Laodamia Vólos

... of thing is perfectly fine for everyone else, it does not fly with my skin. The white one became red in the funniest of places and picked up even more freckles.

As Cian put it, telling him that he's darker than I am is a milestone for Irish people everywhere.

In any case, it was awesome to be escaping to an island.

... classical concert from 9pm with soprano Carla Carretti and tenor Sergio Casalino, plus cello, violin & piano. The violinist was brilliant was worth seeing the show just to listen to him.. he did a bit of a solo and had a bit of a sense of humour a bit like Victor Borga... he played so fast the strings on his bow were coming a drift. Temp was around 19oC, warm and sunny stunning, fun packed day. Deb

... which become a frequent mode of obtaining meal. I met many friends in Volos, and found the university students quite interesting and good company. We went out a few times, in the town which I found to be a very nice place, probably one of the better towns I had seen in quite some time.

... I erupted, as only I can. Eventually another member of staff produced a key to the office and there it was. What a relief. We set off back towards Volos, 340 miles away, but decided to make some detours, which we could not have made with a caravan in tow. First were the wetlands at Amphipolis, just off the motorway, where herons and flamingos waded side by side. Then, after Thessaloniki, we diverted to Vergina, site ...

... the Greek Wedding of Nontas, Argi’s god brother. Unlike many weddings all over the world, the Greek weddings are held mostly in the evening. Nontas’ wedding ceremony was about 7.30pm in the big church down by the port in Volos. It was a lovely location because from the churchyard, you could see the sea nearby.

There were many families and friends at the wedding and everyone was all dressed up in their best attire. The ...

... he found this gem of a beach by accident during one of his cycling escapades around the area.

He said this place will be almost deserted or maybe totally deserted, if we were lucky. Undoubtedly, I was a bit sceptical. I mean, I have always believed that if one can discover something or some place (in our context), it will surely be discovered by another person. It's just a matter of time, sooner or later.

My ...

... the mountain, I noticed the gradual change in the surrounding landscapes. From parts which were generally dry and yellow, we soon transcended into parts which were green and healthy. Argi explained to me that was due to the fact that one side of the mountain was not getting as much rain as the other.

You really need skills and patience to drive on Pelion, the many little shrines we found along the road served as a constant ...

... Argi – I offered to be the official photographer for the event.

With that, I got away from the embarrassment of having the ball hitting me on the head or falling on the sand with my face down. We had such a fabulous time, really! And I got thinking to myself – this is life, man! I never want to go back to my work table again.

Climax at night:

The match continued till sunset, after which we adjourned to Climax again for another ...

... and delicious home cooked breakfasts are served at the large patio outside the Mansion.

We have some friends who were also staying at the same guesthouse but unlike us, they have chosen to stay in the rooms of the Mansion, which we think was a better option for those who have children with them.

Staying at this beautiful place on Mount Pelion itself has in fact made my visit to Volos more special. I would have been disappointed if Argi had ...

... ensconced in the cozy Santikos again. Bella has a text message from her son, Roman, explaining how she can get Web access to her e-mail, and spends the remainder of the afternoon working while I sip Mextaxa and read about the intrigues of the Romanov court. The rain peppers the windows of the silent house and splashes from the gutters. Once I hear the tinkle and clang of bells and see an old man leading a parade of goats down a path outside the window. We are now the ...