I Must Go, and You Should Also

Shrine overlooking Paliolinos, Kefalonia

Paliolinos, Kefalonia

Sea Fever
❝ I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky—

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. ❞

John Masefield

(written when he was 22!)

Show me the Way

The Lighthouse at Gero Gobos Cape, Kefalonia

The Lighthouse

❝ The rocky ledge runs far into the sea,
and on its outer point, some miles away,

the lighthouse lifts its massive masonry,

A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day.

       .........................

Sail on!” it says:
“sail on, ye stately ships!” 
And with your floating bridge the ocean span; 

Be mine to guard this light from all eclipse.
Be yours to bring man nearer unto man. ❞

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

ef-har-ree-STO!!!

Hidden coves in Myrtos Bay, Kefalonia

A sincere THANK YOU to all of you who take the time to view this blog and to repost on your pages. Closing in on the milestone figure of 5000 page views in two months, I am extremely grateful and promise to reciprocate in my own way.
A special thank you to my new friends in Finland!
ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΩ!
(ef-har-ree-STO)

Peaceful Coexistence

Fiskardo, Kefalonia

Resisting the wiles of "cosmopolitan" Fiskardo is easier said than done.

The view of the huge, luxurious yachts that dock there is enough to bring out the paparazzi in anyone. Media tycoons, famous actors, filthy rich sheikhs from the Middle East, catwalk queens—each of the shiny big boats carries a "heavy load."

Though more fascinated by seagulls, sunsets, and crashing waves, I am tempted to slip on the long zoom lens and capture this glamor, style, and elegance. Fortunately, these thoughts go as fast as they come. 

So, I let myself drift to the other side of town, next to the ferry dock. Here, the yellow fishing nets and the sea-battered wooden hulls balance out any previously formed impressions. Because these elements are of equal significance. Besides, the dozens of sailing boats that carelessly slip in and out of the bay provide more action for the composition than the massive, but seemingly lifeless, figures of the floating palaces.

Yes, proportion is back.
From this angle, everything is in its right place.
Only Fiskardo could get away with this!

Lines, Circles, Reflections

Lixouri, Kefalonia

Fisheries in Argostoli Bay, Kefalonia

Argostoli Bridge Memorial, Kefalonia

Paths on water, shapes of fishery caging, and mirrored structures in morning light, on an otherwise uneventful return drive from Fiskardo to Argostoli.

Promises Are Made to Be Broken

Yes, I have succumbed to temptation...

Yes, I am in Fiskardo though it's way before October.

Yes, it's lovely!
No, I won't apologize!

Reaching out to touch Ithaca from Fiskardo

It all comes back to you the minute you step foot on this magical place: the narrow side streets; the houses with old world charm; the sailboat masts competing with the skyline; the perfectly tanned beautiful people on their afternoon walks; and the soft light that lingers as the sun sets on the other side of the island. And the incredibly musical sound of Italian spoken in all tones and dialects.

Yes, I will be back for the fishermen and their catch in a few months, but for now I'll savor this without undue guilt.


...more to come

see previous post
➥A SLIPPERY CHARACTER IN FISKARDO

To Wish Upon a Star

Koutsoupia, a beach with its own star-rating system

Star gazing doesn't always involve looking up.
There are plenty of stars in places remote, less exposed than the sky.

What they lack in light, they compensate in color.
Their wet galaxy is in its own way just as infinite, unexplored, and exciting.

There is no evidence to date that wishes made upon these stars are fulfilled, but if enough of us try,  then maybe, just maybe....

And I know of one tiny aquamarine galaxy, tucked away in a green embrace, where there are enough stars to make wishes come true.....

Koutsoupia Bay, Kefalonia

Emergency Cool Splashes

For a person born smack in the middle of summer, I am too susceptible to the heat. Spoiled by the heavenly northwestern breezes of June, the last couple of days, at 35+ ℃, are hard to endure.

I try to write a couple of posts but the result is a bunch of incoherent words.
Brain is mush, body is missing in inaction.

All I can do is drag the mouse to the picture folder named "Emergency Cool Splashes" and click...
I hope it works its miracle....

Myrtos Beach, Kefalonia

Heat stroke prevention measures

Myrtos to the rescue!

Missing you, Ithaca

View of Ithaca with Kefalonia in the background

It has been almost a year since I've crossed the channel to  my "adopted" island—Ithaca. 
So compact, so picture perfect, so serene. 
So intense, without the pretense. 
A place to dream and daydream. 
To capture its light and aura with the senses before even attempting to capture it on camera. 
To sit back and watch while even mundane things, like sailboat masts, take on an unexpected significance in the muted dawn light. 

Yes, it's time...

Vathy, Ithaca

Kefalonia Sky Art (cont'd)

Kefalonia Sunsets

Shapes and colors in place of words...

The Old Man and the Sea, Revisited

Fishing near Dias Islet, Kefalonia

His name is not Santiago, I'm sure of that.
Yiannis, Niko, Makis, Giorgos, or Andreas are more sensible possibilities.

His companion is probably his wife, and she is certainly not named Manolin.

On this outing, he will, with some luck, pull in some sea bass, not a marlin.

No sharks will follow him to claim his catch, so he will not have to fend them off with the oar.

And, he is definitely not out paddling on the choppy waters of the Gulf Stream. No, these are the deep but familiar waters of the tiny, by comparison, Ionian Sea—in the vicinity of Dias Islet, off the southern coast of Kefalonia.

But sitting on the wet sand of Avythos Beach in late November, waiting for the sunset to paint the sky, I cannot but make the far-fetched connection.
Taking it a step further, I can even "see" the determination on his face.

And then, reality checks in.

Hemingway's classic novel

When he notices the lone figure on the beach—and the long zoom lens pointed at him—he nudges his companion to turn around and see the invader. They both look to the shore, take a bow, and wave.
I wave back and return to the task at hand.

So much for Hemingway today.

Kefalonia Sky Art

Lourdas Bay, Kefalonia

Pessada, Kefalonia

Lourdas Bay, Kefalonia

I wish I could paint like that!

Most people are fascinated by the colors of sunsets. 
Not me...
What I find overwhelming are the shapes formed by the moving clouds and the reflection of the diminishing light. 

Stories upon stories are told or whispered at each sundown.
But you must take the time to watch the plot unfold.

On this July 1st

Emblissi Beach, Kefalonia

June is a sneaky month. 
Absolutely cunning in the way its days go by without accounting for their comings and goings. 

And before you know it, July creeps up on you, along with the realization that it's almost mid summer. Yes, it is time to stop procrastinating, pack a beach bag, and seek out a place in the sun. 

But I'm a bit ambivalent where July is concerned. 
On one hand, it's my favorite beach-going month. 
On the other hand, it's the month that saddles my back with another year as my mom had nothing better to do on July 15th! 

Wishing that all of you are beach-ready.

 Enjoy!

And, lest I forget myself on a beach for the next few days...

HAPPY 4th OF JULY to all of you across the big ocean!

Exchanging Places

Argostoli Lighthouse, Kefalonia

Few things beat sitting on the rocks in front of the Lighthouse in early evening.

All senses are focusing on the sunset.
Small caressing waves splashing on the rocks present the only distraction.

Once in a while, a fishing boat crossing the channel attracts my attention.
I make out the silhouettes of the fishermen onboard and feel overwhelming envy.
Because they are a bit closer to sun.
So unfair...