Newspaper "Lefkas" (in greek only) now available
Here you can read all the latest news about the island of Lefkas, and find out about the latest updates of this page or other upcoming pages about Lefkada.

2/21/99 ----> Today is the Sunday of "Apokries" ( I mistook last Sunday for beeing it). Anyway, today is one of the best days for Lefkada. I don't know right now, but I know that in the old days, the "Apokries" was almost the best celebration for Lefkas. At least the one that they had the most fun at! They use to make out scenes of current affairs in sketches with people and have them parade on the main street of the city. Then they would go out on the night clubs and party (literally) until sunrise. At sunrise time, they'll go to the bakery shops to get the special bread that is made for that Monday, which is called "lagana". The Monday after Apokries is called "Clean Monday", because the 40-day feasting until Easter begins. Anyway, people dress up today, the streets are full of life and party, it's just a happy atmosphere to be in. This day has been praised by many as the "peak day" of Lefkas. Most important of all, they would play tricks to many people. But the last few years it's getting less and less attention. People are forgetting it, and generally it's not as glamorous as it once was. But it's still pretty nice to be there. I'd give anything to spend this weekend down there. That's all the news I have for right now. Like I said, that Thursday, ("Tsiknopempti"), they had a big cookout in Lefkas.

2/10/99 ---> Happy name day to everyone with the name of Mpampi (Charalambos) including my father. Yesterday it was the name day of Nikiforos, the Bishop of Lefkas and Ithaca. Tomorrow it's "Tsiknopempti" (Tsikno - when the food is overcooked, and Pempti - which means Thursday). This is when people overcook their food, and it is basically the start of the 4 day celebration of the "Apokries" a kind of Carnival celebrated in cities and villages all throughout Greece. Lefkada has a special tradition in the "Apokries" because they party more than a lot of other cities. It's also very unique. Anyway, I'll have more on that matter on Sunday (the actual day of the "Apokries"). Some (credible) source told me that tomorrow they're going to put grills on the central square of Lefkada and overcook different meats to celebrate Tsiknopempti and make this year look like one of the good old days in this celebration. If anyone goes I know they'll have fun, and I wish I could go.

2/5/99 ----> First of all, let me wish everyone a Happy New Year and may 1999 be the best one ever! Sorry that I haven't made any updates for the last month and more, but there was a loss in the family and I didn't have any time. But there really are not a lot of news anyway. New Year's Eve was a quiet one, and the usual people from the group "Diana" did not go out in the early morning hours as they usually do (playing tricks on different well known people of the city). January didn't have a lot of news in Lefkada. Of course the schools are still on strike, and everyone is concerned about that big problem (especially in a place like Lefkada where kids don't have as many chances in higher education as kids do in Athens or Thessaloniki). Friends say that they won't back down, but personally I believe that they should end the whole thing, or else a whole year will be lost. I have some sad news that are not really for Lefkada, but for close-by Vonitsa. There were 4 sea-turtles from the endangered species named Caretta-Caretta found dead in the shores yesterday. And even more disturbing is that they were shot (as holes can be seen through their bodies) and word has it that fishermen did it to "get back at them" for destroying their nets. I know the case is probably closed right there, because they can't do anything more. But I hope that there won't be any more of that, because it's really sad to see acts like that take place. About Lefkada Internet news now, I found a new page about the island of Lefkas, but it has the same usual old information. No pictures or any other interesting things. Click here to go. Go and visit them if you want and tell me what you think of them. Also, for the Lefkadites in USA, I found out that the Greek Music and Video that is located in Astoria have a video tape of Lefkas (and Kefallonia in the same tape). I haven't seen it yet but I guess it will be interesting. The cost is something like $13.00 and you can go to their site and try to find it, or if you have the new 1999 catalog you'll find it in the section of the travel videos. It'd be really nice if we could get some video clips of Lefkada in this page!!!

12/24/98 ----> Christmas Eve, and Merry Christmas to all from all the Lefkadites and the Lefkada Home Page. Today is a special day of tradition in the island. People are awake from early in the morning, as the little kids go around and sing those Christmas Carols. The streets are full of life and Christmas Spirit. In the afternoon, the Orchestra will go out and in a synchronized big group will sing the Christmas Carols in all neighborhoods, from door to door. Also, later in the evening the Philarmonica band will go do the same thing as they have always been doing for the last 150 years! All churches are expected to be full tonight, and a lot of parties will follow. Merry Christmas again from all of us here.
12/17/98 -----> As of yesterday, there were two fishermen missing in the island of Lefkas. They were from Perigiali, and nobody really knew them - they were closed people. Today one of them was found in the Scorpios area dead, while the other is still missing. There are stories of this being a murder event, but most likely the other fisherman has died also. I'll try to post any latest news.

11/31/98 -----> Today there was a big event in Lefkada. A fishing boat had discovered an underground bomb in the waters of the port of Lefkas. A special crew picked it up to examine it, and it ended up looking pretty big and could cause a big disaster!!! The crew put it back in the water again slowly and safely. They moved it a little farther, about 1 mile in open waters, the waters between the Kastro Beach and the opposite beach. A couple of divers surrounded it with dynamite, and then they blew it up! The explosion was big and water got many feet up in the air. NOW it will be a fishing spot I bet, all the fish will get around there.

11/23/98 ----> There are no real news at this point, because I just started to write in here. Lefkada has been hit by the big storm that has hit the rest of the greek cities and islands, but not so bad. The old people of the island said that they hadn't seen such a big storm in the Ionian Sea, but it didn't cause many problems. The buses can still get to Athens, but not from the usual route.