Scorched Earth/Καμμενη Γη

Last summer, Greece dealt with very devastating forest fires. One of the areas that was greatly affected is located on the outskirts of Athens. I took these photographs at Ippokrateios Politea. It’s an affluent area. A small town with a man-made lake with ducks.

I saw miles and miles of burnt forest. I was saddened by the devastion. Burnt trees everywhere. Fallen trees and ash-covered ground. So lifeless and not at all peaceful. A lot more needs to be done to protect our forests not only in Greece, but around the world.

Το περασμένο καλοκαίρι, η Ελλάδα αντιμετώπισε πολλές καταστροφικές δασικές πυρκαγιές. Μία από τις περιοχές που επλήγησαν πολύ βρίσκεται στα περίχωρα της Αθήνας. Τις φωτογραφίες αυτές τις τράβηξα στον Ιπποκράτειο Πολιτεία. Είναι μια εύπορη περιοχή. Μια μικρή πόλη με μια τεχνητή λίμνη με πάπιες.

Είδα χιλιόμετρα και χιλιόμετρα καμένο δάσος. Με στεναχώρησε η καταστροφή. Καμένα δέντρα παντού. Πεσμένα δέντρα και έδαφος καλυμμένο με τέφρα. Τόσο άψυχο και καθόλου γαλήνιο. Πρέπει να γίνουν πολλά περισσότερα για την προστασία των δασών μας όχι μόνο στην Ελλάδα, αλλά σε όλο τον κόσμο.

By The Lake/Διπλα Στη Λιμνη

On the outskirts of Athens is a foresty area called Ippokrateios Politeia. It is a small affluent town. The lake that I photographed is a man-made lake called Beletsi lake. This was my first time I visited the area. I took more photographs of the forest which I will post in my next blog post. Unfortunately, much of the forest is burnt from last summers’ devastating fires.

Στα περίχωρα της Αθήνας βρίσκεται μια δασική περιοχή που ονομάζεται Ιπποκράτειος Πολιτεία. Είναι μια μικρή εύπορη πόλη. Η λίμνη που φωτογράφισα είναι μια τεχνητή λίμνη που ονομάζεται λίμνη Μπελέτσι. Αυτή ήταν η πρώτη μου φορά που επισκέφτηκα την περιοχή. Τράβηξα περισσότερες φωτογραφίες από το δάσος τις οποίες θα δημοσιεύσω στην επόμενη ανάρτησή μου στο blog. Δυστυχώς, μεγάλο μέρος του δάσους έχει καεί από τις καταστροφικές πυρκαγιές του περασμένου καλοκαιριού.

Revolutionary Times

These are scary, and unsettling times, but exciting times as well.

We have so far witnessed many historical events and there may be many more to come.

Starting with the covid-19 nightmare and fiasco that spawned the ridiculous vaccinated vs. unvaccinated war. To worldwide extreme weather events, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

And now the global uprising of people who are tired of the restrictions imposed on them by their governments which in some countries like here in Greece, where the restrictions were the strictest in the world, are still in effect two years after the first covid-19 cases.

Two years of fear, panic, and paranoia and death. But, distant deaths as I don’t know of anyone who died of covid.

It is without a doubt that so called ‘democratic’ governments have abused their power and have become more authoritarian over these past few years. These elitist leaders come from wealthy families and are extremely out of touch with the working class people, which is the majority of the population!

In Canada, the truckers have taking over Ottawa demanding the end to the vaccine mandates. Prime minister Justin Trudeau called them a ‘fringe minority’ a highly inaccurate estimate. He disrespected their right to protest because anyone who disagrees with their leader is a an ‘extremist’ and the word ‘Nazi’ gets thrown around far to easily these days. A leader that is voted by the people should enter into a dialgogue with the people but an elitist snob would never!

And if all that wasn’t bad enough we have the looming threat of World War III. So much to look forward too! Any person would be naive to think that these governments are buying and making weapons of mass destruction just so they can gather dust and rust in the rain.

Humans will never learn so let the aliens invade, and take over. I’m sure they’ll do a better job of leading the way!

Frosty Flowers

A few more photographs taken during the freak blizzard that hit Greece last week. The pictures were taken in low-light conditions because I was worried that if I waited for the strong Greek sun to come out then all of the snow would melt. Then I would have missed the opportunity to photograph the snow-covered plants. There was not much that can be done to brighten them in photoshop. So they’re not my best flower photographs to date.

Wintry Scenes/Χειμερινές Σκηνές

A few photographs of the worst snowfall I have ever seen in Athens! The historical and very rare snowstorm named ‘Elpis’ (Hope!) ravaged parts of Greece that were not accustomed to this kind of weather. There was certainly no hope for the drivers whose cars got stuck on the road.

The drivers had no choice but to leave their vehicles on the side of the road and to walk to their homes. Also, there was no hope for the drivers on the highway that were stuck for over 5 hours. Some remainded until the morning! The army had to come in to assist in the situation. Yikes! How embarrassing!

It just goes to show how powerless humans against mother nature’s wrath.

From the extreme heat in the summer to the extreme cold this winter the climate is very much bonkers! Having been accustomed to the cold as I grew up in Canada, I do prefer the cold to the heat here in Greece, but only when I am inside 😉

Μερικές φωτογραφίες από τη ΧΕΙΡΟΤΕΡΗ χιονόπτωση που έχω δει ποτέ στην Αθήνα! Η ιστορική και πολύ σπάνια χιονοθύελλα με το όνομα «Ελπίς» κατέστρεψε μέρη της Ελλάδας που δεν ήταν συνηθισμένα σε αυτό το είδος καιρού. Σίγουρα δεν υπήρχε ελπίδα για τους οδηγούς των οποίων τα αυτοκίνητα κόλλησαν στο δρόμο.

Οι οδηγοί δεν είχαν άλλη επιλογή από το να αφήσουν τα οχήματά τους στην άκρη του δρόμου και να περπατήσουν μέχρι τα σπίτια τους. Επίσης, δεν υπήρχε ‘ελπίδα’ για τους οδηγούς στην Αττικη Οδο που έμειναν καθηλωμένοι για πάνω από 5 ώρες. Κάποιοι έμειναν μέχρι το πρωί! Έπρεπε να μπει ο στρατός για να βοηθήσει στην κατάσταση!

Απλώς δείχνει πόσο ανίσχυροι είναι οι άνθρωποι ενάντια στην οργή της μητέρας φύσης.

Από την υπερβολική ζέστη του περασμένου καλοκαιριού μέχρι το ακραίο κρύο του φετινού χειμώνα, το κλίμα έχει τρελαθεί! Προτιμώ το κρύο από τη ζέστη εδώ στην Ελλάδα, αλλά μόνο όταν είμαι μέσα 😉

Old & New/Παλιο και Καινουριο

A view of Athens from a shop downtown.

Η θέα της Αθήνας από ένα μαγαζί στο κέντρο της πόλης.

An interesting contrast between classical building and some modern ones.

Μια ενδιαφέρουσα αντίθεση μεταξύ του κλασικού κτιρίου και ορισμένων σύγχρονων.

Sign of the Times/Σημάδι των Καιρών

“Any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.” ― Homer, The Iliad

“Of all men’s miseries the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing.” ― Herodotus, The Histories

Amen, Amen.