Page 33 of 109

A Sifnos island icon: The Church of the 7 Martyrs

November 5, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

Like hundreds of other picturesque chapels in the Cyclades, the Church of the 7 Martyrs on Sifnos has a traditional Cycladic design with whitewashed walls and a shiny blue dome …

… but its startling location — perched atop a rocky peninsula pounded by powerful winds and waves — makes it one of the most memorable and impressive shrines in the region

Windswept wonder: We have seen hundreds if not thousands of blue-domed churches in Greece, but the Chapel of the 7 Martyrs on Sifnos easily ranks as one of the most memorable.

We got to see it during a four-day visit to Sifnos in late September 2007, and were practically blown away by the experience — and not just because the chapel is such an impressive sight.

It was warm and sunny when we arrived at Sifnos on a Friday afternoon, but conditions changed abruptly. Within less than two hours, near gale-force winds began blowing, followed overnight by thick, dark stormclouds and periods of light rain. The gusts were so strong that rough seas forced the cancellation of ferry service for the next three days. But we didn’t let the unrelenting wind stop us from sightseeing. Occasional breaks in the cloudcover motivated us to get out and explore, and we spent one day hiking to the villages of Artemonas, Apollonia, Kato Petali and Kastro.

A breathtaking sight below Kastro village

We got our first glimpse of the Chapel of the 7 Martyrs while following a clifftop footpath that winds along the the east side of Kastro, about 90 meters above the sea. It was breathtaking to look down and suddenly see the whitewashed, blue-domed church far below, perched atop a rugged, rocky peninsula that juts into the Aegean. We saw a group of tourists making their way down a twisting, stone-paved path that leads to the church, and decided to make the trek as well. But the blasting winds actually stopped us in our tracks a few times, and more than once nearly blew us off balance. When one particularly strong gust nearly knocked down a woman walking behind me, she and her companions turned back, saying they felt it was too dangerous to venture any further. But we plodded on, climbing down dozens of steps and then up a short hillside to reach the church.

The wind was even worse here, but we couldn’t go inside the church to escape it because the door was locked (apparently the chapel is open only several times a year for special occasions and feast days.) It was almost impossible to hold our cameras steady to take photos, even on the south side of the building where the wind was partially blocked. In fact, the blustery conditions were so unpleasant we stayed only a couple of minutes to view the coastal scenery before making a hasty climb back to the sheltered lanes in Kastro.

Despite the inclement conditions, it was well worth braving the elements to briefly see the chapel. If anything, the wind and the surrounding whitecapped sea gave the Chapel of the 7 Martyrs even more of an exhilarating “wow” factor.

Below are several more of our own photos of the church. You can see full-size versions of them, along with 20 additional images, in my Chapel of the 7 Martyrs album on Flickr. At the bottom of the post are two wonderful pictures of the chapel that were shot by photographers from France and Greece.

Much of the chapel’s tremendous visual appeal stems from its location on such inhospitable coastal terrain

Dozens of stone steps lead down the cliffside to the church

Here’s a view of the steps from a point far down the cliff

After descending dozens of steps, visitors face a short uphill climb to the chapel. A terrace that wraps around the church offers amazing views of the sea, the Sifnos coast and Kastro village, but we weren’t able to enjoy the scenery because of the high winds.

Looking northwest along the rugged coast of Sifnos

A view of the Chapel of the 7 Martyrs in weather conditions even more severe than we experienced. This image, which has been widely circulated in social media, was captured by Sifnos photographer Giannis Kontos.

Another image that has been shared extensively on social media is this sunset view of the chapel, shot by photographer Charly Lataste.

Acropolis & Parthenon shine in print & social media spotlights

October 31, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

Pierre Elliot Trudeau was Prime Minister of Canada when he visited Athens with his three sons in 1983. His oldest son Justin (standing behind younger brothers Michel and Alexandre at the Parthenon) became Prime Minister after winning Canada’s federal election on October 19. This photo made the rounds on Greek social media following Justin Trudeau’s big election win.

Media marvels: I’ve been seeing a lot of the Acropolis and the Parthenon in Athens this month — unfortunately not in person, but in print and social media.

Photos of the top two Athens attractions appear frequently on my Facebook and Twitter news feeds, but in the last several weeks there has been a noticeable spike in the number of picture, video and article links that have been posted about both monuments.

Most social media posts have been travel pictures that tourists shot during their autumn visits to the world-famous monuments, but some of the stand-out photos and articles have been published by international print and online publications.

One widely shared link was for the travel article Glories, history live in the heart of Athens, published October 3 by The Boston Globe. The story said the Acropolis is “the absolute must see” for visitors to Athens, and it featured a large picture of the Parthenon as its lead photo.

Another popular share on Facebook was the photo I posted above showing then Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his three young sons during a visit to the Acropolis on August 30, 1983.

The picture, credited to Peter Bregg of the Canadian Press news organization, was republished by The Pappas Post website as its Photo of the Day on October 22 — three days after the eldest Trudeau boy, Justin, was elected as the new Prime Minister of Canada. Now 43, Justin was just 11 years old when the family photograph was taken at the Parthenon.

Meanwhile, a trip to my local magazine retailer brought me face-to-face with pictures of the Parthenon and the caryatids at the Erechtheion monument on the Acropolis.

Prominently displayed on an eye-level shelf was the October/November issue of National Geographic History magazine, which has an attention-grabbing cover photo of the Parthenon basking in a golden sunset glow.

Inside is an informative and well-illustrated 12-page feature article describing noteworthy events during the Parthenon’s long history.

“It was built to celebrate the triumph of Athens over adversity,” the article begins, “but survival would be hard for this extraordinary building. Over 2,500 years it has been abused, plundered, neglected, and all but obliterated. Its remains now stand as a proud symbol of the endurance of Greek civilization.”

The feature includes “The day they blew up the Parthenon,” a two-page account of the September 21, 1687 artillery attack on the monument by Venetian forces.

On another shelf, the November/December issue of Archaeology magazine caught my eye. Its cover image is a photo showing three of the caryatid figures on the Erechtheion, one of the historic buildings on the Acropolis. An 8-page feature article about the Acropolis describes “the decades-long project to restore the site to its iconic past.”

“After four decades of intensive work by hundreds of experts in archaeology, architecture, marble working, masonry, restoration, conservation and mechanical, chemical and structural engineering, much has been accomplished. Already the restoration of two of the major buildings, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike, has been completed, as has much of the work on the Propylaia and on large sections of the Parthenon,” the article notes.

In outlining “7 keys to restoring an icon,” the article illustrates and discusses several specific monuments and elements at the Acropolis, including the Circuit Walls, the Propylaia, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, the Arrephorion, “scattered architectural members,” and of course the Parthenon.

Both magazine features are fascinating reads, whether you’ve been to the Acropolis before or not. If you’re planning a trip to Athens for later this year or sometime during 2016, see if you can find copies of the publications at your neighbourhood news outlets. You will enjoy a more informed and educated visit to the Acropolis if you get to read the articles before your trip.

And just today (October 31), I have seen the Parthenon and Acropolis getting even more attention in a news video being shared widely on Facebook.

Originally posted on the Facebook page for the Greek Gateway entertainment website, the clip shows the Greek Presidential Guard participating in a flag raising ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Oxi Day this past Wednesday. A national holiday, Oxi Day celebrates events on October 28, 1940, when Mussolini’s forces demanded they be allowed to enter and occupy Greece. In response, Greek leader Iannis Metaxas bluntly said “oxi” (“no”) and refused the Italian ultimatum.

A screenshot from the special Oxi Day video that Greek Gateway shared on its Facebook page. Click here to view the clip.

My last visit to the Acropolis was in May 2014, but after seeing all these photos and stories about it in recent weeks, I wish I could get back soon for another look around.

A purrfect place for a catnap

June 28, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

A cat catches an early afternoon snooze on a giant butternut squash displayed on a table outside a house in Stenies village on Andros. We saw the cute kitty cozying up to the giant gourd while we were hiking around the Stenies area during our Andros visit in late May.

[adToAppearHere]

Champagne season gets back into full swing on Mykonos

June 28, 2015 / admin / 2 Comments

Rock N Roll Mykonos nightclub shared this image, by @michalisleventogiannis, on its Facebook page

Corks keep popping: Much like the bunny in the television commercials for the Energizer® brand of batteries, the Mykonos party scene just keeps going and going, fuelled in large part by a seemingly unquenchable thirst for champagne by travellers who have money to burn.

Last summer, I published a post describing how champagne was the summer’s top drink on Mykonos. Fast forward to this month, and Mykonos visitors still have an insatiable demand for the fine bubbly beverage — and that has been making headlines in international media.

This week, newspapers and websites around the world reported on a June 23 Bloomberg Business article entitled: As Athens boils and banks teeter, the party goes on in Mykonos.

This video, “Mykonos: The ‘Crisis-Free Island,” was posted online this week by Bloomberg Business. It explains why the champagne keeps flowing in Mykonos while the rest of Greece reels from its ongoing economic woes.

“Mykonos is not about austerity”

The Bloomberg piece was written by Tom Mackenzie, who travelled to Mykonos earlier this month after spending six days in Athens. Noting that the island’s bars, clubs and restaurants were busy, Mackenzie said Mykonos “could be another country, divorced from the nation’s economic woes. Mykonos is not about austerity. The hotels are among the most expensive in Europe, and a good night is measured in empty champagne bottles, stacked in piles. One three-liter bottle of Armand De Brignac champagne can set you back 12,000 euros (U.S. $13,500).”

Some of those bottles are practically flying off the shelves at Nammos, the premier beach bar and restaurant on Mykonos. Mackenzie interviewed the Nammos manager, who said “he sells 300 to 400 bottles of champagne” on an average night, “much of it shipped out to the yachts that line the harbor.”

Just some of the hundreds of bottles of champagne that Nammos restaurant and beach bar sells on an average night. Nammos shared this picture on its Facebook page with the caption: “Any time is the right time for champagne!”

Two golden bottles of Armand de Brignac champagne chill in a bucket of ice in this photo posted on Facebook by the Pinky Beach Mykonos restaurant and club at Super Paradise beach

Pinky Beach posted this image on Facebook on August 7 to promote two of its champagne and sunbeds special offers

Dozens of new businesses in 2015

Although the Bloomberg article got wide attention when it was picked up and shared by news services around the globe, it was basically paraphrasing an observation that I made at the beginning of May when I reported on dozens of new businesses that have opened on Mykonos this year. Mackenzie’s comment that “Mykonos “could be another country, divorced from the nation’s economic woes,” seems to be simply an abbreviated version of my statement that “While Greece shudders through its sixth straight year of devastating economic turbulence, Mykonos appears to be in a different world altogether, virtually unscathed from the recession that has ravaged the rest of the country.” Indeed, as I pointed out in my what’s new on Mykonos post, many regular visitors to the island will probably be asking themselves “Crisis? What Crisis?” when they arrive this summer to see all the new and freshly-renovated bars, clubs, hotels, restaurants and shops.

Project Mykonos is one of the newest nightclubs on Mykonos this year — a sister to the Project Club in London. This bottle of Moet & Chandon at Project Mykonos was photographed by mykonooos.com.

Sparklers herald the delivery of champagne at Toy Room Club Mykonos, another nightclub new to Mykonos this year (an island version of the Toy Room Club in London). This photo was shared on Facebook by mykonooos.com.

Top international brands flocking to Mykonos

Internationally-renowned retail chains, restaurants and nightclubs — most of which cater to an affluent clientele — have been scooping up all available rental space on the island in a bid to cash in on the big-spending jet-set travellers who have been vacationing on Mykonos during the last several years. The top-flight brands opening on Mykonos this season include Victoria’s Secret, Lapin House, Le Concept Avant-Garde, Six Senses Spa, Buddha-Bar, Hakkasan, and the chic London nightspots Bonbonniere, Project and Toy Room. They have been joined by four new hotels, two new upscale beach clubs, plus at least a dozen new restaurants and wine bars, with more reportedly on the way.

And it isn’t even high season for tourism yet — the peak months for travel to Mykonos are July and August, when the island will be awash with champagne. With so much bubbly flowing already, the heaps of empty bottles collecting behind some of the Mykonos beach clubs could be enormous by summer’s end.

Click on the link below to continue reading page 2 of this post.

A bevy of beauties with bubbly at Toy Room Club

Champagne on the bar at Monarch Restaurant & Beach Club, a new dining and party venue at Kalo Livadi beach

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

A panoramic view of Ornos beach & bay on Mykonos

June 24, 2015 / admin / 1 Comment

This panoramic view of Ornos beach and bay on Mykonos was shared on the Facebook page for Mpalothies, a traditional Greek restaurant located in the Ornos resort area just a short walk from the beach

Ornos is one of the top beach resorts on Mykonos, offering a wide range of accommodations and restaurants to suit every budget and lifetyle. Ornos is particularly popular with families not only for its gorgeous golden sand beach, but because it doesn’t have a wild and raunchy party scene like Paradise and Super Paradise. It’s also a convenient place to stay — or visit for the day — since Ornos is only a short drive or bus ride from Mykonos Town.

This year I have noticed a tremendous amount of interest in Ornos; in fact, I have fielded more requests for information about it in recent months than I have for any other beach area on Mykonos. Besides restaurant and hotel inquiries, there’s another recurring question many people have asked: “Is Ornos a scenic beach?”

I usually let them judge for themselves by inviting them to view my photos on Flickr — my Ornos and Ornos beach album from 2013, and my Ornos beach 2011 photoset. But thanks to Mpalothies, a traditional Greek eatery at Ornos, I can now refer people to the excellent panoramic photo shown above, which the restaurant recently shared on Facebook. The photo offers a wide-angled view of the entire beach and bay area, something I didn’t manage to capture in any of my own pictures.

If you’re viewing my blog on a desktop computer, click on the photo to see a full-size version of the beach pic.

Exhilarating sights and scenes from Santorini

June 22, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

Filipe Samora captured breathtaking Santorini sights in this spellbinding film posted on Vimeo. I loved watching the video and am sharing it here so you can enjoy the exhilarating images of this incomparably beautiful Greek island.

Exploring the quiet lanes and alleys of Andros Town

June 22, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

Three curious cats watch as we approach them in a lane in Andros Town

During our visit to Andros at the end of May, we usually had most of Andros Town all to ourselves while walking around — we saw only a small number of residents and even fewer tourists whenever we were out and about. Although the town’s main commercial street was bustling with people each morning and again in the evening at dinner time, it was a different story off the main strip, where we typically would encounter some cats but barely any people on side streets and lanes like the one in the photo above. For us, the quiet alleys and walkways were pure bliss — a refreshing escape from the crowds, traffic, sirens and incessant city noise that stress us out back home in downtown Toronto. In main travel season, I’m sure Andros Town is teeming with tourists and residents, but we didn’t mind finding it so empty in May.

Here are more street scenes that will give you an idea of what it’s like to stroll around Andros Town:

Approaching a church near the eastern tip of Andros Town

Looking along the main street in Andros Town. Vehicles can drive on this particular block, but beyond the intersection a few doors down, the street becomes a pedestrian-only thoroughfare.

With most shops and businesses closed in late afternoon, the pedestrian section of Andros Town’s main street is empty. Stormclouds gathering overhead seemed to scare most of the tourists back to their hotels until dinner time.

A view of the main street during a busier time of day

Shops and cafes line the marble-paved street

A view down the steps leading to the island’s Museum of Contemporary Art. It was open only between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and since we were always off exploring other parts of the island during those hours, we were unable to visit the galleries. Other tourists told us that the museum’s collections and special exhibits are impressive.

A steep flight of steps on the south side of Andros Town

Not a soul in sight on this street, either

A colourful section of street near Agios Georgios Church

Agios Georgios Church

A lane of steps in Andros Town

The road along Nimborio beach on the north side of Andros Town

A street near Nimborio beach

The big main square in Andros Town

$steps from Andros Town to Paraporti beach\$

Looking down the long, steep flight of stairs leading to Paraporti beach …

… and looking partway up the same stairs from a spot near the bottom

This lane has views of two of the most famous landmarks at Andros Town — the Tourlitis lighthouse and Agia Thalassini Church

Steps leading from Andros Town to the Nimborio beach area

A lane high above the bay on the north side of Andros Town

A street near Nimborio beach

A wide waterfront promenade leads to Agia Thalassini Church on the seaside

Seaside houses in Andros Town

June 20, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

A view of houses built on the south side of the rocky peninsula that juts into the sea at Andros Town. We found Andros Town fascinating to explore because of its unique layout on the slender, long finger of land, particularly since the views of sea, coast and land change drastically from one vantage point to the next. At upper right is the Tourlitis Lighthouse, an Andros icon often seen on postcards, travel websites and island guidebooks.