Greek Festivals

Summer Festivals in Greece

So I've been doing some research on the different locations for the trip.  Since we don't get the boats until 5pm on Saturday and we have to return the boats by 6pm Friday, I think we'll only have time for 5 islands.  But I'm looking into getting the boats longer (I'm trying to not turn the boats in until Saturday).


Below are a few destinations I've been throwing around and the festivals they have in September.  I'll keep up the research so if you know of anything you'd like to do please let me know. 

1) Athens:

• September 8th is Gennisis tis Theotokou. This is the feast of the Birth of the Virgin Mary and is an important religious feast day in the Orthodox religious calendar.
• September 14th is Ypsosis you Timiou Stavrou. This feast day celebrates the Exaltation of the True Cross and is a major summer festival in Athens.

 2) Santorini:

• In September, the Santorini International Music Festival offers holidaymakers a chance to enjoy some international groups, which come here to play at Fira's Petros M. Nomikos Conference Centre. This event lasts just over two weeks and sees some very high attendance figures during that time.

3) Mykonos:

• If you're here in the middle of September, then do check out the feast of the grape harvest, held annual at the Agricultural Museum.
• The main event on the island where one of the local patron saints of Mykonos is honored is August 29th, to celebrate Agios Ioannis.

4) Paros:

• On August 29th, in Lefkes, they celebrate the Feast of St. John
• On September 8, in Marmara, they celebrate the Feast of the Virgin Mary (Pera Panagia)
• On September 4, the Feast of the Holy Cross happens in the Church of Saint Giorgos, the main church of Agairia.
• The Feast of the Holy Spirit, which lasts for three days, is a festival held in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Lefkes. The masses attend the celebration by the throngs, and a traditional feast and religious demonstrations also occur in the midst of all the boisterous merrymaking. (Not sure of the exact date!)
• On August 29, a festival is held in the Monastery of Saint Ioannis Kaparos. The cherry trees, vineyards, vegetation, and panoramic ocean view makes this feast as much a religious event as it is a sightseeing opportunity. The surrounding fields are also filled with delicious mushrooms and snails in the winter as well as scrumptious fresh greens in the summer. Granted, snails as entrees are an acquired taste, but there's no denying the prime location for this special festival.

5) Naxos:

• A rakee distillery festival is also organized in September, as rakee and kitron are the traditional drinks of Naxos.
• From the end of June to early September, one of the main festivals in Naxos is the Dionysia festival, organized every year by the municipality of Naxos. The festival of Dionysia combines artistic and athletic events, and as its name indicates, it reminds of the ancient god of wine, Dionysos. Traditional music along with wine and food are offered at nights.

6) Ios:
August 25th is the most important religious celebrations during summer are the feast of Agios Ioannis Prodromos at the monastery of Pyrgos (the Venetian castle located at the highest spot of the island)

• August 25th is the feast of Agios Ioannis (Saint John) in Kalamos and Psathi during which a meat soup and the traditional bean soup are served, accompanied with traditional music, wine and dances.

Greek TV

Check This Out

On Thursday, March 25th from 8pm until 10pm Washington DC PBS is going to air...

Rick Steve's Mediterranean Mosaic: A tour of southern Greece, Turkey and Croatia. In Greece, sites include the ruins of Olympia, the ancient capital of Mycenae and the fortress town of Monemvasia. In Turkey, stops include Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace.

You might have to check local listings for times, but here's a link to the DC version.  http://www.weta.org/tv/programsatoz/program/73084

I hope this gets you in the mood for the trip. 

If you haven't already confirmed your status with me... please do so ASAP.  I'm going to book the boats on Friday, March 26th.  We'll either start sailing Sept 11th or Sept 18th.

Greece 2010

So... it's time to confirm our Greece 2010 Trip.

The sailing with begin at 5pm on Saturday, September 18, 2010 and conclude on Saturday, September 25, 2010.  To make the boat on time you'll have to leave the states on Thursday, September 16th but you can catch a return flight on Sunday, September 26th.

If you're interested and haven't sent me a note, check out the estimate and let me know if you want to tag along.  I will book the first boats on March 31st and the first payment of $1,000 will be due on April 15th (Yeah for Federal Refunds!).  Currently, I have one boat booked but the number of interested sailors is growing and I'd love to see you in the Med!
We had so much fun in the BVI and St Martin; you're not going to want to miss this trip of a life time! Some of us will be going early and checking out neighboring Croatia and other fun locations. So ask the boss man (or woman) for the time off and join us for a great sail around the islands.

Chapter 1 of the Dingy Diaries…The Ultimate Dingy Experience Award

Categories

Worst Experience/Most Painful/Best Cruise/Wettest/Funniest

Wettest--- Cara

The gang is excited for their first night on the Boat. The girls are getting ready by putting on their cute dresses and a little glossy lip. As we wait for the group to return from the airport, the boat gets a rockin’ and so do our stomachs. We want to get to land! As soon as the group gets back, a bunch of us are ready to get to experience their first dingy ride. The waves are at least 4 foot and growing. As the boat sways and rocks, the guys hold tight to the dingy. Last one in… Cara, in a gorgeous blue dress, sits up front. She feels safe to know she is off the sailboat and heading to land. Oops… Guess we should have warned her that wettest part of the dingy ride is the front. Soaked head to toe, Cara steps off onto the dock to help find a place for more cocktails. She smiles and walks away from the dingy as fast as a soaked girl can! Sadly, she sloshes around the town looking for a Pina Colada and a lobster. Well, we’re on the wrong side of the bay. The pour girl has to get BACK in the dingy to make it over to Lady C’s and Pineapple Pete’s for some great Mahi and a bucket of Carib. Cara, Thanks for smiling through the WETTEST dingy experience.

Funniest --- Nina

We spent all day enjoying the sun and sand at Prickly Pear Cay after a trying dingy arrival. There was a pretty good swell crashing on the beach, and we watch the young captains master the waves as they landed safely ashore. We can do this! Well, probably not! We load up the dingy, the boys holding it steady as the girl climb in. Scott’s started the engine. Last one… “Come on Nina”… “You can do it”… “Jump”. As Nina was getting left behind, she was up to her shoulders in water but was saving Scott’s driftwood by holding it high above her head. Scott screams, “Don't get the driftwood wet.” Nina's reply, "Take your fucking driftwood!" Justin hoisted Nina into the dingy. This trip back to the boat was full of phrases and laughter. “We were roofed by Elvis;” “You don’t own the ocean;” “Stop gyrating, you’re embarrassing our WHOLE family!” The laughter brought tears… what a great day! And best of all, the driftwood made it safely back to the boat.

 Worst --- Scott

After relaxing on the shores of Sandy Island, we’re headed back to the boat. I look down to see the dingy gas tank is on “E”. CRAP! Where are we going to get gas? We tried to get it in Marigott, St Martin, but since it was Ash Wednesday EVERY thing was closed. As we sail to Crocus Bay, Anguilla, Scott and Nina are looking refreshed and ready to scope out the best place for island fair. They head to shore dressed to the nines (well, for sailors), scope out the only restaurant on this side of the island which is BEAUTIFUL, but a little out of our price range. They ask the guys playing dominos “Excuse me sir, where can we get gas for our dingy!” From the boat it looks like the locals are having a good chuckle at our expense. A random stranger helps Scott pull the dingy further onto the beach, and then they walk towards a black car. I get a text from Nina…

• 
  
   Nina - “Had to hitch a ride. Lic #P7588 – Just in case you don’t hear back from us. The car is a black Honda Accord!”
• 
  
  Me - “HOLY SHIT! Are you guys okay with this… It’s not that important!”
• 
  
  Nina exclaims… “We’re in the car now – his name is Junior!”
• 
  
  Me - “Please Please Please be careful, We saw u drive up the hill!” I’m now freaking out (again).
• 
  
  A few minutes later, Nina - “We just got the gas!”
• 
  
  Me - “Awesome! Same guy bringing you back?”
• 
  
  Nina – “Yeah, we had to pay him $10. This island isn’t very island like”
• 
  
  Me – “I think I see you”
• 
  
  Nina – “You do, we’re safe!”

 Junior helps Scott yank the boat back into the ocean. Nina is holding the boat as Scott cranks on the starter rope thingy-ma-bobber. The water is at her knees;, it’s at her thighs;, yep her underwear is SOAKED… her skirt is around her neck. Finally, Scott gives up. ; Nina jumps in the dingy as Scott hands Nina a paddle. To have a picture of Nina’s face at this point would have been priceless. We watch helpless from the Oceanis 52.3 as they begin paddling back. Thankfully, the light goes on and we untie the kayak. Chris volunteers to save the day by kayaking to help them. With a little man power the boys got the engine started. Finally, the dingy fully loaded is back at the boat with everyone safe and sound. Well, until we heard Nina say, "When the motor didn't start, he almost drowned." Scott, we hope you and Nina are still a happy couple.

Best --- Chris

We’d like to make a special thanks to Chris for always having the oars, life jacket and light in the dingy as he shuttled the gang to and from the boat, beaches, and bars. It was a lovely calm Tuesday evening. We had just enjoyed a great meal on the streets of Grand Case, St Martin, watching locals and tourists shop and dance. The dingy ride back to the boat after a few Mojitos at The Blue Martini was beautiful. With the music of Mardi Gras festivities as background, we traveled over water like glass to return to Merci. Thank you, indeed!

Painful --- Jeannine

My brother and I always say that “blood on the boat is fast”. It seems every time we hurt ourselves on the boat, we seem to win a race. So, Jeannine, thank you for taking one for the team and leaving a little blood on the dingy in St Barts. We come cruising around some mega yachts to dock in St Barts. I’m lugging all our passports and the boat documents to go to customs. John hops up on the pier. He’s holding the painter (bowline), and as a true gentleman, hands Jeannine his right hand to help her off. There’s quite a climb to the top of the pier, the boat slips from the dock, and so does Jeannine. Hanging from one arm, soaked to the bone, Jeannine scraped her entire leg and the bottom of her foot. She gets dunked in the water. We finally tie up and get her on dry land just to find out that the Custom’s Officer is on a French version of a Siesta. She hobbles down to the Le Route de Buccaneer, asks for some alcohol for both her foot and her mouth. We clean her up and make our way back to customs. Jeannine, thanks for showing us that a little blood can’t stop ya.

Vote For Your Favorite!

(we actually have an award)

St Martin Teaser!

Many thanks to Justin for documenting our trip!
Check out this AWESOME video of our first couple days in Tropical Paradise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikd_lLnMSUg

Chapter 1 of the Dingy Diaries is coming soon.  It's under review.  Get ready to vote for your favorite dingy experience.