Kaa Newsletter Tzeli April 2013:Layout 1.Qxd
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KYTHERAIn search of and ANTIKYTHERA It’s printed and on the way from Greece! of May, just in time to take over for Kytherian A dedicated guide book on Kythera, in English. summer. Great for those visiting the island for Highly acclaimed professional photographer and the first time, or seasoned travellers wanting to travel writer, Tzeli Hadjidimitriou was the author get more out of their stay. Great for the and visual artist behind the Unexplored grandkids! Kythera & Antikythera guide book in Greek. A handheld guide book with 252 dedicated It’s probably the best selling book relating to pages on Kythera, available for $25 plus postage Kythera, ever. from the Kytherian Association of Australia, who The English version is called In Search of partly sponsored the book. Kythera & Antikythera and expected to be See www.kytherianassociation.com.au/books.html available for purchase in Australia from the end for more information. In search of Opposite the south eastern tip of the Greek Peloponnese pen- Tzeli Hadjidimitriou insula, the islands of Kythera and Antikythera have long been places of exile and pirate caves. They still remain resistant to the ferocious spread of mass tourism that’s marred many of the other Greek islands. Kythera, the island where Aphrodite was born, reveals its true essence to the reflective traveller. Walking misty tracks with KYTHERA long abandoned ruins, surrounded by calm or stormy seas, gen- tle breezes or forceful winds, visitors are led to hidden beaches and caves, tiny villages and historic monuments. A drift at sea, 38 kilometres from Kythera, lies the time forsaken island of Antikythera. Overlooked by run-of-the-mill tourists, Antikythera remains unyielding to the modern desire for com- fort travel. Instead it rewards the adventurous with an unadul- and terated milieu of simple living and a fascinating past. In Search of Kythera and Antikythera boasts an extensive array ANTIKYTHERA of stunning photographs, carefully researched information and a passion for what makes Kythera, Antikythera and its people distinctive. Writer Tzeli Hadjidimitriou reaches beyond secrets old and new, accompanying us on a vivid journey to two re- markable destinations. In Search of Kythera and Antikythera gives details about local history, mythology, architecture, arts and crafts, cuisine and lo- cal lifestyles. A selection of excursions describe the least trav- elled parts of these unforgettable islands, as well as current listings of essential services, how to arrive safely on the islands, where to stay and a variety of recreational advice to make your “Search of Kythera and Antikythera” a fun and informative adventure. In search of KYTHERA and ANTIKYTHERA photographer’s site www.odoiporikon.com Venturing to the Island of Aphrodite On the way! Due end May For more information see: www.odoiporikon.com or kytherianassociation.com.au/books.html 28 Sample page, actual size History Un mondo fa un mondo e Cerigo un altro mondo (All Vases from this period have been found in the cave the world is one and Tsirigo is another world). This is of Agia Sophia at Kalamos, while traces of the Final what the Venetians would say of Tsirigo, half-joking Neolithic period (4th millennium BC) have been found yet half-serious, underlining the island’s important at Diakofti and Paleopoli. strategic position as well as its shocking poverty. Kythera’s strategic position, directly on the route 3000–1500 BC that ships took when sailing from Laconia to Crete Finds made by the archaeological service – such as and from the Aegean and the Black Sea towards the fragments of Bronze Age vases – indicate the close western Mediterranean, is what has determined the relationship of the inhabitants with the Peloponnese. island’s fate throughout the centuries. From the early 2nd millennium BC, and especially during the Middle Bronze Age, the Minoan maritime 6000–3000 BC empire extended to as far as Kythera. The Minoans The earliest known human presence on Kythera dates settled in the east of the island, on the south coast to the late Neolithic period (late 6th millennium BC). of the gulf of Avlemonas and at Kastri in today’s 2 Contents Kytherian Association of Australia 4 Useful information 8 Essential info 14 “Not all can sail to Kythera” and the myth of Kythera 16 Mythology 22 History 26 The Tsirigots who scattered to all four corners of the earth 40 Arts and letters 44 The architecture and churches of Kythera 48 Gastronomic delights on Kythera 58 Geology, flora and fauna 64 Kythera at a glance 70 Potamos 74 The Region around Potamos 82 From Potamos to Agia Pelagia and the surrounding area 94 From Agia Pelagia to Karavas and Platia Ammos 102 The wild northwest coasts between Potamos and Karavas 112 From Aroniadika to Diakofti 122 From Avlemonas to Mitata 136 Around Mylopotamos and Myrtidiotissa Monastery 156 Livadi and its surrounding region 180 From Livadi to Melidoni 194 Hora and Kapsali 204 Porfyra Monopatia 228 Antikythera 230 THIS GUIDE BOOK WAS KINDLY PARTLY-SPONSORED BY THE KYTHERIAN ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA www.kytherianassociation.com.au. For more information see: www.odoiporikon.com or kytherianassociation.com.au/books.html.