Kythera Summer Edition 2014

5/23/2018 Kythera Summer Edition 2014

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FOUNDER/: METAXIA POULOS PUBLISHER:DIMITRIS KYRIAKOPOULOS EDITOR:DEBORAH PARSONS WRITERS:ELIAS ANAGNOSTOU, DIMITRIS BALTZIS, MICHAEL

BREET, ANNA COMINOS, MARIA DEFTEREVOS, ANNA GIABANIDIS, FRED HILLIER, KATHY KEPREOTIS, GEORGE LAMPOGLOU, MELINA MALLOS, MARKOS MEGALOIKONOMOS, PIA

PANARETOS, APOSTOLIA PAPADAMAKI, IPPOLYTOS PREKAS, TINA SAMIOS, JOHN STATHATOS, ARIS TSARAVOPOULOS, PHOEBUS TSARAVOPOULOS, HELEN TZORTZOPOULOS,

GEORGE VARDAS, KALIE ZERVOS ARTWORK: MARIA MARKOUIZOU, ASPASIA PATTY PHOTOGRAPHY: PHOEBUS TSARAVOPOULOS, VAGELIS TSIGARIDAS PROOF READ-ING: JOY TATARAKI, PAULA CASSIMATIS LAYOUT & DESIGN:MYRTO BOLOTA EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING-/: 6944-551720, e-mail: [email protected]

FREE COMMUNITY PAPER -

! welcome!Welcome to our beautiful island! Let the Summer Edition be your per-sonal guide to a treasure trove of sights, sounds and experiences as wellas providing informa tion about current ev ents aff ecting our island.

Immerse yourself in our history and explore the silent wi tnesses of thepast. Enjoy st ress-f ree days on our sun-drenched beaches. Indulge inthe famed Greek cuisine at any of the islands tavernas. If your needsare more spiritual, Kythera ha s a number of quaint churches, thathave paid homage to thousands of parishioners for generations. So thechoice is yours; enjoy the adventure. Kythera awaits. Kythera SummerEdition wishes all our reader s a thoroughly enjoyable holiday .

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KYTHERASummer Edition 2014

ENGLISH PAGES 2-20 21-31

photo

by

DIMITRIS

BALTZIS

21ISSUE

Friendly service

Island wide service Airport pick-up

John Defterevos & tel .-fax: 2736-0-31363, 31030

Mobile: 6946-710342/6944-770161

www.greektourism.gr

GOLD CASTLE JEWELLERYUnbeatable prices for gold and silver

A l arg e s ele cti on of jew ell ery in 22K , 1 8K & 1 4K gol d

Traditional hand-made Byzantine icons

CHORAKythera: 2736-0-31954, 6945-014857

,.: 2736-0-33010, 6978-350952, 697 7-692745

-pure Kytherian thyme honey

Enjoy resting in an idyllic environment

AGIA PELAGIAt: +30 27360-39150, 39170, f.: +30 27360-39180

e-mail: [email protected], www.kythearesort.gr

HEATING INSTALLATIONS

GAS SUPPLY & GAS RESERVOIRS

&

THANASIS STRATIGOS

Mylopotamos, t.: 27360-31554, f.: 27360-34106

6936 64 14 14, e-mail: [email protected]

PLUMBING

9.00 ..

,

.: 2736-0-33397

Panos N. KalligerosLivadi and Chora, Kythera, tel. 27360 37077

KAPSALI, t. +30 27360 31940, +30 210.6645304,email: [email protected]

www.portodelfino.gr

With a viewof the Mediterranean

that would makethe gods jealous

Nowhere but Porto Delfino

Al l the ri gh t in gr ed ient s

George & Viola Haros and family wish

everyone a Happy Summer in Kythera

Distributors of quality smallgoods,

cheeses, poultry, fresh meats, frozen,

grocery, cleaning, beverage &

packaging products

www.stgeorgefoodservice.com.au


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LETTERS TO THE EDITORTHANK YOU - ANDREAS M. KALOKERINOS

Local identity, Mr Andreas Kalokerinos of Alexandrades, recently returnedfrom a three-month Australian sojourn. He covered thousands of kilome-tres travelling from Sydney to country New South Wales and Queensland

enjoying several celebrations of his 88th birthday along the way. One ofthe highlights was watching his name-sake grandson win a gold medal as

Age champion at the Northern District Zone Athletics Carnival in Sydney. Apost-war migrant, Andreas Kalokerinos took 40 days to travel f rom Pireausto Sydney in 1950. He then re turned to Kythera in 1977 after an illustrious

career in fine dining. He visits Australia regularly, marvelling that hisrecent return journey from Sydney to Alexandrades, Kythera, took amere 25 hours! Mr Kalokerinos was overwhelmed by the welcome andhospitality that he and his carer received in Australia and sent KytheraSummer Edition the following letter of appreciation.Returning from a three month visit to the faraway but hospitable

continent of Australia, I feel the need to extend my thanks not only

for the wonderful hospitality but also for the ac clamation I received

from family, relatives and friends wherever I went. I do not attribute

this welcome to my personal worth but rather to their infinite kind-

ness and unlimited courtesy and consideration.

I extend my sincere thanks to all of those who made my stay in

Australia such a memorable experience.

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THE OFFICIAL renamingof Kythera Airport hasfinally been approvedand published in the Gov-ernment Gazette. Theairports official name isnow Alexandros AristotleOnassis.The Mayor of Kythera,Theodore Koukoul is ,wrote to the AlexandrosOnassis Foundation askingif they had any objectionto this proposed name for

the airport. The Founda-tions reply paved the wayfor negotiations betweenthe Kythera Council andthe Department of CivilAviation with Air ForceCommander DimitiriosKoukis playing a vital rolein the negotiations.By naming the airportafter Alexandros Onassis,Kythera recognizes hisvaluable contribution tothe island. In the autumnof 1971 it was AlexandrosOnassis, in his own privateaircraft, who was the firstto land on the yet to be

developed runway. Alex-andros Onassis wanted hisfathers Olympic airline toconnect Greeces islandswith the mainland. Hesubsequently maintainedan interest in the comple-tion of the airport.Surely the name Alexan-dros Aristotle Onassis willensure Kythera a place oninternational air maps!

KYTHERA AIRPORTRENAMED

A G O O D N A M E I S F O R E V E R

ABOUT USFounding Publisher - Metaia (Sia) Poulos is a big-pictureperson. Having worked in Australia as a Press Secretary andAdvisor to Government ministers and parliamentarians, her re-turn to her parental homeland ga ve birth to Kythera SummerEdition. With a passion for justice and enormous experience incommunity politics both in Australia and Greece, Sia is the pow-erhouse that brings Kythera Summer Edition to annual fruition.

Sia is married to Dimitris Kyriakopoulos and they have a fourteenyear old son, Alexandros.

Editor - Deborah Parsonslives most of the year in Melbourne,Australia; the rest she spends on Kythera. After dropping out ofnumerous university courses, she discovered a passion for Greekmusic and joined a band. Then she started doodling and becamea graphic artist. Then she started writi ng and it all made sense.Deborah writes scripts for film and television. She loves DlY.

Feature Writer - Anna Cominos is a seasoned FestivalOrganiser. She has worked for the Sydney Comedy Festival, theGreek Festival of Sydney and the Antipodes Festival in Melbourneas well as the iconic Enmore Theatre. Anna studied dramaticart and has performed in televi sion and theatre productions inAustralia and Greece. Annas Kytherian ancestry has inspired herwritings for KSE for the last twenty one years.

Writer - Anna Giabanidisis a happily elusive Greek/Englishhybrid who finds profound comfort in Kytheras natural beautyand isolation. A graduate of British and European Laws, Annahas shunned life as a lawyer and is now a freelance academicwriter of law, politics and philosophy. Yet she is unable to shunher restless nature and artistic flair and also indulges in art aswell as her flower, fruit and vegetable gardens. Inspired by itsnatural beauty, Anna constantly seeks new ways to spread thebeauty of Kythera.

Writer - Melina Mallosdraws much of her inspiration fromthe Kytherian landscape. Her professional interests focus onexamining children's engagement with art. Melina has beenemployed by the Queensland Art Gallery since 2001.

Artist - Aspasia Pattywas born in Australia and studied artin Brisbane where she teaches and paints full-time. She hastaken part in workshops and tutorials under several masterpainters and has participated in solo and joint exhibitions bothin Australia and internationally. Her commissioned portrait ofthe much loved Kytherian identity, the late Father Efthimio,hangs in the monastery of Agia Moni. Kythera has profoundly

influenced her artist ic journey and continues to do so. It remainsforever her favourite painting subject.

Tina Samios is a language teacher trainer who was born in Perth,Western Australia. She has spent much of life travelling the world,teaching, writing and consuming vast quantities of chocolate.She now lives outside of New York City, in the northern NewJerseyan woods, with her family and brood of chickens, ducks,turkeys and geese.

Writer- photographer John Stathatosfirst became a regularvisitor to Kythera in the early 1970s, and has been living herefull-time since 2001. He is the founder and artistic director ofthe Kythera Photographic Encounters, and a founder member ofKytherian Initiative (Kythiraiki Protovoulia), a reform-minded coa-lition active in local political, environmental and cultural issues.

Acclaimed choreographer Apostolia Papadamaki is adirector and performance artist. After graduating from thePhysical Education University and the State School of Dance, shestudied new dance techniques in New York with scholarships

from the Onassis and Goulandris Foundations. Apostolia haschoreographed numerous productions for the National Theatreof Greece. She has also directed Opera and Musicals and workedas a choreographer for cinema productions. A keen diver, shefirst came to Kythera in 2012 and was blown away by theunderwater landscape. As she says, she has now become onewith the islands history and nature.

Author & ceramic artist Fred Hillierwas born in Sydney,Australia in 1941. He is a storyteller and draws content fromhis travel experiences both at home and abroad. Fred leftschool when not yet 15 and secured a job as a toolmaker thenprogressed to production engineering and surveying. He hasfreelanced for ABC radio, guided people through the Austral-ian outback with his own tour company and has worked as aceramic artist. Fred drove from Sri Lanka to London in 1970 andmotorbiked through central Africa. He returned to Australiawhere he met his wife Bev. They set off for Munich in 1972 driv-ing as far as Damascus, Syria. On the way through they spent

time in Greece. Fred and Bev built a mud-brick house in Moonbi,NSW. Their two boys, Tim and Toby, have given them five grand-children. Since retiring, Bev and Fred have spent c onsiderabletime working with indigenous people in northern Australia. Atpresent Fred and Bev are retracing their 1970s travels throughGreece and Europe (www.tbeartravels.com).

[email protected]

MANOLIS KALLIGEROSThere are earth-shaking days in Kythera where the heart s of all are suddenlyripped in half. When all eyes are constantly filled with tears and the absolute-ness of a split-second changes everything forever. The untimely and t ragic

passing of Manolis (Kourmoulis) Kalligeros, aged 43 isone of these soul branding moments. Born in 1971,Manolis was the islands auto-electrician. To say thatisland life is poorer for the passing of Manolis is anunderstatement. His landmark auto-electrical businessstands just before you enter Livadi and reminds usto be kind to those we love and to Enjoy the Ride.Manolis deep raspy voice will be missed by many. Weare poorer for the absence of his electric joyousness.Our condolences to his daughter Elessa, wife Saskia, his

parents Kostantinos and Regina and his sisters Aggeliki and Grigoria.Rest In Peace Manolis.

PANAYIOTIS MAGONEZOSSometimes the clouds and stars silently know more than us mortals. The sud-den passing of Panayiotis (Peter) Magonezos seems surreal to all, both onKythera and in Australia. Born on Kythera on the 23rd April 1957, he was the

eldest of three children to George and Vassiliki. Panayiotispassion was the restoration and renovation of old build-ings. As you drive through the winding roads of Aroniadikayou can admire some of his remarkable work.Panayioti met his beloved Australian-born Susan whileshe was holidaying in 1981. In 1983 he moved to Aus-tralia and they were married at St Davids in Boggabilla.Sydneys Lugarno was home for five years before Panayi-oti, Susan and family, which by t hen included George andMario, returned to Kythera where their youngest son Alanwas born. Due to the parlous state of the Greek economybuilding work began to dry up a nd so Panayiotis moved

into hospitality. It was a great fit as Pa nayioti was a realpeople person. In 2012 the family returned to Australia, eventually moving toSydney where only several months ago Panayioti, Susan and family purchaseda business at Avalon. An avid fisherman, Panayioti who played the harmonicawas equally passionate about music and backgammon. Panayioti was a friendto all. He was enormously popular with a great sense of humour. The teamfrom Kythera Summer Edition send their condolences to his wife Susan andsons George, Marios and Alan.

OUR ETERNAL THANKS IS NOT ENOUGHKYTHERA SUMMER EDITIONis indebted to the Nicholas Anthony AroneyTrust, Peter & Chryssa Vlandis, Victor & Kathy Kepreotis, Minas & Jenny Souris(M & J Chickens) and George & Viola Haros & family (St George Foodservice)for their generous support. Without their support you would not be readingthis 2014 Kythera Summer Edition.In times of crisis it is good to know there are still people and organisationswilling to help the community.


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BEACHES BELONGTO THE PEOPLE

by Anna Giabanidis

AS GREECE STRUGGLES topay off its debts, attentionshave turned to the sellingof over one hundred of its

beaches, under the feignedideal of development. Twoof these beaches are idyllic,white sanded Sarakiniko andSimos of Elafonisos whichcould be riddled with hotelsand holiday resorts in thenear future. While some maydismiss these new events asmerely an inevitable conse-quence of Greeces financialdemise, they rather repre-sent what could potentiallyhappen to Kytheras beach-es. While there exist certainregulations which restrictdevelopments on Elafonisosit is perhaps here that the

discrepancy between le-gal theory and legal real-ity most clearly emerges.For example Article 14 ofLaw 3986/2011 theoreti-cally limits the sale of beachproperty, yet the sale of theElafonisos beaches are pre-sented by the governmentas a 50 year lease. This leasehowever allows the lease-holder to exclusive use ofthe beach and sea, enablingthe complete exclusion ofpublic use.Elafonisos is a protectednatural site, and with itsrare and important under-

water natural wealth, isdefinable as an ecologicaltreasure which will poten-tially be eradicated by thesale of its beaches.Could the same happen inKythera? Theoretically, no.In reality, yes; anythingis possible in debt-riddenGreece. Any of Kytherasbeaches could be sold andconverted into businesses.Palaiopoli was initially in-cluded in the governmentsprivatisation plans althoughlaw implemented during theBritish occupation between1809 and 1864 upholds the

principle that Kytherian landdoes not belong to the stateof Greece but rather to theKytherians. While this maythus far have proven suc-cessful in the attempt toprotect Kytheras land fromprivatisation, whether itwill be subjected to repealor derogations remains anopen question.Elafonisos, along with manyother Greek areas, are thenew bearers of the brunt ofGreeces financial turmoil.In the attempt to fundGreeces debt Greek localsare once again silenced and

Greeces beautiful envi-ronment is threatened bycapitalist development andan EU that simply does notcare for anything more thanGreeces wallet. One has lit-tle option but to ask wherethis will end.

G R E E C E F O R S A L E

EDITORIAL

IN 2004 GREECE HOSTED the Olympic Games. The seven billioneuro cost to the Greek taxpayer led us to believe we had a strongeconomy and that a generation of children would inherit world-class sporting facilities. Our place on the world stage was assured.Optimism and fiscal good times prevailed as one billion peopleacross the planet watched the 2004 Welcome Home OpeningCeremony guide them through a visually awe inspiring journey of

the history of Greece from ancient through to modern times.TEN YEARS LATER Greeces Olympic legacy has been abandoned.Olympic venues, stadiums, infrastructure and facilities have falleninto disuse and the booming economic growth of the previousdecade has been transformed into economic depression. Thebailout reforms demanded by the European Commission, Inter-national Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank have leftthe Greek people suffering the worst economic crisis since WWIIwith almost 3.9 million people on the poverty line. According toEurostat, Greece has the highest unemployment rate (27.8%) andthe highest youth unemployment rate in Europe. Now in its sixthyear of recession, the crisis has changed the lives of its people.Families are being torn apart as on ce again Greece experiencesyet another mass exodus with its people seeking new lives inother countries. Unemployment, repossessions and debt havetriggered depression, anxiety and pushed almost 4000 people tosuicide; 50% of workers live on 800 euro a month. Heating fuelis now so expensive people have resorted to burning anything

they can find to keep themselves warm; as a result this pastwinter Athens was covered in a cloud of nefos (smog pollution).Hospitals lack basic medical supplies while close to three millionpeople, now unable to pay their insurance fees, have been leftwith neither medical insurance nor access to the medical system.Moreover, a recent global education comparison shows Greeceis now the lowest ranking of European countries.

OVER THE YEARS we Kytherians have been offered opportuni-ties that we have let slip through our fingers. Projects whichcould potentially have changed the face of Kythera, projectswhich our public officials neglected to pursue. Unable or unwill-ing to see the bigger picture, their visions have always been re-stricted to whatever fiefdom they personally controlled. Imaginea Kythera if some of these projects had come to fruition - a selfsufficient island where young people could make a good living.But to achieve this we must think beyond our front door.

NOT ONLYDO WE HAVEto contend with the economic crisis,we are faced with an environmental crisis of potential epic pro -

portion. The international waters of the Mediterranean Sea areto become the site for destroying and decommissioning Syrianchemical weapons using the method of hydrolysis. Scientistshave expressed serious concern over the effectiveness of thismethod to neutralise chemicals such as sarin and nerve gas whilethe residue from this process is toxic waste. This impending eco-logical catastrophe is taking place right here at Greeces backdoorand there hasnt been a word about it in the mainstream media.It has been totally papered over. The powers that be want us tothink it doesnt exist!

JUST NINE NAUTICAL MILESfrom Agia Pelagia, Elafonissos hasbeen included in the Governments Portfolio for the Develop-ment and Privatization of Public L ands (TAI). Forty one acresof Elafonissos, including Simos and Sarakinikos beaches, are be-ing sold to private investors despite being classified under theNATURA 2000 Network. Nothing has been able to save Elafonissosfrom privatization - not the protected state and internationallycharacterized protected sand-dunes, nor the endemic species

of fauna which appear exclusively on Elafonissos; not even theoutright and unanimous opposition of the Municipal Council, as-sociations, community groups and local population. Short of apolitical miracle, people will no longer be allowed the joy ofswimming in these crystal clear blue-green waters.

GREECE IS BEING SOLD OFFbit by bit. She is being stripped ofher earth and history to raise funds to pay off the countrys debt.According to the Ministry of Finance almost 13,800 square metresof land at Paliopolis, Kythera, has been deemed public land and,as a result, included in the Governments privatization portfolio.Let us hope that legal refuge found in a law will keep Paliopolisfree and open to the community of Kythera and her visitors.

THE ISSUES ARE SERIOUS and complex requiring everyone towork together to create a safe environment for ourselves andfuture generations. Only by working together as a communitycan we make a difference. The media blackout on issues of suchnational importance makes it crystal clear that we, as a commu-nity, are on our own. This is not a time for passivity or indiffer-

ence. Let us learn from our past mistakes.IN 1959 WHEN JURGEN KOKSMAdelivered a report on waysto improve the living conditions on Kythera to the World Councilof Churches, he emphasised that this was not a short term plan,rather one that would take at least 10 to 15 years to complete.Now in 2014 Kythera needs a further community developmentplan to take us to 2030, a detailed plan to help bring economicindependence and prosperity to the island.

INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT

FOR THE REPATRIATION

OF LOOTED GREEK ANTIQUITIES

www.iamgreek.gr


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DANCES &FESTIVALS

Cultural festivals andd a n c e s t a k e p l a c ethroughout late July, allof August and some ofSeptember. Keep an eyeout for notices postedon shop windows, streetpoles and trees aroundthe island. Most will bewritten in Greek so ask

the locals to translatethem for you.

Early August Mitata

Wine Festival.The datechanges each year. Checkthe back page of this pa-per for details or lookout for posters placedaround the island.

3rd Weekend in Au-

gust Fratsia Agricultur-al exhibition and dance.Again check with backpage of this newspaperand ask locals as the datechanges from year toyear.

Potamos.Potamos isthe place

to be on Sun-day mornings.

Locals and tourists alikecome here to meet upwith friends over a cof-fee or to buy fresh localproduce, arts, craftsand jewellery from thebazaar. Parking is avail-able in the free councilparking lot.

HOW TO ENJOY A PERFECTKYTHERIAN SUMMER

by Kalie Zervos

WELCOME TO KYTHERA. We hope you enjoy your summervacation on our beautiful island. Here are some tips designed toassist you in making the most of what our island has to offer.

GETTING AROUND: Best way to get around is by car. Ky-

theras road network is good, however to access many placesand beaches be prepared to drive on dirt tracks. Some car rentalcompanies have 4WDs for rent. A bus service is available fromAgia Pelagia to Kapsali during summer, check with store ownersfor timetables as it is not a frequent servic e.

Mobile phone reception and Internet Cafes and Wireless

hotspots: International mobile phones will operate on roam-ing networks in most parts of the island. For cheaper phonecalls to Greek numbers you can purchase a Greek SIM fromthe Goelectric store in Potamos or at the Germanos (sellingCosmote) or Vodafone stores in Livadi. Take your passport withyou as all Greek mobile phone numbers are required by law tobe registered. If you have an existing Greek number that wasnot registered before the 31st July 2010, it will no longer work.Recharge cards for the Cosmote, Wind and Vodafone networksmay be purchased at the Kiosk (Periptero) in Potamos, post of-fices and selected souvenir shops around the island. InternetCafes are found in the main towns (ask locals for specific shops

offering the service). The majority of villages on the islandare serviced with broadband internet cabling, For your ownlaptop, iPAD or smartphone there are several towns aroundKythera, such as Potamos, Agia Pelagia and Hora that are WiFi hotspots.

BEACHES The bulk of Kytheras beaches are located along theeast coast, with various coves and inlets sprawled around theisland. Accessing most beaches is easy, however be preparedto rough it on dirt tracks to reac h the most spectacular ones. More and more beaches around the isla nd have kiosks sellinglight snacks with umbrellas and chairs for hire. At some beachesthese are free if you buy something from the kiosks. You willhowever notice an absence of public toilets on the beaches. Please remember to take any rubbish with you when you leave. The best beach for children is Diakofti with white sandy shoresand clear blue shallow water. Agia P elagia, Kapsali, Limiona andPlatea Amos are also suitable for families as there are foodoutlets located on or near the beach.

WEATHER TIPS Kythera is known for being windy. If you pre-fer to swim in still waters here is a list of beaches that are bestdepending upon which way the wind is blowing: Northerlywind (Vorgias) Kapsali, Halkos, Melidoni, Li kodimou and Limi-ona Southerly wind (Notias) - Limiona, Likodimou and all eastcoast beaches except Paleopoli. Westerly wind all beac hesexcept Likodimou and Limiona Easterly Wind - Halkos, Meli-doni, Kapsali, Liomiona and Likodimou Nights can get quitecool and damp. Always carry a jacket and your mosquito creamif you are prone to getting bitten.

ExPLORING KYTHERA Some of the best sights are only reachedon foot. Wear comfortable walking shoes, sensible clothes, sun-screen and a hat and always ca rry water. Here are some sightsnot to be missed: Venetian castles Hora, Kato Hora (greatto watch the sunset) and Avlemona Caves Agia Sophia Milo-potamos which are opened most mornings in August and AgiaSophia Kalamos open all the time. Paleohora - The deserted

town of Agios Demetrios ransacked in 1537 by Barbarossa a ndonce the capital of Kythera. Best time to visit is late in t he af-ternoon. In 2012 the restoration works were completed to theunstable remains caused by the 2006 earthquake. Waterfallknown as Neraida located below Milopotamos. Natural Springs Karava, Viaradika, Mitata and Galani. Monasteries Mirtidi-otissa, Agios Theodoros, Agia Elesa, Agia Moni. (Wear modestclothing when visiting monastries). Archaeological digs atPaleokastro have temporarily ceased; however visitors c an stillgo to see the site and the church of Agios Kosmas.

With a map and a copy of Kythera Summer Edition at your

side we encourage you to explore the enchanting isle that

is Kythera. Enjoy!

D I S C O V E R I N G K Y T H E R A

KYTHIRA ISLAND

TRAVEL GUIDE

GREECETourist information

in four languages

www.information.kythira.info

M1 CHORA - KAPSALI Starting point: At the entrance to the Castle in Chora(alternatively, at thebeginning of Kapsalibay).Main Sights: Chora, Cas-

tle of Chora, Churchesof Mesa Vourgo, Britishstone bridge, Kapsali. : ( - ) : , , o , .

M19 AVLEMONAS - AGIOS GIORGIS CHURCH Starting point: The promenadeof Avlemonas.

Main Sights: Avlemonas,Fossils, Agios Giorgischurch, Minoan PeakSanctuary excavations.

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M31 POTAMOS - PALIOCHORA Starting point: The old hospital building ofPotamos.

Main Sights:Potamos,Trifylianika, Paliochora,Kakia Lagada Gorge.

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M41 MYLOPOTAMOS WATERMILLS Starting point: The central square ofMylopotamos.

Main Sights: Neraidawaterfall, Watermills,Filippi's watermill, Oldstone bridges.

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M11 KAPSALI - LIVADI Starting point: The Kapsali pier / The Hotel Eleni inLivadi.

Main Sights:Kapsali, Oldcobble stone path, AgiaSofia cave, Agios Yiannis(of Agriolies).

THIS PATH IS PARTIALLYOPEN. ONLY THE PARTB E T W E E N K A P S A L IAND THE CAVE OF AGIASOFIA IN KALAMOS ISACCESSIBLE.

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HIKING PATHS / text & photos by Phoebus Tsaravopoulos

KytheraHikingisaprogramo

ftheKytherianFoundationforCultureandDevelopment.


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CARETTA - CARETTAby Dimitris Baltzis

It was some time round 10 at night on the 18th July 2013 when a dark mov-ing shadow emerged from the sea and made its way ashore. I realise d thenthat it was a Caretta Caretta. By thetime I reached it, the turtle had al-ready begun to dig a sand cave towhere it could deposit its eggs. A

large crowd gathered close by al-most immediately, keen to watchthe proceedings. The Port Policesoon moved them away allowingthe turtle the privacy she neededto lay her eggs.Keeping well back and trying to beas discreet as I could, I stayed towitness the course of nature. Overtwenty minutes eggs were end-lessly falling onto the sand. Andthen the turtle left, returning to itsnatural habitat. I promptly fencedoff the area with wooden postsand immediately next day got intouch with Katerina Stathatou,the islands vet, and the Sea TurtleProtection Society of Greece, the

Archelon Organisation. After gath-ering all the necessary informa-tion, I and a few friends began tomake the protective constructionyou can see in the photo. The con-struction was designed to protectthe hatchlings from any artificiallight which would inadvertently direct them inland, away from the protectivewaters. If this happened they would die.I was so anxious. I knew I had to wait 50 days before I would see the pupscrawling across the sand to the sea. In the meantime, the sa nd cave had be-come an attraction to sunbathers and visitors. Everyone was interested in theprogress of the turtle eggs, all eagerly reading the information we put up.It was September 2 when young Kallimahos came running into Chrysopsaroexcitedly telling me he had just seen a pup running on the beach. The eggshad finally hatched! Unfortunately, despite all our best efforts, the pups wereconfused by the artificial street lighting and started heading in the wrongdirection. I used my mobiles flashlight to carefully redirect them into the

water where their journey to the unknown would begin.Its worth noting that another Caretta Caretta gave birth on the island thatsummer. While we never saw where she laid the eggs, we did see the unpro-tected pups one day and helped them make their way to the sea. In additiona third Caretta Caretta came to Kapsali beac h to lay its eggs though this onewas scared off by the crowds.It will take another 30 years for these newborns to return to Kapsali beachto lay their eggs. Thats how long it takes them to reach sexual maturity. Andonly 10% of these will survive. That is what makes them an endangered spe-cies protected by the Verni Act.The turtles biggest enemies are fishing nets, misdirection and plastic bagswhich they mistake for jellyfish, resulting in suffocation. The newborns, on theother hand, are threatened by the bigger fish. It is also important to note thatif one egg breaks in the sand cave, it is unlikely the other eggs will hatch.Kythera is also a safe haven to other unique species such as the criticallyendangered Monachus Monachus seal.This summer we are again ready to help, only this time we know more.I would like to thank Sabaudin Gjataj, Avdi, the Kapsali Port Police, our vet

Katerina Stathatou, supermarket owner Yianni Louranto who donated all thematerials and all of those who helped build the protective construction.We can all do this together.

Translated by Anna Kapsanis

S U R R O U N D E D B Y S E A

Prior reservation is necessary6974-022079

sea excursions to secluded beaches

and secret caves

glass bottom boat

BEAUTY LIES IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER (PLATO)PERCEPTION - CONSCIOUSNESS - VIBRATION - HARMONY - UNIFICATION - HAPPINESS

by Apostolia Papadamaki

valleys, rocky seashores andsunny sandy beaches, youcan only imagine what ishappening under the water!

The myriad of landscapesyou see underwater com-petes with the beauty of thelandscapes overwater. Its acontest without any winner,

just a respect ful nod to thegod that created this island.Was it Aphrodite? It couldwell be her creation sinceits clearly a masterpiece!The visibility in the crystalclear waters of Kythera isbeyond expectation. Thereare wonderful collections ofnudibranchs, invertebrates,crabs, shrimp, eels, seahors-es and other easily over-lookable stealth critters.

Dolphins and sea turtleslove the Kytherian waters.A ring of sites and outstand-ing water clarity makes theKytherian underwater scenea playground for divers andone of the best diving sitesin all of Greece. The cavernsand canyons provide excep-tional photo opportunities.With stunning rock forma-tions and caverns glitteringwith glassfish, the vibrantblue hue of the water makesme feel like I am floating inan aquarium with incrediblecolors. So I go slow, relaxand enjoy a leisurely explo-

ration.When I scuba dive in Ky-thera, I f loat in waterssteeped in history and cul-ture, I can feel the strategiclocation of the island. Thisisland had been a crossroadfor merchants, sailors, andconquerors since ancienttimes. If we consider wa-ter is a living element thenwater has memory, morememory than we meremortals could dream of. Soyou can imagine the energycontained in this islands un-derwater world.If you decide to give nightdiving a try, then prepare tobe amazed because thatswhen the cuttlefish, con-ger eels and octopi ventureout of their daytime lairs.And then theres the add-ed bonus - the absence ofdaylight together with theabsence of gravity createsthe intense illusion of float-ing in outer space, just likean astronaut.Become One is what I say!When I dive into Kytherasblue waters I feel at onewith history and with na-ture. I am in harmony withevery living creature thatlives underwater. My heartbeats with the rhythm ofhappiness. I smile behindmy mask thinking howlucky I am to be living thismoment.

OUR PERCEPTION OF THE WORLD depends on our choices.Our balance too. When I started scuba diving I could never im-agine that in addition to fun and adventure, I would also expe-rience a philosophical journey about the beauty of humanity

and nature!First. Scuba diving is not for loners and so I had to let go of myEgo. You always dive with a buddy, a fellow Scuba Diver. Youmay never have met your buddy before and yet you have totrust him. So first great lesson, trust humans immediately! Im-

agine if this applied to life just think what might happen in oursocieties, if trust was our first movement towards others Second. Breathe continuously. Conscious breathing helped meappreciate the gift of life. Who pays attention to their breath-ing besides yogis? We all take breath for granted. But in Scubadiving breathing in and breathing out, that most essential ofactions, almost brings you to a state of meditation as you floatunderwater.Third - and this is exciting. No gravity! I always wanted to travelin space but I gathered it was really expensive, so now I go Scubadiving. Floating underwater, theres nothing like it. No matt erhow young or old, how strong or weak you are, the color ofyour skin, your weight, your abilities or disabilities, every hu-

man is equal under water. Here , underwater, there is a worldof harmony, equanimity, peace and beauty.Fourth and most important: Dont harm anything underwater.Dont disturb the sea life. Unite instead with the underwaterworld and just listen to the sound of your breath!Diving is also about discovering new places around the worldand so, after diving in many amazing places, here I am diving inKythera for the first time!When you see the nature of the island with its mountains, rivers,

photobyVAGELIS

TSIGARIDAS


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GREEK/AUSTRALIAN ROxY MUSEUM

BINGARA IS APPROxIMATELY600kms north of Syd-ney and 500kms south of Brisbane in the New EnglandTablelands. It is located between the major towns ofTamworth, Armidale, Inverell, Moree and Narrabri.Since 1999, Bingara Shire Council (now part of theGwydir Shire Council) has improved and expanded t he

Roxy complex. In April 2014, the final stage of the Roxy complex was com-pleted.The Roxy Greek Museum was officially opened on Saturday 5th April 2014 byHer Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales.The Museum was made possible by a $94,000 grant from the New South WalesMinistry for Arts, several equally substantial donations from the Greek Aus-tralian Community and a significant contribution from Gwydir Shire Council.Included among many prominent Greek Australian donors were the AroneyTrust and the Kytherian Association of Australia.As part of the two-day event the Greek Immigration Olive Grove was launchedwith a tree planting ceremony in recognition of Greek migration to Australia.Greek-Australians, local residents and visitors were given the opportunityto pay tribute to a Greek family or friend who has migrated to Australia bypurchasing an olive tree. The first tree planted was dedicated to the threeGreek-Australians who built the Roxy Theatre in 1936 - Emmanuel Aroney,Peter Feros and George Psaltis.The Roxy Museum is dedicated to the history of Greek settlement in ruralAustralia. It is envisioned the museum will become a place of national signifi-

cance that conserves and protects the important cultural association betweenGreek Australians and the places in Australia where they chose to live, workand raise a family. It will pay tribute to the remarkable legacy of the Greekcafe proprietors and cinema operators, ensuring the impact they made onthe daily lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians is not forgotten. "TheGreek/Australian community is passionate about the Roxy Museum because

it is a living and working memorial to everyGreek/Australian who has migrated to Aus-tralia since 1817", sa id George Poulos, RoxyGreek Museum Committee member andSecretary of the Kytherian Association ofAustralia. Designed by Convergence Associ-ates of Camberwell, Victoria, the Roxy com-plex incorporates an Information Centre, aworking Cinema, a working Greek caf,a (TAFE) hospitality training college, fullyequipped with an industrial kitchen, and a

conference room. All have been built and restored to the highest st andard,and all compliment and are integrated into the Greek Australian Museum.

For more information you can call the Bingara Visitor Information Centreon 0061-(0)2-6724 0066 or visit the Roxy website www.roxybingara.com.auwhere you can also order your commemorative olive tree.

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMby Helen Tzortzopoulos

Yes! At last! For those f ollowing the saga of our a rchaeologi -cal museum, the padlocked doors have now been replacedby scaffolding. Building and restoration work is now finally inprogress.The deterioration of the building since the Ministry of Cultureabandoned it in 2006, the threat that the museum would in-

evitably revert to the original donor (the Kytherian Syndesmosin Hora) and the intervention of the Friends of Museums of Ky-thera (FMK) were the catalysts in getting the restoration projectoff the ground.It was the persistence,determinat ion andclose co-operationbetween the FMK, theKytherian Associationof Australia (Sydney)and the Ministry of Cul-ture that finally, threeand a half years on,led to the Museumsincorporation into theESPA Programme (theEuropean funding pro-gramme) in September

last year. The budgetfor our small museum(about 130 sq. metres)exceeded all expecta-tions, so much so thatthe estimated 1.43 mil-lion euro has become acontroversy in itself asmany consider it an outrageously large amount of money. Thatsaid, and after having put so much effort into getting this far,we prefer to refrain from further comment. We just want tosee our museum completed (which by the way is esti mated totake a further two years).So Tuesday, 29 October 2013 when we witnessed the packag-ing and removal of the artifacts from within the building, was avery significant and emotional day for us Friends. It t ook threeexhaustive days for the two professional conservators from theMinistry of Culture to complete their task. Dr. Stella Chrysoulaki,

who was appointed Director of the 26th Ephorate of Prehis-toric and Classical Antiquities for Piraeus in 2012, organized thewhole operation, closely supervising and recording every itemremoved from the museum.While most of the artifacts were sent to Piraeus for restora-tion and preservation, one of those to stay on Kythera was theancient marble Lion of Kythera of Laconian origins (circa 600BC). The lion has quite an enthralling history. After disappear-ing from the entrance to the Kastro in Hora during the Ger-man occupation in World War II, it turned up decades later in astoreroom in Germany where quite by chance it was recognizedby Prof. George Cassimaty. The Professor took steps to havethe lion repatriated to Greece and finally back to Kythera. Thismagnificent archaic lion for the time being stands on display inthe Coats of Arms Exhibition in the Kastro of Kythera.Dr. Chrysoulaki envisages the museum as being more than justa showcase of relics from the past. Together with her assistantDr. Kiki Psarraki, she has prepared a museology study for our

provincial museum. The modern technology will give visitorsa hands on experience, creating an awareness of Kytherasexciting archaeological history.This summer, the Friends have invited Dr Chrysoulaki to give apresentation on her plans for the museum. Members of the FMKand the public will get a preview of how the museum will oper-ate together with the ideas and innovative techniques whichwill be applied. The venue and date will be announced well inadvance so be on the lookout for it is sure to be an informativeevening.

THE KOKSMAARCHIVE

THIS JULY THE KYTHERA

CULTURAL ASSOCIATION,incollaboration with the Kyth-erian Union (Kythiraikos Syn-desmos), is holding an exhi-bition to honour the life andwork of Dutch civil engineerJurgen M. Koksma (1907-2004) and the group of vol-

unteers who worked along-side him during the 1960s.Drawn from Koksma collabo-rator Jean Bingens extensivearchive, the exhibition willinclude black and white andcolour photographs of themajor construction projectsinitiated by Koksma, as wellas images illustrating life onKythera during this crucialtransitional period in theislands life. Also includedwill be drawings, plans, per-sonal scrapbooks, letters andother documents. The mainexhibition will take place atthe Kytherian Union hall in

Chora, with smaller satelliteexhibitions showing at theMunicipal Library in Konto-lianika and the Follow YourArt gallery in Kapsali.

WE STOCK all the latest mobile phones,digital cameras and accessories

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PANAYIA MYRTIDIOTISSAby Pia Panaretos

TRANqUIL ELEGANCE GREETSthe visitor descending to theserene Monastery nestled in the valley by the Ionian Sea. Theeponymous Monastery is home to the jewelled heirloom ofKythera, the Icon of Panayia Myrtidiotissa (Virgin Mary of theMyrtles).The peace and beauty of these treasures belie the violence anddespair conquered by Panayia Myrtidiotissa, the Protector andPatron of Kythera, who is renowned for Her protective andhealing powers.So much so that the Icon, originally discovered sometime be-tween 1160 and the 14th century, was kept in the church ofPanayia Myrtidiotissa at the Hora fortress whenever the islandwas under pirate attack.She miraculously saved this church in 1829, when lighteningstruck the nearby gun powder room and the church remainedunscathed, one of the three miracles depicted in the lower partof the Icon.Her healing of the paralytic during a threatened pirate raid isa second miracle depicted on the Icon. This occurred in the15th century, on the 24th September, the date on which mostKythereans would journey to the Monastery. Theodore Kou-mbanios, one of the worshippers, had become paralised afteran illness. While lying near the Icon, the alarm for pirates wa s

raised, and all fled the horror of threatened enslave ment. De-spairingly Koumbanios prayed to God for mercy, and miracu-lously stood up and walked.Highly revered thereafter, the Icon in the first of its three de-picted miracles, portrays the story of its own discovery.A young shepherd found the Icon of the blackened faces,amongst the myrtles. Despite removing the Icon, it repeatedlyreturned to where he had found it, until the shepherd built itssmall church there. The small Icon, named Myrtidiotissa due tothe myrtles, was in 1837 placed onto a thicker board lined withgold and adorned with precious votive offerings of gold chains,diamonds and precious stones.The original church known as evresis (discovery), houses asilver lined Icon of Panayia Myrtidiotissa . The evresis sits un-derneath the three-aisled basilica built by Abbot Kalligeros in1841-57; completing the monastery are the 26m limestone bell-tower, cells and a small chapel of Ayias Triados.The Icon makes several appearances throughout the year, de-

parting the Monastery on the Day of Orthodoxy to remain in theHora church until Easter Monday when the gyra commences.

In this two-week processionthe Icon is carried through-out the island overnightingin local churches en routeto northern towns and backagain to its Monasterialthrone.On the feast days of the15th August (Dormition of

the Virgin Mary) and signifi-cantly 40 days later on the24th September (PanayiaMyrtidiotissa), in front ofthousands, the Icon is car-ried outside of the Monas-tery escorted by Naval De-fence personnel. The Iconand the Navy have in com-mon the protection of theisland. The 24th Septemberevening celebration in AyiaPelayia is the closing dancefor summer.Her final move for the yearis Her entry into the lowerground evresis church onthe 21st November, signify-

ing the date when the VirginMary as a girl was entrustedinto the Temple in Jerusa-lem. Here the Icon remainsover winter until the Day ofOrthodoxy.Individually, devoted wor-shippers pray to PanayiaMyrtidiotissa through pil-grimage on foot to theMonastery, and talismansand tama which range fromsmall silver votives, to thegiant wax effigies of limbsand babies held in the Mon-asterys Museum of Icons,to offerings such as thelarge cross on the c rest of

the mountain opposite theMonastery.

Panayia Myrtidiotissa issuch a symbolically power-ful figure that many church-es in devotion to her existnot only on Kythera, but alsothroughout Greece and thediaspora.In an ironic twist on the heal-ing of the paralytic left behind inthe pirate siege, Mr Kalokerinosrecounts a story from his teenageyears during the World War TwoGerman occupation of Kythera.A German boat was damaged in Avlemonas, and many young people had goneto salvage from it what they could. As a number of Germans turned up toinspect the situation, most of the people scattered. Having been delayed, MrKalokerinos had to convincingly account for himself. He remembered that abedridden man lived in one of the houses, unable to escape. Mr Kalokerinossuggested that his purpose had been to visit the man, and his excuse wasaccepted. Ironically in this siege, he was save d by the invalid.With respect to the Panayia Myrtidiotissa Icon, it is acknowledged that disabil-ity access to the Monasterys Icon Museum requires improvement, not onlypractically, but in honour too, of the Myrtidiotissas healing of t he paralysedworshipper.

PHOTOBYE

MMANUELS

OPHIOS


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N O T O x I C W A S T E I N O U R S E A S

NO CHEMICALS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

THE CITIZENS OF KYTHERA HAVE DECLARED their total opposition to theplanned neutralization of Syrias chemical weapons in international waters of the

Mediterranean, off the coast of Kythera/Antikythera. While the mainstream media

stays shamefully silent, the Initiative Committee of Ky thera and Antikythera against

the Neutralization of Syr-

ias Chemical Weapons in

the Mediterranean Sea,

together with other co-

ordinating committees

throughout Greece, i s

constantly updating and

sharing information from

specialists with citizens via

online and regional media.

Over the past few months

we have witnessed a me-thodical attempt - under

the auspices of the UN,NATO and the EuropeanUnion - to convert the

Mediterranean Sea into awasteland through the destruction and neutralization of some 700 tons of Syrian

chemical weapons in a pilot process of onboard hydrolysis.Scientists have expressed serious concerns over the effectiveness of hydrolysis

as a means of neutralizing chemicals such as sarin, mustard gas and VX (nervegas) as the residue from this process results in toxic waste. The consequences

will be devastating for the marine and coastal ecosystems, for the people andthe economy as the Mediterranean is a closed sea wit h very slow water renewal.

Despite assurances from the Government nobody can gu arantee the safe execu-tion of the program. Neutralization is a maximum environmental threat to the

closed marine environment of the Mediterranean because even if the methodselected for the destruction of chemical weapons was safe from a chemic al point

of view, it is impossibl e to exclude the chance of an acc idental gas leak, or evenfailure of the complete destruction of such a large quantity of weapons.

While the tried and tested pyrolysis method takes 7-10 years to complete, it isanticipated that the untested hydrolysis process will take less than 90 days. Theexact co-ordinates of the proposed destruction location have yet to be revealed.

All we know is that it will take place in international waters somewhere in thegeneral Malta/Libya/Crete triangle. The quantity and composition of these chemi-

cal weapons still remains unknown. Additionally, Cape Ray, the ship on whichthe hydrolysis will take place, is of questionable reliability. Given the difficulty of

manipulating such dangerous materials and the high risk factors associated withhuman error, these factors alone could co ndemn the Mediterranean Sea.

The transport and destruction of Syrias chemical weapons in the MediterraneanSea violates the limitations laid down by the United Nations Conventions on the

Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 and the London Convention on the Preventionof Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter which have been

adopted to protect the marine environment and to set up criteria for the trans-portation and dumping of toxic waste. Furthermore, according to regulations,

Greece has the right to control the operation and participate in the Committeeof Experts. The fact that the project is being conducted in complete secrecycoupled with our Governments refusal to inform or alert the local and scient ific

community, serves only to increase our concerns.France, Germany, Norway, Belgium and Albania all refused to allow the neu-

The port of Agia Pelagia 1959: Maria and Vasilikoula Tambakis, on the"Floreta" bike of Yiannis Megalokonomos (Kaponoyiannis).

. 1959: Floreta (-).

Photo by Kytherian photographer Emmanuel Sofios: Locals taking theircattle by sea to the meatworks in Neapolis.

: , .

tralization of these weapons

to take place on their ownterritory. This, coupled withthe fact that some of these

countries have the appropri-ate decommissioning facili-

ties, raises serious concerns.Should not those countries

that produce these toxicproducts also assume respon-

sibility for their destruction?Why was this pilot process

of onboard hydrolysis cho-sen to be conducted within

closed and unstable maritimespace over neutralization

in land-based plants? Notonly has this method never

before been used in a con-tained body of water such asthe Mediterranean Sea, the

destruction facility itself is amodified terrestrial unit. This

means that its operations canbe affected by a swell caused

by a light wind of less than 5Beaufort!

The sea, as we know, has noborders. If an ecological dis-

aster were to occur, it wouldnot be restricted to a small

area. It would have devastat-ing consequences to all the

Mediterranean Sea, one ofthe most sensitive and im-portant marine ecosystems

on the planet. This decom-missioning experiment shows

zero respect for the localMediterranean communities.

Not only does it disregard theinternational treaties, it also

jeopardi zes t he e xistence ofhighly sensitive ecosystems

and marine species that livein the area.

Danger is knocking at ourdoor. We must act together

to prevent this crime. Ourapathy is their only ally.

f/b: Kythera/Antikythera:NO chemicals in the Medi-

terranean. e-mai l : ky-

theraaga instchemica l [email protected]

PHOTOBYPAVLOSKORONAIOS

PHOTOS FROM THE PAST


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C H A S I N G L I G H T A N D S U N

THE WINDMILL

RESORTMitata, KytheraTel.: 27360 31029

Mob: 699 737 [email protected]

www.thewindmillresort.com

As you enter the village of Mitatayou cant help but notice a tradi-tional stone windmill. The build-ing exudes an air of myster y that

literally invites you to experienceunique moments of relaxationand recreation. Enjoy a soothingwalk around our botanical gar-dens and aromatic plants, swimin the pool by the windmill and,if youre feeling hungry, indulgeyourself in a filling salad madeexclusively with organic prod-ucts that have been picked freshfrom our garden. Visitors canchoose from a breakfast buffetoffering an array of homemadetreats and original marmalades.Dont let your visit to the WIND-MILL RESORT pass without try-ing our refreshing and infamous

Windmill Mojito - the invigo-rating scent of freshly-cut mintand a few other secret ingredi-ents that make up this populardrink guaranteed to impress!Free WiFi is also available forguests.

THE MOUDARI LIGHTHOUSEby Melina Mallos

I had seen it from afarmany a time and as wedrove closer, we passedtwo Dutch hikers withmatching sunburnsemerging from the mid-

dle of nowhere who dis-played a determinationsimilar to ours to do thelighthouse walk.If you find yourself look-ing for panoramic viewsof Elafonissos and theGulf of Laconia, youcant beat this light-house which is located

just past Karava. The s trategicall y perched structure is so t all and po werful ,making it a must-see destination on ones Kytherian holiday.History: Some say the building of the Moudari Lighthouse was long foretoldby a local man who said, One day a large building will be c onstructed herewith a fire on top. Kytherians call the Lighthouse The Karavas Light, refer-ring to the name of the area in which its locat ed .The Moudari Lighthouse was built in 1857 by the British to facilitate naviga-tion between Kythera and Elafonissos. It is located at Cape Spathi, the most

northern point of the island, near the villa ge of Plateia Amos next to AgiosNikolaos (St. Nicholas) beach. At 25 metres high, i t is the largest lighthousebuilt by the British in Greece. The lighthouse had a revolving order ChanceBrothers Lens visible from 45 kilometres. Its elevation and powerful lensmade it one of the first lights vessels saw as they approached Greece fromthe Mediterranean Sea. When you visit, youll notice the lighthouses entrydoor is angled to protect it from the strong northern winds that fre quentlyassault the island. Adjacent to the lighthouse is the simatorio or simatologio(signal-house) that would use flags to communicate with passing ships dur-ing daylight hours.In 1901 the station underwent major renovations and began operating with akerosene lamp. It went dark during World War II and suffered minor damage.It was relighted in 1945 and then automated with a solar-powered beaconin 1989.When you walk up the hill with the wind blowing through your hair, you havethe perfect vantage point to contemplate the life of a lighthouse keeper. Andwhat stories of the sea these men would have born witness to! It must havebeen a solitary existence, that of a lighthouse keeper, attracting a certain

type of person. In addition to being a keen observer, you would have neededto enjoy your own company, to have been someone who liked to think andreflect. You would also have been brave, particularly during those wartimeyears when strikes from the sea were to be feared, and certainly expected.There is a humorous story about the impending arrival of an inspector. Thelighthouse keepers had cleaned and polished the station. When the supplyship carrying the inspector drew near, disaster struck. The ship was captainedby a new man who did not know the area well. He ran the vessel into a rockand the damaged ship quickly departed. Needless to sa y no inspection washeld that day.Although the lighthouse still operates today, it is not open to the public. Atnight, look out for three white flashes every thirty seconds.

and the only one that hasfine white sand. It is easilyaccessible by tarred road.This is a safe beach for chil-dren as the water is calmand shallow, ideal for layingon an airbed or snorkelling.

You ca n even do s ome la pshere to keep up your fitness

levels.MELIDONI is found on thesouth of the island belowthe monastery of Agia Eles-sa. Getting to this beach is achallenge. The road is verylong and rough, apart fromthe concrete bends, requir-ing some patient driving.However, this is one of thecleanest and best organisedbeaches on the island. Tryand get there early, as thereare limited beach chairsand umbrellas. The water isdeep here and the cove wellworth exploring by paddle-boat. Who knows, you may

even be lucky enough tofind the long lost pirate'streasure which is said to behidden here.

KALADI is found on theeastern side of the islandnear Paleopoli. One of Ky-thera's most popular andpicturesque beaches, it isoften featured in touristpublications.

CHALKOSis a clear and peb-bly beach located on thesouthern part of the islandnear Kalamos. It is a goodone to visit by sea from Ka-psali with the glass bottom

boat Alexandros. Driving toChalkos is rugged, so pre-pare to take your time get-ting there. This is a small,but pretty beach worth thevisit.

LYKODIMOUis probably theclosest beach to Potamos,apart from Agia Pelagia. Theviews of the green gorgewhich drops below the roadleading to the beach offersa surprising contrast to drierparts of the island. There is alarge cave at the beach forexploring or escaping to foran afternoon nap.

FIRI AMMOS, KALAMITSI,LORENZO (AGIA PELAGIA)This string of beaches isfound on the north/easternside of the island, just southof the port of Agia Pelagia.The red pebbles on thesebeaches make them uniqueto the island. They are usu-ally quiet, being off thetouristic track. The wateris normally very clean andcalm, except when a north-erly wind is blowing.

FIRI AMMOS (KALAMOS)is one of Kythera's larg-est beaches with its longstretch of pebbles. The road

directly above the beach isvery rough so prepare forsome bumpy driving andmanoeuvering over rocks.The sea is usually calm. Tothe right of the beach is alittle cave you can swim in.

PHOTOBYPHOEBUSTSARAVOPOULOS

PHOTOBYP

HOEBUSTSARAVOPOULOS

PHOTOBYPHOEBUSTSARAVOPOULOS

BEACHES, SWIMMING AND SUNKYTHERA'S BEST BEACHESrange from large family beaches tosecluded inlets ideal for more private escapes. There are sandy

beaches, wild beaches, remote beaches, rock y beaches, secret

fishing coves, beaches for the very fit, beaches where you can

loll under an umbrella with a tsipouro and a meze. There are

beaches for everyone. Dive, swim, relax and enjoy! Their sur-

faces vary from large pebbles to fine white sand and contrast

in character and surroundings. Trees shelter some, while cliffsand caves enclose others. The water is typically crystal clear,

shark-free and calm.

KAPSALI This natural harbour is surrounded by cafes and tav-ernas below a Venetian fortress which offers spectacular viewsof Kapsali's two bays. You can walk up the hill to the village ofChora and its Venetian fortress or to the church of St. Johnembedded in the side of the cliff. An ideal beach for families.In the late afternoons, sail away with the glass bottom boatAlexandrosto Hitra and its blue grottos. Make sure you takeyour swimmers and a camera with you.

PALEOPOLI situated near the town of Avlemonas and said to bethe birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. It is also thesite of the ancient capital of Skandia. This is one of the longestbeaches on Kythera. Another good spot for families.

DIAKOFTI the blue lagoon of Kythera. This is a stunning beach


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10

KORKY PAUL "Winnie theW i t c h - 2 5

Years ofIllustra-

t i o n s "e x h i -b i t i o n(25/07-

7/08).

CERAMICS AT KATO LIVADITHE ROUSSOS FAMILYhave been producing ceramics atKato Livadi for over twenty years. It maintains a Kyth-erian tradition that has been passed down through fourgenerations of pottery making by this family. You will findPanayiotis working on the potter's wheel, daily turning outtraditional Kytherian designs as well as introducing new

ones. Mother Grigoria attends to the glazing and firing inthe kiln, whilst Maria delicately hand paints all the potterypieces produced in the workshop.

The Roussos workshop can be found in Kato Livadi on

the main road between Livadi and Kalamos. Everyone iswelcome to call in and watch the family at work andchoose from the vast range of products on display. Openevery day. Tel.: 2736-0-31124

The Roussos gallery is conveniently located in Chora, justa short stroll down from the town square. Here, visitorscan also select from exquisitely designed ceramics pro-duced in the workshop. Tel.: 2736-0-31402.

KORKY PAUL - SUSAN MOxLEY

MANEAS GENERAL STOREMANEAS GENERAL STORE is an essentialpart of the fabric that makes up this island.This place is an institution. Take a look in thewindow and youll see what we mean. Thewindows are stuffed with a higgledy-piggledycollection of tools, cane baskets, kitchen homewares and antiques. Not much has changedsince Maneas General Store first opened itsdoors in the 1930s, except perhaps it looksa little tidier since niece Aliki Gerakitis tookover the family enterprise. Uncle Panayiotisstill drops in regularly and both he and Alikiare always keen to help. This place stocks eve -rything from underwear to hardware, fromsocks to tableclothes and kitchen pans andsun hats. Just ask. Whatever it is youre look-

ing for, they will be sure to have it. It may wellbe tucked away somewhere way up on thevery top shelf but it will be there.Maneas General Store is located just downfrom the Potamos Plateia. Whatever you do,dont miss it!Maneas Store, Potamos,

tel.: 2736-0-33308

A R T I S T S A N D G A L L E R I E S

ONE OF CHORA'Smost sce-nic sites is the kamara (arch-way) just down from Chora'stown square. Here you willmeet Leonardo, owner of theGOLD CASTLE. Leonardo, bornin Melbourne, Australia, hasbrought together Kythera'slargest collection of gold andsilver as well as a showcase ofexquisite byzantine icons andhandmade worry beads. Withmany years of experience as

a jeweller in Athens and Ky-thera, his success lies in hisability to create jewellery forevery taste and pocket. Leon-ardo guarantees the highestquality workmanship at themost reasonable prices.

Chora, Tel.: 2736-0-31954

MY HOMEMY HOMEis now stockingthe complete range of HillsHoistbranded products in-cluding freestanding clotheslines, rotary clothes lines,extenda-lines and porta-bles. You name it, My Home

has got it. They also carry aselection of Webers inter-nationally renowned rangeof barbeques. Choose fromeither coal fuelled or gasfired. Theyre both brilliant.The coal fuelled bbq's comewith a lid with a built-in tem-perature gauge. They are allportable and are designedto be taken anywhere. We-ber barbecues have an evenheat. They all cook beauti-fully and keep the meatmoist. You can use them tocook indirectly, directly ordo a bit of both. Those inthe know swear by them.

They come with a range ofaccessories including a pizzastone, a chicken griller anda rotisserie attachment. Andtheyre all easy to clean.

MY HOME, Kar-

vounades, tel.

2736-0-38120

SIM...VENITHE MINI-MARKET inthe heart of Mylopotamoswhere you will find homegrown vegetables and eggs;locally produced jams, spoonsweets and herbs; a select

range of grocery essentials,including fresh milk andbread delivered daily; locallyproduced wines and oliveoils; ice-creams over thesummer season; tobacco forthose of you who still smoke(cough cough). And thecapper? You will be servedby the fabulous, the oneand only Veni. Much morethan just a mini-market.Think global Shop local!

Mylopotamos, tel. 2736-0-

34378.

Photo of Panayotis Maneas featured

in KRISTINA WILLIAMSON's book

"One year on Kythera".

STONE - WATER:The Two Archetypal Structural Components of my Art

by Aliki Rigou

STONE:A CELESTIAL SYMBOL of wisdom; stable, unaltered, eternal, protec-tive, precious, invaluable.

Water: the primary andinexhaustible source of

life and energy.Characterized by dynam-ic volatility; symbol of re-generation and catharsisof the soul, symbol ofpurification; therapeu-tic and miraculous at thesame time.

Ever since I was a child, I have felt the need to coexist with stone and water.My work with mosaics and watercolour is the consequence of my desire toexplore these two elements and use them as a means of expression. Howare they connected? Does their perceived antithesis actually create frictionand struggle?Stone represents Form, it has a defined volume and shape. Not all stonesare suitable for mosaics. Each stone behaves differently, one is shuttered,the other one is cut with irregular borders and another one remains un-changed.The only way to cut Stone is with the presence of Water. Water acts like

a lubricant; it softens stone, tames it, complements it ... All the beauty ofNatures colours can be found in Stone. A small pebble on the shore, a rockon the mountain, a humble piece of gravel, they all have Light, Colour andHarmony.It is water that makes them gl ow, that brings out their colours and infiniteshades. Water is colourless, variable. I remember as a child my futile attemptsto catch handfuls of blue from the sea, the daring dives, the colours fading tototal darkness as I went ever deeper. The Element of Water with its transi-tions reveals its lack of form, its Intangibility, its spirituality.Colour is the link that unites stone and water. T he (secret) gift of Form andImmobility into the Amorphous and Mobile.The artist needs to transcend the form, the idol (stone), to be immersed inwhat is Amorphous and Spiritual (water). The artist thirstily seeks Stone andWater in her soul.Mosaic-carved stones, because they have colour, are bound together materi-ally. Water, unless it is mixed with colour, is not even visible. I n the beginning

these two elements are simple tools, materials inmy hands.

The artist sees them, observes them, puts themin their right place, synthesizes them, determinesthem, observes them, and tries to merge withthem.The beauty of this Art emanates from what isunique and different in each human being, thehidden or visible wound that we all keep deepinside, that thing we turn to when we seek a tem-porary but deep loneliness.True Knowledge becomes the property of the trueartist, a seeker who continuously pursues Rhythmand Harmony. The moment of Union is a GreatMystery. His Art is the means to identify himself,

his being. It is this Art of the Soul that the artist depicts in his work.

Aliki Rigou, Mosaic and Auarelle Ehibition, ZEIDOROS Arts Centre,Kapsali, August 11th to August 24th 2014

DESIGN YOUR OWN SANDALS!Create yo ur o wnun ique fo o twearmasterpiece! Workwith Yiouli Metaxini-adou who uses stones,beads, Swarovski crys-tals, lace, ribbons and

other decorat ionsto make each pair ofsandals an originalwork of footwear art.Come on in, have abrowse. You wont bedisappointed.

Uno Shoes, Livadi, Kythera, Tel.: 27360-38379

ONE YEAR ON KYTHERA

KRISTINA WILLIAMSONS PHOTOGRAPHIC BOOK"One Year onKythera" is the perfect life-time gift for lovers of photographyand Kythera. "One Year on Kythera" is a beautiful bilingual book

and is available at the islands bookshops Bibliogatosin Livadi

& Chora and at Aerostatoin Kondolianika.

Kon-Tiki,mosa

ic45x101

The Book, mosaic 20x18

SUSAN MOxLEY art exhi-bition (9-16/08).

Follow your Art Gallery, Kapsali


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THE HOUSE IN DOKANA

THE HOUSE IN KERAMOTO

Self accommodating furnished apartmentson Kythera's inland

- (+30) 210 9840326, 693 2294169

e-mail: [email protected], www.housesinkythira.com

KOKINOCHORAFAby Michael and Caroline Breet

MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY AGOwe left Amsterdam inour ugly duck, a second-hand Citroen 2CV, and headed forthe Mediterranean. We were just married and had decided tospend our honeymoon far away from cold, damp Holland. Wetravelled through Germany, Austria a nd communist Yugoslavia

until finally, on April 1st 1963, we arrived in Greece. We weresurprised to see so many groups of cheerful Greeks dotting theroadsides, all busily grilling lamb on the spit. They must haveknown we were coming exclaimed the young bride. It wasGreek Easter and it proved an auspicious introduction to thecountry. We had planned to go to Crete but our finances w ererapidly running out and we were lucky to make it to beautiful,flowery Volos. From that time on we were hooked on Greece ;hardly a year passed wit hout our spending our holidays in oursecond fatherland. We went to Crete, Mykonos, Samos, Lesbos,Chios and of course the Peloponnesus.

And then, about ten years ago, Kythera came into the picture.What made us decide to think of this island as our ultimate des-tination? Is it the friendly population (often with an Australianconnection)? Or the worlds tastiest bread from the bakery in Li-vadi? The curious mix of settlers from northern countries (Swiss,British, German, Dutch) who live here (semi)permanently, eachwith their own story? What mattered most was the stunning

beauty of the island, the purity of the nature, the wild land-scape, the stillness. Kythera is full of hidden treasures - likeAgios Myron, a charming little chapel near Fyri Ammos, sur-rounded by blossoming sage; or the myrtle covered road thatleads to the tiny picturesque fishing harbour of Limnaria.We started our Kytherian holidays at lovely Avlemonas, thenlater moved to Christophoros Papapelekanoss splendid tradi-tional style Palaeopoli Villas where we have stayed ever since .About six years ago we discovered the small, deserted sett le-ment of Kokinochorafa. Tucked away in meadows of thyme andoregano, hidden from sight among fifty shades of grey rocksis an accumulation of ruins, tiny k amares more than a hundred(perhaps several centuries) years old. The settlers solved theproblem of eking out a living on such barren ground by diggingbig, pear shaped wells into the rocky depths. These skillfullymade wells, about 3 meters deep, still exist. We have wanderedthe ruins again and again, always contemplating the arduouslives and memories of these hardworking settlers.

We always regarded Kokinochorafa as our private property andkept its existence a secret. One day, a couple of years ago, we

noticed a cement mixer inthe middle of our property.Then a black water tank ar-rived. We were worried butthought perhaps someonemight be undertaking anarchaeological restoration.In September last year wewere back on the island.

Looking from Palaeopoli wesaw a blazing light comingfrom Kokinochorafa. Whatwas going on there? Nextday we walked as usual toour hidden secret. Wewere halfway there whenwe heard the hum of a gen-erator. Then we heard themusic and sniffed the smellof roasting lamb. As werounded the bend, we sawthe small, newly built housewhere a merry housewarm-ing party was underway. Wewere on the verge of tears.Whats wrong with you?Come on, join us and have

a drink. Dont you l ikeour new house? said thefriendly owner with a smileon her pretty face. C rushedand bitterly disappointed,we headed back to Palae-opoli. Our private dreamwas blown to pieces.Later we started to thinkabout what we had done.What indeed was wrongwith us? Who do we thinkwe are, behaving like high-handed Northerners whenwe are guests of this beau-tiful country? We had nounderstanding of the prideand joy of Greek Aussies

who had made it in Aus-tralia and now came backto realize their dream ona spot that, for heavenssake, belonged to theirgrandparents! Back in Hol-land we began to feel evenmore embarrassed. We wereashamed of our rather bluntbehaviour. Perhaps the newowners of our propertywill read this article and willallow us to belatedly accepttheir invitation to have apint, mate?". Yes please!.

Kokkinochorafa, our favourite ruin

LEFKADIO HERNA splash of Kythera in Old Japan

by Deborah Parsons

A CASUAL conversa-tion with a visitor to theisland, the passing men-tion of a Japanese writer

whose mother camefrom Kythera. I had tofind out more. WhatI discovered was yetanother of those treas-ures the island endlesslymanages to throw up.Hern was born in Lefka-da, in 1850, the sonof Charles Bush Hearn(from Ireland) and Ro-sa Antoniou Kassimati(from Kythera). Kassimati is an old Kytherian name and so Kythera SummerEdition approached keen local historian Eleni Charou to see if she could tell usanything about Rosa and her family. Rosa apparently met Charles while he wasa young soldier serving on Kythera. After they married, she moved with him toLefkas where Patricio Lefkadio Hern was born. The marriage only lasted a fewyears and Rosa returned to Kythera, unfortunately without Patricio and his

younger brother Charles who were both sent to Dublin to live with their fathersfamily. Rosa subsequently remarried Giovanni Cavallini, a Kytherian of Italiandescent. Cavallini, a man of some standing, was the Ionian Islands Vice Consulfor Austria-Hungary. Prior to that he had been Governor of Cerigo during theBritish Protectorate . Rosa and Cavallini had four children; unfortunately herhighly strung nature and the lingering unhappiness of her failed first marriageeventually led to a complete breakdown and at the age of 49 she was commit-ted to the National Mental Asylum on Corfu Island where she lived until herdeath 10 years later. It is unlikely Hern ever saw his mother again.Hern grew up in Ireland and England and, while raised a Cat holic, seemed tohave abandoned the church by the time he moved to the United States aged19. He became a journalist for the Cincinnati Daily I nquirer where he special-ised in the sensational reporting of lurid murders. When the paper learned hehad married Alethea Foley, a black American woman (miscegenation was ille-gal at the time) he was promptly dismissed and just as promptly hired by therival Cincinnati paper. The marriage was short lived and they were divorcedin 1877. Hearn clearly had larger literary ambitions as he and the artist HenryFarny briefly published a weekly journal of art, literature and satire.

From Cincinnati he moved to New Orleans where he lived for c lose to a dec-ade, writing for such prestigious publications as Harpers Weekly and ScribnersMagazine. Some say it was Hern who helped create New Orleanss exotic imageas a place where Europe meets the Caribbean.After a brief stint in the West Indies, he arrived in Yokohama in 1890 wherehe remained until his death in 1904. He was primarily a folklorist of Old Japan.During his fourteen year stay, he produced twelve literary works.In Japan he had finally found his home. He married Koizumi Setsu, the daugh-ter of a Matsue samurai family with whom he had four children, and i n 1896became a naturalized Japanese, assuming the name Koizumi Yakumo. Afterteaching English Literature at Tokyo Imperial University, he became a profes-sor at Waseda University. He died of heart failure at the age of 54.In the late nineteenth century Japan was largely unknown to Westerners.Hern helped breech that gap, giving the west some of the first descriptionsof pre-industrial Meiji Era Japan. He rn was widely read by intellectuals suchas Albert Einstein and Jawaharlal Nehru. In fact Einsteins trip to Japan in1922 was inspired by Hearns works. But while his popularity and fame inJapan as its most astute foreign interpreter continued, his reputation in thewest started to decline in the 1930s when Japan embarked on a period ofimperialistic aggression.An amazing man who squeezed a lot into a relatively short life. And all thisprompted by a passing conversation with a total stranger. Spend time onKythera and youll never stop learning.


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ter Johns death in 1945, hiswife Georgia took over therunning of the cafe.During the Second WorldWar the house with the sun-dial survived the Germanbombardment of the portof Avlemonas that precededthe invasion of Crete. It alsohosted passing officers andmen of the Allied Forces. Infact there are caves near thehouse in which the Allies hadinstalled a large cannon thatsank a German patrol boatthat had been sent to inter-cept them. You can still seetraces of bullet holes in therocks near the property as atestimony to that fierce bat-tle. The house also served asa makeshift field hospital forGerman soldiers during thewar. Andreas Kalokerinosonce told the writer howhe remembered, as a youngboy, seeing wounded menbeing operated on on tableswithin the house.After the war, Georgia Cav-allini remained alone in the

house after her children mi-grated to Australia. She diedin 1990.

The reconstruction and

restoration works: To-day, the building consistsof two separate properties.

A M O N U M E N T T O T I M E A N D M E M O R Y

c.

d.

EDWARD HOLLIS, THE ARCHITECT, surveys some of theworlds most famous buildings, including the Parthenon andAghia Sophia, in his book The Secret Lives of Buildings. He arguesthat the soul of a building is not necessarily gauged from itsplans or by examining the details of its construction. Rather, its

essence is to be found in t he layers of history within its walls.When a building changes over time, whether through degra-dation, destruction or historical changes, any restoration oralteration is, according to Hollis, a retelling of the building as itexists at a particular time and when the changes are completeit becomes the existing building for the next retelling.The Cavallini house, better known as the house with the sundialin Avlemonas, is one of the most iconic and historic buildings ofKythera and also one of the most recognisable. It has recentlybeen restored to its former grandeur but in so doing the ownerand his team of architects, builders and restorers have suc-ceeded in retelling the rich and, at times, seemingly improbablehistory of this house.

A remarkable history:The story begins in the early part ofthe nineteenth century. Angelo Cavallini was the Genoa-borncaptain of a merchant ship sailing from Venice to Constant inopleand Smyrna. During one eventful journey he injured his handand in order to recover from his injuries t he ship made for the

nearest port which happened to be Kapsali on the island of Ky-thera. Cavallini later returned to Venice but he had found theisland so enchanting that he went back and married Rosa, theyoung Italian girl who had nursed him. They went on to have anumber of children, possibly five sons and five daughters.At some stage between 1821 and 1827, as the first flames ofrevolutionary fervour were being fanned in mainland Greece,Cavallini bought a property in Avlemonas from the Kountouriotifamily upon which stood a modest dwelling. After purchasingthe property, Angelo Cavallini hired craftsmen from Crete toupgrade and expand the building. The work was completedin 1827 and included the construction of a sundial over thefront entrance. Angelo lived in the house along with Rosa andtheir children while using it as a Customs House for the port ofAvlemonas. At that time, he served as Vice-Consul for the Aus-tro-Hungarian Empire and also performed diplomatic duties onbehalf of the Greek State in a region that still did not officiallybelong to Greece. In the decades following the unification of

Greece in 1864, Kythera once again became the stop-over portof call for Austrian ships operated by Lloyds of Trieste, with thehouse at Avlemonas acting as a customs house and commercialtrade centre.After Angelo Cavallinis death in 1886 his c hildren inherited hisestate and divided it amongst themselves with the propertyat Avlemonas vesting in two of his sons, John and Spyros. By aremarkable twist of fate, Angelos oldest son, John, who wasa lawyer by trade and one of the Kytherian nobility, had metand eventually married Rosa Cassimatis, who had returned toKythera after her marriage to Major Patrick Hearn had dissolved.Rosa was the mother of Lafcadio Hearn who went on to becomeone of Japans most recognised poets and writers in the late19th century. But Spyros was the one who finally lived in thehome together with his family.After the death of Spyros Ca vallini in 1932, the home passed t oone of his four sons John Cavallini who had migrated to Americafor a time in the 1910s. He returned in 1926 shortly before the

death of his father and married Georgia Firou from Mitata. Theyhad three children and used the ground floor of the propertyin Avlemonas as a cafe which was patronised by captains andsailors from boats docked at Avlemonas when weather condi-tions did not permit their anchorage in the bay of Kapsali. Af-

THE HOUSE WITH THE SUNDIALby George Vardas

The property which hosts the famous sun-dial is owned by John Klaudianos, Georgiasgrandson, who wanted to realise the dreamof his mother, Marika Cavallini, which was tosee the house in which she had spent herchildhood years come back to life. In orderto do this, John commissioned an architec-tural firm to undertake the necessary design,restoration and reconstruction work, havingregard to the buildings unique architecturalfeatures and history. Indeed, their aim wasto highlight the plasticity of the building andto reinstate the positive aura that the build-ing holds.The restoration works took about 15 monthsand involved reinforcement of the masonrywalls, removal of the old coatings, installinga new concrete roof slab, maintaining theunique limestone frames around the doorsand windows, new external coatings, newplastering works and full wat erproofing.

Restoration of the Cavallini Sundial: Last but not least the owners briefcalled for the restoration of various a rchitectural elements on the buildingand, most notably, the famous sundial. For this delicate work an expert con-servator with specialist knowledge and 30 years of service in the maintenanceof the antiquities of the Parthenon, was engaged to oversee t he restorationworks. The aim of the restoration was to protect the sundial from additionalwear, revive its colours and reinstall it as a functioning sundial.The result of its extensive restoration is simply outstanding. The interventionis characterised by the innovative use of mate rials and colours, attention todetail and painstaking restoration works to produce an authentic restoration

of the fabric of the building and at the same time preserving its distinc tivearchitectural features.The house with the sundial, in that quiet corner of Avlemonas harbour, willforever remain a monument to time and memory on Kythera. Its restorationby John Klaudianos, a descendant of the original Cavallini family, is a story ofpassion and determination to complete the sensitive retelling of the historyof an iconic building.


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IN 1974 MY WIFE BEV AND I returnedto Tamworth, New South Wales, afterhaving toured Europe and the MiddleEast. Moving to Tamworth we rented

a house from an elderly Greek couplewho had returned to Kythera, their is-land of birth, for a visit. Their son Alexand daughter-in-law Maria settled us inand from then on our friendship grew.Their teenage daughters, Metaxia andEirene, used to babysit our two boysTim and Toby. Over the years they saidrepeatedly that we must visit Kythera soin March this year we decided to make avisit to their beloved island.Prior to setting off on this odyssey wevisited Alex and Maria to talk about Ky-thera and during our talk Alex beganrelating stories about his childhood onthe island. I was enthralled with what hetold me and realised the importance ofrecording and documenting his story.

ALEKO GEORGOPOULOS (ALEX POULOS)was born at home in the town of Pota-mos in 1929. His childhood was tough,

as was the case with many Greek children at thattime. In Alekos words, it was very very hard, veryhard. Most of the time we had no shoes, our clothes

were worn and it was hard to survive. My father,

poor man, tried everything to make a living but he

could not make ends meet.However while not plen-tiful, there was always food on the table such asolives, grapes, figs, almonds and edible wild greenswhich were growing on his grandparents plot atStavli.Aleko and his younger brother John (Tzaneto) wentto Potamos school, a short walk from home, thoughin winter, with no shoes, it was demanding to saythe least. On a number of occasions they sufferedsevere chilblains. Aleko says he begged his mother to

get a knife and cut my toes off!. He then attendedsecondary school in Chora. Every Friday afternoonhe and a mate used to walk back to Potamos return-ing to Chora on Sunday, a distance of about fifteenkilometres. He says, we used to walk barefootedover the stony road, hail, rain or shine, no coats,

no nothing.In 1937 Alekos father, Peter (Panayiotis), decided to emigrate to Tamworth,Australia, where an uncle had set up a fruit shop. His wife Metaxia and twosons were to follow once he had established himself in Australia. As so oftenhappens, the best-laid plans are often thwarted. In their case it was the inva-sion of the island during WWII by the Italians and Germans. Once Kythera wasoccupied no one left the island which meant Alekos mother and the two boyshad to fend for themselves.Aleko recalled that during the war There was little food available other thanwhat was growing on the island. Any extras were o nly available on the black

market. The drachma was useless, money was of no value. Our needs were

obtained by trading or by other means.I was told that Aleko and a mate used

to catch feral cats, prepare the carcasses and trade them - not only with localsin need of a little meat but also with the occupying Italians. Revolting, youmight think, but perhaps we too would eat cats if driven to desperation.While life on Kythera under Italian and German rule was not as fearsome as inother

Kythera Summer Edition 2014

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Transcript of Kythera Summer Edition 2014