I’m heading for Mykonos again – yes, it’s that time of year!
This time, however, with a difference. I’m coming by motorbike.
It’s going to take me about five days in total. Check out bybiketogreece.com for more information. For anyone who would like to sponsor me, there are links on the website there.
And to all my friends in Mykonos, I look forward to seeing you very soon.
Today I finally managed to finish processing pictures of Mykonos from around Easter this year.
Galley 11 – go take a look!
England is HOT at the moment – it makes me keep thinking of Mykonos. That’s not been helped (in a strange sort of way) by having just finished a term’s worth of Greek lessons, so we celebrated last night by going out for a Greek meal in Chobham at a place called the “Green Olive”. The owner, Iannis (from Kos) is a great guy – very funny and friendly. We earned points for knowing how to pronounce “moussaka”, also for ordering in Greek (although one of our number by mistake asked for an orange souvlaki instead of chicken…)
This evening (14th. August) was the first evening for some time that promised a good sunset in Mykonos. Recently the weather has been too hazy and the sun has merely sunk into a bank of cloud.
Tonight was different. There is nothing quite like sitting in one of the tavernas or bars in Little Venice (my favourite is Rhapsody – wonderful, friendly place, with great cocktails) and watching the sun go down over Rhinia. There were a few pleasure boats – one large semi-rigid, a sailing catamaran and a cruise ship (FTI Berlin) moored up, nicely out of the way of the couple of thousand people waiting to watch the spectacle.
And what happened? About ten minutes before the sun touched the horizon, a large private yacht swanned into the bay, and anchored in the spot where they’d have a nice view of the sunset, and exactly where they’d deprive EVERYONE else of seeing it.
It bore a startling resemblance to Queen Aida (http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=215055000) but I wait to be proved wrong on the ship’s position.
Whoever the owner or current charterer is, you have behaved in an extremely selfish manner. You have given many, many people the impression that you consider that your money gives you the right to put your own pleasure first and also gives you the right to consider everyone else as beneath you.
I hope your boat sinks.
I have (after a wait of 12 months) finally received a reply to my request to the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism to permit me to sell my calendars etc. in Ministry shops (e.g.in Museums, on Delos etc.).
Their reply states that they are refusing on the following grounds:-
1) The photographs are not good quality
2) The calendars are printed on poor quality paper
3) The colours are not true to life
Clearly I got someone on a bad day, but the mind still boggles. Do they consider that the garish “tourist” postcards that you see in every damn shop in Greece, showing every primary colour artificially enhanced, are true to life? Do they not understand that the colours are INTENDED to be muted, showing one or two highlights of colour and thus emphasising it? Do they consider that 150gsm gloss paper with a 200gsm gloss cover is “poor quality”?
Idiots.
Pen-pushing bureaucrats who can’t be bothered to give themselves a little work when a rude refusal based nowhere to do with the facts is easier.
It’s little wonder that Greece is in such trouble at present.
As for the quality of the photographs, they are good enough digitally to blow up to A1 size prints and good enough artistically to generate hundreds of compliments from people all over the world.
I’m in Mykonos now. It’s beautiful. There are flowers springing up everywhere. People are getting ready for the new season. There’s work going on everywhere, repairing, painting, building…
Spring is such an optimistic time in Greece. People are looking forward to attracting visitors to the place, and looking forward to making a bit of money to last them through next winter.
To any Germans who might read this:- Don’t worry about the Greeks – you’re still welcome in Greece – the Greeks want to take a little of their money back from you! And not many waiters will spit on your salad…! 😉
… thanks to them wanting to relieve me of very nearly €1600 to be there.
I’m disappointed. It’s also very difficult getting answers to emails from the Hellenic Ministry of Tourism & Culture (I wanted to sell in museum shops) and from all sorts of retail organisations.
I had the mistaken impression that Greece wanted to revive its economy. But government agencies seem to want to do nothing, and businesses seem devoted to stifling growth.
In case you think this is merely me whingeing, it’s a story I’ve heard from many people in Greece trying to improve business, trying to get their little corner of the economy moving and trying to find a way to make the next year a little better than the last one.
I have just finished work on a new set of calendars for sale next year, for use in 2013. As well as Mykonos and Delos, I have added another version featuring some beautiful photos of Athens. Details will be available here in due course, and samples will be on my stand at Parousies in January.
By the way, if anyone can work out what goes on in the mind of politicians the world over, could they please let me know? Thank you. 🙂
… and I shall be in Mykonos for it. I love it. It represents all that is best about Greece – the love of children, the pride in being Greek, the pride in Greece’s history and culture.
It’s rather different from what is being shown in Athens as I post this.
Mykonos Photographs will be appearing at Parousies, the Greek Tourism trade fair, in Athens from 11-15 January 2012. See us there!
We’re here.
We’re blogging. Next stop – who knows? Facebook? Twitter?
Isn’t technology wonderful?
Mykonos Photographs 