December 12, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Saint Spyridon, patron saint of Corfu: his life and miracles

Every year, on December 12, The Greek Orthodox Church commemorates and honors St Spyridon. In Corfu, it is a special day of joyous celebration, seeing that St Spyridon is the patron saint of the island. As you may know, Greeks don’t just have birthdays; they also celebrate their name days with parties, offering desserts and receiving gifts.

Since every Corfiot family has at least one member called Spyridon (Spyros) or Spyridoula (Loula), you can imagine how much partying goes on around the island on December 12!

My family always had my granddad, Spyros Vassilakis, to honor on this day, and so, it’s always been a special day for me, and even more so now that Granddad has passed away.

Here are a few facts and legends surrounding St Spyridon:

St Spyridon was born circa 270 A.C. in Askeia, Cyprus. He was a pious man and a shepherd. When his wife died, he entered a monastery and, later in life, became Bishop of Trimythous. He died peacefully of old age in 348 A.C. It doesn’t sound like much, I know, but what if I tell you about the miracles performed by this legendary man, both when he was alive and centuries after his death? In his life, he performed many miracles and even brought people back from the dead with the fervor of his prayers!

St Spyridon was present in the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325 A.C.) where he took an active role. It is said that he converted a pagan philosopher into a Christian there and, according to legend, he performed a miracle in the process. While talking with this man, he took hold of a potshard to make a point that one thing can be three things at the same time (like The Holy Trinity can be Father, Son and the Holy Ghost). As he held the potshard, it is said that it burst into a flame, water dripping down his hand. All that was left from the shard of pottery in his hand was dust (some sources say he held a brick). It is because of the specific account that St Spyridon is regarded the patron saint of potters (as well as Corfu).

This story is just one of many that testify for this pious man’s sanctity; some of them date from when the saint was still alive and others began whole centuries after his death.

For example, when the Arabs took Cyprus (648 A.C.), St Spyridon’s remains were disinterred with the purpose of taking the sacred bones to Constantinople. However, to their surprise, the Cypriots saw that the relic was intact, and a scent of basil emanated from the grave. They took this as a sign of St Spyridon’s sanctity. The relic was taken to Constantinople and when the Turks took the city in 1453, a Corfiot monk called Kaloheraitis took the relic to Corfu and that is where it is still held today, in St Spyridon church.

The Corfiots adore their saint, and that is no surprise, seeing that he has saved their island and its people many times. For example, when a plague swept through the village of Marathias in the 1600s, it is believed that St Spyridon was sighted there and performed a miracle to drive out the plague. There is a big mark like a cross on the ancient walls of the Old Venetian Fortress and, legend has it, that the plague made this mark out of spite for being made to leave the island. The locals know where this mark is and point it out to tourists, although nowadays it’s not as clearly visible.

Another legend related to the plague has it that St Spyridon was sighted in the air dressed as a monk. He was chasing the plague that looked like a cross between a lion and a monkey with bat-like wings. The saint chased her away while beating her with a cross. When they reached the Old Fortress (Capo Sidero), St Spyridon made the plague scratch the sign of the cross on the wall and swear she’d never return.

The Old Venetian Fortress in Corfu Town that is said to carry the mark the plague made on its way out of the island…

This miracle is commemorated on Palm Sunday. The church procession stops in Corfu Town on high ground, faces the south towards Marathias and sends a blessing as a thank you to the saint.

This is the side of the fortress that bears the plague’s mark…

I asked Gran Antigoni about it the other day; she said the mark is visible on the wall under the cross from the Mouragia side (Mouragia is the picturesque coastal way lined with ancient Venetian buildings that leads to the old port). The other interesting bit Gran said is that the plague killed all but one man in the village of Marathias. In time, he had children with many different women, spreading his name across the village over the generations. She couldn’t recall the name but says many people in Marathias still carry this man’s surname today.

More annually celebrated miracles of St Spyridon:

During the second siege of Corfu by the Turkish fleet in July 1716, the Turks managed to take over a couple of forts on the island, including the ones in Mandouki and Garitsa. At the time, the island was under Venetian rule and fights between the rulers and the invaders went on for a month while the Corfiots prayed to their saint to save them from the Ottomans. On August 9, a terrible storm (highly unlikely in the Greek midsummer!) destroyed a great part of the Turkish fleet while several Muslims reported that they saw St Spyridon in the form of a monk rush out of his church, a torch in hand, threatening them. This sighting, along with the freak storm in midsummer and the damage to the fleet, caused panic among the Turks. It spread up the ranks and finally resulted in them leaving the island two days later.

This miracle is commemorated annually on August the 11th. A grand procession takes place in Corfu town and at night brass bands play music in Spianada square by Liston. All over the island, several varkarola (boat processions) take place too, with fireworks and singing, while the locals treat the visitors to fried sardines in many cases. Paleokastritsa and Petriti are two of the places that annually organize a varkarola.

On another occasion, St Spyridon is said to have saved the island from famine. How? He created a storm that caused three Italian boats filled to the brim with a cargo of wheat to change course and come to Corfu to save themselves. The precious cargo saved the people of Corfu from starvation and everyone knew it was a miracle because the men on board reported they saw a monk in a vision speaking in a booming voice, urging them to drop anchor at Corfu. This miracle is commemorated annually, again around Easter, this one on Holy Saturday – perhaps the most greatly sought after day for a Corfu holiday because of the pot-breaking custom that follows the procession.

And this is where the legends about St Spyridon end.

The following are actual events that happened without a doubt, some in my lifetime, and which were relayed to me. They are well-known all over the island:

A man was working on the top of the steeple of St Spyridon church once… He lost his balance and fell to the ground but stood back up, unscathed. I’ve heard this so many times that every time I look at the steeple I can almost see that poor man fall and I cringe 😀

Corfu airport is situated very near the sea. As the planes approach to land, if you look out the window, it almost feels like you’re about to land on water – it’s that near to the runway. Back in the 80s, this was out in the papers: a plane was having a hard time landing on Corfu airport (weather or technical trouble, cannot remember) and it was so scary and such a near miss that when the passengers landed safely they headed straight to St Spyridon church to light a candle and thank the saint for saving them. It was also reported that when they next opened his casket in the church, they found seaweed inside…

This is the private place in the church where people are periodically allowed to come in and pay their respects to the saint. Most of the time you leave a kiss on the casket, but I’ve actually kissed his velvet slippers many times too – a rare occasion where the priests actually open the casket and let you get that close to the saint!

A little girl who couldn’t walk was taken to St Spyridon’s church to attend Mass. Her parents had brought her from afar, hoping for a miracle. All of a sudden, the girl stood in a trance and began to walk. Her parents were overjoyed and after their excitement had subsided they asked their girl what had happened. She said a monk had come to her in the church and asked her to stand up and walk…

Back in the 40s, Corfu town was bombarded numerous times by German planes. My grandmother Antigoni was a teenager then, and she and her loved ones ran to St Spyridon church for protection one fateful morning. It was daytime. Gran said to me the Germans used to drop bombs in the day and fire at night… That morning, as the bombs dropped, the church was full. The people were huddled together, terrified, their eyes pinned to the ceiling as they listened to the bombs dropping and exploding. All at once, they saw the ceiling open up, down its whole length. They saw the blue sky for split seconds and then… just like that… the ceiling was restored. The locals still talk about it in Corfu town. My grandmother, at 91, still remembers it vividly as if it were yesterday.

: Gran Antigoni (left) and her sister Eleftheria were both present at St Spyridon church that legendary morning. Here we are pictured with the Old Fortress back in the 90s

: A photo from the 70s – Gran holding my hand as we exit St Spyridon church. Cousin Lilis (Nathanael) is gracious enough not to laugh at the trouble I’m having!

The Corfiots think of St Spyridon as a living being who walks among them, listening to their troubles, protecting them, providing for them. This is why many jump at the chance to own a tiny piece of his velvet slippers… Periodically, the church replaces the slippers placed at the saint’s feet and the fabric of the old ones is fragmented and offered to the people as a ‘fylakto’ – i.e. a protective charm, if you like. It’s the tiniest bit of red velvet inside a paper envelope with a drawing of St Spyridon on it.

The remains of St Spyridon are carried out of the church and taken around town during many religious processions throughout the year. The most famous perhaps is the one on Holy Saturday just before The First Resurrection (of Christ) at midday – a joyful pot-breaking celebration all over Corfu town.

I hope some of you will leave this page feeling a little enchanted today. If this is so, then my work is done. I feel lucky to have experienced this kind of magic all my life and still can’t get enough of it. I love St Spyridon with all my heart, and like every Corfiot, I speak his name every day. “Agie Spyridona!” is something I tend to say when surprised, annoyed, amused, but especially when needing comfort.

To any of you who have a Spyros or a Spyridoula in your lives, Chronia Polla! I’ll be lighting a candle for my beloved granddad today.

Gran Antigoni and Granddad Spyros Vassilakis photographed in Mandouki (a picturesque area of Corfu Town near the new port) back in the late 80s

For me, it’s no surprise I wrote about St Spyridon and his miracles via my character Mrs Sofia, in my debut novel, The Necklace of Goddess Athena. Below, you will find a short, exclusive excerpt from the book that was originally included when the book was first published but was edited out in the second edition. I thought it was apt to publish it here today for posterity.

I hope you will enjoy it.

Mrs. Sofia’s face brightened. “Spyros? Your christian name is Spyridon? Oh, psyche mou, what a beautiful name you have!” She was ecstatic to hear the boy was named after her protector saint. It was a name that had followed her all her life, like every other inhabitant of Corfu.

Everyone on the island has a bunch of family members called Spyridon or the female equivalent, Spyridoula. As baby names in Greece are carried from grandparents to grandchildren, they’re always reminiscent of precious members of one’s family, some of them—as in the case of Mrs. Sofia—no longer living. In Athens, the name is not as common, so it was a special treat for her to hear it, and to be able to savor its sound again, so far away from home. She didn’t let the chance go wasted. She loved to talk about her beloved saint, and when she offered the boy information about him, both he and his mother stood eagerly to listen. Soon, she was telling them about the two miracles he’s mostly revered for on the island: the one where he saved the city from the plague, and the other where he turned his cane into a snake. She told them he still appeared through apparitions to cripples and other patients who prayed to him, curing them beyond any logical explanation. She looked into their eyes, saw wonder, and so she carried on, telling them this time about the miracles she’d witnessed herself in the town of Corfu.

She relayed the story of the worker who’d lost his balance while on the steeple of St Spyridon’s church. He fell to the ground and stood again, unharmed. Then, she recounted the story of that terrible day during the bombarding of the city by enemy planes in the 40’s. She and many others had rushed to St Spyridon’s church for refuge, praying to him to save their lives, their eyes pinned to the ceiling, brimming over with terror. For one terrible moment, they all saw the roof of the church blow up. They saw the sky, and then, miraculously, the roof closed in again within split seconds. Shocked, they asked each other and, to their amazement, they’d all seen the same thing.

The little boy’s mouth was now gaping open, and his mother seemed equally fascinated, her eyes huge and glazed over. Mrs. Sofia had a melodic voice and the unique talent of storytelling. It charmed her listeners and her two new guests couldn’t have been an exception.

The Necklace of Goddess Athena is a Greek myths fantasy adventure that will delight readers of all ages.

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November 13, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

A Lifetime of Corfu Summers

The other day, I was browsing photographs from Corfu on Facebook and experiencing the familiar melting feeling inside. Nothing else causes that; over the years, despite having traveled extensively around my beautiful country, no other place can make me ache with such nostalgia. And then, I started to wonder: what is it that makes one so passionate about a certain place?

Often, I hear my fellow Greeks talk about their beloved village where they were born or brought up and sometimes these places are nothing but a cluster of houses on a mountain top with a plane tree in the middle of a small square. As a visitor, you’d take half an hour tops to go around and see everything and chances are when you leave it behind, you’ll never think of it again.

And yet, to the people who hail from it, it has the quaintness of Mykonos and the allure of Santorini; every square foot of soil or concrete a treasure in their eyes. So what is it that makes it so special?

The obvious answer is, it’s their love inside – the memories they hold.

And so, it is with me. From Corfu, and especially the villages of Moraitika and Messonghi, I have a multitude of memories that often flood my mind as I walk past a lane or sit on the beach or saunter along the Messonghi river – some dating back from 40 years, some involving people who are now gone, being sadly missed.

So, here I am today, a bunch of old, yellow photographs in hand, blogging about a few of those memories. To the readers of my trilogy, some may be interesting for the real-life facts behind The Ebb, and for the rest of you, perhaps they will still be of interest, simply for being a glimpse of a bygone world.

So come, walk with me down this memory lane as I unfold my passion for Corfu…

: Early 70s. Main square in Corfu town.

: Early 70s. Main square in Corfu town with gran and cousins. I’m the girl in the dress.

During my childhood, I was forever in Corfu town for a long holiday, staying in Garitsa with my aunt Stephanie (my mother’s sister) and her family or with my grandparents in a rented house. In the early 70s photograph below I’m having a bit of trouble going down the steps of St Spyridon’s church – Gran is holding my hand. Gran was always around when I was little.

It’s no surprise I used to call her ‘mama’ back then. I simply refused to fall asleep unless she was holding my hand and it was difficult for her as the moment she’d withdraw her hand I’d snap my eyes open, which meant she had to do this all over again. A few years ago in Moraitika, in my presence, a local lady called Angelina, impressed by the kind way Gran always spoke of me asked her: ‘Oh Antigoni, you love your Frosso, don’t you?’ (Frosso is what people call me in Greek).

Gran turned to her, smiled an angelic smile I’ll never forget and said, “Angelina mou, if you were to open my chest and look inside, you’d find a picture of my Frosso there”. My heart swells just thinking about it. Gran’s love for me has always been a blessing and a compass.

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Early 70s, St Spyridon’s Church, Corfu town

I still remember my very first visit to Moraitika where I met many of my great-aunts and uncles for the first time. I couldn’t have been older than ten or eleven and that’s when the love of a lifetime began. This is when my grandparents converted the old storeroom of the original Vassilakis house (the part of it Granddad inherited from his father) into a little home for themselves.

This is a photo of me from the early 80s on the beach in Moraitika. I was about fourteen. This is when the tourism in the village began to take off. Back in the late 70s the sea was so pure that if you dipped your hand in the wet sand near the water you’d get tiny clam babies. I remember looking for them for fun after my swims around the age of 11-12, then putting them back in the sand.

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Here I am pictured second from right. Great-Uncle Stamatis holds a hedgehog that happened to pass by. Granny is tittering from the front step.

In the early 80s, summers were a blast. Other than my grandparents and sister, I was in the company of aunts, uncles, great aunts, great uncles, a bunch of cousins and local children. The lane you can see in the picture above was always hectic! I am the girl in the blue top. My sister is second from the left, the other girls are cousins. Great Uncle Stamatis is holding up a hedgehog that happened to pass by (of course, we let it go shortly later!). Gran Antigoni is having a chuckle sitting on the step outside my great-grandfather’s house that was divided among his children (now owned by his great-grandchildren).

My great-grandfather’s name was Stefanos Vassilakis. He used to be the teacher and the priest of the village at the turn of the 20th century. His grave is the only one remaining today in the old cemetery by the church on the hill (in the old quarter of Moraitika).

If you’re interested in the two churches on the top of the hill, you may also like to check out this blog post!

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: Mid 80s at the pool of Delphinia Hotel, Moraitika

: Mid 80s in Achilles Palace (from left, my sister Antigoni, I, and a friend)

The 80s where paradise on earth for me as then I’d spend three-month summer holidays in Moraitika nearly every summer. There was fun to be had all day and well into the night. Swimming in the morning, long walks in the afternoon with my cousins and, often, my grandparents would take us out for a meal and dancing in one of the many restaurants who had a dance floor back then. Dancing the Syrtaki was a big thing and I loved it. Everyone had trouble getting me off the dance floor. When I was little especially, big British and German family men would sweep me up off the floor and dance with me in their arms, then buy me ice cream. It was great fun and I still remember it fondly – the ice cream especially!

People were very light-hearted back then, very open. The tourists loved to dance the Syrtaki and there was lots of cheering, lots of laughing going on. A great night out.

Three of the most popular Syrtaki songs we danced to were “O Stamoulis o Lohias”, “Kyra Giorgaina”, and “Tarzan”. Whenever I play these songs, they take me straight back to those fun nights.

My beloved Great Aunt Rini Tsatsani from Messonghi, holding her first granddaughter, my cousin Rini, who was named after her as per the Greek tradition.

As a little girl, I’d often stay in Messonghi as well. This is my late Great Aunt, Rini Tsatsani. She made a cracking good bourtheto, I’ll tell you that! It burned like hell but it was so good I couldn’t stop myself. Bless her soul, she was an angel. Her son Thanassis used to run a corner coffee shop in Messonghi on the main road to Lefkimmi.

Their house was just off the seafront by the river mouth. Me and my sister used to stay at Aunt Rini’s house often to spend time with our cousins Rini and Sofi. We used to go to the restaurant across from their house and dance with the tourists every night – often barefoot. The song ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon’ was very popular back then (it was the mid-late 70s) and everyone danced to it.

I remember a young British girl holding me by both hands and dancing to this with me one night. I loved this song and used to run from Aunt Rini’s yard to the restaurant to dance to this whenever the song played – which was a lot. The restaurant owner used to shoo me away, but I kept coming back for more. Back then, I didn’t speak a word of English, of course.

When, later in life, I got to learn the language and was able to decipher the beautiful words to this song, it was like reuniting with an old friend… its nostalgia felt so relevant to mine for those long-lost carefree days of my childhood on the beach at Messonghi.

Back in Moraitika, the best places for Syrtaki dancing in the 80s were the Paizanos restaurant/petrol station on the main road where we used to dance around the petrol pumps (now it is only a petrol station), the Romantica restaurant where Lefteris used to bring out a donkey on the dance floor every night, and a pizzeria just off the roundabout on the way to Messonghi.

I can’t recall its name but its pizza was exquisite. Often, we’d get a takeaway from there for our annual ‘pizza night on the beach’ under the August full moon – a memory so precious it found its way into my awarded novel, the Ebb.

Speaking of fond memories that found their way into the Ebb, here are some more facts for my readers, since it is so highly autobiographical when it came to the house and the grandparents in the story:

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: The real dented fork mentioned in The Ebb

: Granny Antigoni and I in her tiny kitchen

: The real Sofia 😛

This aluminum fork with dented prongs has been indispensable on the table over the years. Often, it would be somewhere else than the drawer when you needed it to set the table. Gran and I would go looking for it. It was unimaginable for me to have a meal without it. Whenever I came to Moraitika for a holiday, Gran would hand it to me with a wide grin at lunch time.

In the other photo you can see Gran’s little kitchen. She used to make meals to die for in there.

As for the last photo above, it’s a blurry glimpse of me being the real Sofia – including the blue swimsuit and straw hat mentioned in The Ebb. The hat was a gift I was given back in 1987 by a departing British tourist, who looked and acted very much like Danny in the book. In the trilogy, love triumphs, but in real life my young heart crashed and burned, LOL

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: Late 80s – at the Messonghi river bridge. From the left, a friend, Cousin Olga, I, and Cousin Spyridoula

: My sister and I in a photo taken in Sifnos in the 90s. Like Sofia and Loula, we shared our secrets about boys in a not so liberal social circle and we loved to let our hair down together all summer after a hectic school year.

Other people that inspired characters in the Ebb include my sister, Antigoni, who inspired Loula, as well as my cousins Olga and Spyridoula, who inspired Dora and Nana respectively. Olga passed away too early and too suddenly which was a loss to the world because she was an angel on earth, sharing laughter as much as she could and protecting her own like a lioness. Her kind, giving heart inspired me to create Dora in The Ebb, and Olga in The Necklace of Goddess Athena to honor her memory.

Throughout the 80s and 90s, I swam with my family at or near the pier at Delfinia Hotel. It was very busy back then – offering paragliding and lots of other water rides and activities. It was that little pier that inspired The Lady of the pier series (my books, ‘The Ebb’ and ‘The Flow’ are both set in 1980s Moraitika).

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: Early 90s- photo of me outside our rooms to let.

: Late 80s-My sister and gran putting the laundry on the line outside the rooms

From the early 80s till the early 90s my family ran a small business of room rentals. Back then, tourism in the village had reached a zenith, bringing wealth and prosperity to everyone among the locals, who made sure to build all sorts of businesses on their land. Every summer I’d return to Moraitika to find new businesses had sprouted everywhere.

In the old days, as you went down the main road towards Messonghi there was nothing but fields after Paizanos restaurant (now the petrol station) and Fontana supermarket. As of the mid 80s, slowly, the roadside on either side was filled with businesses all the way to the river.

Speaking of Paizanos, anyone who was around in the 1980s, remembers it from the fun dancing nights we all had there, dancing Syrtaki around the petrol pumps! Other Greek restaurants where I enjoyed dancing include Romantica (now, Leftis Romantica), Moraitis (now closed – it was across from the Coop supermarket and owned by one of my many uncles) and also Olympia (now, Mr Gyros).

At Olympia and Moraitis, I remember dancing as a child from as early as the 70s! Dancing was fun for all the family back then and we did that a lot! Almost every restaurant offered Syrtaki dancing and had a juke box.

The restaurant owners led the dancing themselves, and some did very impressive routines, like dancing with a full glass of wine on their heads, and twirling while lifting a table with their teeth at the same time. Another routine I recall is using clear spirit and a lighter to create a small circle of fire on the floor that lasted for a short while as they danced.

I particularly remember the dancing routine of the owner at Jimmy’s taverna, performed by the man himself, and it is still the most impressive I’ve ever seen on the island. Still, for ingenuity, the routine of Leftis at Romantica always stood out as he was the only one who brought a donkey to the dance floor. The ladies among the tourists loved it, and took turns in riding the donkey to have their photos taken.

Leftis also danced with a huge water jug on top of his head that belonged to his mother. It was all a ton of fun. My only regret is I don’t have any photos to show you!

If you’ve only been visiting the area in the recent decades, you may be intrigued to hear that the river bridge to Messonghi didn’t exist before the 90s. To get to Messonghi from Moraitika you’d have to turn right at the roundabout (towards Lefkimmi) all the way to Melissa (the location of the Council Office) where a narrow, cemented bridge would allow you to get to Messonghi (the bus from Corfu town could only just about cross that narrow bridge – that was always scary!).

It was a long walk between the two villages that wasn’t easy to do – that’s why before the mid 80s people preferred to walk to Messonghi along the beach, then cross the river in the little row boats. Naturally, the building of the new bridge over the river brought a considerable decline to the business for these little boats at the river mouth.

Before I end this long-winded walk down memory lane, I’d like to show you a handful of photos by my Facebook friends and readers, Julie Reeves and Jayne Strange. I am displaying their old snapshots with their kind permission.

They are two of many British friends I’ve made on Facebook over time, who’ve shared with me their love and passion for Moraitika and Messonghi. I hope you’ll enjoy the photos they kindly sent me to enrich this post as I didn’t have any to post from Messonghi in the old days. Thank you, ladies!

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These two snapshots from the early 80s are by Julie Reeves. I love the first one! I can almost taste my Aunt Rini’s bourtheto just by looking at it! Her house is just behind the one in the foreground. Also, I chuckled to notice there are no antennae on top of Chlomos mountain!

I remember the boat rides with nostalgia. I used to enjoy the walk along the beach from Moraitika on the way to Messonghi to visit Aunt Rini and her family before the bridge was made.

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These three photos are by Jayne Strange. She stayed in Messonghi Beach Hotel in the early 80s. You can see views of the river from the hotel and Jayne on the beach. The river bank was so natural and serene back then. Now, with the paved walkway alongside it and the bigger excursion boats moored there it seems like a different place all together.

Across the river from Messonghi Beach Hotel, there used to be a large expanse of land that served as a playground for the local kids (mid – late 70s, for sure). I remember them playing football there all the time, in a big open space edged with fields and olive groves. There was no walkway at the river bank or lamp posts, either – just dirt, all the way to the water. Today, this big space is taken up by hotels and other touristic establishments.

Martaouna, the ‘pyramid-shaped mountain’ described in the Ebb.

Thankfully, some things don’t change over time. One of them is Martaouna, the lush, pyramid-shaped mountain beside Mount Chlomos. Today, it looks as endearing as in the old days – standing tall like a faithful sentinel of the serene Corfiot villages graced by its presence.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post! Have you visited Corfu? What has been your experience? Are you a passionate holidaymaker at the villages of Moraitika or Messonghi? I’d love to hear anything you wish to share so please add a comment below!

You may also want to check out my humorous post, My Corfiot Granny And a Bunch of Strange Tourists. If you’re planning a holiday in Corfu, make sure to visit my guide to Moraitika and Messonghi on this website!

And, last but not least, scroll all the way down to get 3 FREE books by yours truly!

Would you enjoy a beach romance set in Moraitika and Messonghi?

Check out The Lady of the Pier trilogy on Amazon!

You may also wish to check out My Corfu Love Story and The Raven Witch of Corfu that are also set in these villages.

Thank you for your visit!

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November 5, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Interview with Pantelis Kodogiannis, leading actor of First Line

Hello peeps, and welcome to an interview with a difference! This time, I have a special guest from the magical world of cinema! I feel all starry-eyed with Pantelis Kodogiannis sitting across from me on the hot seat. Everyone who’s been following Effrosyni’s Blog, knows of my posts about the repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles – a cause very close to my heart. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure to watch the movie First Line (Greek title: Promakhos) and was astounded by the passionate performance of Pantelis Kodogiannis. In the movie, he plays a lawyer who fights this great cause in court (an imaginary scenario, of course). As serendipity would have it, Pantelis read my articles about the Marbles and friended me on Facebook. I was so delighted to meet the real man behind the role that I had to invite him here for a chat. I hope you will enjoy meeting this passionate Greek living in L.A. as much as I have!

Hello Pantelis and welcome to my blog!

Hello Effrosyni! It’s great to be here!

Pantelis, I must say, the passion of your performance in Promakhos was remarkable. It moved me beyond words as I also share the same passion where it comes to the repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles – a matter that remains indelible and particularly sensitive in the Greek psyche for the past 200 years. To me, your astounding performance felt like you played the part of that fully committed lawyer with original feelings of your own… am I right to think that?

The job of every actor is to perform with passion. An actor’s passion for acting connects him to the passions of the character that he is portraying. In Promakhos (The First Line), I had a lot of commonalities with Andreas, the lead character of the film. Like Andreas, I am a Greek who deeply desires to see the Parthenon Marbles repatriated to Greece and the Greek people. Additionally, like my character, I am an attorney (I was a practicing attorney in New York for a large law firm before becoming an actor). Andreas exhibits his desire for the return of the Parthenon Marbles and approaches the law in a manner that is very different from me as he is overly confident and in some ways arrogant; nonetheless our commitment to this cause is impregnable, passionate and potent.

Photography by Panos Golfis

The scenes of chaos in Athens with the fires and the riot police felt very realistic. I was very impressed your production team managed to film such scenes at the heart of the metropolis! How did it feel to act in the midst of such dramatic scenes?

Shooting the riot scenes was quite a rush because we knew that what we were doing had not, to our knowledge at least, ever been done before (meaning shooting a film during a real riot). The production team was outstanding in making certain that everyone was safe and secure; however, I would be lying if I said that it was not stressful as we did not know what was going to happen during the shoot. We did not know if authorities or rioters would stop us and safety was a huge concern. In one of the opening scenes of the film for instance while I am walking between the rioters and the line of policemen, a rioter throws a large piece of marble at the shielded policemen. It came pretty close to hitting me instead.

What? Oh my goodness!

Ah yes… Additionally, some rioters in that same scene thought I was a politician. and our assistant director (Maria Lainas) overheard them plotting to throw something directly at me. Luckily, she explained to them what we were doing. Interestingly enough, they were so interested in the film, we invited them to take part in another scene in the film. Appropriately, they “fought” head to head with riot policeman in the scene (and the only scene depicting a riot that was staged). I enjoyed talking with them a lot and hearing their perspective, the frustration, disappointment that motivated them to participate in the riots in the first place.

I must admit that shooting scenes among the riots in Athens also caused me much pain. Seeing rioters and police clash, the center of Athens being destroyed, historic buildings being burned and covered with graffiti, was disconcerting, Effrosyni. All I kept wondering, is “How did we get here? How do we put an end to all of this frustration, pain, anguish, destruction, violence?”

Indeed, Pantelis. And it’s hard work these days, even to the biggest optimist to imagine an improvement on things any time soon. How do you feel about the crisis and the political situation in Greece? Do you see any light at the end of the tunnel?

The crisis in Greece is gut-wrenching and heartbreaking. Greece and her people have endured great hardship since the beginning of the crisis. The most disappointing thing for me is that Greece and her people have so much untapped potential. I lament the fact that this potential has not been seized upon, harnessed, nurtured, developed.

Photography by Panos Golfis

You’re absolutely right there. I totally agree…

As for the political situation, I am not optimistic to be quite honest. Too many elections, political upheaval/unrest and not enough action in my humble opinion. I hope this will change. Many Greeks I speak to tell me that politicians in Greece have destroyed Greece. My answer to them is that politicians are a reflection of the electorate that votes for them. This goes to one of the deeper messages of Promakhos (The First Line) in which we use the words Thucydides (Pericles’ Funeral Oration to be exact): “Make [Athena] your goddess and lover.” To me, Thucydides (Pericles) is saying to the Athenians: Respect Athens (and by extension Greece, as Athens is the soul of Greece), act responsibly, civically and nobly, wipe out corruption, elect responsible and civically-minded politicians, hold elected officials accountable, etc… When we as Greeks begin to live by these words and worship and love Athena, her land, her people, then we will begin to flourish again. Much like in the age of Thucydides, Greeks today need to live by these words.

Wise words… Do you feel that we could benefit from the crisis in some way as to build a better future? Learning from any past mistakes, for example?

I think the first step in solving any problem is to identify and recognize that there is a problem. Greece’s entry into the EU and the common currency brought considerable prosperity and security to the country and its citizens. However, everyone, politicians and citizens alike, looked the other way and did not address systemic and endemic problems within Greece, i.e. corruption, tax-evasion, a bloated government sector, a corrupt and sluggish judiciary. While times were good, everyone turned a blind eye to these issues. I am hoping the crisis will serve as a wake-up call to all Greeks. Greeks must change, transform and rebuild. Rather than looking at it as a negative I hope that Greeks rise to the challenge and see the great opportunity that lies before them to rise and rebuild.

I wonder, have you always wanted to be an actor?

Yes, since I was young.

Photography by Panos Golfis

What other acting have you done? And are there any current or future projects you’re happy to talk about?

I have been in numerous plays in theaters in Los Angeles and have shot a few commercials, short and feature films. Promakhos (The First Line) was my first major role in a feature film. Currently, I have several projects in pre-production. In early spring of 2016, I will be on the Los Angeles stage again; filming for my next film is due to begin this summer. As both projects have not been officially announced, I unfortunately cannot share more with you at this time.

I fully understand and good luck with everything! Tell us, Pantelis, how does it feel to be Greek but never having lived here full time? How Greek do you feel living in L.A.?

Being Greek is a state of mind in my opinion. It does not matter where you live or happen to be. I feel Greek wherever I am. My soul is Greek. I always think about the words of Melina Mercouri who, when asked in an interview what her weakness was, simply responded “My country.” I understand that sentiment entirely. Perhaps because she was forced to leave Greece and live in exile. When you are away from Greece, you always yearn for it. Even if you are not in it, it is always inside of you. Greece is my weakness too. My love. My everything. I cannot imagine that ever changing.

Tell us a little about your part of the world. Is there a Greek community in L.A.? What do you do for fun when going out?

There is a sizable Greek community in Los Angeles. As with other Greek communities around the world, it primarily centers around the Church. Unlike many other Greek communities, the one in LA does not have a distinct neighborhood or area (such as Astoria in NYC or Bayswater in London). Like LA itself, the Greek community is really spread out. As such, Greek life centers around events held by the Church, the Greek consulate, friends, family, etc. Sadly, there is no place where Greeks regularly congregate where you know you will definitely run into fellow Hellenes. That being said, I see my Greek friends regularly and we make it a point of seeing each other quite often.

Do you have family in Greece and where, if I may ask?

Yes, my immediate family has repatriated to Greece and they live in Chios. I have extended family in the US, Greece (Chios, of course, and Athens) and Australia.

Any hobbies or interests that you enjoy in your spare time?

I jog, swim, take acting classes when I am not doing theatre or film work. I enjoy cooking. I like to spend time with friends and go to the beach. I am definitely a water person.

What types of movies do you enjoy mostly? Can you tell me three of your favorite movies and what you love about them?

As a cinephile, I like all kinds of movies. That being said, I definitely prefer dramas. It’s difficult to chose three but I will tell you that three of my favorite movies from the last ten years would be “A King’s Speech,” “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” and “Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy.”

The performances by Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush in A King’s Speech were truly remarkable. Their chemistry was just spot on. I really like the message of the story – overcoming personal hardship and adversity through trust and friendship. You see the this mutual appreciation and bond develop between theses two characters as the movie unfolds. Very inspiring.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was really eye-opening because it’s a story about a man that had everything a man could want in life: a brilliant career, fame, fortune, children, love, etc., that comes to an abrupt end. It’s message about appreciation, not taking things for granted, enjoying the moment and living life to the fullest, these are all things that speak to me and I think about all the time.

I really enjoyed Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy because of the writing and character development. Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, etc. all delivered excellent performances. I really enjoy movies that are dialogue and character-driven. The Cold War/spy twist was intriguing. I enjoy watching the film several times to pick up on the clues weaved throughout the script that is supposed to aid the viewer in identifying who the spy is. Sadly, I did not guess right the first time.

I’ve only watched A King’s Speech and loved it for the same reasons. Thanks for the recommendations of the other two. Will definitely seek them out. This is a book blog so I have to ask! Are you a reader and if so, do you have any favorite genres or authors?

I am most definitely a reader. I like most genres and read a wide array of books. For instance, this past summer I read Andre Agassi’s autobiography “Open.” I am currently reading Hierocles’ Commentaries on the Golden Verses by Pythagoras. As for favorite authors, I can tell you I have read several books by Milan Kundera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Nikos Kazantzakis.

I’m reading Christ Recrucified by Kazantzakis these days. Although the language is very hard going in Greek, I find it absolutely magical. It transports you right there at the center of the story. On to the next question; I expect an actor needs to be in a good physical condition, always ready for active, physical roles. Do you exercise and are you into healthy eating and all that?

I certainly do attempt to exercise and much as I can and tolerate (*laughs*) As I stated before, I jog/swim roughly 3-4 times a week. I’m pretty vigilant with what I eat as well. Thanks to my Greek upbringing, I enjoy eating a lot of legumes. Moreover, I try to cook and avoid eating out as much as I can when I am home in Los Angeles. It makes eating healthier much easier.

Other than any friends or family, what are the three things that you miss the most from Greece when in the States?

The light (particularly the Attic light), Chios, hearing my name being pronounced correctly without hesitation.

Love the last one. Believe me, being there, done that, bought the t-shirt that says ‘Rosa Moschaudi’! Many people called me that when I lived in England (*laughs*) Name your three most favorite delicacies in Greece. Mine is souvlaki in any form or combo. You?

As a proud Chian, first, and foremost, would be masticha (if that counts as a delicacy). Pasticcio and kopanisti would round out the top three. There are at least 20-30 more though, I must admit. Souvlaki is definitely in the top 10.

I had masticha once in its raw form – as taken off the tree; it was delicious! Definitely counts for a delicacy (*smiles*) If you could have one superpower what would it be?

The ability to fly.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in life the hard way?

That life is not a dress rehearsal. Do everything you want to do, say everything you want to say, feel everything you want to feel. I lost my father at a relatively young age and did not get the chance to spend enough time with him, ask him what I should have asked him, say to him half of the things that I wanted to say and should have said to him.

If you could choose another profession, what would that be?

I already have two professions – can I choose another Effrosyni?

Be my guest!

Definitely an architect. I love architecture.

What are the things in your life that you’re most grateful for?

My parents, my sister, my nephews, my cousins, my friends, my thirst for knowledge.

Aw, lovely answer. How would you like to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as a good father, husband, son, brother, uncle, friend. A respectful, just, kind and beautiful soul.

I have the feeling you’ll get your wish, Pantelis. Have you brought any photos to show us? As you know, I tend to pester my interviewees for photos of their own!

Yes, I have brought one to show your readers. It’s from a beach bar I enjoy going to in Chios.

Oh… marvelous! Thank you so much for being here with us today, Pantelis. For a cinephile like me, it’s been a rare treat!

Thank you too, Effrosyni, I really enjoyed our chat!

Pantelis Kodogiannis was born in Saratoga Springs, NY. He studied Political Science and Latin at Vassar College and received his J.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles. He was a corporate lawyer on Wall Street for seven years before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and television. Pantelis attended the Beverly Hills Playhouse under the direction of Milton Katselas. He is a founding member of The Renegade Theatre and Film Group in Hollywood, California, led by his mentor Frances Vennera. He has performed in several plays, films and commercials. Most recently, he played the lead in the film, The First Line (Promakhos), where he portrays an attorney who sues the British Museum for the return of the Parthenon Marbles.

Like Pantelis’ Facebook fan page

See more production and behind the scenes stills from First Line here

Interested to find out more about the Parthenon Marbles?

Read these popular blogposts by Effrosyni:

Why is Lord Elgin an abomination to the Greeks?

What are the Parthenon Marbles to the Greeks?

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NEW! Clean Christmas romance. Single mother Cathy Roussos gave up on love long ago, and veterinarian Alex Rallis doesn’t believe in it, but one magical Christmas on a Santorini farm might just change everything…

Check it out on Amazon Read a FREE sample!

A clean romantic suspense short read with an unreliable narrator that’ll keep you guessing! Vera is losing her mind over famous actor Yannnis Ksenos, except, she isn’t just a fan… Now, she plucks up the courage to ring his doorbell… Visit Amazon

For my delicious Greek recipes, go here.

Planning to visit Greece? Check out my FREE guide to south Corfu!

October 7, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Why suffer bullies and haters?

A few days ago, I turned on the TV during my lunch break at home and came across a very upsetting interview. The hostess of a popular daytime show had a Greek female author as a guest but, unlike the run-of-the-mill chat that I expected, the author, whom I choose not to name, spoke about the cyber-bullying she’s been subjected to for the past few years.

This author is one of very few in Greece who are very prolific, very popular, and who sell books like hot cakes. Note: this is a country where people don’t read and it’s very difficult to make a decent living as a writer. This lady was in tatters and visibly upset as she relayed her story. Her bullies seem to act as a group, pouncing on every single post of her books on any Greek site that hosts her work, filling the comments with obscene lies about her and trashing her work with vulgar words. But that’s not all. Her bullies have also been threatening to hurt her physically unless she stops writing, something that caused this poor woman a terrible sense of insecurity, enough to block her from writing completely. At the moment, she is in the middle of writing a novel but is unable to continue, saying the bullies have won and lamenting she has to stop writing all together. The moment she rests her hands on the keyboard, they start to shake, the fear induced in her by her bullies paralyzing her.

I won’t talk about this any more, because to watch her talk about all this has upset me a lot. I’ll only say the good news, i.e. that she’s found the courage to talk to a lawyer and is associating with the Greek police authorities (the all-singing-and-dancing Electronic Crime Division that is working miracles every day here, be it catching child pornographers, bullies, and even saving the lives of teenagers who plan to commit suicide). I sincerely hope they catch her bullies soon and that they get prosecuted and punished severely, so that this author can continue to share her gift with the world and live her life as she has chosen.

This shocking interview came to my attention, as serendipity would have it, at a time when I experienced a couple of hits of bullying towards me on Twitter and Facebook. Of course, by comparison, these are laughable accounts, but still, they always manage to leave a very bitter taste in my mouth.

Let me tell you something: bullies come in all forms and grades of nastiness. They don’t have to threaten to hurt you physically. It’s still bullying if they call you a nasty name, or if they disagree with you on a tweet or FB post and tell you so in a tactless, disrespectful or rude way. Some people may call them trolls, others haters, but I like to squeeze them all into the category of ‘bully,’ simply because I think they all have the same darkness inside and the same motives when they do it.

Whether we like it or not, these people love the internet. Every indie author will have to deal with some type of nasty comment sooner or later. Having been bullied in school at the tender age of 10 and having found the courage to speak up and get rid of the problem, I know first hand that bullies are cowards. They hide behind a front of bravado or act like they are the cat’s whiskers, but they have problems in their lives you wouldn’t imagine, their sense of self suffering from all sorts of problems.

In my 30s, I got bullied by a Greek young man online. We became email friends having met in a forum. At first, I didn’t know he hated Greece and the Greeks with passion although he was one! When he started to talk offensively about Greece and its people, saying he was ashamed to be Greek, of course I told him I didn’t agree with him and that’s when he started to threaten to hurt me. I stopped emailing at once and he got over it eventually and stopped writing too, but it was pretty scary for a while. He erupted with so much demon-like hate, just because I had a different opinion to his… Can you wrap your head around that? I bet you can’t and that’s okay because normal people can’t.

The guy’s profile? a single guy in his 20s living with a very oppressive mother. Pent-up anger was his number one problem because he couldn’t stand up to her. He dreamed of moving abroad but suffered from panic attacks so he was nervous to leave his house, let alone the country he despised. That’s right. A coward AND an antihuman in need of psychiatric help. He lived in misery so he hated everybody. If only Hitchcock were alive today, another Psycho could be given to the world! I laugh… but it’s anything but laughable.

Anyway, where was I? Yes. My experience with bullies. I even made reference to this worldwide phenomenon in my debut novel, The Necklace of Goddess Athena, portraying a schoolboy who was an introvert having been bullied for years (but, of course I gave that story a satisfying ending!). I’ve included this theme in my book hoping it may inspire someone one day, even one suffering schoolchild, to find the courage and to believe in themselves enough to fight back.

So, what do I do when a bully/hater takes a shine on me? This happens only online, of course, and in this case, I have a single, and very effective strategy, which I’d like to share with you today:

First step: if someone comes across as simply awkward, be kind and give them the benefit of the doubt, even if it means acting stupid, like you didn’t perceive the offense.

Second step: If they send you a second negative remark that is awkward/tactless/demeaning/rude (either in reply to your comment or at any other time in future), then that’s strike two and this is as far as I am willing to put up with it. This is also where I press the blessed BLOCK button. Whether it’s on Twitter or Facebook, it’s a couple of clicks away and then they’re out of your life like magic. Never hesitate to use the block button.

If someone uses obscene language, whatever you do, don’t answer, not even once. Simply block them. If you answer, they’ll feed off that like a starved jackal being thrown a t-bone steak and will only follow you around for more.

For some reason, most of my unfortunate encounters with rude people who disrespect the opinion of others happen on Facebook, so I’d like to share with you my own understanding of what the Facebook wall (private page) is:

I see so many people put up with ‘friends’ who comment on their posts against everyone else’s opinion in a demeaning, rude and patronizing way. Why does the owner of that Facebook wall put up with it? By humoring that one friend, aren’t they allowing them to harass everyone else? What I do with friends like that is–you guessed it–block them. Mind you, it’s never happened with someone I know from my personal life, like a family member or a friend or ex colleague. It only happens with people I’ve never met and hardly know anything about. Yes. I am an author so I have swung the gates open to my Facebook private page. I allow anyone to be my friend as to spread myself thin and market my books. The only cautionary measure I take is to only friend: a) authors b) people who I have mutual friends with c) people I meet in FB groups I frequent. Never hesitate to block ‘friends’ who you don’t know personally. Friending them on Facebook is not a lifetime commitment. If they misbehave, throw them out and protect your decent friends from the nastiness they brought in with them.

Think of it this way: your Facebook wall is not a public playground for anyone to come in and speak their mind tactlessly or rudely. Your Facebook wall is like your HOME. People can walk into it because you have allowed them to. It’s a private place, so whoever enters must enter with courtesy, otherwise they should be thrown out the door.

Have you noticed, I wonder, that on your Facebook wall you can actually delete other people’s comments?

YES! Why? Because it’s yours and you can do whatever you want with it. It means you own people’s comments under your own posts. It means YOU decide if they should be getting away with rudeness inside your house.

Sadly, a few of my Facebook friends let their rude buddies run wild. It’s happened to me four times now, which has stopped me from commenting in these people’s posts again, just in case I find myself the target of their ill-mannered friends. Do you see the problem they have here? I am not commenting on their posts any more, so they miss that extra bit of oomph when it comes to their message reaching that bit further. If these people are authors, won’t they be missing out if a few of their FB friends get put off enough to do the same?

Life is too short, folks. We should have no tolerance for any awkwardness or nastiness from others. As Robert Pattinson recently called the haters who trash his girlfriend with racist remarks, ‘They are demons who live in basements.’ What a wonderful way to portray them and I couldn’t agree more.

Make no mistake. It takes nothing to attract the attention of a hater. The other day, all I did is RT an author friend’s tweet about their book and this Greek young man replied to me and my friend with a tweet in Greek that referred to my mother’s female anatomy. That’s right. It’s nothing but the mindless, random response of an amoeba. These people are sub-humans, thriving on nastiness and ugliness and craving it, like vampires crave blood (sorry, couldn’t avoid the association after mentioning Rob!) Don’t waste time trying to suss them out. Decent human beings like you and me simply cannot. Just steer clear from them and let them be. The universe will eventually catch them to bite them where the sun don’t shine and that’s all we need to know.

If anyone’s bullying you or just being rude online, I hope this post inspires you enough to use the block button (or to seek help with the authorities if it’s gone too far.)

Take it from me: birds sing more happily after you press the block button. Enjoy the heavenly chirping and keep the demons out!

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September 17, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

A journey through time to the Brighton seafront

Today, I will be taking you all with me on a virtual journey through time to one of my favorite places: the seafront at Brighton, England – the infamous seaside town where the legendary West Pier once stood. The Pier, that was opened in 1866, has always fascinated me; hence, it’s no surprise that I wound up writing a romantic trilogy, The Lady of the Pier, telling its story while utilizing the Pier itself as the ultimate symbol of wistfulness, nostalgia, and lost opportunities.

But, don’t let me get all misty. We have an exciting journey ahead of us and time is pressing for us all. For our first stop, let me take you to April 1997 . . . this is when I made my first trip to Brighton on a weekend break (at the time, I was working in Northamptonshire, England). Back then, albeit derelict and out of reach, the West Pier still stood and so, these photos, the only ones I have of the Pier and me in the same frame are precious to me like gold.

(Click on any image to enlarge)

Here are more pictures from that short break I had in Brighton; except for the one picture of the Royal Pavilion and its sublime minarets, all the rest are from the seafront. I hardly wandered away from there throughout my stay in town. You can also see the Brighton Pier, which still stands today, being more recent than the West Pier, and which back then was called Palace Pier.

(Click on any image to enlarge)

: The West Pier in 1997

: View of the West Pier from Brighton Pier

: View of The West Pier from Brighton Pier

: The Royal Pavilion

: Palace Pier (now, Brighton Pier)

The West Pier in 1997: at the pier head, you can see the theatre (the Pavilion) and to the right, the Concert Hall.

I took the following photo with two takes on an old film camera and then glued them together, so excuse the ugly seam (and poor resolution for that matter!). Still, I hope it gives you a good idea of how the seafront looked from the site of the West Pier back in 1997. You can see the Brighton Pier in the distance and the historical Metropole Hotel (big brown building) in the foreground.

I was lucky to return once more to Brighton, in New Year’s Eve in 1999, to see The West Pier, more or less, in the same condition. Sadly, I never returned after that. Since the arson attacks and the devastating storms that took place between then and now, all that remains of the West Pier today (as I write this in 2015) is a skeletal ruin of its once magnificent theatre (the Pavilion) at the pier head.

(Below image provided courtesy of Ben Nuttall)

The remnant of the theatre is commonly referred to now by the locals as The Old Lady of Brighton, or The Grand Old Lady of Brighton. When I first heard the names a few months ago on Twitter, they brought shivers down my spine since my trilogy is about a spirit attached to the Pier, called The Lady of the Pier. This peculiar coincidence made the story in my head become more real, somehow.

But, let’s forget the past and return to the present time for a while, before I propel us all into the future, shall we?

As I said earlier, the last time I visited Brighton was in 1999, so I was a bit stuck trying to find free images of Brighton’s seafront to post on this site. On the spur of the moment, I visited Twitter and searched for the hashtags #WestPier and #Brighton. I spoke to a few amateur photographers who posted stunning photos of the seafront, and two of them were happy to let me present them on this blog and post their images. One of them is a local of Brighton, Ben Nuttall, the other, as chance would have it, is a fellow Greek called Barbara Mama, visiting Brighton on a holiday break.

Without further ado, I’m delighted to present to you Barbara Mama, an engineer from Athens, and the wonderful photos she took of Brighton’s seafront during her recent holiday in this historical, British town.

(Click on any image to enlarge – following images provided courtesy of Barbara Mama)

Stunning huh? I was delighted to see the Brighton Pier is as popular as ever and that there’s also a big ferris wheel standing on the seafront now. Fantastic!

Before I press my magic buttons to offer you all a glimpse of the future, I must tell you this: the West Pier, or rather what’s left of it, is owned by the West Pier Trust, which nowadays looks to the future with bright hopes. Why? Well, an exciting landmark is being constructed as I write these lines in the same place where the entrance to the West Pier once stood. It’s a revolving, observation tower called i360. Its architects are the same people who brought the world the infamous London Eye. The purpose of the i360 is to give tourists a bird’s eye view of Brighton’s seafront while celebrating the West Pier and keeping its memory alive. The i360 opens in 2016 – not long now!

Here follows a short introduction of Ben Nuttall in his own words. Ben has been kind enough to include in the photos he sent me, a few from the construction of the i360. You’ll be amazed to know that when Ben doesn’t get approached by weird Greek authors pestering him for his photos, he has the BBC itself emailing him to ask for his latest video of Brighton’s extreme weather! No kidding!

My name is Ben Nuttall. I’m 26 years old and live in Hove with my partner and our two cats Chester and Maggie. I moved here 4 years ago for work from Canterbury in Kent and love the vibrancy of Brighton & Hove. Everyone is very chilled out and there’s always something to do. I’m very much an amateur photographer. All the pictures you see here were taken on my iPhone 6 Plus, while out and about during my daily life. I use an app called VSCOcam to capture most of these pictures and add slight edits to them. You can view more of my photos on my Instagram page: Instagram.com/irbenji or on my Twitter: twitter.com/irbenji

And now, here are Ben Nuttall’s amazing photos! Check out that artistic black & white one of the stormy sea. Is it me, or does it resemble a painting? Stunning!

(All images provided courtesy of Ben Nuttall)

Before I go, to say I’ve had a bit of exciting news from Brighton recently. The Chief Executive of the West Pier Trust, Rachel Clark, bought a copy of The Ebb, book 1 in The Lady of the Pier trilogy, and posted about it on the news page of the West Pier Trust website, recommending it to its members! Yippee! You should have seen me bouncing about like a kangaroo the day she emailed me to let me know. To find out more about the West Pier’s history, to see old photos of its heyday, and to hear the latest on the i360, visit the West Pier Trust site. If you love stories about the past, it will fascinate you! To keep up with the progress of the i360, follow these great Twitter accounts or check out these hashtags:

#Brightoni360 #i360 #westpier #Brightonbeach #Brightonpier #Brightonwheel #Brighton

Last but not least, here is a shout out, with heaps of gratitude on my part for the two amazing photographers who made this post possible today. Thank you, Ben and Barbara, Barbara and Ben!

#SO #WW These wonderful tweeps!

Do you love Brighton? Would you enjoy reading about the West Pier’s history through WWII?

Check out my compelling paranormal romance trilogy, The Lady of the Pier!

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July 22, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

A post about summertime!

Hello All! Today, I’m on a holiday mood, seeing that I’m off to Corfu for a week soon, so before I go, I thought I’d write a little post about my favorite season… Every year, I tend to hibernate during the winter and start coming alive in the spring. But, I love the summer more than any other time of year, and this is no surprise, seeing that I’ve spent most of the summers of my earlier life in an earthly paradise.

This is a a photo from the old quarter of Moraitika, my grandparents’ village on Corfu; this very tree and the lanes around it were my stamping ground where I played dodgeball, hide-and-seek, and a few games of cards with my cousins and friends as a child and teenager. Mind you, I even hung up my gran’s sheets from that very tree one year–couldn’t have been older than thirteen–to create a scene and a curtain as to produce a little play that I wrote. The other kids and I never advertized it and only did the show for our own pleasure. One of the village boys, Pakis, offered to participate as spectator. Before the show, I asked Pakis to pay his ticket. He reached inside his shorts pockets and handed me all its contents: 11 drachmas. After the show, we all went to the shop at the square and I used that money to buy everyone sweets. I believe Pakis had the most! That is just one of the myriad sweet memories I have from my childhood in the village, a place I love so much that I had to write a book or two set in it.

And, after showing you my favorite village corner, on the right in this picture, you can see my beloved pyramid-shaped mountain that is mentioned in The Ebb (book 1 in my trilogy). The locals call this mountain Mataouna. You can also see the sports pier on the beach at Moraitika – now you know what Sofia’s pier looks like in the book!

I will spend a week there as of this Friday, and hope to catch up with lots of people I love, but most of all, with my beloved 91-year-old grandmother, Antigone. She called me yesterday to say my aunt Danda brought her a cabbage from her garden knowing grandma would love to treat me to my favorite meal, Lahanodolmades (cabbage leaves stuffed with mince and rice in egg and lemon sauce). If you haven’t tasted this meal, take it from me, you haven’t lived! If you’re ever in Greece, try to find a restaurant that serves it… your taste buds will be grateful.

Speaking of food, I’d love to share another of my favorite Greek summer recipes that I recently posted on Effrosyni’s blog: GEMISTA (peppers and tomatoes stuffed with rice). Another yummy Greek meal I can’t get enough of!

Well, this is it from me! If you’re going on holiday this summer, whether it’s the sea or the mountain you’re headed for, make sure to relax and unwind, connect with family and friends and not so much to the internet! Our lives are always so hectic, we deserve to unplug from the greater world every now and then, if anything, for old times sake.

Till we speak again, have fun this summer whatever you get up to!

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NEW! Clean Christmas romance. Single mother Cathy Roussos gave up on love long ago, and veterinarian Alex Rallis doesn’t believe in it, but one magical Christmas on a Santorini farm might just change everything…

Check it out on Amazon Read a FREE sample!

A clean romantic suspense short read with an unreliable narrator that’ll keep you guessing! Vera is losing her mind over famous actor Yannnis Ksenos, except, she isn’t just a fan… Now, she plucks up the courage to ring his doorbell… Visit Amazon

For my delicious Greek recipes, go here.

Planning to visit Greece? Check out my FREE guide to south Corfu!

May 14, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

The secrets of a strong password

You’re on the internet every day, and while you’re having fun, learning, connecting, or doing a job or a hobby, you know you’re in a vulnerable position every single moment. The internet can be a dangerous place, especially for those who roam the cyberspace carelessly. I am talking about security. Obviously, you know the basics. You have a series of passwords for an endless list of sites, because you know that using the same password everywhere is asking for trouble. And of course, you take precautions by keeping your passwords secure. But how much do you know? And more importantly, how strong would your password prove to be if a hacker were to target you? Would it hold or would it fail you, allowing the intruder to wreak havoc with your website, your blog, or your social media accounts?

How long do you think it would take a hacker to find your password?

Here’s what Bloomberg says:

If your password is 6 characters long (lowercase only), it would take a hacker just 10 minutes to crack it.

BUT:

If your password is 9 characters long, and it contains upper and lowercase characters, numbers and special characters (e.g. $, &, *, etc), then it would take 44,530 years to crack it!

TIPS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR SAFETY ONLINE

Generally, your password should be a minimum of 8 characters long, and it should contain upper case and lower case characters, numbers and special characters.

Don’t use words that can be found in the dictionary. Don’t use family member names, pet names, as well as the most absurd password in the world: the word ‘password’ itself! (Oh yes, you won’t believe how many people combine laziness and stupidity, enough to choose this!)

The trick is to use a catchphrase you love, or a song title, then type one letter for every word to make up your password. Say, for example, you love the song “I wanna dance with somebody who loves me” by Whitney Houston. Your password then could be:

iwdwshLM

Note I added two uppercase characters in the end to make it harder for that nasty hacker! Now mix it up by adding a few numbers (no birthdays or special days!), then add some special characters and you’re done! Isn’t that a beauty?

iwdwshLM3265#$%

Let that hacker then try to break into your account. If it takes him 44K years, he and his great grandchildren can die trying, right?

I can’t tell you how many alerts I have received from Wordfence, the free WordPress plugin I have installed on this site.

It seems every now and then hackers will try to take control of my site from various IP addresses all over the world (mainly Ukraine, Russia, and China, for some reason). Do you think I’d still be here posting this, my peace of mind intact, if my password was something stupid like ‘ilovecake’? No, of course you don’t. If you have a WordPress site like me, do yourself a favor and install Wordfence. It’s free, and it’ll tell you all about the threats you’ll be happily bouncing, as long as you have a strong password.

Also, occasionally, people I connect with on Twitter send me very strange tweets, and then a day later they’ll write and apologize, saying their account had been hacked. Why risk it? Why go through that?

Here are some more tips:

Never type in a password from a device you don’t own, like in an internet cafe. A hacker could get your password by detecting your key strokes.

Never type in a password from your own device using a free wifi hot spot. Anyone could steal it from you via the wireless network, but of course, they could also be looking from behind your shoulder.

Careful how you dispose of any notes with your passwords on them. The stories of ‘dumpster-diving’ we all hear from time to time are absolutely true!

Don’t leave paper notes lying around in a public place containing your password and whatever you do, do not store them electronically in a file on your computer. They say this is like hiding your house key by hanging it outside your front door and I couldn’t agree more.

Unless, you’re Einstein or maybe a savant like Dustin Hoffman from Rain Man, you’ll never be able to remember all these passwords by heart, especially as you’re required to change them periodically. So where should you keep them? Personally, I keep them all in one place, in a pocket-sized notebook that I use only for this purpose. I keep it near my desk and make sure to record there every change of password at once, so that I don’t forget.

Of course, there is still a minor risk by keeping this little book in my study, I know, but if an actual robber breaks in and chooses to take this instead of my TV and my stereo, I’ll take the risk! I think it’s way less likely than a hacker looking for any passwords among my computer files.

One last note: I can’t stress enough the importance of having a good antivirus program and a firewall installed. I use F-Secure Safe, which I think is the best of paid options. If you cannot afford to pay, download AVG – a very good FREE antivirus program.

Beware and stay safe!

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NEW! Clean Christmas romance. Single mother Cathy Roussos gave up on love long ago, and veterinarian Alex Rallis doesn’t believe in it, but one magical Christmas on a Santorini farm might just change everything…

Check it out on Amazon Read a FREE sample!

February 4, 2015 by Effrosyni Moschoudi

How to add an RSS feed to your site nice and easy

Have you created a site but having trouble adding an RSS feed to it? Are you looking for a way to prompt people to follow your blog but don’t know anything about code as to set this up as a widget? Fear not, for today I’m blogging about all this in full detail. I promise to set you up nice and easy in just a few minutes! What’s more, it’s all been tried and tested already by yours truly and it works like a charm!

As mentioned in the very first post on this blog, How to create your own website as if you were a pro, the tutorial I had followed to build this site did not include instructions on how to get people to follow the blog. Plus, I knew nothing about RSS feed. However, by watching a couple of helpful YouTube videos and with a bit of tweaking, I set up my RSS feed and the widgets without any problems within an hour. So this is me today, paying it forward and showing you how to do it too!

For my RSS feed set up, I chose Feedburner. Why? Because it’s a Google company and in my universe, it being the indie one, I go for Google every chance I get, simply because I feel it’s the best search engine in the world for a reason. This is why I didn’t use Mailchimp to set up a campaign instead. Some may find it easier to simply set up a Mailchimp campaign as to get their subscribers to receive notifications for their posts too. This is a personal choice. As I said I wanted to go for Google, plus I realize many people use RSS feeds to read posts so I wanted this option to be available.

Ok, here we go!

So the first thing I did, is set up the RSS feed. You do that, by going to https://feedburner.google.com

Now, I presume you already have a gmail account, i.e. the one you use on Google+ and Youtube. If you don’t have one, go to https://gmail.com and set one up.

Use your gmail account to sign on Feedburner.

Click on ‘Burn a feed right this instant’. Put in the link to your website followed by ‘/feed’ without spaces. For my site, it was http://effrosyniwrites.com/feed

It will say ‘complete’ and it will show you the link to your new feed. Copy it somewhere safe. You may need it for your Author Central Page for example as to insert your RSS feed there.

Click ‘next’.

‘Clickthroughs’. Tick it.

‘I want more’. Tick it.

‘Next’.

(Now, you’re going to add a few helpful free services.)

Make sure you’re on the ‘optimize’ tab and click on ‘edit feeds’.

‘Smartfeed’. Activate.

‘Feedflare’. Tick all the boxes on the left column. Activate.

Click on the ‘publicize’ tab.

‘Headline animator’.

(This is where we give your visitors the option to subscribe to the feed).

The oblong theme it shows by default (468×60) won’t fit on the right sidebar if you’ve used the same tutorial to build it as I have! This is where I did the tweaking. Change the theme by clicking on the drop down arrow. Choose 180×100 (choose white or black). Activate.

Scroll down to ‘Add to…’

Choose ‘Other – just give me the code’. Next. Copy the HTML.

Keep that screen open and create a new tab on your browser.

Go to the dashboard on your WP site. Go to Appearance, widgets. Add a new text widget to your right sidebar. Add a title e.g. ‘Subscribe to the feed’ and paste the HTML. SAVE. If you view your site now, you should see the widget for the feed showing (yay!)

Go back to the Feedburner screen.

‘Buzzboost’. ‘Display link to the feed’. Activate.

‘Email subscriptions’.

(This is where we give your visitors the option to follow the blog by email notification).

Activate. Copy the HTML.

Go to your WP dashboard again.

Create a new text widget for your right sidebar. Add a title e.g. ‘Follow this blog by email’ and paste the HTML in it. SAVE. Again, if you view the site, this too should be showing now!

Back to the Feedburner screen:

‘Pingshot’. Activate.

‘Feedcount’. Activate. Save.

‘Socialize’. Activate this service only if you want Feedburner to automatically publicize your new posts on the social media.

A note from me about publicizing your posts: I have not taken this option as I prefer to do this manually. It takes me seconds to go around Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Facebook after I publish a new post. Create the message you want and just copy paste with minor differences, i.e. I use more hashtags on Twitter, I don’t use Twitter handles in other social media and I tag people on Facebook too. I recommend you do this manually as well. The benefits are far greater than the measly seconds you will save by using the ‘Socialize’ service via Feedburner.

At this point, you are done and you’re all set up. Your visitors can now follow the blog either by email or by directly subscribing to the feed.

One last bit of tweaking that I’ve done… and you may benefit from this too.

Make sure to follow your own blog with one of your email addresses. The email notification can take up to a day to reach the mailbox but you can play around with the delivery time in Feedburner to adjust that. For me, it is not such a big problem that the notification is not instant. However, I did have an issue with the formatting of my posts the way they showed within the email notification message. All the images were on the very left even though on the blog everything is nicely centered. Feedburner says the styling for this is not compatible with all internet browsers. I use Mozilla Firefox and it looked all wrong. I didn’t want a single one among my blog followers to see such an unprofessional presentation again, therefore I went back to Feedburner and investigated, looking for a fix. In the end, it was a compromise:

Under the Optimize tab, I found the service ‘Summary burner’.

Basically, you go in there and add a teaser phrase such as ‘this is a short excerpt only. Click on the title of this post to read it on the blog in its entirety’.

Once you activate this service, the email notifications no longer display the whole post. They list the first couple of lines only and not even the image that you may have included before the text starts. This means there are no styling issues, and I don’t think the readers will have a problem to click on the title and visit your trusted site. After all, they’ve already chosen to follow the blog and they should be interested enough to read what you have to say, right?

Make sure to revisit Feedburner frequently and check on your stats. Among other things, Feedburner provides you with a list of the actual email addresses of your blog followers (subscribers).

Good luck! If you try this and get stuck, just ask. Leave a comment if you’ve been successful and kindly let me know. It would make my day!