For the last couple years we have been advising travellers to ignore the news from Athens.  The trouble spots can easily be avoided and once you get to the islands everything is peaceful and quiet.

This advice was reinforced yesterday.  The news headlines and travel advisories were full of details of the national strike of the major unions including all government employees.  So imagine our surprise went we went into Parikia to find everything open including the government offices and even the post office.  Banking business was normal and there were ferries coming and going as well as Olympic flights.

Evidently the only direct effect on the islands was ferries leaving the major port of Piraeus and some flights arriving and leaving the Athens airport.  We are guessing that the island people, including government workers and union members, realize the damage that demonstrations and strikes are doing to their livelihoods and do not want anything to do with it.

So, again my advice is go ahead and plan your trip to Greece--without a visit to Syntagma Square—and only pay attention to your own flights and ferries.  Ignore the alarmist press.

I have posted often about the many art activities on Paros.  Karin and I missed the Art Appreciation talks this year and the artist in residence at the Apothiki gallery so we made it point to go to the Stella Lubsen photography exhibition at the Monastery of Aghios Ioannis near Monistiri beach.

We were certainly glad we did and if you are on Paros before 30 June we urge you to attend.  The photographs are enlightening and the story of Gisele d’Ailly is inspiring.  Gisele is a well known Dutch artist and personality aged 99.  She is of aristocratic background and has contributed much to Amsterdam we are told.  She came to Paros in the 60’s and arranged with the church to rebuild an abandoned monastery in return for living there.  She hosted many artists and dignitaries including Stella Lubsen who has returned to Paros every year since.

Stella’s photographs show life on Paros before tourism; both the hard labour and the celebrations.  The setting of the display helps envision what life was like then even though it is now situated between a beach bar and a yacht marina.  These two photos are taken from the windows of the exhibition rooms.

Afterwards we went for lunch at the delightful Anemos taverna at Kolimbithres beach which on this day included live music.  The drinks were cold, the food good, the breezes gentle . . . the life good.

Well for once a celestial event took place at sociable hours!  Every July and August here on Paros we are treated to a fine meteor shower—shooting stars.  But the best time for viewing is in the early morning before dawn—not my time of day.

But last night the Eclipse of the Moon started here at 9:50 P.M. and reached 100% about 10:20 P.M.  There were a few wispy clouds but all in all a good show.

The first photo is about 75% into the eclipse.

The second is just before full eclipse. 

The third is at 100%.  If you zoom in you can see the lunar landscape a bit.

The last is about 50% out of the eclipse and obviously too much light for a photo.

Today is a negative wind chill day.  That is the high temperature is 84 F (30 C) but “feels like” 89 F (32 C) due to low winds and high humidity.

So instead of a walk I went swimming for the first time this year.  Quite nice; the water felt cold for less than 30 seconds.  Karin has been several times already; her first was June 2nd evidenced by the blurry photo. 

Having grown up in a semi-rural area of a small state, Oregon, I have always favored Buy Local campaigns as a neighbor helping neighbor effort.

Now Greece businesses are asking consumers to purchase Greece products as a way to help the overall economy.  They are launching a campaign in the supermarkets to highlight those products grown and processed in Greece.

Karin and I buy local whenever possible mainly for quality and flavor but we also take price into account.  Paros honey, for instance, is great, but very dear.  So we usually buy the brand that is produced on the main land.

When we are off island in the USA or elsewhere I find it difficult to choose between price and quality.  Are the farmer’s market tomatoes at 2.50 per kg going to taste better than the supermarket ones at 1.80?  What do you think?  How do you shop in your city?  Please comment.

Finally summer has arrived on Paros as we have no rain or even heavy clouds in our forecast.

Also today brings the prospect of more flights to Greece from all over the world.  Hellenic Imperial Airways has announced that starting June 24 they will be flying between New York and Athens four times per week—followed by other countries later this year.  To quote from their press release:

“In phase 1, Hellenic Imperial Airways will be connecting Greece with non-stop scheduled flights to and from USA (New York), Syria (Damascus), Romania (Bucharest), U.A.E (Dubai), Morocco (Casablanca), Saudi Arabia (Jeddah), United Kingdom (London), Switzerland (Geneva), Canada (Toronto- Montreal) and France (Lyon, Marseille).
In phase 2, aiming to be implemented towards the end of 2011 Hellenic Imperial Airways aims to expend its network of scheduled flights to the Far East and Australia.”

I did not find these flights in a fare search yet but they claim the rates will be competitive but more importantly to me they say:

“their planes have 217 seats in the same space that Olympic Airways formerly fit 263”

Hellenic Imperial Airways has been operating as a charter airline for over 4 years and their international flights use pilots and planes from the former Olympic Airways.

Here's to the lazy, hazy days of summer.