Hello! I'm a Artist/Writer/Photographer who lives in Athens, Greece. I have many creative ways from writing, photography, collage art, mixed-media art and poetry. I love sharing my work with people from all over the world through my blog.
Rainbow umbrellas decorate the one of the streets.
The statue of Asclepios-The God of medicine in ancient Greek religion and mythology.
The Lithaios River
The beautiful city of Trikala is located in northwestern Thessaly. It was built on the location of ancient Trikki. Trikki, in Greek mythology. is a nymph and the daughter of Pineios, a Thessalian river god.
The Lithaios river runs through the city. The river of ‘Lithi’ means“forgetfulness” in mythology. There are ten bridges that cross the river, the central one made of metal having been constructed by the French in 1886.
There are almost 82, 000 inhabitants. It is a progressive city in comparisson to Athens with its bike paths, and animal shelters. It is well-worth the visit.
Η όμορφη πόλη των Τρικάλων βρίσκεται στη βορειοδυτική Θεσσαλία. Χτίστηκε στη θέση της αρχαίας Τρίκκης. Τρίκκη, στην ελληνική μυθολογία. είναι νύμφη και κόρη του Πηνειού, Θεσσαλικής θεός του ποταμού.
Ο Ληθαίος ποταμός διασχίζει την πόλη. Το ποτάμι του «Λιθιού» σημαίνει «λήθη» στη μυθολογία. Υπάρχουν δέκα γέφυρες που διασχίζουν τον ποταμό, με την κεντρική από μέταλλο να έχει κατασκευαστεί από τους Γάλλους το 1886.
Υπάρχουν σχεδόν 82.000 κάτοικοι. Είναι μια προοδευτική πόλη σε σύγκριση με την Αθήνα με τους ποδηλατόδρομους και τα καταφύγια ζώων. Αξίζει την επίσκεψη.
The Monsastery is at at altitude of 940 meters. Built on top of rocks, it is an eight-story monastery.The views from the monastery of the landscape below is breathtaking.
Τhe spot in the cave where the icon of the Virgin Mary was found.The Archangels Michael and Garbriel
Another stop at Kalavryta was at the oldest monastery in Greece, the Mega Spilaio (Mega Cave). It is located 10 km from the town of Kalavryta. The landscape is beautiful, and it was built on the slope of Mount Helmos in 362 A.D by monks and brothers Simeon and Theodoros who were natives of Thessaloniki. Each of them had a vision, and they were ordered to travel from Jerusalem to Achaia (where Kalavryta is located) and find the icon of the Virgin Mary.
After wandering the brothers met a shepardess named Efrosini who led them to the cave where the icon located. The two monks took the icon out of the cave and cleaned the cave. Then a dragon jumped violently toward the exit and it was killed by thunderbolts.
Overtime, the monastery started to receive many pilgrims, and it flourished. As a result more levels were built.
The monastery played an important role in the revolution of 1821; and was an indispensable fortress against the Ottoman conquerors.
In December 1943, Nazi troops looted, burned the monastery and executed 16 people, visitors, subordinates and monks who threw them from a high cliff. However, the Monastery had already survived four devastating fires, in 840, 1400, 1640 and 1934. The icon of the Virgin, however, remained intact.
There is a room with many relics from the Byzantine era. Many icons from the 17th century, national costumes, the gosspel from the Byzantine era and the relics of Saints. Also, there is a rare banner with the figures of three Byzantine emperors,
Μια άλλη στάση στα Καλάβρυτα ήταν στο παλαιότερο μοναστήρι της Ελλάδας, το Μέγα Σπήλαιο. Βρίσκεται σε απόσταση 10 χιλιομέτρων από την πόλη των Καλαβρύτων. Το τοπίο είναι πανέμορφο και χτίστηκε στην πλαγιά του Χελμού το 362 μ.Χ. από μοναχούς και αδελφούς Συμεών και Θεόδωρο που κατάγονταν από τη Θεσσαλονίκη. Καθένας από αυτούς είχε ένα όραμα και διατάχθηκαν να ταξιδέψουν από τα Ιεροσόλυμα στην Αχαΐα και να βρουν την εικόνα της Παναγίας.
Μετά από περιπλάνηση τα αδέλφια συνάντησαν μια σέπαρδη ονόματι Ευφροσύνη η οποία τους οδήγησε στη σπηλιά όπου βρισκόταν η εικόνα. Οι δύο μοναχοί έβγαλαν την εικόνα από τη σπηλιά και καθάρισαν τη σπηλιά. Τότε ένας δράκος πήδηξε βίαια προς την έξοδο και σκοτώθηκε από κεραυνούς.
Με την πάροδο του χρόνου, το μοναστήρι άρχισε να δέχεται πολλούς προσκυνητές και άκμασε. Ως αποτέλεσμα χτίστηκαν περισσότερα επίπεδα.
Το μοναστήρι διαδραμάτισε σημαντικό ρόλο στην επανάσταση του 1821. και ήταν ένα απαραίτητο φρούριο εναντίον των Οθωμανών κατακτητών.
Τον Δεκέμβριο του 1943, τα ναζιστικά στρατεύματα λεηλάτησαν, έκαψαν το μοναστήρι και εκτέλεσαν 16 άτομα, επισκέπτες, υφισταμένους και μοναχούς που τους έριξαν από έναν ψηλό γκρεμό.
Ωστόσο, η Μονή είχε ήδη επιβιώσει από τέσσερις καταστροφικές πυρκαγιές, το 840, το 1400, το 1640 και το 1934. Η εικόνα της Παναγίας, όμως, παρέμεινε άθικτη.
Υπάρχει ένα δωμάτιο με πολλά κειμήλια από τη βυζαντινή εποχή. Πολλές εικόνες από τις εθνικές ενδυμασίες τον 17ο αιώνα, εθνικές ενδυμασίες, το κουτσομπολιό από τη βυζαντινή εποχή και τα λείψανα των Αγίων. Επίσης, υπάρχει ένα σπάνιο λάβαρο με τις μορφές τριών βυζαντινών αυτοκρατόρων,
Irene-‘Peace’ ‘No more wars’…But, do the stupid governments listen???
The next stop in beautiful Kalavryta was a more sombre one. On a small hill is a cemetery with some marked and unmarked graves. There is huge white cross on the top of the hill that overlooks the whole town.
This is the place where the worst massacre in Greece was committed. It is also considered one of the worst in Europe.
On the 13th of December 1943 the ‘Massacre of Kalavryta or the ‘Holocaust of Kalavryta’ occured. The Nazis, in retaliation for the execution of sixty-eight German soldiers by the Greek resistance, burnt down the town of Kalavryta. They looted and burnt over a thousand homes, stole over 2, 000 livestock. The women and children were sent to the nearby elementary school, and the school was set ablaze.
All of the men over 14 years of age were taken to the hill to watch the school burn. Fortunately, the women and children escaped by breaking down the windows and doors. Some say an Austrian or German soldier helped them to escape.
As the men watched in horror they were machine-gunned down by the Nazis. Over 499 men were murdered that day. Thirteen men managed to escape; as they hid under the pile of bodies. A total of 677 people were killed in Kalavryta and the neighbouring villages.
The elementary school is now a museum for the Massacre in Kalavryta.
The Nazis were never punished for the war crimes. The Mayor of Kalavrita and President of the Network of Martyred Cities and Villages of Greece in the period 1940-1945, Athanasios Papadopoulos, remarked in an online conference in 2021 that, “every crime without punishment generates the conditions of recurrence”.
Mount Helmos ski resort is located in Kalavrita. The mountains’ highest peak is 2.350 meters.
It was a beautiful, sunny day. Not cold at all. A lot sporty-type people doing the usual of skiing, tobogganing, and snowboarding. If you don’t have the energy or skill for any of those sports than you just chill and relax on the chairs with a dj under he hot sun.
The town of Kalavrita is a sleepy, mountainous little town in the north of the Peloponnese in Achaea. It has a population of over 1, 829 according to a 2011 census. The cobblestone streets are lined with beautiful shops full of local honey and botanicals. Kalavrita is well-known for its quality feta cheese as well.
Mount Helmos towers above the town and there is a ski resort.
The modern residents are lucky to have a good quality of life. The town is perfect for raising a family. However, the previous in habitants weren’t so fortunate. It is a town that has seen its share of atrocities which I will be discussing in a future post.
Η πόλη των Καλαβρύτων είναι μια νυσταγμένη, ορεινή μικρή πόλη στα βόρεια της Πελοποννήσου στην Αχαΐα. Έχει πληθυσμό πάνω από 1.829 κατοίκους σύμφωνα με απογραφή του 2011. Τα πλακόστρωτα δρομάκια είναι γεμάτα με όμορφα μαγαζιά γεμάτα τοπικό μέλι και βοτανικά. Τα Καλάβρυτα είναι γνωστά και για την ποιοτική φέτα τους.
Το όρος Χελμός δεσπόζει πάνω από την πόλη και υπάρχει ένα χιονοδρομικό κέντρο.
Οι σύγχρονοι κάτοικοι είναι τυχεροί που έχουν καλή ποιότητα ζωής. Η πόλη είναι ιδανική για μια οικογένεια. Ωστόσο, οι προηγούμενοι σε κατοίκους δεν ήταν τόσο τυχεροί. Είναι μια πόλη που έχει δει το μερίδιό της σε φρικαλεότητες, τις οποίες θα συζητήσω σε μελλοντική ανάρτηση.
Last weekend, I took a trip to Kalavrita, a mountainous town in the North of the Peloponnese. It was my first time in this region and I was excited to check out all of the attractions as Kalavrita has many.
The weather was perfect after many days of thunderstorms. The first stop was the cog railway, also known as Odontotos. The Odontotos dates back to the 19th century. It was 120 years ago when the prime minister of Greece Harilao Trikoupi came up with the idea to construct local railway networks. The construction started in 1889, but it was fraught with many enginneering issues. However, the railway was completed in 1896 and since then the railway has been in use on a daily basis.
The scenery from the train is stunning as it passes by the gorge of Vouraikos. Everyone was in awe of the many beautiful streams and waterfalls. The trees and the strange shapes of their branches as well as all of the plant life.
Το περασμένο Σαββατοκύριακο έκανα ένα ταξίδι στα Καλάβρυτα, μια ορεινή πόλη στα βόρεια της Πελοποννήσου. Ήταν η πρώτη μου φορά σε αυτήν την περιοχή και ήμουν ενθουσιασμένη που είδα όλα τα αξιοθέατα καθώς τα Καλάβρυτα έχει πολλά.
Ο καιρός ήταν τέλειος μετά από πολλές μέρες καταιγίδων. Πρώτος σταθμός ο σιδηρόδρομος, γνωστός και ως ‘Οδοντωτός’. Ο Οδοντωτός χρονολογείται από τον 19ο αιώνα. Ήταν πριν από 120 χρόνια όταν ο πρωθυπουργός της Ελλάδας Χαρίλαο Τρικούπη είχε την ιδέα να κατασκευάσει τοπικά σιδηροδρομικά δίκτυα. Η κατασκευή ξεκίνησε το 1889, αλλά υπήρχαν πολλά μηχανολογικά θέματα. Ωστόσο, ο σιδηρόδρομος ολοκληρώθηκε το 1896 και από τότε ο σιδηρόδρομος χρησιμοποιείται σε καθημερινή βάση.
Το σκηνικό από το τρένο είναι εκπληκτικό καθώς περνάει από το φαράγγι του Βουραϊκού. Όλοι ένιωσαν δέος για τα πολλά όμορφα ρυάκια και τους καταρράκτες. Τα δέντρα και τα περίεργα σχήματα των κλαδιών τους καθώς και όλη η φυτική ζωή.
I cannot believe that it has already been three years since the pandemic really took the world by storm. The ‘unprecendented times’, words spoken by many news reporters, shocked and scared many. It changed so many peoples lives. Their jobs, their relationships their health all were affected by the pandemic.
Looking back, many mistakes were made. Governments became too authoritarian. And people became more angrier and divided than ever over issues such as the vaccines, and the mandatory enforcement of them.
But, the worst off all was the pandemic of fear. This had and still has crippled many people. It worsened people’s mental health and which led to terrible results for some.
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.“-Madam Curie
“Fear is an insidious virus. Given a breeding place in our minds … it will eat away our spirit and block the forward path of our endeavors.”-James F. Bell III
Ice skating has been growing in popularity these past few years in Greece. When I first came to Greece many years ago from Canada, outdoor ice rinks were no where to be found. Just looking at an ice rink brings me back to my childhood in Canada. It’s very surreal to see scenes like this in a hot country like Greece. But, it’s nice to see kids here having this experience.
My nightime photographs of the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Foundation center. There were lot of light shows and attractions to photograph, and the lit dancing fountains were nice too.
My Creative Wayz 