Tag: Patmos (page 2 of 6)

Greek islands take spring weather woes in stride

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Stormclouds at Mykonos

Dark stormclouds hover overhead as rain falls on Mykonos and nearby islands. I shot this photo from the swimming pool deck at Hotel Tagoo on the morning of May 18 2012. Many Greek islands and parts of mainland Greece have been experiencing similar stormy weather conditions this week.

 

Be prepared: If you’re planning to travel to Greece in May or early June next year, be sure to pack an umbrella or waterproof windbreaker in your suitcase — there’s a good chance you might need to use them for a day or two.

Occasional bad weather used to be something you could expect to encounter in early spring — especially while travelling during April or the first two weeks of May in the Cyclades, Dodecanese, East Aegean and Sporades island groups. But once the middle of May had passed, rainstorms and completely overcast skies would be rare — visitors typically could expect one day after another of warm, dry and mainly sunny weather until the fall.

Climate patterns seem to have changed in recent years, however, and travellers have been encountering sporadic stormy conditions later in May and into early June too, as bad weather across much of Greece this week has shown.

 We didn’t need rainwear or umbrellas until 2010

On our trips to Athens and various Greek islands between 2004 and 2009, we didn’t encounter any major rainstorms or other inclement weather bad enough to put a damper on a day of sightseeing, hiking or beach activities. We would pack travel umbrellas in our suitcases, but never have to take them out. In fact, we recall only three instances of rain — all in early May 2006, the time of month when unsettled weather still could be expected.

That year, there was some overnight rain on May 11 and 12 while we were visiting Mykonos, but the clouds cleared by the time we got up for breakfast. One week later (on May 18) we were at Maragas beach on Naxos when a late afternoon thunderstorm suddenly blew in from the west. Rain began to sprinkle so we hurried over to the Gorgona Taverna at Agia Anna beach, where we had an early dinner while waiting for the precipitation to stop. Within 90 minutes the sun came back out and gave us a beautiful sunset that evening.

 Stormclouds over Naxos

After the storm: Thunderclouds begin to break up over Paros island  (top) and Naxos following a late afternoon downpour on May 18 2006. We shot this photo from Agia Anna beach on Naxos.

 

Of course, the weather wasn’t perfect the rest of the time during our first five Greek holidays. We did encounter a few days when it was extremely cloudy, like on June 8 2005, when we arrived at Santorini to find the island shrouded in thick, low-hanging clouds that obscured sunset views and lingered into the next morning before dissipating. We also experienced several exceptionally windy days, as well as some very chilly mornings and nights that forced us to wear sweaters and jackets to keep warm. But there wasn’t any horribly bad weather, and the adverse conditions didn’t stop us from fully enjoying the islands.

 Santorini caldera clouds

When we arrived at Santorini on June 8 2005, the island was surrounded by thick clouds that obscured caldera and sunset views that evening. There was no rain, but the clouds hung around until morning. We shot this photo from our terrace at the Phenix Hotel in Imerovigli during a brief break in the clouds.

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All walled in: A hillside estate on Patmos

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a house on Patmos

Stone walls enclose a private villa on a hillside above Grikos Bay on Patmos

 

Sunset glow on a Patmos chapel

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a chapel on Patmos

A private chapel at Sapsila Bay catches the warm glow of the evening sun

 

 

Pic of the day: A mosaic at the Patmos monastery

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St John the Theologian icon at the Holy Monastery of Patmos

This mosaic icon of St John the Theologian greets pilgrims passing through the entrance (below) to the Monastery of St John on Patmos island

 

 

the entrance to the Monastery of St John on Patmos island

 

 

Pic of the day: A street of churches on Patmos

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Stormclouds pass above churches in Chora village on Patmos

Stormclouds pass above churches in Chora village on Patmos. Part of the Monastery of St John is visible at the end of the street.

 

 

Robert McCabe photo exhibition offers a look back in time at 30 years of everyday life on Patmos

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Robert McCabe photo exhibition in Patmos August 2013

Promotional poster for the Robert McCabe photo exhibition Patmos: Pathways of Memory, hosted at the Old Primary School in Chora until August 25

 

 

Now showing: If you happen to be visiting Patmos this month, make a point to drop by the Old Primary School in Chora one evening to see a special exhibition of photos of the island by noted American photographer Robert McCabe.

Patmos: Pathways of Memory is an exhibition of 80 select photos and audiovisual images that McCabe shot on Patmos over the course of three decades.

According to VisitGreece, the official tourism website for the Greece National Tourism Organisation, the show gives visitors an opportunity “to see not only images of the island that have faded away as time passed but also favourite aspects of the Patmian daily life and tradition which continue to stand the test of time. Pictures of landscapes of the past and people who may not exist anymore, come to life again and are treated with respect and discretion through Robert MacCabe’s lens.”

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Island driving distractions: Sheep gridlock at Grikos and 4-legged highway hazards on Amorgos

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sheep near Grikos Bay on Patmos

A flock of sheep approaches the main highway from a side road leading to the Grikos Bay resort area on Patmos island

 

Mass transit: One of the things we appreciate most about our Greek Island vacations is our temporary escape from the commuter chaos that clogs the city streets during the morning and afternoon rush hours back home.

That doesn’t mean we escape traffic problems altogether when we’re in Greece. It’s just that the ones we encounter are generally a lot more interesting and usually quite entertaining to see.

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Patmos international film festival starts Wednesday

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International Film Festival of Patmos (IFFP) promotional poster

More than two dozen feature films, documentaries and shorts will be shown this coming week during the third International Film Festival of Patmos

 

 

Reel thing: One of my favourite Greek islands, Patmos, is perhaps best known for the historic Monastery of St John the Evangelist, which is visited by scores of pilgrims, tourists and cruise ship passengers each year. But for the next seven days, the scenic Dodecanese island will be in the spotlight for an altogether different cultural attraction — the third International Film Festival of Patmos (IFFP).

More than two dozen documentaries, shorts and feature films — including the current Hollywood hit Before Midnight, for which scenes were filmed in Messinia, Pylos and other parts of the southern Peloponnese of Greece — will be screened during the weeklong event, which runs July 24-31.

Venues include the 400-seat Cinema Under the Stars, an open air theater at the School of Skala where feature films will be shown, and the 200-seat Documentaries and Shorts Hall at the Patmos Aktis Suites & Spa luxury hotel at gorgeous Grikos Bay.

 

This 90-second clip is the official trailer for the International Film Festival of Patmos (IFFP). It offers an “eclectic tour” of Patmos, the IFFP website says, and gives “a glimpse of the island’s unique lifetstyle” by peering at scenery through foliage or from unexpected angles.

 

 

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