Visons

My site with the flash albums has been updated you will now find an album with trees and bushes! There could be several more of trees and bushes lol!

J*

Share on Facebook

The latest updates to the main site can be found here and also the latest desktop wallpaper which is an alternative of Mirtos beach a little different to the normal type of shot LOL!  This is just a preview go to the main site to find the size you wish to download! You can click for a small preview but the larger ones are available on Visions Main

Share on Facebook

 The ducks are auditioning for the re-make of CCM I think it could be a hit!

A little explanation: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is the film that was filmed on Kefalonia in 2001. During the film there is a sequence that shows the lovers on a Jetty! When we did the tours, one of the most commonly asked questions was…where is the Jetty?

Share on Facebook

The fires that sweep across the country in summer are horrific and many villages, and People, and their crops , birds and animals, are all in danger at these times. When the mercury rises to 35 to 40celicus, coupled with strong gusting winds, that fan the flames and give the firefighters a devil of a job to control these fires, we wonder if anything will survive. The people fight to save their homes and livelihoods as the land turns to charcoal. Then suddenly there is a glimmer of light as you see the first green shoots appear. Or the leaves of a tree that survived against the odds!

Click the images for a larger version!

Share on Facebook

Well the festival all went well on the 16th August, and whilst there was a big turn out one or two of us agreed it did not seem as busy as normal. That’s ok we dont mind at all lol!

The oddest thing this year was that all the people that lay down in the road did not seem to be doing it for the right reason. They seemed to do it just to say they did it almost as a good luck thing (this is just a couple of our opinions mind you) There were lots of children healthy and seemingly normal, young and old women and men. I did not actually spot what I thought to be any needy cases which is normally the way. Anyway they were unlucky as the cask approached it was quite a shock to many that the cask was being carried alongside them not over them. So if they were doing it for simply good luck..it ran out right there and then.

There are a lot of photographs and I have spent most of the day uploading to Facebook as these are general photographs feel free to pass the links to interested people around! There are almost a 100 photos for you to browse through! I hope you enjoy them~!

Gerassimos Album 1

Gerassimos Album 2

Share on Facebook

The masses are moving in to the Omala valley tonight, to the all night market and service in the church at the Gerassimos monastery! The ceremony is in the morning. Tonight everything ground to a halt around 9/9.30pm tonight. Suddenly this nice quiet road becomes a motorway, but this was different, somewhere we obviously had a hold up, so for two hours we had this massive cue stuck outside. I nipped out much to the amusement of the people in the cars. These are not good shots as I did not put my tripod up..I just pointed and shot!! LOL! This crazy time will continue for almost 24 hours then a mass exodus from all ports after the ceremony….leaving us flustered on Sunday and a lot of rubbish to clear for the people in the Omala valley, but able to breathe a sigh of relief as we move toward a little normality for a few weeks until the next one in October!

Photos of the Monastery here: Come back for the procession photos after tomorrow!

Click the small for the larger ones!

Share on Facebook

Today is the Celebration of the Virgin Mary and the island has a public holiday! And now when the island is at bursting point ( re. tourists) we have the big event tomorrow. The first of two annual festivals of ‘Agios Gerassimos’ the Patron Saint of Kefalonia. The people and traders are making their way to the Omala region they will spend the night there, some of them camp out for a couple of days before to be there before the crowds arrive. An air of expectancy will linger in the air of the valley and tonight the valley will come alive as people arrive to pay their respects to the Saint and also take this opportunity to visit a market that only appears at these times in the year.

Photos of the Monastery here: come back for the photos of the procession after tomorrow!

As you enter the valley, it has to be said, this is an impressive sight at night…The whole area is lit up at the foot of Mt. Ainos! There will be hundreds of people and cars moving around, the sound of priests chanting coming from within the church. When one enters the church it really is a beautiful sight. The relaxed feeling of the service as people walk freely in and out, Candles burning, and as the words ‘Gerassimos’ are uttered for that brief moment the sound of voices echoing in repetition around the church. There is a special feeling that we feel this night a feeling of hope and love and of course the ever present feeling of Gerassimos watching over you.

The Central area where the service takes place in this stunningly beautiful church seems set apart for those that wish to take their respects and prayers to their saint. They will cue along a corridor which is laid seperate to the main body of the church *yet still within* they will pass by almost unoticed giving their prayers to the saint and moving outside into the hustle and bustle of the warm evening air. And outside monks, priest will bring their wares their hand made icons to sell to the people that pass. Around the perimeter of the church settling in for the night, Pilgrims will wrap themselves in cotton sheets and covers so they can be present for the ceremonial parade the next morning. If they are not tired they will maybe pop to the market for food or drink and perhaps the odd bargain or two!

Tonight I shall prepare myself for the only time of year the road on which my house sits will for the next 24hours become the motorway of the island with people making their way up there to and fro. Then there will be those that choose to walk, for this is act of Piety, they make the pilgrimage on foot.

I hope to bring you photographs of the ceremony tomorrow so keep tuned!

Share on Facebook

I as asked today about accommodation in Assos. I have found this link for the person asking and anyone else that may wish to think about holidaying in Assos It’s very pretty! You can find an album on Assos here also!

Assos Album * will be updated

Assos Accomodation

Share on Facebook

No of course not!! But if I looked at this photograph, which was taken at 6.50 am this morning on my way to Lassi, I may certainly have though this was the case! This awful cloud of white dust now hangs thick in the air all around! It’s no news that the Argostoli main road has had roadworks standing still for 3 years. Anyway it’s all systems Slow , er I mean Go ! Hah! Well I know everyone is complaining at this end ( Argostoli) particularly if they have to travel up and down this road and in and out of Argostoli. It’s just dreadful..and ok keep your windows shut, but by the time you have driven through this, you have a layer of white over your car, then the minute you re-open the window it comes in anyway, or simply opening and closing the car door will send you up in a Puff of white dust!

Ok several questions spring to mind!! Is this the busiest period (August) on the roads of Kefalonia…ERM??? YES! Ok so we don’t stop for roadworks in UK, we do this all year around of course!Well by the way if you had not noticed this is NOT the UK! I hear they can’t do this in the winter on Kefalonia because of the rain…Ahh of course.. ( Good job they do not say this in other countries…particularly Uk) There would be no roads in that case LOL!

When did they re-start this?..beginning of May of course… as the first plane landed they took the road surface off! All the Bus drivers are moaning the traffic is reduced to 15kmph and of course then the traffic is building up…bla bla. So sooner or later they will finished…well maybe? At least the season is half way through..and the road should be completed by end of season.. MAYBE.

What alternative to the Argostoli road do you have? Ok my advice is if you can avoid this road if you are here on Hol’s and hiring a car. Get your maps out! If travelling across the south coast from the Skala/Katelios/Lourdas area then keep going until you have Just driven through Peratata there is a junction at Poriata ( just beneath the Fortress) take a left there follow the road right round to the Lakithra signs and either go across the Lakithra road that is parallel to Argostoli road it just is a higher run ( very scenic)! Or you can head toward the coastal run , Passing down through Kourkoumelata and Doumata and continuing either across the junction toward the Svoronata coastline, Or Turn right at the Junction and go through Minies (this is longer than the Lakithra run) If you are coming from Argostoli go up the Lassi hill and just at the brow of the hill take the road up across Lakithra. Whatever you do try avoid the Argostoli road in or out of the capitol, If possible!

I think all this could be a deal with the Pharmacies as everyone is suffering with sinus problems right now! LOL!

Click for a larger view

Share on Facebook

I see we have Scandinavian coming to the site and I have found the original article I did with the press two years ago here online! I can’t say that personally it is totally accurate but it’s fairly good. I know because my partner was in Norway for 30 or so years so he translated it for me LOL!

Here is the Article for the Norwegians and Swedish

Share on Facebook