Just where is Skopelos anyway? A little history lesson.

The mountainous, densely-forested Sporades Islands are located off the eastern coast of Greece in the Aegean Sea. The group includes about two dozen islands, of which only Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos, and Skyros are inhabited. Long the playgound of the rich and famous, these charming and historic islands are some of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Greece. The island of Skopelos lies 121km (65 nautical miles) from Agios Konstandinos, which is 166km (103 miles) from Athens.



Skopelos Town is the first village one sees when arriving on the island because it is the main port of Skopelos. It is a wonderful little town which is reminiscent of a fairy tale with its lovely whitewashed houses with red tiled roofs, flower gardens and balconies. Its fountains, many little white churches, narrow streets and alleys, and climbing stairs were built amphitheatrically up from the bay. Most of the island's activities are here in the capital, as well as the majority of the population.



Skopelos is one of the most picturesque towns of the Aegean and has been designated as a heritage settlement. The many steps in the town (also called hora by the locals) lead to the most beautiful part of the capital, a site called Kastro (castle). It is located on the top of the hill where the town is built and owes its name to the fortress built there in 340 BC by Philip II of Macedonia from which only ruins of the walls have survived. In the heart of Kastro is the oldest church of the town, the 17th century basilica of Agios Athanassios. The initial edifice was built in the 9th century on the ruins of a temple dedicated to Athena. The panoramic view from the top of Kastro is breath-taking and truly magic.



The island's interior is densely planted with fruit and nut orchards, and Skopelos's unique cuisine makes liberal use of the famous plums and almonds grown here. Skopelos is also known for keeping alive rembetika music, the Greek version of American blues that can be heard in tavernas late in the evening.



The position of the island is of strategic importance and it has suffered several invasions. The first settler and King was Prince Stafilos, the son of Ariadne and Dionysos and grandson of Minoa. He came from Crete, so the island was a Cretan colony known as Peparithos. His grave, containing weapons, a gold crown and funerary offerings amongst other finds (all of which are housed in the Volos museum) was discovered by the cove bearing his name in 1927.

The supremacy of the island was greatly disputed between the Athenians and the Spartans and it was right in the middle of the Persian wars. During the times of the Roman Empire the island was ransacked several times by the Roman hoards. The island was one of the first places in Hellas to preach Christianity. The first bishop and Patron Saint of the island was Agios Reginos, who was tortured to death in 362 A.D.

Skopelos harbor and sailboats below:



During the Byzantine times the island was generally prosperous but was used as a place of exile. It changed hands several times until 1538 when the Turkish admiral Khayr El-Din Bararossa (red beard) conquered the island destroying it and massacring the inhabitants. It remained deserted until the 17th century. When people starting settling again, they suffered greatly at the hands of pirates. It played an important part in the General Uprising in 1821 as it was the headquarters of many of the revolution's commanders. Today however, you will find it is one of the most peaceful islands in the Aegean.

My Sunday morning stroll

This morning I woke up early and since it was cool, I headed off for a walk. I went straight up into the hills around the town. As I got to the top, I took a few self-portraits, trying to capture some scenery in the background. Sometimes I wish I had longer arms... and no double chin... and a flat stomach. I digress.





The road flattened out pretty nicely and started to wind across the face of the hill. Not knowing where it went, I followed it for a while, hoping I wouldn't have to backtrack. The trail led through the usual farms and olive groves and provided magnificent views of the town below once I got to the top.







The trail finally started to veer downwards, steeply, and I followed it to town. No aerobics class could have provided a better workout. On the way up the hill in the beginning, my heart was racing. My pulse remained strong as I walked across the hill, and then as I made my way down the steep incline at the end, my quads were burning from "putting on the brakes" the whole way. As I neared the bottom, I passed a small church and discovered a peaceful and beautiful cemetery. The wrought-iron entry gate showed the date 1928.





Back in town, I followed the local ladies to the Greek Orthodox Church in the center of town. They were dressed to the nines and wearing heels even though they had to walk down steps and cobbled lanes to get there. Many of the older ladies in the village wear black dresses, pretty much every day, so I can only assume they are widowed. Since I was dressed in shorts and a tank top, I stood outside and listened as the service proceeded. Most of the people inside seemed to be standing. The doors were open and I could hear various men, more of less singing or chanting the various parts of the service, sometimes in harmony. It was beautiful even though I couldn't understand a word of it. Periodically, to emphasize something being sung, an elderly man would step outside and tug the ropes that rang the large church bell in the tower above.



There was also a gentle "sleigh-bell" type ringing that punctuated the service inside. The voices reminded me a little of monks chanting, and the mass went on for almost an hour and a half! Afterwards everyone spilled into the sunlit courtyard and had refreshments.... brought by the local bakery. A large crumb cake topped with powdered sugar was the main event. As people left the church, they were given pretty little paper bags to take with them. I was dying to know what was inside, but no one seemed to open their bag as they left. Oh well.... that's a mystery for another day.

Small miracles

There's not much to report from yesterday except that I spent another beautiful day at the beach (Glyfoneri) with the refreshing Aegean Sea at my feet. As I walked to town to grab a pita for dinner, I saw something that I see every day here and have almost come to take for granted.



These beautiful, bright flowers sprout from tiny holes and cracks in the steps, all over town. Some of them grow to be very large bushes in a matter of months. The winters here are harsh, and the summers are hot and dry, so I guess they make the most of the growing season. I've seen them in fuscia and yellow.

Here are some miniature morning glories, growing in what appears to be the hardest driest clay on the planet.



After dinner, I passed by Aktaion Cafe and my waiter friend gave me a big "Hello America" (his nickname for me). He told me I'm getting so dark, I'll have to get a new passport photo before I leave ;-)

Cat on a hot tile roof!

This is one of my charges, Mr. Robinson, traversing the rooftops of neighboring houses. I'm sitting at my computer on the second floor of the house where I'm living, and this was my view just now...





Did I mention that to get onto this roof, the cat leapt out of the 2nd floor living room window OVER the street/alley below and onto the neighbor's house?! My cat back home is timid about jumping up onto a window sill...

An evening at the Skopelos Arts Foundation

The Skopelos Foundation for the Arts was started in 1999 by Gloria Carr from Washington, DC, and her daughter Jill helps with the day to day operations. "A non-profit visual arts center specializing in ceramics, painting, printmaking and screen-printing, the Foundation offers residencies, workshops, university programs and more for artists and communities from all parts of the world." The spacious facility sits high atop a hill overlooking Glyfoneri Beach. I'm not an artist, but from the studios I saw and the description on their website, it appears that they utilize some pretty high tech equipment in their programs.



Last night, I was invited to the Foundation to meet Gloria and Jill, and a group of George Mason University students who are here for 2 weeks to enhance their artistic studies. While enjoying pizza, wine and Greek salad, we watched a slide presentation by two very accomplished artists (and GMU instructors) who are teaching this particular session. They showcased and described their impressive bodies of work.



All in all, this was a really nice, relaxing evening and a refreshing change of pace. Not only did I get my cultural fix and meet lots of new people, but I also spent time with Americans for the first time in three weeks. The Foundation will hold a festive exhibition of the students' work at the end of July, just before their next group arrives. It's already on my calendar!

Regarding last night's artists, I gathered the following from their respective websites:

Tom Ashcraft is a visual artist who makes drawings, sculptural objects, installations, solo and collaborative public works. Tom has exhibited and produced work throughout the United States including the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, NC, Atlanta Center for Contemporary Art, Atlanta, GA, Washington Project for the Arts, Washington, D.C., The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C., Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, Utica, NY. He is included in many public and private collections and is represented by Hemphill Fine Arts, Washington, D.C. http://www.tomashcraft.com/biography.html

Maria Karametou is a mixed media artist whose exhibition record includes: The National Museum of Women in the Arts; The Vorres Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece; The North Dakota Museum; The Baltimore Museum; The Portsmouth Museum (VA); The Danville Museum (VA); The John Elder Gallery, N. Y., N.Y.; Harper Collins Gallery, N. Y., N.Y.; Trito Mati Gallery, Athens, Greece; Elite Gallery, Moscow, Russia; Comus Gallery, Portland, Oregon; Selby Gallery, Sarasota, Florida; J.Scott Gallery, Johnson, Vermont; The C. Grimaldis Gallery, Baltimore, MD among numerous others. http://www.avt.gmu.edu/pages/aboutavt/facstaff/mkarametou.html

For more information on the Foundation, you can visit their website: http://www.skopart.org/AboutUs.html

The long & winding road to Stafilos Beach

Yesterday evening, I set off on what was supposed to be a one hour walk to Stafilos Beach, south of town. I walked along the "calderimi", old paved or cobbled donkey paths, instead of the main road.



Once again, I got lost using the guide book, dead-ending at a gate on private land. I had to back-track twice, so it took me an hour and 45 minutes to get to my destination. The trails were peaceful and level, and the occasional smell of manure that I encountered was almost salubrious, bringing back childhood memories of riding horses. You can take the girl out of Tennessee....
Small Greek country cottages, or kalivis, lined both sides of the trail, as did low stone walls and olive groves. As always, there were numerous little churches along the way, many which were so small they seemed to have been built as private chapels for family farms. Just before I rejoined the main road, I passed an old underground spring which only had a trickle of water in it due to the time of year.



After walking down a long, steep grade, I finally arrived at Stafilos Beach around 8 p.m. I only had about 10 minutes to explore, take pictures and get my feet wet before I had to set off towards home to beat the darkness.





I returned to town along the main road. I made it back in about an hour, just before dark, passing some grazing sheep along the way. I also stopped at the Dia grocery store for a few light-weight items. Note the overhead signs, written in Greek and meaningless to me. Now I know where the phrase "it's all Greek to me" comes from.






I made sure to stock up on my favorite carbonated Greek lemonade. I have nothing to compare it to in the States, but it's SO refreshing! By my calculation, tonight's walk was about 6 miles, so I felt justified in ordering a big Greek salad ($5) for dinner. The simple, fresh ingredients were tomato, onion, cucumber, olives and a nice chunk of feta cheese, sprinkled with oregano, olive oil and lemon juice. I think I'll be making alot of these when I get back to NC!

Another hike near town

This evening, I took a fairly easy 2-hour hike through the valley and into the hills south-west of town. I walked mostly on dirt trails through farm land and winding lanes, ending up on a paved road. I turned up a hill towards the Agios (Saint) Reginos Monastery where a tomb holds the saint's remains. Underneath the present structure are the remains of a Byzantine church dating to the 5th or 6th century.





Saint Reginos is the patron saint of Skopelos and was rumored to have been martyred here in 362 AD for preaching Christianity. He was tortured and beheaded by the Romans, but every year on February 25th, businesses are closed and the whole island celebrates his life. I was able to go inside the church and it had a crystal chandelier and an elaborate gold altar.



On the way back to town, I took a picture showing the harbor below, far in the distance. That's the Aegean Sea, just above the tree line. At the main traffic intersection in town, there's a little shrine honoring the saint.

Another day, another 5 pounds ;-)

Yesterday, I decided to mozy into town around 11 a.m. and soon regretted it. The heat was awful, but I made the best of it and decided to have a hot, fresh spinach pie in flaky phyllo pastry, about $2. This would be my one meal out for the day, and FYI, phyllo, also spelled filo, means leaf in Greek.



Re-energized, I climbed the switch-back staircase to a cafe called Bpaxos where the tables with umbrellas provided shade and a stunning view.




The waterfront has a very different feel during the day. Shops, banks and businesses are opening their doors, food is being prepared, sidewalks are being swept, fisherman are untangling their nets, and locals and tourists alike are running their errands.


Here's the window of an upscale jewelry store with the harbor reflected in the background. Also, a photo of an elegant pottery shop...




By comparison, one of the tourist shops has typical Skopelos trinkets. There's not much shopping that falls in between these two alternatives.



As I climbed the hill towards home, I heard the familiar megaphone (notice it mounted on top of the truck) this time announcing the arrival of a produce truck in my local square. They had fresh watermelons, garlic and potatoes.

Boys will be boys.

I've found that in almost every country I visit, no matter what the culture, men still love spending time with "the guys". India, Portugal, Kenya, Italy... it's always the same. Here on Skopelos, this is no exception, and there is a covered open-air space on the waterfront where the old Greek men congregate.

They show up early in the morning and play cards, throw dice, drink coffee, smoke cigarettes and click their worry beads (more on that later). They stay late into the evening and occasionally, an older lady will appear and sit unobtrusively next to her husband. Tonight I walked past the area and saw these two men. I just couldn't resist asking if I could take their picture. I'm shameless when it comes to capturing Kodak moments. Much to my surprise, they obliged, and one of them even held up his glass.

10 things that drive me nuts in Skopelos (Please note the top 10 GOOD things from yesterday ;-)

1. The abundance of thin, stray cats. Very sad, although a local charity IS working to raise money for abandoned animals by selling donated books at a kiosk on the waterfront. Along with this comes loud nightly cat fights in the street outside my window (and I really mean cats fighting, not girls).

2. The fact that, unlike in Turkey just across the water, there are no bargains to be had here & no real hand-crafted "local" souvenirs. Tacky potholders, coffee mugs, toothpick holders & other crap with the word Skopelos on it abound. Groceries at the small markets are pretty pricey too. ($5 US for a jar of peanut butter, $10 for a 5 lb. bag of cat food!)

3. My loud Greek neighbors just below... one with a barking German Shepherd confined on their roof, the other whose loud voices and music carry right up to my window some evenings. The father belches, groans and walks around in his underwear. Eeeek!

4. My cramped, un-air conditioned, cluttered accomodations with ancient half-size fridge & washing machine, a spray hose for a (cold) shower, and numerous non-working appliances: the oven, living room fans (both ceiling AND plug-in), DVD player, cold water knob in the tub, various lamps, etc.

5. Not that I should even be watching TV here, but since the satellite dish seems to have been disconnected for the summer, there are only a few free English-speaking channels, and CNN Europe stinks! Apparently, they load a continuous loop of day-old news early in the week, delivered by glib British reporters, and they don't seem to update it for days.

Unrelated to the "Top 10", here's another fisherman... (the photo ops always remain good!)



6. The oppressive heat in July and August... need I say more?

7. The steep hills and steps, although this could actually be a bonus for fitness and exercise purposes.

8.The frequent power outages caused somehow, I'm told, by fires and this years lack of rain.

9. The poor exchange rate from US dollars to Euros, and it's getting worse by the day. This really has nothing to do with Skopelos, it's just a negative about European travel in general this summer.

10. I still haven't met my "Mr. Holiday Romance" yet. The good news is that Fridays are rental property change-over day, which I have now dubbed "fresh meat Fridays" (ha-ha). I guess I'll stake out the ferry terminal and see who steps off the boat ;-)

A pleasant hike on a Sunday evening...

Last night after it cooled off, I took a nice hike through the valley behind the Ring Road. Winding trails led me past stone walls, lush vegetable gardens and chicken coops, along narrow roads lined with fruit trees (bay, lemon, & grapefruit) and through hillside olive groves.


I hiked up a very steep hill and found two small churches, Agios (Saint) Fanouris and Profitis Ilias (prophet Elijah).


Along the road back to town, I passed Episkopi, a fortified Venetian monastery abandoned & left unfinished when the Ottomans invaded in the 14th century AD. It has high walls and was intended to be the seat for the Bishop of Skopelos. It was later renovated and is now maintained as a private residence.

After my hike, I stopped at the Owl Bar and ordered their stuffed lamb & rice dinner to go, $11. I grabbed a chocolate dessert at the bakery and settled in on a waterfront bench to eat and people watch. As always, the food was delicious.