"Believe" - Ad Vanderveen's song inspired by Samos island

"Believe"

A song by singer/songwriter Ad Vanderveen from The Netherlands.  It's about his feelings of the timelessness of the landscapes found and experienced on Samos and the thought, that the old philosophers, writers and astronomers, the wise men of Samos, saw these same landscapes more than two thousand years ago too.

"Written on the island of Samos, Greece, thinking of the wise men who once lived there and devoted their lives to first-hand knowledge and proof of things we may believe, and build on in daily life today" (liner notes by Ad Vanderveen).

Here is the video for the song:

Song taken from his album "BEAT THE RECORD", released in March 2014.

Why not learn a bit about some of the wise men who were born on the island of Samos in ancient greek times? E.g.:

-> Aristarchus

-> Epicurus
-> Pythagoras

Samian Dreamscapes: landscapes in the southernmost part of Samos

What about those remote areas in the southern tip of the island of Samos in Greece? A hot and dry region in summer and autumn, which most tourists on Samos will not visit due to bad accessability only via dusty dirt roads. And an inclined world full of steep slopes below the mountain range of Bournias and the village of Spatharei.

Small settlements along the coast, up to 780 meters below the top of the mountain. Breathtaking views on land- and seascapes along the southern coast of Samos towards Mount Kerkis, and out on the aegean sea with the nearby islet of Samiopoula and further islands like Agathonisi, Arki, Lipsi, Patmos, Fourni and Ikaria in the far distance.

As an "appetizer", here is a short photo presentation with a couple of my impressions from adventurous journeys on a motorscooter through these landscapes on the southern and southwest slopes of Mount Bournias, mainly between Tsopela bay and the hamlet Kalogera. 

Τι γίνεται με αυτές τις απομακρυσμένες περιοχές, στο νότιο άκρο του νησιού της Σάμου στην Ελλάδα; Ένα ζεστό και ξηρό περιοχή το καλοκαίρι και το φθινόπωρο, που οι περισσότεροι τουρίστες στη Σάμο δεν θα επισκεφθεί οφείλεται σε κακή προσβασιμότητα μόνο μέσω σκονισμένο χωματόδρομους. Και μια κλίση κόσμο γεμάτο από απότομες πλαγιές κάτω από την οροσειρά του Μπουρνιά και το χωριό Σπαθαραίοι.

Μικρούς οικισμούς κατά μήκος της ακτής, μέχρι 780 μέτρα κάτω από την κορυφή του βουνού. Εκπληκτική θέα στη γη και τα θαλάσσια τοπία κατά μήκος της νότιας ακτής της Σάμου προς το όρος Κέρκης, και έξω στο Αιγαίο με το κοντινό νησάκι Σαμιοπούλα και την περαιτέρω νησιά όπως το Αγαθονήσι, Αρκοί, Λειψοί, Πάτμος, Ικαρία και Φούρνοι στη μακρινή απόσταση.

Ως «ορεκτικό», εδώ είναι μια σύντομη παρουσίαση φωτογραφιών με ένα ζευγάρι από τις εντυπώσεις μου από περιπετειώδη ταξίδια σε motorscooter μέσω αυτών των τοπίων στις πλαγιές νότια και νοτιοδυτικά από Mount Μπουρνιά, κυρίως μεταξύ Τσόπελα κόλπο και τον οικισμό Καλογερά.

If you want to see more, please follow this link here for a 14 min long photo presentation.

A visit to the valley of the river Imvrasos

A couple of impressions from visits to the valley of the river (brook) of Imvrasos. Starting the trip from the road between Koumaradei and Pirgos and following the river valley down to Myli, visiting/crossing the river at several locations.



In addition some photos too:

Samos Welcomes Latest Volunteer Fire-fighter at Chora School

Festivities, foreigners and the fire brigade.
With the summer comes the fire risks and if the fire starts someone has to put them out.
Bright red trucks, Canadair water bombers and helicopters all take up the challenge of saving a parched land from an old enemy; fire.
With an economic and political situation which could be described as combustible the landscape is beginning to match it. The sun’s heat has tanned the diminished number of tourists but has made the land tinder dry. Whether there is economic and political stability, whether or not the tourists come, the fear of conflagration remains.
Greece has a full time fire brigade but during the hot, dry and windy summer months the risk of a large outbreak may even be too big for them to tackle alone. Volunteer fire fighters will, at a moment’s notice, stop what they are doing and take up the challenge of saving their land, homes, neighbours and families. Everyone who lives here appreciate their sacrifices and dedication.
The Aegean island of Samos was deeply scarred by huge fires in the summer of 2000, with a smoke plume which was even visible from space. There are regular reports of discarded cigarettes, broken bottles, an accident and even arson once again threatening to unleash an inferno. The cause of some fires is never known and to those who respond, largely irrelevant. They have to be put out, no matter how they were started and the faster the better.
The volunteer fire-fighters of Chora will receive a fire truck donated by the Schwarz family, the patrons of the Samos Young Artists Festival. The truck was originally used by the volunteer fire-fighters of Kirchberg in Austria, who have renovated the truck, re-equipped it and are driving it to Samos. The truck should arrive on Thursday 23rd August.
The truck will then be handed over to the Chora Volunteer Fire-fighters on Saturday 25th August at 8pm. The handover will take place at Chora School where there will be food and drinks available as well as dancing to celebrate the arrival of one more weapon in the yearly battle with wildfires.
Even as this truck arrives volunteers from Samos Island are on the neighbouring island of Chios, risking their lives to put out huge wildfires there. Reports are emerging that these fires may have been caused deliberately in an act of arson. Whatever the reason the fire-fighters deserve our support and profits from food and drink sales on Saturday go towards the volunteers operating costs.
This type of co-operation whether it be multi-national, inter-community or local show what can be achieved without the need for posturing but a desire to get the job done. Necessity means that people from all backgrounds can pull together and do their best. At the end of the day it is the crews who will go out, will take the risks, will face down the fires and do what needs to be done.
There is still a place for Greek heroes.

autumn walk

English:
The autumn offers very nice possibilities to go for a walk around the nature of Samos island. Unfortunately i did not find the time during the last 2 weeks to enjoy such a walk around.
But nevermind, in my photo archive from the last years, there is always something to be found.
Here some photographs from a walk to the "Profitis Ilias" at Tsopela i took on September 17. 2007.

Deutsch:
Der Herbst haelt immer ein paar schoene Tage bereit fuer einen Spaziergag durch die Natur auf unserer Insel Samos. Leider hatte ich in den letzten 2 Wochen keine Zeit um solch ausgiebige Spaziergaenge zu unternehmen.
Aber egal, in meinem Bildarchiv der letzten Jahre laesst sich meistens etwas passendes finden.
Hier ein paar Bilder von einem Spaziergang zum "Profitis Ilias" bei Tsopela, aufgenommen am 17. September 2007.

Alyki Wetlands

First snow on Samos for this year after the end of August?
No, not really, though it looks like it at first sight. It's salt!

Driving on the road along Mykali beach to Psili Ammos beach in the south-east of the island, you will pass by a shallow lake with salty water, sort of a lagoon, the Alyki wetlands. Well known for flamingos who stay there for a while in winter/spring.

But now the wetlands are completely dried out, a layer of salt covers the ground and the salt crystals shimmer in the sun.
Here are some impressions of how it looked like in the late afternoon of September 1st.

Samos for Youngsters: Potami valley and waterfalls

Something to be found on the island of Samos for those who are young and like adventure?
Of course, take a ride with a moutain bike up to Ambelos mountains! Or, if you like wind and water, go for surfing near Kokkari or on Kedros beach on the north coast. Or explore the inner beauty of Samos on dusty roads with a jeep. Or visit the caves with special guided tours.

One other thing, where you can take your parents along and leave them behind after a while for sure: the Potami valley and Potami waterfalls west of Karlóvasi!

First you will pass by an ancient byzantine chapel and then you walk along the brook in a shady forest inside the valley, cross several times the water on small bridges or pieces of wood. Then you will end up in front of a small basin. And from there on you need to wade and swim in the cool water through a gorge to see the first Potami waterfall. No other way to see it!
Send your parents up the wooden stairs leading to a plateau with a taverna!

It takes some courage to follow the brook upstream or downstream and climp up or down the three waterfalls. At two waterfalls, the second and third, you will find a rope that makes this a lot easier. And of course, after the second waterfall, it takes time to walk in the bed of the Potami brook and cross quite a few cascades until you will arrive at the third waterfall!

As far as I remember, there are only two places, where you need to swim for a couple of meters, because the water is deep. Most of the time you just wade in the water. Take care of the many rocks! Maybe it is a good idea to bring some water resistant sandals along for better walking in the bed of the brook.

Here are some photos of the Potami valley and the waterfalls. The canyons look different, depending on the time of day you go there. Best time is around noon, when the sun shines down straight and you get the best light there.
Of course, depth of brook, water temperature and amount of water coming down the waterfalls will vary with the seasons!
If the water in the brook is turbid already down in the valley before the first waterfall, you know that for sure you can expect many many tourist climbing the cascades of the Potami brook!
(click on the photos to see larger size image!)

Kako Perato Canyon & Cave

In the mountains of Samos there are a lot of caves. Already Pythagoras is said to have taken advantage of one cave to seek for shelter when he had some arguments with the tyrann Polykratis quite a long time ago.

Of these many caves, one - with a small chapel inside - is located in the Kako Perato canyon (bad passage canyon) west of Karlovasi and Kosmadei. This canyon starts near a small monastery called "Panaghias Kakopérato" and leads down to the remote Megálo Seitáni beach.

The footpath leading to this cave is really adventureous. It starts somewhere below this small monastery that reigns over the beginning of the canyon. Following that footpath you proceed into the canyon on the southern side. But instead of going down, first you need to climb up a hill on this footpath.


Then, like riding on a rollercoaster, you pass a blue door arch with a cross on top of it at the highest point, from there you go down steeply and then for a couple of hundred meters along the western flank of Kako Perato canyon.


Those who suffer from vertigo will have a hard time on this part of the path. But the path is safe, there are blue railings that protect you from falling down into the frightening abyss of the canyon on the right hand side of the path.
Once you arrive at the entrance of the cave, it is time to relax. Turn around and enjoy the beautiful view over the canyon.


A spectacular view is awaiting you - through an opening in the wall - from within the cave across the canyon to this triangular shaped rock on the other side. You could even imagine the face of a person petriefied in this rock (or is that a photoshop artefact?).

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

With these photos of the panijiri at chapel Panagia Makrini in a cave high above Kallithea in the west of Samos, Mike and I would like to wish all the people on Samos, all the friends of the island of Samos and all of our friends a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Light a candle and bring warmth to the hearts of all people!

Hope many of you from all over the world will visit (again) Samos in 2008.