Category: Greek Islands

  • Santorini’s superlative scenery, on film

    Share

    A screen capture of the title page for the Santorini Freedom film by Aegean Films

    A screen capture from Freedom, a fabulous 5-minute film by Vasili Pasioudis

     

    Simply breathtaking: It has been available for online viewing on Vimeo for the past two years, but today was the first time I saw Freedom, a superb film showing Santorini’s spectacular scenery, and I just have to pass along the link so others can see it, too.

    Produced by Aegean Films, the five-minute film by Vasili Pasioudis tries “to show that despite all the modern day craziness in this world, there are still corners of this globe one can run to, to forget about ‘things’.”

    Watching the film certainly made me forget about everything else for five minutes — and then made me wish we were going back to Santorini during our upcoming Greek holiday this month.

    Below, I have posted three more screen captures of scenes from Vasili’s film, just to tease you with a few examples of the simply breathtaking, gorgeous scenes you’ll see in the film. (Don’t forget to turn up your speakers … the film’s soundtrack features music by Darren Hayes & Daniel Jones of Savage Garden.)

     

     

    Santorini Freedom film view of early morning sunshine on the village of Oia

    Early morning sunshine on the incredibly picturesque village of Oia

     

     

    Santorini Freedom film view of Skaros Rock and Imerovigli village

    Skaros Rock and Imerovigli village

     

     

    One of Santorini's fabled sunsets is captured in spectacular glory on the Santorini Freedom film

    One of Santorini’s fabled sunsets, viewed from a clifftop café in Fira

     

     

  • What’s cooking in Kokkari?

    Share

     Buildings along the harbourfront at Kokkari village on Samos

    Mountains provide an impressive backdrop to the scenic town of Kokkari on Samos …

     

     

    Harbour view of Kokkari village on Samos

    … situated about 11 kilometers from Vathi on the north side of the island  …

     

     

    Harbour view of Kokkari village on Samos

     … next to a sheltered harbour where dozens of bars & restaurants along the water’s edge …

     

     

    Signs along a row of restaurants in Kokkari

    … all engage in eye-catching competition to attract the attention — and business — of the throngs of thirsty and hungry tourists who visit the village each day

     

     

    Sunbathe, swim, eat & repeat:  Two impressions have stuck in my mind since we visited colourful Kokkari village on Samos three years ago.

    The first is the picturesque beaches that bookend the village: Long Beach on one side, and two back-to-back beaches called Small Lemonakia on the other.

    The second is the rows of restaurants lining the town’s sheltered harbour as well as much of the length of Long Beach. It’s almost impossible to walk more than a few steps without passing a waterfront café, bar or taverna, or signs pointing the way to dozens of different places to eat and drink. There are myriad restaurant ads and menus attached to posts and walls, and dozens of sandwich board-style signs scattered along the narrow lanes and footpaths.

    CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

  • Pic of the day: Pothia port on Kalymnos

    Share

    Arriving by ferry at Pothia, the port town of Kalymnos island

    A view of Pothia, the port town on Kalymnos island, from an approaching ferry

     

  • Syrtaki dancing on the Mykonos waterfront

    Share

    Syrtaki dancing on the Mykonos Town waterfront

    Skandinavian Bar posted this photo on its Facebook page today with the caption: “World record in Syrtaki dance now in Mykonos!!!”

     

     

    syrtaki dancing Mykonos

    This photo of the line of syrtaki dancers was posted on Facebook by Kelly Goletsou

     

     

    This video of the syrtaki dancing was posted on Facebook by Maria-Antonia Georgakopoulou

     

     

    This video was posted on YouTube today by Ioanna Samiotaki

     

     

     

    Meanwhile, Hotel Jason posted this video on its Facebook page today  …

     

     

    syrtaki dancing mykonos

    … along with this photo showing the dancers from a different perspective

     

     

    This video was shot from the same vantage point as the photo above. It appears on the YouTube channel for John van Lerberghe.

     

     

     syrtaki dancing Mykonos

    And this photo was posted on Facebook by Ioanna Samiotaki

     

  • Pic of the day: Gorgeous Grikos Bay on Patmos

    Share

    Grikos Bay on Patmos

    We enjoyed this panoramic view from our balcony at the Hotel Golden Sun at Grikos Bay on Patmos during our Dodecanese holiday in May 2010.  Below is another Grikos Bay photo we shot from the hotel. Click on the pictures to view full-size images.

     

    Grikos Bay on Patmos

     

     

  • Pic of the day: A quiet cove on Mykonos

    Share

    An umbrella casts its shadow on a sandy cove at Agios Ioannis beach on Mykonos

    A solitary umbrella casts its shadow on a sandy cove below the Saint John Mykonos resort at Agios Ioannis beach on Mykonos

     

     

  • 2012 Greek holiday: Mykonos visit winds down

    Share

    Mykonos Town panoramic view

    The view from the hill: A panoramic view of Mykonos Town and its harbourfront and Old Port areas on May 21 2012. Click on the photo to view the image in a larger format.

     

     

    Monday May 21 2012

     

    Familiar patterns: Things weren’t looking very promising for my final full day on Mykonos. The weird up-and-down weather hit another “down” cycle, bringing overcast skies in the wake of a gorgeous sunny Sunday. Good thing I had not been planning another beach day, because I would have felt pretty bummed out by all the clouds and the threat of light rain. But I didn’t need more beach time and was content just to start walking and see where I would wind up.

    CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

  • Pic of the day: Church of the Panaghia at sunset

    Share

    A sunset view of the Church of the Panaghia on the mountainside above Chora on Folegandros

    A sunset view of the stunning Church of the Panaghia, which clings to the steep mountainside above Chora on Folegandros