Glorious and cake

Winter does not seem to touch Skopelos at the moment and we are having glorious days, sometimes with strong winds.
These photos are from today on the small beach at Joannis tou Kastri in Glossa.

As you probably know Greece celebrates the New Year with lots of cakes. Many organizations meet and talk about the New Year and what is being planned and people have a reason to see each other and socialize. Last week I went to two events.

The first one was organized by the various schools and the committees that help them. Present was the mayor and the junior minister of education Mrs. Zetta Makri. In the speeches they held promises were made to try and solve the housing problem for teachers (but also for doctors, police, fire brigade and port police) Secondly they announced that a new, more modern, high school will be built in Skopelos. Hopefully the school will be built soon and the housingproblems will be adressed.

A drive to Old Klima and Limnonari earlier in the week gave us sunshine and beauty.

And last but not least, tonight, the New Year’s cake of the Folklore and Cultural organization, was cut.

Many citizens were present and the choir of the organization gave a small concert. This could be the last cutting of a cake but maybe not….

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Two

Two men were brave enough today and jumped into the water to catch the cross. At exactly 12 all the priests, from the church communities in Skopelos town, were finally present and the ceremony was held.

A lot of people were around and dressed up to the nines!

After the cross was caught the harbor police sounded their horns and everybody on the quay walked towards the coffeeplaces or a taverna to socialize further…

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Work in progress and Ta Fota

Work is progressing on the road to Glyfoneri beach. Several walls have been built and the road is wider in some places.

and the beach and the view are a beautiful as always. Tomorrow it is Theophania/Epiphany or Ta Fota. The Holy Theophany, also known as the Epiphany, the Celebration of the Lights, or ta Fota (the Lights) is held on January 6 and is one of the most sacred and holiest Feast Days on the Greek Orthodox Calendar. The most important tradition, which takes place amongst Greek Orthodox Churches worldwide is the blessing of the waters with the Holy Cross by a local priest. Priests will throw a Holy Cross into the sea or lake(usually with attached to a long ribbon) then the faithful jump into the water to try to find the Holy Cross. The person who retrieves the Holy Cross and returns it to the priest is said to be blessed for the year ahead. The ceremony on Skopelos will take place in the harbors on the island after the church ceremony so at least after 10.30 hours. Usually people are dressed up for the occasion and afterward, in Skopelos town the New Years cake will be cut. Many cuttings of New Years cakes will follow, well into January. Χρόνια πολλά !! Many shops and services will be closed tomorrow. On Saturday it is the nameday of everybody that is called Jannis, Ioanna, Janna, Jannoula. It is good to have a Jannis in your home because a Greek saying goes, a household without a Jannis is no household!

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