Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Πάντα στον νου σου νάχεις την Ιθάκη.

I have a Masters Degree in Engineering - something niggles me about Claus's roof supporting structure compared to that of the Berghof (South).

This splendid shot is taken on the plain of Xerokambos - looking out from Klaus' house.
The day before my return to England we decide to visit the village of Platanos that is on the opposite side of the mountain from our village. Platanos is at the bottom of a valley and hosted a water mill during the first ice age.
 
The house of garbage near Platanos - used as the film set for the popular Greek comedy series Stephanos and Son depicting the rise and fall of an aspiring PASOK MP.

The waterfall at Platanos.

Platanos High Street

How to get to Platanos - last time we visited for the spring festival it was tipping it down - now it's just the waterfall tipping.
 Hypochondria is part of the Greek DNA - here in Platanos Mrs Nikos and Yiayia Mrs Nikos are recognised as doctors at the Ouzeri and we drink and eat mezedes to the accompaniment of lurid descriptions of various ailments - this is just the gambit.

A naughty boy in bed

Time to buy a new bike?

I would have chosen another brand name, especially now that Greece appears to be snuggling up to Israel.
This brand name is perfect - Three hours late and not a glass of wine in sight, but the meatballs were not from IKEA as they were halal or is that haha.
 And so the summer trip but not the journey came to an end.


Bear Ithaca always in your thoughts.
Arriving there is the goal of your journey;
but take care not to travel too hastily.
Better to linger for years on your way;
better to reach the island’s shores in old age,
enriched by all you’ve obtained along the way.
Do not expect that
Ithaca will reward you with wealth.



This is an extract from Ithaca, a poem by Constantine Cavafy.

24 comments:

  1. Ithaca always on your mind? That poem finished it off well. Great series of posts Nikos.

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  2. Those rafters are a little scary...but I would also have some major concern over that House of Garbage! :-) That pussy is looking a little frisky with those big eyes. Looks like she is getting ready to pounce!

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  3. Richard, thanks.

    Lori, that little cat had opposite ideas about sleeping to us i.e. asleep all day and awake all night attacking my feet.

    Affer, not nececelery!

    Kind regards to all, N

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  4. And pounce she did on those pesky little critters that kept moving under the covers all night and she just couldn't quite kill. :) -Lori

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  5. ..in fact Lori, I might turn that ginger devil into a slipper (not big enough for a pair!)

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  6. Nikos:

    Your header photo makes me hungry. I love spaghetti & crusty bread rolls with lots of butter

    bob
    Wet Coast Scootin

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  7. PRAISE BE!

    HALLELUJAH!!!

    The Flying Spaghetti Monster is amongst us!

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  8. Lo, and praise be unto His Noodly Appendage ...

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  9. Chaps

    It's the meatballs that are important?

    N

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  10. I don't think the FSM has balls, in fact. To imply that He has may well be blasphemy. I'll have to check in my Boys' Bumper Book of Pastafarianism.

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  11. Richard

    I think that you will find that meatballs are fundamental to the nutrition of Pastafarians (they need first class protein)

    Noodly appendage

    N

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  12. Silly me, of course the FSM has balls. I was thinking of something else. Tofuism, or something. Thank you for the correction.

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  13. I can't help but think that you boys are being very rude. Stop it at once.

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  14. Dear Nikos:

    How can there have been a water mill during the ice age? Even if the ice had started to melt, it would hardly be melting fast enough to grind corn.

    Could you have been mistaken? Perhaps it was not a mill but a sewing machine? Thank you for taking us on your trip.

    Fondest regards,
    Jack • reep • Toad
    Twisted Roads

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  15. I'm sure Nikos can answer for himself, but as far as I am aware Greece was not anywhere near the ice sheets of the Quaternary glaciation, which affected Northern Europe. Streams in Greece would have been running as normal. The reference to the Ice Age was only a reference to a time period - I think.

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  16. Jack
    I suspect that the water mill thing was contributed by my ghost rider, he who also contributed this baloney

    Richard
    You are correct

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  17. Ghost Rider? Wasn't he in Sweden?

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  18. I think your mixing it up with Wallander?

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  19. Ah, a cousin of the Athens lunatic!

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  20. Stephanos and Son, ha! Err, nope, I can't think of any classic British sitcom whose title might be adapted to include a Greek surname. But at least I tried.

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  21. Gadjo

    Thanks for trying!

    Best wishes, N

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