Holiday in Lesbos (Lesvos), Greece 2012

This year we spend our holiday in Greece. My husband booked Lesbos, and when I saw the pictures on the internet whan i googled Lesbos, I wasn't quite thrilled, it looked like there was only 'volcano' area. Hmmm. But once we arrived in Lesbos, it was really great! Every day 35-45 degrees, nice and hot :) only once we saw a cloud, this was quite the opposite of the Holland we left behind: rainy and cold.

During this holiday we met nice people, and had nice conversations, about living in Greece, about crocheting (they do that a lot in the wintertime) and inevitably also about politics... the crisis, EU, etc. 

Helena, showing me her crochet stitch from her hometown.

For the boys and girls that do crochet: pattern for creating a curly end. Repeat as many times as necessary 'under' at the end of your work. your work.

A part of my pile of granny squares that I was crocheting on my holidays.

The sweet lady of the hotel, Helena, saw me busy crocheting my grany squares and insisted on showing and teaching me a crochet stitch of her village and in the meantime I also learned some greek words. She talked to me in greek most of the time, and with some 'rottenton' (translations) of others: Achilea, Manos, Igor and ofcourse the sweet Georgia, we kind of managed to understand eachother.


We took a 2 hour tour walking through Molivos with our guide Dolf van der Ley. It was very interesting, and we learned some interesting things about the history of Lesvos and Molivos. Some ladies were especially modelling for us as we walked by with Dolf. One a former hotelmaid, whom he had met a long time ago.

Dolf van der Lee was our inspiring guide through Molivos. Thx Dolf!

The ladies who were waiting for us to photograph them.

Molivos is a small town where walking is not that easy once your old, it's quite steep, and streets are made of kind of big irregular cobstones.

I always like to take photographs, but mostly not on Holidays, but this year i took my iphone and hipstamatic app with Loftus and shot whenever i felt like it. In Lesbos i simply asked 'photographia?' and most people were instantly prepared for the photo, only once a lady started muttering something in greek while she was walking away, that sounded to me like 'what, you want to take my photograph are you crazy or what? all those tourists with there camera's...unbelievable' ...okayself-explanatory, sigasiga if you don't want to, i won't take your photo.


I also love the greek-orthodox (Byzantine) churches that areso fully decorated with icons and chandeliers. Even the smallest chapel, from the outside so modest white, from the inside blue and gold, wood, with fake pink roses in those lovely vintage vases, overwhelming and comforting.

Agiasos, a mountain village, suerly worth a visit.

From the icon painter in Molivos I learned what these small silverplated tags are meant for. Also lovely vintage items i couldn't resist.

I like a lot of things about Lesbos: one thing is the fact that everywhere you're close to sea (or a lake), the clear waters, the fact that within half an hour you could be either in volcanic 'dry' area, or at a sweet village, or at a seaside. A little wind, olive trees almost everywhere (there are about 11.000.000 olive trees on the island, which they tell me get all 'picked' from december 'till march). And the sun peaking through whereever you go.

Color inspiration: Some shell finds: mother of pearl, sponge, driftwood, and a stone, quartz?

Other things i like are the blue skies, laundry lines, the cookies and other food :)
We were foolish enough to climb mt. Olympos, i don't think a lot of people do, except the people who work there. But it was a spectacular view, over Lesbos! And ofcourse there was a little chapel on top :) and a biggg white cross, next to the masts.

And these almond cookies were simply delicious! Lots of calories!

This bakery in Agiasos, had loads, and i mean really loads of different cookies, bread, candy icecreams etc. They must be a supplier for a large part of the island.

 

And ofcourse all the people that are so photogenic, and were kind to let me capture them on my iphone.

The man who talked with me in German, he went fishing early in the nmorning and was cleaning his meal, and sharing his left-overs with one of the many stray cats in skala Sykaminias.

The fishermen of skala Sykaminias preparing their lines for the next catch.

The sweet little shop/taverne we stumbled upon as we visited the hometown of Achillea high up in the mountains. It seemed the men that were having their coffee in the square under the trees had never seen tourists before. 

The lady came down the mountain when we were lingering around here shop, put here hand to her breast and made it clear to us that this was her little tavern, and she was happy to pose for us.

She had just hung her laundry, they live next to the church, he the tailor of Molivos.

Mandamados, a pottery village, (we found 2 potteries?), the man did the pottery the women the painting. I bought 6 pastaplate/soupbowls. Just loved the blue and white!

A bit of Lesvos in my kitchen: the blue bowls, and some crochet doily handmade by Daphni in Molivos. Closet is decorated with an ingk design that makes me happy :)

Also loved the chocolat cakes in Molivos and Petra. The best one certainly was the chocolat cake mama from the Balkony, Molivos baked. With a (giant) scoop of vanilla. It's a good thing we trained almost everyday for 45 minutes to loose those greek calories :).

I finally got the time to read the uppercase publication from dottie angel. I like vintage, but i'm also into bold colors so this is some color inspiration from vintage souvenirs from Petra, Lesvos, Greece.

Color inspiration from vintage packaging

And last but not least, when you're in Molivos, find time to have a pita or stick (they also have veggie) at Friendz. It's worth the wait! Or take away and enjoy it at the beach during sunset.