This golden Macedonian wreath is described as spectacular. But this is the best photo I could find (thanks Athens News Agency) so you have to travel to the Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum to see the original.
It was recently returned to Greece by the Getty Museum as part of the Marion True controversy which I have written on several times--and will again as she goes on trial soon.
The wreath is a gold leaf crown worn on ceremonial occasions by Macedonian kings. It probably dates from about 400 B.C. and is claimed to have been looted from one of the many kingly graves at the archaeological site of Vergina west of Thessaloniki.
On our motor scooters we took a brisk, sunny drive to the east side of the island. We stopped for a brief stroll around Pirgos, a beach and small harbour that we normally pass by. The photo is of a church, flag and anchor there. We spotted what looks like an excellent snorkeling location for next summer.
Next Karin had a surprise for me--a road that I had never been on before. North of Drios we turned left towards the hills to follow a paved road that
wound through strictly rural farm country -- plentiful pastures, livestock and farm gardens and no obvious holiday homes. A very pastoral area sheltered from the main coast road and beach properties by rolling hills. The combination of my camera and my photography skills could not capture it, however.
Then on to the only restaurant we knew that was offering turkey. The Malibu in Logaras is owned by a Greek-American chef from Florida who had married a local Greek girl. They served a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings--with Greek substitutes as necessary. The cranberry sauce was very much his own recipe. Three other Americans were there, all with Greek family connections. As every Thanksgiving we were stuffed but still managed apple pie with ice cream before heading home in the dusk for an easy home evening--no football, however.
We are truly thankful for our blessings.
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| Nov Sunrise |
Here are more sunrise photos from early riser, Karin.
Click on the photo to be directed to our Picasa album. From there you can find other photos as well.
Part One Paros Sunrise photos can be found at: http://parosparadise.blogspot.com/2005/12/paros-sunrise-photos.html
Or check out our full service Paros Website.
The keynote speaker for the Thessaloniki Film Festival was none other than Hollywood actor, director, producer, John Malkovich. He shared the stage with Greek-American writer and journalist Nicholas Gage, the author of "Eleni", a book later turned into a motion picture staring Malkovich. (ANA)
We recommend both the book and the movie Eleni for anyone interested in modern Greek history or the power of immigration. Being John Malkovich was a riveting exploration of ordinary people entering the mind of a celebrity.
Both Malkovich and Gage have many other works. You can find them by clicking one of the Amazon links and doing a search.
If your interested in Greek filmmaking, see our Filmmaking Workshop page.
New Scientist magazine would have you believe a beach bum has come up with a hot new candidate for The Theory of Everything. They emphasize that Garrett Lisi spends much of the year surfboarding in Hawaii and snowboarding at Lake Tahoe, California and play down that he has a PhD in Physics and several published articles on "quantum field theory within a geometric framework"--the new theory that has the scientific community buzzing.
He does list his "Other Interests" as: Surfing, Snowboarding, Rock Climbing, Hang Gliding, Windsurfing, and Go.
All I know is that I am going to add his story to my web site page about earning a living from the beach.
The last couple posts have been shy of photos so please scroll down if that is what you are looking for.
P.S. I found a fun widget that gives the Greek Orthodox Name Day for each day of the year. Check it out on the Fun Facts page. (See tab above)
For the last month I have been looking at this milestone with trepidation. I have not commented on previous anniversaries or 100 posts but somehow 300 seemed like it should be noted.
However I have come up try for anything special to write about. So I decided to do a retrospective like the professional journalists who take a holiday at the end of the year.
This is my first post, including typing error: 19 September 2005
Hi, I am not sure how I will be using this blog. Since everyone is interested in the weather I will start by saying it is now quite warm and sunny after starting out clowdy. Michael
I've come a long way, ain't I. I should have found my top one or two posts to repeat here but I enjoyed reading the old stuff so much that I didn't get any further than the first two months.
This from 7 October 2005: Antiparos Back Country Beaches
Yesterday was cloud free so Karin and I decided to take the afternoon off and explore a back road on Antiparos that we had not traveled before. Although windy it was a delightful day and we helped replenish our suntans.
It was actually quite hot while we ate our picnic lunch on a small isolated beach. We thought it was the end of the road until afterwards we noticed a mast sticking up between the hills and thus discovered a tour group having lunch on an even better beach. While the guests waved the boat operator seem perturbed that we had spoiled the exclusivity of his offering.
We just moved on to explore some unusual rock formations and some other back country curiosities. For our swim we shared a beach with a retired couple and their camper van at one end and a young nudist couple at the other. We were in the middle literally and figuratively.
This from 14 November 2008: Learn Greek
We just got back from our first Greek language class. It went better than everyone expected, i.e. virtually no grammar. The teacher started with asking us what Greek we already knew and building or reinforcing from there. That is we had all heard and repeated words and phrases that we had questions about. Later the teacher said we would not be conjugating verbs, rather we would memorize and use common forms from everyday speech. Great!
We six students are a mixed bag; one has been living here for about 10 years, Karin and I for 6 seasons, three others just moved here this year but holidayed in Greece before. All of us past the age of easy learning. None of us able to speak a full sentence of Greek.
The hardest word to pronounce χτεσ (htes or chtes) meaning yesterday.
Hmmm, what should I do for post 301?
Ron also has some great paintings of Italy, Horses and other subjects. Take a look at his web site HERE
Read how you can enhance your art while enjoying all the delights of a Greek island on our Workshop pageI wanted to title this post The Windmill but the windmill on Paros is at the ferry port and the focal point of all coming and goings in Parikia.
This particular windmill is at the south end of town near the Pandrossos Hotel. It is the focal point of watching the sun set over the harbour entrance.
This photo was taken about 1993 by Daryl Samuel. See more of her photos on the unfutz blog.
I 
don't have any current photos other than these two taken from the very nice bar in and around the windmill. It is our traditional place to go for my birthday drink.
It was also featured in the only feature film that I know of filmed on Paros, Brothers. I don't recommend the bawdy romp unless you are desperate for older scenes of Paros and our town policeman, Dimitri, playing an indulgent police chief.
Our Paros Filmmaking Workshop hopes to improve the quality and quantity of films shot on Paros.
How's that for an attention getting headline? Just like the professionals who in reporting results of this year's Classic Marathon emphasized that one runner was injured when he was hit by a tram car.
Each week in October I noticed fewer people in the village and more establishments closing. I thought O.K. winter is here, but now in November it is quieter yet.
Everyone, however, has started work for next season. Our landlord has started construction on a new villa next to us. The photo shows that like nearly everything here, it is a family project.
I noticed that the rock that was dug out was mostly marble. Does that mean we are sitting on a giant crystal?
At the big 23rd Philoxenia fair for the travel industry in Thessaloniki the Association President predicted both the number of visitors and the spending per visitor would be up for 2008. He said that last year high-end hotels increased their revenues by 10%; yachting by 15% and sea cruises by 20% due to targeting of government and association spending. He also said US visitors were up 35% and Russian visitors up 16%.
I have found each year is noticeably different than the previous as to type and nationality of travellers. So I have no crystal ball.
