Blog launched: November 10, 2009

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Crocus nivalis

801_1739 [Crocus nivalis]

Photographed in Anthusa on January 08, 2014
 
 
 
IMG_0050 [Crocus nivalis]

Photographed in Anthusa on January 05, 2011

Saturday, January 30, 2021

Colchicum atticum

IMG_0648 [Colchicum atticum]

Photographed on Mt. Penteli on December 12, 2011
 

Saturday, January 23, 2021

Crocus pallasii


803_8116 [Crocus pallasii]
 
 This crocus grows in countries extending from the Balkan Peninsula to Iran.
In Greece it flowers during the months of October, November and December mostly on some east Aegean islands
but there are reports that it was found in Macedonia and Thessaly as well.
In Attica, as far as I know, it grows only on a very small area high up on Mt. Hymittos. 
 
For more pictures of pallasii please click HERE.

Photographed on Mt. Hymittos on November 14, 2020.


Saturday, January 16, 2021

Full moon at Rafina

802_9648 [Full moon at Rafina]

The picture was taken long after moon-rise from the top of a hill next to Rafina bay
on July 9, 2017
 
 

Saturday, January 9, 2021

Apollo the Guitarist

802_1539 [Apollo the Guitarist]

 
This statue of Apollo, the ancient Greek Olympian god of music, stands with his lyre on a column outside the Academy of Athens, a world-wide highlight of the city. The statue itself measures 3.71m in height while the column is 19.54! 
 
It is attributed to the Greek architect Leonidas Drossis but there is evidence that there is more to the matter.
For additional information please click HERE to watch a slideshow on the Academy of Athens, in case you have missed it. 
 
Please click on the picture for a better view. 
 
 Photographed downtown Athens on September 13, 2015 
 
 

Saturday, December 19, 2020

Kaisariani Monastery: A slide show

[Kaisariani monastery: A slide show]
 
A virtual tour of all the premises of the Byzantine Monastery of Kaisariani (11 c.) on Mt. Hymittos near Athens
in the form of a slide show with extensive presentation of wall paintings in the church.
 
Duration 33' 26"
 
Watching it in FULL SCREEN is recommended.
(Make sure you have your cup of coffee with you to avoid viewing interruption!!!)
Music:
https://www.purple-planet.com
 
Liturgical Chant:
excerpts from live transmissions of the Divine Liturgy at Athens Cathedral by ERT 2,
from "Τα Πάθη τα Σεπτά" broadcasted in 2011 by ERT 3 (Voice of Charilaos Taliadoros),
and from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c58KR... (Voice of Dimitrios Papagiannopoulos) 
 
Script:
based on the leaflet "Kaisariani Monastery" by Aik. Pantelidou - Alexiadou:
distributed free by The Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports 
 
Redistribution is allowed as long as the slide show remains unaltered 
and proper reference is made to the source.
 
Photographs taken in 2016-2020
 
Το slide show είναι διαθέσιμο και με ελληνικούς υπότιτλους στο YouTube.
Για να μεταφερθείτε εκεί, παρακαλώ, κάντε κλικ ΕΔΩ.

Saturday, December 12, 2020

Spheniscus demersus [African penguin]

303_9737 [Spheniscus demersus]

 
303_9742 [Spheniscus demersus]

 
A lovable and charismatic seabird that unfortunately faces several threats and is in danger of extinction.
I had the chance to see and photograph it in Attica Zoological Park οn September 19, 2012.
 
Please click on the pictures for a better view.
 
 
303_9747 [Spheniscus demersus]

 Info board displayed next to the penguins’ location
 
 

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Irakleia bay

302_5236 [Irakleia bay]

 
As I was standing at my window early in the morning today, I was looking at the gloomy, rainy weather outside that was setting off all sorts of depressing feelings. Doing so is not the best thing to do if you need to counterbalance feelings produced by such weather and experienced in the middle of a pandemic. Fortunately, I subconsciously remembered a short, summer trip to Irakleia: a small gem-island in the Greek Small Cyclades. I had visited the island to take pictures of flowers there but I also had the chance to dive into clear turquoise waters and relax in an unprecedentedly tranquil island environment! My thoughts about it proved to be the perfect antidote to my mood! It reacted in only a few seconds!
 
Need to change your mood to the better?
Just click on the picture for a better view and recall similar experiences of yours.
 
Photographed in 2010