Tuesday, April 24, 2012

bye bye winter


Seems like everybody enjoy the spring with all its beauty and warm weather. Winter cold months are already forgotten like never happened. Pascha has passed and only summer is ahead of us. 


Today I post a last look at white peaks of Panachaiko from February this year to remember that winter can also be beautiful.

Photo: Panasonic DMC-FX 150, Normal Mode, f 1/5.6, 1/400s, 0EV, f=104mm (for 35mm), GIMP

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

industrial powerhouse


Patras was once an industrial powerhouse in Greece and Saint George's Mill was once one of the biggest industry icons of Patras. Achaea Clauss vinery, Peiraiki-Patraiki textile factory, Pirelli, Veso soap factory, are just few of the other biggest to mention. Unfortunately most of them shared the same story of bankruptcy in late 1980s after nationalization of most of Greek big industry in the whole country. Today, there are only relicts left, empty buildings, very often in the very center of Patras.


That is exactly the case of Saint George Mill. It was built in 1932 and stayed operational until 1990. Today, unwanted and forgotten, full of broken windows, damaged and a little scary, this huge factory stands like a scar on Patras waterfront, one of many scars. All this just 500m from the most busy area of the city - pedestrian Ag Nikolaou and Riga Fereou, where all the cafes, bars and expensive shops are, where thousands of people are passing during sunny Saturday noon.

Photo: NIKON D70s, AP, f 1/9, 1/400s, -0.3EV, f=75 mm (for 35mm), GIMP software

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

the gem of patras


Patra’s lighthouse is a replica, located across the Agios Andreas church, at the end of Trion Navarchon street. But the original one, was located in the port, at the end of the pier at Agios Nikolaos street. It was built together with the port in 1878, entirely from stone. The lighthouse very fast became a symbol of Patras. The café, just next to the lighthouse, was always crowded and many concerts and events took place in the area (most of the best known singers performed there).


The photo presents today’s replica, built in 1999 as part of renovation of the coastal area south west from the port. The original structure was demolished during port expansion and modernization in 1972 after almost a century of its glamour. It took another almost 30 years for replica to appear on Patra’s coast line again. But the old glory never really came back…

Photo: NIKON D70s, AP, f 1/6.3, 1/1600s, -0.3EV, f=75 mm (for 35mm), GIMP software