Looking for new adventures - my 4th summer on Kefalonia Is., Greece

It's been a long time since my last post but you know how it is: better later than never!
This summer I've met for the first time in my life 2 romanian couples who came to Kefalonia for their first time and they told me that my blog was the reason of their holiday. WOW!!! I was totally blown away...so...people are reading Blugu'lu'Beldi!!! Well then, let me give you an update of the summer season of 2016.
Summer came to an end and the autumn leaves are covering the streets of my hometown. I arrived back to Romania at the beginning of October covering my tanned body with a sweater and a jacket as I left the 28 degrees back to Greece and got ready for barely 16 at home.

Playing with rocks on Skala beach

 It was my 4th summer on this blue and green still not fully discovered paradise called Kefalonia. As I visited more than a couple of times the most well known places on the island, this time I was concentrating on discovering new places and new adventures. Of course for you guys who are planning to visit Kefalonia for the first time I have couple of recommendations that you can find at the end of this article. As for the rest of you I will focus on describing couple of amazing adventures and places that made my summer great. The next couple of weeks I will try my best to write in detail about all my days off and all the places I've visited. For those who don't follow this blog I got to tell you that I am working as an entertainment manager in a hotel on the island, I absolutely love my job and for the past 4 summers I got the chance to live and work in an amazing place. My job is great so I don't feel like I'm working and I am so lucky to be in this position , especially in this age and time when to do what I do is considered more and more an ideal, a dream job.

Assos village

So, let's get straight to it. Assos remains my favorite place for a great meal by the seaside, surrounded by flowers and the sound of waves. I enjoy that it's not very busy and it has a certain dreamy air that make me consider it a place where I could retire to and write my memoirs.

Colourful doors and windows in Fiskardo / Antisamos beach

Antisamos is still my favourite beach as the clear blue sea, the white stones and the green hills around it transform the place in a beautiful exotic retreat. This summer I found the courage to do the "rings" at water sports there and I have to say only this: IT WAS WORTH IT!!!
I ate probably the best chocolate souffle ever in Fiskardo and I was delighted once more by the kindness of the locals and the multitude of colours of the whole place.
Next to Fiskardo I've been for the first time on Emplisi beach and it wasn't disappointing at all, clear blue water, relaxing atmosphere, a very nice forest you can walk through it's near by.

Sunset on Vrahinari beach

The best spots for seeing a sunset were this summer Vrahinari beach, where you can also have a tasteful meal in the restaurant there and Petani Bay Hotel, with its infinity pool, that was absolutely superb.

Secluded beach on the way from Vatsa to Platia Ammos, Paliki

Having a boat ride to Platia Ammos was unpredictable and a perfect last day off with my whole team, I have to thank Spyros for that, the owner of Vatsa taverna where you can also enjoy a great wine and hands down the best seafood ever.

Makris Gialos beach - Costa Costa / Myrtos beach

On the other side of the island I was enjoying once more by the view over the whole island and Zakynthos seen from Ainos Mt.; great night life in Argostoli. You can find there plenty of clubs and coffee shops open until late at night and I was surprised in a very good way that this year there was another ferry company providing trips from Lixouri to Argostoli and back until 3:30 in the morning during the high season so that facilitate our way to Argostoli and back as we were based all the way down to Kounopetra.

Platia Ammos beach seen from atop

Costa Costa / Makri Gialos beach is fun, full of young people, water sports and positive vibes. Hitchhiking to Ai Helis and Ammes beaches was an adventure worth mentioning. We had a great time relaxing and exploring the beautiful and long beach of Skala. And I finished my summer with an 1 day boat trip to Shipwreck and the blue caves, that was great as well.

Zakynthos Is. seen from the top of Ainos Mt.

Basically these are the highlights of my summer. I'll get through all of them and many more on the future posts. Next summer on my bucket list I already have two things: paragliding on Myrtos, two of my friends already did it and they made me jealous about it and parasailing on Xi beach is a must. A great relaxing massage session in Apollonion hotel has to follow.

Myself in Fiskardo :)

Be sure to check my previous adventures on Kefalonia by clicking H E R E !!! or by searching for "Cronicile Kefaloniene" on my blog.
Check out also my Facebook photography page for daily updates.

Have a great evening and talk to you soon.

Beldi

Poate asculti si tu: fun. - Some Nights

Putini sunt cei care au auzit de trio-ul New York-ez fun. inainte de succesul atins cu melodia "We Are Young". Albumul de debut , "Aim and Ignite" , a facut putina valva in Statele Unite, insa cel de-al 2-lea , "Some Nights" , a schimbat regulile jocului.

Vorbim despre un album extrem de stilizat; in urma colaborarii dintre trupa si producatorul hip hop Jeff Bhasker a rezultat un amestec izbitor, emotiv, indie-rock, radio-friendly, aromatizat cu beat-uri urbane. Cu toate aceste elemente pe post de fundatie, albumul ni se prezinta inchegat si rapid.

Baietii din fun. (Ruess, Jack Antonoff si Andrew Dost) au avut ca surse de inspiratie albume hip-hop precum "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" al lui Kanye West si "Take Care" al lui Drake, doua albume in care emotia si extravaganta fuzioneaza perfect. Rezultatul acestor influente in combinatie cu sunetul indie-pop este exact acel ceva de care fun. avea nevoie pentru a atinge inaltimi electrizante.

Tesatura intro-ului care da si titlul albumului este formata din prestanta jurnalelor de stiri, rafalele unei opere si strigatele unui film de groaza, toate desfasurate intr-o atmosfera emo combinata cu cea a unei sali de bal.
 

Brodat cu accente teatrale, pe "Some Nights" - al 2-lea single - Ruess este in intregime in elementul sau. Vocea lui exuberanta urca si coboara cu usurinta, creand astfel un frumos du-te vino cu ajutorul ritmului de mars al fanfarei , in timp ce anumite efecte de autotune sunt presarate inspre sfarsit. Piesa nu stationeaza pe un anumit tempo pentru mult timp, purtand ascultatorul intr-o plimbare incitanta.



Primul single a stationat timp de 6 saptamani pe pozitia fruntasa a celebrului Billboard Hot 100, facand "We Are Young" primul cantec rock care sa atinga acest loc in ultimii 4 ani. Sfidand conventiile de compozitie, cantecul imbina ritmul alert cu cel domol si beneficiaza de backing vocals din partea talentatei Janelle Monáe.
 

In timp ce fun. ofera o portie destul de cheesy de pop-rock, sunt cumva in acelasi timp aproape de comparatii cu trupa Queen cand vine vorba despre tonuri indraznete , dramatice. "Carry On" reuseste sa combine ritmurile unui imn pop adolescentin cu maturitatea versurilor scrise parca de varstnicii Billy Joel sau Paul Simon si se arunca intr-un refren cu rezonante inalte pe langa o interpretare mahnita.
 

Ruess nu este un tanar care sa se lase impiedicat de subtilitati si suna ciudat de vesel pe melodii care abordeaza subiecte precum tradarea, singuratatea sau moartea mamei sale.

"All Alone" si "All Alright" amesteca diferite sunete (beat-uri hip-hop , instrumente cu corzi, voci extrem de ridicate si un cor de copii) pentru a crea doua dintre cele mai bune melodii de pe album. In afara de acestea exista inca o mana de piese care vor reusi sa atraga atat noii fani cat si sa-i mentina pe cei vechi si sa-i convinga ca noua directie in care se indreapta trupa este cea mai buna varianta ("Why Am I The One" iese in evidenta); dar in mare parte "Some Nights" reprezinta incercarea trupei de a aborda noi dinamici si structuri.



Basul din bombasticul "One Foot" sigur iti va face masina sa zbarnaie si zanganeasca in timp ce "It Gets Better" suna ca un experiment care debordeaza de energie hiperkinetica. Reactia initiala poate fi una de dezgust, dar crede-ma cand spun acest cantec devine cu adevarat mai bun dupa cateva ascultari.

Cele sapte minute ale lui "Stars" nu sunt deloc stangace astfel fantezia intunecata si intortocheata a celor de la fun. incheie albumul cu o felie de epic pop orbitor. Multi vor observa folosirea autotune-ului care la prima ascultare deranjeaza si pare total inutila mai ales pe o voce ca cea a lui Ruess, insa din momentul in care incepi sa aluneci in atmosfera creata de melodie vei intelege ca este folosit cu scop artistic pentru a adauga un fler autentic sound-ului lor si pentru a continua sa indoaie barierele ca muzicieni.

"Some Nights" este compact, elegant, experimental dar intunecat. E epic, dar e introvertit. E foarte ciudat, dar extrem de comercial. E un mare si frumos oximoron. 

fun. vor atrage la fel de multi haters cat si fani iar daca istoria ne-a invatat ceva , asta este semnul ca ceva special se intampla. Un 9/10 din partea mea si pe repeat inca o saptamana.