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A trip to Arachova, aka Mykonos of the Winter

 

The view from the clock tower is fabulous from all sides

I recently had the pleasure to visit Arachova, a cosmopolitan town up in the mountains that the Greeks have nicknamed Mykonos of the Winter.

The same VIPs that flood Mykonos all summer do the same all winter in Arachova. It heaves with tourists from all walks of life, every hotel bed occupied on all the bank holiday or festive weekends during the winter season.

Having said that, it’s not like Mykonos at all when it comes to the ridiculously high prices. Thank goodness. Nor did I see any nudists walking around he he

We were lucky to visit Arachova on a dry and partly sunny day. Although there were many tourists around, it was comfortable to walk about and to find a table in its restaurants and cafes.

We were tipped off by someone in the know that we’d better try to eat our lunch quickly at the restaurant lest the waiter would start to give us dirty looks as the crowds are usually so big they’re used to serving fast to clear the tables for the next customers.

Yet, somehow, we found this perfect, reasonably priced restaurant with the most exquisite food where we had the chance to eat at our leisure. What’s more, our table was by the window, allowing us to enjoy a partial view to a church and the valley. It was just perfect.

Others in our coach group confessed they were less fortunate, winding up in an upmarket restaurant that served gourmet food rather than traditional Greek food (we always go for the latter – the genuine local experience) and they wound up paying way more than they were prepared to part with.

So, word of caution: If you visit Arachova do check the prices before you sit somewhere for food or drink. It’s not as bad as Mykonos as I stated earlier, but some places ARE pricey. Check the menu before entering and you’ll be fine 🙂

For what it’s worth, the restaurant we picked is called To Agnandio and you can see it in two of the photographs I posted on Facebook. On the back side, the building is flanked by a beautiful church. In the photo where the facade is showing (the wall is beautiful, decked with stonework), you can see the church behind it.

The town’s folklore museum is right next to it, and from within its yard, you’ll also find the short upward path that leads up to the Clock (Roloi), an important landmark that you must visit, if only for the panoramic views of the town, the valley, and the mountain of Parnassus.

A view to the clock tower of Arachova

We had ample time in Arachova to walk along it’s main street back and forth a couple times. This street is a rather narrow space for such a busy town, the pavements so tiny they might as well not be there at all. They provide a false sense of safety, in my opinion, and you can never take away your eyes from the traffic. It can be dangerous if you don’t, and extra care must be taken if you are visiting with children or elderly people.

The highlights for us were the short ascend up to the clock tower summit as well as the visit to the folklore museum (free admission).

Among the interesting artifacts on display in the museum, we were pleasantly surprised to find a few robotic structures that we learned were made and donated by a local pensioner. Having worked all his life for the Greek telephone company (OTE), he had a lot of old telephone equipment in his possession and had put it all in good use recycling it in this ingenious artistic manner (see the photos on Facebook).

The exhibits also included old pictures, and handiwork from traditional looms. It was an interesting glimpse into this town’s distant past, that was harrowing too, as it included references to the Nazi massacre of the Greek locals at the nearby town of Distomo during WWII.

Last but not least, Andy and I were pleasantly surprised to find among the beautiful shops one dedicated to tea! I was enamoured by the small decorative teapots and have regretted never buying one of them now that I see them in the photos. I did buy a bag of loose jasmine tea, though, that I enjoy in the afternoons as a special treat.

All in all, it was an unforgettable fun day. Arachova is very close to the major archeological site of Delphi. So, if you’re visiting Athens, do enquire at the travel agents offering daily trips. Chances are that if the destination of a coach excursion is Delphi you’ll have a stopover at Arachova for lunch. Both are must places to see. Highly recommended for a day out by coach or car!

Go HERE to see all the photos I took in Arachova. Enjoy!

 

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NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
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A day out on the Greek island of Poros and some tough days that followed

My husband and I had the most wonderful day in Poros earlier this month, travelling by coach with the local travel agent. We drove to Galatas and Palaia Epidavros too. We stayed in Poros for about 5 hours, and meeting painter and author Pamela Jane Rogers made it even more special for us. She gave us a private tour around town which was more than we could have ever hoped for.

What an honour for us and what an awesome lady she is. Pamela is a permanent resident of Poros for over 30 years now. You can see her artwork HERE. She took us inside so many of the little shops as we walked around the lanes, chatting to the locals.

One of the shop owners turned out to be Magda, a friend of mine! She used to have a shop in my town of Nea Peramos! Couldn’t believe it. Magda and her family are very talented, by the way. She, her husband and their children make various crafts to sell them in the shop. Organic soaps, knitted bags, woodwork and a lot more. Their brand is called Olive Lab and you can shop for their products online. Highly recommended, folks. Everything is top quality and perfectly natural!

SEE MY PHOTOGRAPHS FROM POROS

 

This is the cutest thing I’ve seen all month. I came across these kittens while walking around the lanes of Poros. Such a precious finding! I guess I saw them in the nook where they lay because I was looking for them, if that makes sense. My husband, Andy, and our friend, Pamela, were walking beside me and they’d have missed the kitties had I not shown them. It would have been such a shame. It was cuteness overload and we all need a dose of that daily, don’t we?

I do the same all the time now, looking for cuteness and beauty, whenever I walk around the seafront in my town. I make stops to take pictures of the sea foaming as it reaches the sand, of seagulls perched on the top of the fishing boats, and of the dramatic colours of the sky at sunset. Sometimes, I don’t even bother with the camera. I’ve come to find that the most precious ‘snapshots’ are those I take with my mind…

And I need these ‘snapshots’ more than ever before right now. They help my soul stay afloat, it seems.

Life has got too complicated for me since my father, Fotios, fell ill with depression last Fall. Even more so than when he was undergoing cancer treatment earlier last year, believe me. I had no idea, and neither did he, what it entails to have depression. It is not just a disease – it feels more like a monster, an entity, seeking to take your life, to destroy you. And it has an energy that affects those around you too.

This energy has permeated my being too by now, and it’s only recently that I realized. I am not saying I’ve got depression, no. Just that it’s got to me so badly that my innate propensity to feel and express joy has waned to unprecedented levels by now. This energy is dark and sticky…

If you’re spiritual like me and have a strong connection with your own ‘inside world’ and your own energy, you may understand when I say I can feel it. It seeks to weaken me from the inside, I can tell now, but I am holding strong.

Twice in the past two months, I’ve fallen ill with infection, and I never used to get sick for years on end. Bugs or viruses – no problem. My immune system kept them all at bay. Including covid. Throughout the scary period of 2020-22 I didn’t get as much as the sniffles. But upset and stress weakened my immune system to the point that, right now, I am wide open to it all, it seems.

As I write this, my voice is completely gone with laryngitis, a first in my adult life! It’s been 5 days now that I cannot speak, but I see a silver lining in this too, the way I try to find one in all negative things.

Not speaking out loud for days eventually shuts down your internal voice too. I just realized today and found it to be quite a blessing. It is so relaxing to tidy up a room or brush your teeth or wash the dishes and actually think of nothing! Mindful washing? LOL! Yes, it’s a thing. And I love it.

So I use these days of aphonia to reap a benefit. I do soul-searching. I ask questions. And I’ve found new guidance for my life, having also had some new insights about what I am doing that’s wrong and how I can change tack.

For starters, I know I will never let depression claim my father’s life or let its dark energies get to me again enough to make me ill repeatedly.

Prayers welcome, if you believe in a higher power. We are visiting a third psychiatrist next week. So far, two doctors couldn’t help my father, Fotios, increase his appetite to a level that can actually help him gain weight or even have a hearty lunch on any given day. I pray with all I got that this time we will find the right protocol.

If you have someone in your life with depression, or an elderly person who lives alone, know that the simplest thing you can do to help is say a few positive words to them. Loneliness is painful, really painful. Consider giving them five minutes of your time for a quick chat on the phone if you can’t drop by. It’ll make their day.

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Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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Chocolate mousse in a cup, a musical coconut, and freebies for all!

Watch me play the kalimba in this short Facebook video

He he. I can’t stop chuckling. Until December last year, I didn’t even know what a kalimba was. The kalimba (or ‘thumb piano’) originates from Zimbabwe, a musical instrument traditional of the Shona people.

It all started with a video ad on Facebook and instantly I was hooked! I had to get my hands on one, hoping to add some new joy to my life with its sweet sound. When I told Andy, my husband, he grew excited as he lived the first eight years of his life in Zimbabwe. He said the air was often full of the sounds of kalimba as people played in their homes. I was so glad to hear that, as I had purchased a second one, just for him, as an impromptu new year’s present. Finding out I’d bought him something that could help him recapture a fond memory of his childhood gave me even more joy to give it.

It was thrilling for both of us to unpack our kalimbas when they arrived at our door shortly after Christmas but the excitement quickly turned into disappointment.

Our kalimbas were out of tune! Plus, we had no idea how to tune them. However, we didn’t need to fret for long. My amazing hubby took action at once! The ‘amazing’ bit is well deserved, believe me. I am not just being partial here.

If you’ve been reading my emails for a while, you may recall that last year Andy made me a jewellery box using an ancient Japanese technique to blow-torch the wood. Or that he has restored an old motorbike that used to be only good for scrap, turning it into a glistening beauty that he is now pleased to ride back and forth to work. Still, his capacity to make anything he sets his mind to never ceases to astound me.

In a matter of five minutes, he had used Youtube to find out how to tune a kalimba. Then, he strode to the front door, announcing he was going to his shed, and I felt hopeful.

Under an hour later, he came back looking like the cat that got the cream, holding up this tiny hammer that he’d just made, using scraps of wood and metal that lay about in the shed (see photo above). I was so impressed! Then, he proceeded by tuning the kalimbas to perfection… I am still unable to believe it. And I feel so lucky. I mean, what do people do in this case if they don’t have a shed with an Andy in it? LOL

It’s been less than a month and I’ve already memorised 4 tunes in the kalimba in my spare time. I take just a few minutes a day to play and commit old and new key sequences to memory. And the joy I get from these few minutes last me all day. There is a plethora of Youtube videos for 8-key kalimbas so there’s lots more to learn.

Already, I am aspiring to get a 17-key kalimba later on as the sound on those is way better, plus the extra keys help to play more songs. I have my eye on a specific one already but I am delaying it until I have mastered this one first. I’ve always been ‘weird’ like that, I guess. Always delaying gratification and giving any endeavour a fair chance to bloom before I skip on to the next one 🙂 Besides, I am thinking, if my humble 8-key kalimba could only speak, it would no doubt ask me to give it enough attention so it can reach its full potential. And, if you’ve hit the video link above you will undoubtedly agree that I am nowhere near an 8-key kalimba virtuoso as yet haha

After making the little tuning hammer, Andy didn’t stop. Next thing I knew he was busy with a ‘secret project’, buying coconuts at the supermarket and a tiny dessert spoon set at a local thrift store.

So here you go. The fruit of his latest efforts is a musical coconut. Or, should I say, a dessert-spoon kalimba? LOL!

And even if it looks great… please… don’t ask me how it sounds. I haven’t taken out my ear plugs yet, just in case haha

To be honest, even though it got tuned okay, it sounds plain awful. It has to be ore steel, I guess, and the dessert spoons don’t cut it. But doesn’t it look pretty? And it keeps my man happy. Who am I to stop him?

Seriously, by now I am convinced that a good practice for a happy life is seeking joy every day… pleasing the child we all have inside. Nurturing it, pleasing it, and allowing it to ‘play’, can only reap benefits in our lives. The kalimba is working miracles on me, I’ll tell you that. And I hope you have your own little thing that makes you smile every day. I have noticed that I sing to myself all day since I started thumping on those little keys, and I am not in the least surprised!

These chocolatey desserts are quick and easy to rustle up at home and utterly delicious. The tang of the orange zest makes these little cups of heaven! I love how small they are – ideal for guilt-free treats if you’re minding your waistline like I do. And, what’s more… no cooking necessary. They become perfect after a few hours in the fridge. I use Greek coffee cups to make them, but you can also use espresso cups or other small ones you may have at home.

GET THE RECIPE

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OOPPAAA! SIGN UP TO MY BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND GET 3 BOOKS FROM ME AS A WELCOME GIFT! SEE BELOW FOR THIS OFFER!

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

Fun news from a Greek writer and FREE books for all! #iartg #freebies #asmsg Click To Tweet

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.