Monday 30 January 2012

Pefkos Moods on a Cloudy Day

We don't often get cloudy days here when not accompanied by rain. When clouds arrive, so usually does the rainfall and then it clears up again. Just occasionally we'll get a day like yesterday, Sunday 29th January, when the sky was predominantly cloudy, with the sun peeking through only occasionally. Such days we tend to call "British" days; days when there's "no weather" to speak of.

Also unusual was the fact that there was hardly a breath of wind, rendering the sea as calm as during the summer months, making it much easier for those with fishing boats to use them in complete safety.

So, this post is largely a clutch of photos taken around Pefkos on such a day.  
Each photo opens in a larger view if you click on it. Right clicking on the larger view, then selecting "View Image" enables you to blow it up even further.


 Above: down the bottom of the lane which peters out on Ag. Thomas beach.

 Above: The fishermen were just tidying up after an excursion, having taken advantage of the calm sea to make a catch. They were just making final preparations to leave the boat at anchor and come ashore in the launch.



 The new villas being built right under the mountain, just out beyond the Palm Bay and Coralli are clearly visible in the one above.

 You don't need any explanations as to where this one was taken, I'm sure. A strange but comfy "quiet" hangs over this area during the winter months, although a couple of hundred people still live in the village, plus those who come down from town for the weekend. Apostolas supermarket and bakery is always open all through the winter months.

 Above: Cop a load of these beautiful anemones, which always brighten up the grassy areas from late December through to February, when the blood-red poppies take over, followed in spring by the huge, cream-coloured margarita daisies, giving the fields the "cheesecake" effect.

For the botanists out there, the yellow flowers seen in the picture above, which often completely carpet the olive groves in January and onwards, we've recently discovered are (courtesy of Wikipedia):
Oxalis pes-caprae (Bermuda buttercup, African wood-sorrel, Bermuda sorrel, Buttercup oxalis, Cape sorrel, English weed, Goat's-foot, Sourgrass, Soursob and Soursop; (Afrikaans: Suring) [1]), a species of tristylous flowering plant in the wood sorrel family Oxalidaceae. Oxalis cernua is a less common synonym for this species. These are the ones which the children love to pull and chew the stems, which taste of lemon.

 Above: A couple of local residents show off on the wall below the Lia Studios, next door to the Finas Hotel

The main beach, Pefkos, resplendent in fine sand, smooth sea and not a sun-bed or umbrella to be seen! You can tell from this photo, though, that a good cleanup is usually undertaken before the season begins.

10 comments:

  1. When I ask people what Pefkos is like in the winter they say 'it's dead', 'you wouldn't recognise it'. Seems to me it's busy, fishermen out and about, peacocks still parading, all manner of plantlife on the move. And locals out walking, snapping photos for the ever-hungry hoardes of Rhodes addicts who are trapped in northern climes!
    Keep up the good work, please.
    Vicki

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    1. Yea, it's the same principle as when you ask a Greek what the weather's like here in winter they'll always say "Halia!", which means horrible. I always counter that by telling them they've obviously never been to the UK then!!!

      The Caprice, by the way, is also open on weekends and even has a darts team!!!

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  2. Cor!! i love these pictures of the empty lanes and beaches, i wouldn't 'arf like a picture of Agathi beach if you happen to pass that way???????

    Regards "Porridge Oats"

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  3. Fabulous post John with some great photos. Thanks for that.

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  4. excellent post as always and lovely to see out of season photos. Hope you are both well. Aren't those the finas peacocks? One is called Peter so I have been told lol

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    1. I didn't ask their names as it happens...
      Well, I assumed they were both Mr. Peacock...

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  5. Another fab post John! We are enjoying the blogs and its great to see photos of Rhodes through the winter. Can I be cheeky and ask if you are anywhere near Stegna we could have some photos posted please?
    Thanks Steve W (Hull)

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  6. Well, how nice to hear from you Steve. I thought I'd upset you (lol).

    Regarding Stegna, will oblige if and when I can, but no plans at present to go there for a while. But, at least with my trusty new camera case that goes on my belt, I tend to take the camera everywhere these days, whereas before it was a pain having it in a pocket sometimes and so it would get left at home. So, you never know, I could surprise you!

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  7. LOL Thanks John.
    I have been reading your blogs and read your latest book - great again!
    I haven't posted much lately but keep up the good work!
    Thanks.
    Steve

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