This is our temporarily adopted feline friend, Grizabella. Judging by her name she may hail from the village of Grizokampos (Grey Plains). Her sister Ranga is not quite as pretty, and her son Charlie and daughter Charlie also hang around a bit.
Collecting figs for drying with Foti and Eleni. Sore hamstrings!
These fantastic old posters are part of a series that adorn the walls in the old school building in Zizani.
On May 27, 1821, Dimitris Papanikolis sailed into the harbour of Eressos, Lesbos, and set fire to a Turkish war ship that was heading for Peloponnisos to help quell the Greek revolution.
Papanikolis also took part in several other acts of sabotage against the Ottoman fleet.
In May 1821, Omer Vryonis, the commander of the Ottoman army, advanced with 8,000 men, and after crushing the resistance of the Greeks at the river of Alamana, headed south into the Peloponnese to quell the Greek uprising.
Odysseas Androutsos with a band of 100 or so men took up a defensive position at an inn near Gravia. Vrionis attacked the inn but was repulsed with heavy casualties (over 400 dead). Finally, he was forced to ask for reinforcements and artillery but the Greeks managed to slip out before the reinforcements arrived. Androutsos lost two men in the battle and earned the title of Commander in Chief of the Greek forces in Roumeli.
Petros Mavromichalis (1765-1848), also known as Petrobey, was the leader of the Maniot people during the first half of the 19th century.
Mavromichalis’ family had a long history of revolts against the Ottoman Empire, which ruled most of what is now Greece. During a period of infighting between the leaders of Mani, young Petros gained a reputation for mediating the disputes and reuniting the warring families. After this he made an alliance with Napoleon Bonaparte, who was fighting in Egypt; Napoleon was to strike the Ottoman Empire in coordination with a Greek revolt. Napoleon’s failure in Egypt doomed that plan.
By 1814, the reorganized Maniots again became a threat to the Ottomans, and the sultan offered a number of concessions to Mavromichalis, including his being named Bey, or Chieftain, of Mani. Still, Petrobey continued to organize the Greek capetanei (commanders) of Morea for the revolution that was soon to come. On March 17, 1821, Petrobey raised his war flag in Areopolis, effectively signaling the start of the Greek War of Independence. His troops marched into Kalamata, and took the city on March 23.
Kitsos Tzavelas was born in Souli, Epirus in 1800, the son of Fotos Tzavelas and grandson of Lambros Tzavelas, both of whom were famous for their roles in the Souliot struggles against Ali Pasha, the Pasha of Yannina. He grew up in exile in Corfu. He played a leading role in the Greek War of Independence in 1821, alongside Georgios Karaiskakis, distinguishing himself especially during the siege of Messolonghi. After the arrival in Greece of Ioannis Kapodistrias, during the latter part of the war, Tzavelas was responsible for liberating a large part of Central Greece.
This creature was spotted one evening at a taverna in Chranoi. It flew and behaved like a hummingbird, but resembled a large moth and seemed to have a proboscis rather than a beak. Can someone tell me which it is?
We found this card in the beautiful town of Methoni. It looks strikingly like someone we know.
Lissa and Marti swim off the rocks at the fortress of Methoni.
Lily with the famous Greek ‘racket’ – a game played all summer long by the sea.
Nik tried to apply ping-pong tactics, but Ari soon showed him that ‘rackets’ is a whole new game…
And the winner is…
Nothing like a fresh fig after a swim. Here is Melissa at Foti and Eleni’s fig plantation.
Also nothing like kolokithokeftedes, eggplant, chips and egg with Yiayia Despo at the new house in Galleika, after a swim…
View from Messinia, across the Messinian gulf, to the Mani peninsula. Taken from the road between Akritochori and nea Koroni – olive trees abound.
Roast suckling pig – the Messinian speciality…
Vasili’s village with Nik and Yana, Nik S, and Yianni. The 70th birthday party went off well without a hitch that couldn’t be quickly fixed.
Be sure to check out the great Zeibekiko dance video on the videos page!
Nik and Yana at the Glendi, attended by most of the village.
Cats and chooks look out for each other around here.
One of Martina’s many feline friends.
After an extensive visit to the 150 year old mulberry tree, we looked like we’d been cleaning the abattoir floor with our hands. The stains turned out to be easily removed by a washing machine, and the mulberries we didn’t eat on the spot were wonderful with fresh yoghurt for breakfast.
Nik S and Martina stopped for a photo opportunity at this giant Fix bottle near the Greek Pentagon, Athens. Fix beer has been in such demand since making a return this year that it is unavailable in Kalamata!
A tale from the Athenian riots: “Caution: Police”.
Martina with an as yet unamed kitten in Asvesti. Moustakas is behind her.
The world’s best breakfast- fresh mulberries with yoghurt.
Late afternoon driving through Athens.
Approaching Thermopylae on the national highway.
The fortress at Methoni – a fine place for a swim.
Wall art in Methoni.
What a wonderful three nights at sea with a group of like-minded sailors. Thanks everyone for joining us and making it possible for us to sail!
Captain Ramazan was the best – and most experienced – diver.
But I prefer the style referred to as the ‘GemmolaFrog’:
Brooke kayaks at dusk.
The crew atop St St Nicholas island.
The crew, minus chef Kenan who was busy cooking up the usual storm in the kitchen.
Delicious pitas made by a rowing village woman were available every morning!
Ramazan dives, again.
Marti, Ellie, Brooke and Abi (I think) underwater…
The ship’s masthead fell off?
Amanda, Abi and Brooke at the height of relaxation.
What a way to start each day!
Abi the pirate boarding the ship… or jumping overboard? 
To fill in time while at the arrivals hall at Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, I decided to upload some old iPhone pictures from LA. This table was cousin Nik’s 30th birthday present, and was completed over the Christmas/New Year period 2009 in Los Angeles.
{Unfortunately, the extensive captions I typed for all these images were lost by WordPress, so it’s an image-only experience. I will say thanks to Chris Steele for time and expertise on the MultiCam router, where the table surface was planed smooth, and to DigPlus for workspace, scrap bamboo, and inspiration.}
A huge tanker in an elevating dry-dock at the island of Syros; Lady Gemmola of the Aegean Sea Reading Club.
