. May Day at Vigla Saturday 1st May
May Day equals celebration around Greece, which of course includes Ithaca. Vigla is one of the most traditional celebrations on the island and to get to it, involves a hike whether it be from Raxi or from Stavros or Anoghi. By foot is the only way. The most tread path is the Raxi path, but we decided to take the Stavros path. The first 20 minutes we were lost, when we finally connected with the path symbols (painted on rock) again, it was an intense rock| mountain climbing exercise for the first quarter of the way. After that, it was magical.

Along the way you are most likely going to see a scull or two hung in some scraggly tree branches. A little 'Apocalypse Now' in an Ithaki kind of way. In Spring there are also wild flowers everywhere, including a Garlic flower. This bloom is edible and smells good enough to put in spaghetti. When you get deep into the bush and forest land of Ithaki, you will also see some tree trunks that have protruded their way through rock and stone over centuries.

 
 
Many locals had been at Vigla since dawn, Spitting up the goat and lamb over an open fire. Without music, locals sang their way through all the best of Greek repertoire.
  
 

The Vigla festa has such a wonderfully traditional atmosphere. The little church is so far away from everything, yet the hint of civilization is always there with the distant view of Exoghi village. It's not until you look across that you realize that Vigla is quite high up.

 
 
The weather was just perfect. There was also plenty of shade under the age old olive and oak trees. Some locals proclaimed they could easily make up a bed and stay at Vigla forever. Photographs can't portray just how wonderful this area really is. You forget about the economy, the taxes...everything.

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