#AMMOUDI BAY SANTORINI

Ammoui bay has always been the port for the people in oia as their means of survival from catching fish, to bringing the villagers and visitors, to exporting wines and agriculture products to the boats moored at the bay.  

 It is known all over the world for the beauty of the rugged rock and cliff formation left after the eruptions  Santorini has had over the centuries but it still has kept it character and lifestyle of old meeting the new world in adapting to the thousands of  people who have visited.

When i need to relax on an afternoon i love to just sit at anyone of the tavernas and have a raki or local wine over a chit chat with the owners and let them know what is happing in the village or friends ,or just chill out watching life on the bay and remembering times of standing at the edge trying to catch calamari or small fish with my hook and line in the months off season and Chostas  giving me lessons on fishing .    

 We all know Paraskevas for his taverna but i didn't know until yesterday that he was the first to open a small taverna alongside a traditional greek coffee shop over 30 years or more  when the only way down was by the steps in oia or an old path  but now he is high demand for his expertise in playing the most famous pastime of Greece backgammon  when there is a lull in the afternoon. The lovely thing i like is he is goes to the katina for his Greek coffee in the early mornings and chats about life etc.            Katina is a lovely lady who is always with a smile and welcomes you with the feeling you are coming into her house and has seen many a famous person and loves to blow a horn when some of the ships pass by in the traditional farewell from the island .                                           

 

  Dimitris who is also an owner of a taverna and a small coffee snack place came later about 20 or more years and is situated at the last taverna where you can find a small mermaid hanging on a wooden post representing the connection of fish and the history of the wooden sail boats from centuries passed and is the start to the stone walk way towards st nicholas where a lot of visitors go swimming .    

We finally come to this year when Lambros the newest owner to Ammoudi  opened his taverna bringing a new touch to the bay and creating what was an empty cave into a place that adds colour and forming a connection of as all the tavernas have done making Ammoudi a lively place as it was in the 50's where local people and visitors could go swim ,fish and have family or friend gatherings in one of the tavernas and not have to check anything but the small to the big liners sailing pass and creating at times waves that would have everyone laughing or having to wipe away the water on a windy day but all in fun .

I LOVE AMMOUDI FOR IT'S FEELING OF KNOWING ALL THE OWNERS AND STAFF AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY WHO I SIT WITH ON THAT DAY AS THEY  ALL WORK AS A SMALL COMMUNITY  :) 

#PERIVOLOS-AGHIOS GEORGIOS -SANTORINI BEACH

 There are many beaches on the island each one having it's own character and beauty, Perivolos has always been my first choice to recommend to visitors for it's easy access into the sea as there tends not to be many stones particularly  for young children .

The beach is well known for it's chill out restaurants and bars and i would recommend Ammos  restaurant for it's fish and specials of their home cooking if you have children this is an ideal place (One tip i can give visitors that i have always said in my 15 years here do what the greek people do order a few things and put in the middle of the table and share.It helps your pocket and leaves you with the chance to go somewhere in the evening ).
As do some of the other neighbouring beaches Perivolos has several water sports to meet the needs of the sporty visitors or just to hang out in the late afternoon playing volleyball with friends or joining in with other players until the sun sets .

 

If not that kind of activity you are looking for why not just relax in one of the lounge seatings that you can find along the seafront and  have a coffee or cool drink watching the  beach life happen on a summer's day.
                                                   

 

 Most beaches there is a charge for using their recliners and umbrellas as they are run by owners of the cafes or restaurants but you can take your own umbrellas and seating with you to the spaces that are available in some parts of the beach . With all the beaches the sea is very clean and a place of fun relaxing and a time to soak up the sun with care so make sure you wear a high factor sunscreen .

#PYGROS SANTORINI

I was there yesterday on a cool sunny morning, walking up the narrow paths not knowing where they were going to take me was a time of feeling alone on an island full of thousands of visitors but strangely calm and peaceful.

 The village is very famous for it's celebration on good friday evening when all the streets and houses are lit up in glowing flames of candles parading up the winding streets to the church on the top.But still i have not managed to see it for myself as this year i had just returned from glasgow on that evening yet i never worry about that as there is always another year and if all goes well i will go next year to experience  

Charity Chic Music: Freedy

Charity Chic Music: Freedy

The island and it's weather and the new colours and layout of blog

Another day and there have been changes to the blog to make it more colourful and interesting from the eyes of a foreigner living on the island, giving you some information on where to go and how you can get the most out of the days you stay on the island
I have had several emails on what to do and enquiries about hotel bookings and this has been of great help to me to learn even more about the place i live on. As they say in life learn from what you know and find out from what is asked and slowly slowly i will develope a blog that will be fun and interesting to look at and read but from the heart i will always show and write .
join the blog and share with family and friends .......from Santorini martina or as good friends call me Jamson !!!!!!!

#THE AGRICULTURE SIDE OF SANTORINI

 Kalimera Good morning from Santorini today sunny and a slight breeze .I had been asked the other day has Santorini got other animals apart from mules , which brings me to explaining what i know from the local people that there was a process of farming and rearing animals on santorini before tourism.As they lived in small close net communities and before electricity where they didn't have fridges to keep fresh meat they would arrange between each other if there were enough who wanted meat to killed the cow or goat.But nothing was wasted of the animal the best pieces of meat as you an imagine was used on a family celebration and the remaining would be processed to make smoked or cured  meat that was eaten over a period of time .    
                                                       The vegetation of the island was made

up of the most famous fava which is sown in December and harvest in April ,the tomatoes ,eggplants ,etc are sown in spring and ready to be picked in June or earlier depending on the weather conditions. The most amazing point to growing crops here are the farmers do not water the crops ,they leave nature to takes it's
natural morning or over night dew to cast over the crops allowing time to be adsorbed into the ground
 before the heat of the sun and because of the minerals of the volcano soil the crops are small in size to what we know and in some cases in colour but when eaten leave a rich taste of a mild sweetness that is famous
in Santorini salads,tomato keftedas,eggplant salad and many more local dishes.
When you come to the island you will not find any big farming machinery as all sowing and harvesting of crops are painstakingly done by hand in the traditional way of their ancestors of the land which amazes me when you can still see men in their late 60s-80s bending over their crops in times of heat or winds with pride and a means of an income supplying to restaurants ,hotels and their family .    

# EMPORIO VILLAGE SANTORINI ( business, trade, traffic, commerce ) MEANING

 The day before yesterday i had the pleasure of hiking if i can use the word to describe this village hidden away from Santorini  tourism. As we all know the main road that  heads for the lovely beach of Perrisia,  but if you park your car or take the bus and get off at the big church on the square and head up the lane on your left and walk into a history of the pass amazing and full of Santorini craftsmanship in smooth walls in traditional style builtings climbing up towards the castle where i still have not reached due to the small lanes that spread left and right leaving you in amazement of how the ancestors of the local people of the island use to live in small compact communities living on the outside of the castles and seeking refuge when under attack from pirates or invaders to their island

It is funny how you can become involved in today's local life styles
and in my 15 years living in Oia i have always been told by the Oia villagers who  in my best description i can give enemies

with the villagers of Emporio villagers without they themselves understanding why but if im right it goes back centuries in the traffic of trade which was the main income for the island from passing cargo ships of that period ( but don't quote me on my words as im not qualified enough to write history ).

The houses as far as i could see have been refurbished in exterior by lovingly restoring them  to their finer glory without loosing the rich history of how the people of santorini lived .
Even the colours of doors have retained the traditional styles in representing the colours used in the fresco paintings which were found from the rich vegetation and wild flowers of the pass,  but can be bought in paint as we all know now a days but brings back the life of the pass to create a living lifestyle  for all of use to be proud of history and eager to learn in life of peoples culture and history when visiting places .

#CRUISE BOATS VISITING SANTORINI

Today i sat all morning at home waiting on the telephone company to connect me to my family and the world but what happened nothing so i ended going to the place i call home and use yet again their internet ( Skala ) The weather is so sleepy or is it i am feeling that way .
Yesterday was a great day for me as im now one of those people as we say holds the lollipop and gives visitors a glimpse of santorini and im very aware they are only here for a few hours, but as you know i will take the time to create a profile of the island as to lifestyle and direction to try meet their needs without feeling i have taken over and pressuring into my choices or likes which is at times a very fine line.  I ask first their needs  and then guide and in the end i have the happy and cheerful smiles from suggestions  and they feel over the moon and i get the reward of seeing a lovely smile and visitors leaving contented .

PAPAGALOS RESTAURANT OIA

One of the restaurants with a story or two to tell about the village over the years been in oia from the early days of tourism serving traditional Greek cuisine but with one or two dishes from the continent
If you go for sure order their home made fries (chunky and skins ).If you just want to sit and watch the world pass by over good wines and their starters then great but also their main dishes for example Bavetle pasta a creamy sauce with chicken , broccoli and cherry tomatoes and parmigiana cheese or stay with the Greek traditional food but for sure the atmosphere is relaxed and the jazz and easy listening music just chill you out .
                                                      I wish you a  great summer of 2013

Things are looking up on Santorini

kalimera /good morning from Santorini  on another suuny slight breeze
I can only say that things are looking up for me on the island meeting new and  old friends here in fira, and where i thought jobs would be in touring visitors around my favourite island thirassia and finika it seems people are asking me for information on places to go and see on all of the island which is great as i love the feeling that i can and know well those hidden villages or info on the lifestyles as to how in each village combined their skills to work as a whole to over the years produce and use as a means of exporting to other islands or countries .
The island is slowly slowly getting busy and the visitors are enjoying the hospitality of Santorini and it's amazing views but we who have that pleasure of living and working here remind ourselves how lucky that  we can do so  I can speak for myself and hopefully for everyone we say thank you for choosing Santorini and Greece as your destination