SNOW IN AZOGIRES

It was early Tuesday morning the week before last ,when I woke up to my surprise a snowy Azogires laid before my eyes . I took my camera and just started taking various pictures ,just for the Azogires book of records first I saw my father shaking the ice of the trees and cleaning the cars ,then the Goats freezing ,the sheep ?? well they were just being Sheep not even bothered about it, besides one little baby who was all alone I could here him shouting Mama its cold .Ofcourse by the afternoon there was no snow left .Thats the beauty of Azogires even in winter its Summer

A BEAUTIFULL AFTERNOON ON CARNIVAL DAY

It was Saturday when a gang of musicians showed up in Alfa Cafe for a drunken afternoon A,K,A a warm up before the well known Paleochora Carival and they rocked Azogires, they even had a Banjo with .All I

can say is music to my ears it was amazing they made our hearts warm .Thanks guys

OUR WINTER

Its been a hard winter in Azogires ,not only due to the economical status of this Country but also due to the harsh winter that has followed .The paradise village has been so cold that you might be able to call it santas land ,but offcourse nothing lasts for ever here the cold is only temporaly ,and the rain will go away it still is sunny everyday and it still is a beautifull place to explore .I my self have had a chance to visit places such as you will see in the photos and for the first time I had time to enjoy them , the views the fresh air , and the Azogires spiritual aura.We made a snow man ? yes we had to go and steal the snow from Temenia cause we didnt have any, but we had fun doing it and we made the Alfa man who melted in the same evening like chocolate in the sun.I also had a chance with Joanna to go and visit the Azogires highlands as you might call them and we had a pic ninc , up there by one of my familys old cheese factorys ,yes the Koukoutsakis where sheperds as I am today and they had loads of sheep and Goats they had two small tirokomia a,k,a mountain cheese huts a cheese factory of the old and much brighter Cretan days ,the family man would stay up there for days and the women would visit them once a week they would milk the animals dayli and make fresh chesse right there and then they they would store the cheese inside underground caves the well known Cretan tripes , until some of them would load the cheese on to donkeys mules horses , or in most occasions on their bare back and safely get it back to the city to sell and consume milk was a valuable asset to Cretan economy .I also thought to go out and find the third water sistern down by the river that used to collect water for the higher flour mill that belonged to Gabriel papagrigorakis our local priest of those days and he formed a comitee leaving all his land to Azogires for the progress and good well being of this Village since then Azogires has had roads made jobs created nad much more thanks to him ,if you go back on my blog a few years you can read more about him , it was hard work cuting away all the bushes that kept it well hidden like and anceint Inkas temple inside the deep forests of south America but I was satisfied with the result as you can see now its another monument for Azogires visitors to see and enjoy that was kept well hidden for more then 90 years behind bushes

MUSIC EVENTS IN AZOGIRES

It was mid summer when my good friends Meena and Jean Marc came to Azogires for their summer vacation, along with two very famous musicians, or should I say music Gods, Carl Wyatt and Archie Lee Hooker. As they were relaxing on my veranda they turned around and said "Lets fill this place with life". So, whilst we got busy putting out posters for a Blues Night in Azogires, Carl headed out in search of a bass player and drummer, returning only hours before the gig with two very good musicians, Theo and Roberto, from the Greek rock group "Arrapao". With the right training from Carl Wyatt in just a few hours they became blues experts. As soon as people heard who it was all about they came storming to the village. Before long the road was blocked as people took to the street dancing. It went on all night long as no one could stop grooving in the blues rythim, especially when Archie sang his uncles song "Boom, boom, boom, boom". Everyones heart was pounding, the band was exausted and they wanted to stop playing but everyone kept shouting "More, more". People adored it, they were leaving little thank you notes on the tables saying it was the best night they ever had . The band did the show voluntarily, taking no money at all for their time and effort but simply enjoying to give life to the village once more in the best way anyone can imagine possible. For this I send from all the Azogirians a HUGE and heartfelt thanks. * we only say one thing guys we woship you, *

A few weeks later Johny Human, also a musician and a resident of Azogires, came down to the cafe with his acordeon and played for us all. The place filled once again only this time the street was not closed by dancers but by a future tai chi master who was here with Master Lydias Tai Chi group. He took his sword and, under the influence of Johny's music, he went out into the road and gave us a lesson or two in tai chi.

And it didn't stop there. Over the following days others came to just play too in Azogires, like my good english friend and artist John. He has restored a 100 year old violin and he plyed for us in the same spot where Carl Wyatt and Archie Lee Hooker had played only a few weeks before just so that we could feel the spiritual rythim of music once more. I can only hope that we will have more of these wonderfull evenings with Carl, Archie, Roberto, Theo and Johny whom we all love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbSm1UZqb8w&feature=related

The Band

Tai Chi with Azogires style

Johnny and his "manager"

You know it's true Blues when even the crickets approve

And the good times just keep on coming

FAREWELL TO 3 GOOD FRIENDS

I have lost three good friends this year and it breaks my heart.

I have finally found the courage to say something because it is my duty to remember those who cared for me as one of their own. In the beginning of the year I lost my dear friend Sam Reed. Author of the book FRACTURED DREAMS AND SUNFLOWERS, he was a man who made me laugh every single minute. He was next to me with his wonderful stories and his amazingly clever jokes; he will remain in my heart for life.

Early in the summer Lynne Tait, co author of TEN WALKS AROUND PALECHORA, and another books of walks in our wild Cretan mountains, passed away. She had walked every gorge, every hill and every valley of our area. She was the brightest star of tourist information on Crete, while at the same time she kept her self away hidden in the Cretan mountains where she and her husband had built a beautiful house, practically on their own.

Finally, less then a month ago Madame Anna Fistarol, a lady with class and honour, who always made me feel happy and relaxed, passed away.

I am sure that all three are sitting above the clouds and keeping an eye on the rest of us

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