventually removed.
As we walk the coastal promenade every day, It was interesting to see the bridges being erected. Like Mechano really.
It began in September 2021 with the foundations and little by little, slowly slowly (this is Greece) ...... the bridges started to take shape. It was a real tease as we didn't know what style the bridges would take - would they be Bailey type bridges... how high would they be... would they be concrete again or wooden? We actually didn't expect them to be dome shaped.
New bridge replacing the one above - April 2022
The second bridge - April 2022 
As with everyone, in 2021 Covid placed lots of restrictions on us. We could only go out of the house in order to work (not applicable), buy food, pay bills (of course!) and walk/run (exercise) with a mask on. We took advantage of the exercise to pick up some seaweed for the garden while on our walk. Bobby, our Geordie Jack, wasn’t interested as you can see from the photo
January 2021 - Sami beach
A ruin comes in useful for spring flowers
Another walk up to the ruins of Ancient Sami which is situated above present day Sami. I always think of the entrance as a time portal.
Ancient Sami was a fortified town built on the cliff top over 188 years BC. Once you walk through the time portal you walk around the cliff top which offers amazing views. You can also see the ruins of the wall which encompassed and protected the town. It's so peaceful up here.
Time portal - Entrance to Ancient Sami
Ruins of the wall which protected the town
The view from Ancient Sami is literally, breathtaking.
March 2021 - The view from Ancient Sami
Parts of Ancient Sami have also been excavated at sea level
When socialising became allowed again, our friends invited a few of us to a barbecue. That was THE best barbecue. Meeting up with everyone again was great. The sun was out, the shorts were on and celebratory food was consumed along with a few beers and wine of course.
Barbecue time
As tavernas started opening for the tourist season, we celebrated at our favourite cafe bar and I had to have my favourite drink.....
Frozen strawberry daiquiri
In October 2021 we had quite a bit of rain as you can see, as the olive grove near where we live was flooded.
The bell tower on the left of the church.
Love the different colours of the olives
In November 2021, we were heartbroken when our Jack Russell, Bobby, ventured over the Rainbow Bridge. He was 15 years old.
He was fine up until he had what appeared to be, according to the vet, a bite on his front paw. Although he had antibiotics and steroid treatments, it just didn't want to heal. He was initially tested for Leishmania which came back negative, although a subsequent test was positive.
He was always a tough little fella, but seemed to go downhill quickly and we knew we couldn't let him suffer.
We buried him in the garden alongside Rocky the Border Collie who died 3 years ago in November 2018. It was such a sad day for us. Bobby, like Rocky, was a rescue dog we'd had since he was 18 months old. Such a character and never to be forgotten. We will always cherish the times we had with them. Even as I'm writing this in June 2022, I have tears in my eyes just looking at this photo.
Bobby in 2021
One of my favourite photos is of Mark swimming with Rocky and Bobby
Mark with Rocky and Bobby at Alaties beach (photo from 2016)
We decided that we should keep walking every day, for exercise as much as anything. Where we live on Kefalonia there are so many lovely walks. Up in the mountains, in and around the valley and along the coastline.
So in December 2021 through to April 2022 we have been venturing out every day (weather permitting) for a walk or two. Fortunately the weather has, on the whole, been great apart from March which was a little wet and grey.
In the valley - Unusual artefacts on our travels -23rd December 2021
Spongebob's place?
Beehives - December 24th 2021
The village of Katapodata was originally located up in the mountain, but after the earthquake the new village relocated down into the valley. However, the ruins remain.
Up in the mountain - 2nd January 2022
Me having a rest
Mark having a rest
On our way down and a stop for a view of Sami Bay
In March 2022 we were hoping to see the return of the Hoopoes and we weren't disappointed. We sighted them in a few places and Mark managed to get a photo of one of them.
Hoopoe
Back to walking and there are a maize of walks in the valley with just farm traffic really, so lovely and quiet, passing caves, olive groves and vineyards.
A walk down to Sami Bay, Ithaca in the distance
Through the olive groves
We quite regularly passed by what we thought was just agricultural land with attached buildings. We could see there were vines, animal sheds and a variety of agricultural equipment, immaculate in its presentation which you can see from the photos below.
When we mentioned our walk to friends they said there was a taverna on that road.They hadn't been to it but were considering trying it. We were a bit confused as we had never seen a taverna, or signs for one around the area and we had walked the road many times.
So we just had to investigate and the next time we stopped off at the farm entrance and fortunately the owner was there. I asked, using my Greek of course, if there was a taverna around. She smiled, was very welcoming, and then motioned for us to enter and proceeded to give us a tour of the farm itself and.....the taverna, which was quite well hidden behind olive trees!
Mark outside the farm entrance
Vineyard behind the entrance
The taverna is behind the olive trees
Taverna
Taverna in the shade of the olive trees
So you know what came next.....yes we just had to check it out - a gathering of friends for a meal out. Homemade bread, salad (from the farm), tzatziki, saganaki and spit roast pork/chicken (from the farm) all washed down with a few beers and wine followed by complimentary desserts.
My friend and I try to get out once a week (Spring is a great time to sketch outdoors), taking it in turn to decide where we go and what we are going to sketch. Just recently we ventured to the coast to a taverna overlooking both a lake and Sami Bay. It's very picturesque and there's a water wheel. For a long time the wheel wasn't working but just recently it's been repaired and repainted.
Karavomylos Lake with a taverna on the left. Sami Bay and Ithaca in the distance
Working water wheel
We are both relative beginners so there’s nothing like giving ourselves a challenge to sketch that! It was a lovely sunny day if not a little breezy. To say we stretched ourselves is a bit of an understatement. However it was a lovely day, the sun was shining and only a few people around. I’d brought a couple of cocktails so we sat and talked and sketched. Notice the order that I said that in. It becomes apparent later in the post that the order never seems to change.
Jump ahead and we ventured out again, this time to the grounds of a local monastery where there is a ruin of a bell tower and a lovely little church. Ideal! They are situated above Sami and there is a fantastic view of Sami Bay. It’s always so quiet up here too. Very peaceful.
April 20th 2022 - church and ruin of a bell tower in the grounds of Agrilion Monastery.
April 20th 2022 - our view for sketching - overlooking The Strait of Ithaca and Sami Bay.
We thought instead of the buildings though, we’d sketch the view. I had decided on sketching thumbnails (bitesize sketches) to get into the habit of composing my future masterpieces first, before putting paint to paper at a later date (in other words when I got round to it). That’s what my current favourite artist does anyway. These YouTube artists have a lot to answer for. It all looks so easy when they do it.
Three hours and twenty minutes later I had done three mini sketches (4x3 inches…..yes small) and my friend had drawn the fence (to give her credit it was a long fence). Where did the time go? We sat and talked and sketched. We did actually say it would be good to visit again but bring a book to read as well as our sketch books, and stop off at The House of Lords on the way (a street vendor not the Houses of Parliament), to pick up a cup of coffee.
House of Lords
The view from the House of Lords
A little harsh I thought, but most probably true……but I had to check out the validity of that statement none the less.
On researching I found out that Gainsborough certainly WAS noted for the speed with which he applied paint and his landscapes apparently were often painted at night by candlelight, using a tabletop arrangement of stones, pieces of mirrors and broccoli (!!!!), as models.
Looks like I'll have to go to the beach, break a mirror and stock up on vegetables now!
We did actually return to the monastery setting in early May and took a book with us. I’ve been wanting to read ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ by Richard Osman, for a long time now and fortunately my friend (in the photo below) lent me a copy.
May 3rd 2022 - Reading time and not sketching.
Well summer arrived in late April 2022. The sun is out every morning and the sky is that gorgeous deep blue colour and it’s lovely and warm. This is just the best time of the year.
We were still managing a few walks while it wasn’t too hot.
We were still managing a few walks while it wasn’t too hot.
View of Sami and Karavomylos from the mountain
Mountain walks are great
Since April 25th 2022 we have been living on Kefalonia for six years. Where has the time gone?
My Greek is coming along nicely. After spending group weekly lessons for 18 months with a teacher, I'm now at a stage where I am learning additional verbs and nouns as I go along by myself and concentrating on future and past tenses as well as obviously the present tense. It is a difficult language. I remember when I first thought of having lessons and wanting ‘conversational Greek’, my teacher basically said there was no such thing - you either learn it properly or you don’t. I can now appreciate exactly what she meant. The grammar is important. Once you learn that, you’re flying. I wouldn’t say I was at the Wright brothers stage yet though, or to coin a very well known phrase here when you’re trying to understand a Greek person talking…..’cigar, cigar’ which means ‘slowly, slowly’.
Just the other day someone stopped in a car near the house and asked directions to Poros. I managed to tell them in Greek and even let them know how long it would take to get to their destination. I might have embellished the directions here and there which wasn’t really required but I do need to practise. So instead of saying:
'Go straight up, turn right and follow the road'......
I said:
'Go straight up to the junction. Opposite the junction there is a little white church with lots of flowers in the garden. Turn right there and follow the road up into the mountain for twenty four kilometres and you will arrive in approximately thirty or forty minutes'.
I'm assuming that they did actually understand me, as they didn't scrunch up their eyes and look perplexed; thanked me, and sped off in the right direction. On the other hand they may have thought I was a mad English woman rabbiting on about flowers, gardens and mountains and did a quick get away!
April 28th 2022 -and it's our first swim of the year, and of course it has to be our favourite beach.
Gorgeous blue sky day. It wasn't too hot for a walk down amongst the Kefalonian pines and cypress trees, and so peaceful.
A lovely 20 minute walk down to the beach.
The view on the way down - you can just see the beach (bottom right). Ithaca in the distance
Approaching the beach- Sami and Karavomylos in the distance
The beach
The only sounds we could hear while we were swimming were the sounds of the odd boat engine on the far side of the bay, some birds and a peacock which was in the valley above the beach. The water was so inviting. It was a little cool but once we were in it was fine.
The garden in May is starting to come into its own. Lots of flowers and LOTS of insects.
Dragonfly clinging onto the Broom
I’m not a rose person really but we had a white and a yellow rose growing in the garden when we arrived. We eventually took them out and put them into repurposed old olive oil/honey tins which are quite often to be found abandoned beside local bins (see older post).
Repurposed olive oil and honey containers
In an old olive oil container
In a Greek honey container
The star jasmine was in full bloom in May and smelt gorgeous! The sunflowers are doing well too 😉
Star jasmine and sunflowers
The passionflower was blooming too in late May, a little late compared to last year when it actually coincided with Easter.
Passionflowers
It is after all called a Passion flower for a certain reason as it refers to the passion of Jesus in Christian theology. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish Christian missionaries adopted the unique physical structures of the various flower parts of the plant as symbols of the last days of Jesus and especially his crucifixion.
- The pointed tips of the leaves were taken to represent the Holy Lance.
- The tendrils represent the whips used in the flagellation of Christ.
- The ten petals and sepals represent the ten faithful apostles.
- The flowers' radial filaments, which can number more than a hundred, represent the crown of thorns.
- The chalice-shaped ovary with its receptacle represents the Holy Grail.
- The three stigmas represent three nails.
- The five anthers below the stigmas represent the five wounds.
- The blue and white colours represent heaven and purity.
Unfortunately most of the flowers are on top of the pergola so we can’t see them. That’s obviously a design flaw in the garden. Hey ho. 🙄
Fortunately we do have oil fired central heating, so we used that until the new wood burner and new air con unit were installed.
So we’re all sorted for next winter but that’s way off. We have summer loading now and we intend to enjoy it.
Mark saved a wild tortoise from doom while we were returning from swimming at a cove recently. He was verging on toppling over an embankment on one side or crossing a fairly busy road on the other so Mark picked him up and took him to a safe place on the other side of the road.
One of our many favourite coves
Looking in the opposite direction
Wild tortoise (and Mark’s leg!)
Last but not least, we decided to have a day trip to the island of Ithaca for my birthday this year as last year (my special birthday) we had to cancel the trip and overnight stay because of COVID restrictions.
We wanted to walk from Loutsa beach near Vathy (the capital of Ithaca) to the little church of St. Andreas. It’s a tiny church set all on its own on a promontory which we have passed while on boat trips in previous years. It’s very picturesque. The walk is only about 1 mile, but as it was the beginning of June we knew it would be quite hot so we thought we'd do the walk, have a swim at the church then return to Vathy for some lunch, then go for another swim at a beach near the port ready for our return home.
The walk
It's about 6 miles from Sami to Odysseus Port (previously known as Pisaetos port) on Ithaca and the ferry journey is only thirty minutes. According to Google maps you can walk it in 33 minutes......but you really can't!
I researched the ferry prices. I couldn’t believe the price for foot passengers - 2 euros per person each way. However, the ferry port (Odysseus port) on Ithaca doesn’t have a bus service into Vathy which is only a 10 minute journey. It’s too hot to walk the distance and there is only a taxi service so it was worth taking the car on the ferry at an extra 9.70 euros each way. Bargain really and that way we could be a bit more independent and venture around and stop at one of the gorgeous beaches for a swim. A day isn’t complete without a swim.
So I went into the ferry office to book the tickets and she asked for our names and car registration. I offered to show our ID cards but she waved them aside. I walked out of the ferry office, checked the tickets for the ferry times the following morning and had to laugh. On the tickets I was called Saron Migel and Mark was called Mok Ponet. If the ferry had sunk, according to the manifest they would have been looking for a Spanish woman and a French man!
Waiting to board the Ionian Pelagos ferry
Distances can be deceptive at sea - It's six miles to Ithaca
Looking back at Sami on Kefalonia
Unless you own a yacht or go on a boat cruise or ferry trip, you won't see this stretch of the East coast of Kefalonia as it's pretty much inaccessible as there is no road.
Starting point for the walk - Loutsa beach
Mark starting off on the walk
Looking back at Vathy
You can just see Saint Andreas church
Nearly there
Saint Andreas church
We had a swim off the rocks beside the church
We had a great vantage point for watching lots of yachts coming and going, including the glass bottom boat which roared past us causing some great waves. Who needs a water park?
Glass bottom boat
After lunch we had a couple of hours before the ferry home so we drove to a beach not far from the port and took the opportunity to cool down (as it was quite hot by then). In the photo below, Ithaca is on the right and the little church of Saint Andreas that we walked to, is a speck of white on the very end. To the left of Ithaca is the island of Atakos.
Saint Andreas church just visible as a white speck on the end of Ithaca
Waiting for the Levante ferry to arrive at Odysseus Port to take us back to Kefalonia
Ithaca was, in Greek mythology, the island home of the hero Odysseus. The specific location of the island, as it was described in Homer's Odyssey, is a matter for debate. There have been various theories about its location. Modern Ithaca has traditionally been accepted to be Odysseus's island. One alternative location is the Paliki peninsula on........ Kefalonia.
So was Odysseus actually from Ithaca.....or was he from Kefalonia?
That's another story....
Until my next post……bye for now, or should I say ‘au revoir’ or perhaps ‘adios’.
