The Skiathos Bulletin Board

skiathos lad · Joined: 08 Jan 2006 Posts: 292 Location: skiathos

small parts are owned by the church, a Greek multimillionaire (named fix- there was a beer produced by his family) and the biggest part belongs to the skiathos institution created by the skiathian captain epifaniu.
he changed his name to epifaniadis to honor his wife.
this boy was the greatest BENEFACTOR of the island.
his donations and charitable works are many.
latest is the new home for the elderly which is almost completed.
he has passed away but he left us his institute which continues according with his wishes.
so here is his story. and it is a sweet one:
when young but very able, he looked for work like many other, young boys at the time on the merchant navy boats.
soon he became a captain and run many trips, specially to the black sea, Russia.
there, and because he was a tall young good looking lad , he met with the aristocracy, for shipping business and got invited to many dances and parties.
one time he met with a pretty young girl (relative to the char family- a princes).
she fell in love at first sight and they started to court.
later he received her desperate letter, to please come and rescue her from the Bolsheviks and the revolution that threaten her life.
he rushed back for her, disobeying his orders and risking jail, and just in the nick of time managed to save her.
her parents facing death, gave them chests full of gold and diamonds, but didn't escape.
he brought her home to skiathos and after introducing her to his parents they got married here and built a lovely house ( it is still here at the middle of the new port- yacht club or something).
with the treasure he built a large fleet of merchant boats and became the biggest greek ship owner.
they lived most of their lives in skiathos and since god didn't bless them with children, found happiness on each other and from helping many skiathians in need.
they passed away very near each other at late years, but before created a foundation the EPEFANIADIS INSTITUTE that would continue their charitable deeds.
if i have bored you then plz read more:
some cousin of the epifaniu family and his mom, have taken the institute to courts and demand that all the property (there is many lands) and money belong to them.
tsungria is among the lands.
if they win the case all they want to do is sell so come on guys enjoy it while we still can.
there are 4 beaches all lovely.
George Harrison and some lawyers from apple arrived in the early 60s. but.....
oh and at the time there was a group performing on the burtzi ( the greatest disco at the time) called MARMALADE
AND BLAH BLA BLA BLA .......
AUGUST BLUES AGIN
SHIGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH

Elle · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject:

WOW lovely story Mike!!!
Is it true that Tsougria was where the old hospital and port authority were? (we know of the oil factory there...)

We'd heard that the Church wouldn't sell it's share in the island - well, yet - so even if the courts award the family w/ the properties it still could be a while before the island gets carved up into exclusive villas, wall-to-wall hotels and resort time shares... ?
Wink

Let's hope.

And hopefully it won't happen at least until I'm old as dirt and dead and gone and scattered with the 4 directions over the Aegean Sea... I love that place.
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Ian · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:30 am Post subject:

Very interesting story Mike, and thanks for sharing it with us.

When they get down to the legal details, they will find that Captain Epifaniadis knew there was a "sitting tenant" on the island, Who will be very hard to evict, having been resident for many years.
The Tsougria mosquito is very vicious and guards the island by night. It should stay untouched for a few years yet Wink

...
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orley · Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Posts: 196 Location: Hopeman

How romantic, what a lovely story. Smile

skiathos lad · Joined: 08 Jan 2006 Posts: 292 Location: skiathos

here is another one:
last year, , as i were getting my anchor up discussed for having to depart early for work,from tsungrias main beach, came 2-3 very large waves which knoked us about, and my little girl fell and hurt her arm.
the responsible party was a large yacht, that had come at big speeds (very illegal) and just were maneuvering for a stop.
i thought id get near and let them have a nice verbal beating for their stupidity, before calling the port police to report them, but as i got there i realized that with the sound of my engine and theirs this would be an impossible task.
i noticed that on the top floor (a 4 Decker superstructure)
was a beautiful dark haired lady, wearing a very sexy bikini, that gave orders, weaving her hands, directing 5-6 crewman.
i later discovered that she was yanna angelopulu, the lady that were the head of greek olympic comity for the 2004 athens games.
she spend 4 days on skiathos and very cleverly built up her public image by doing the following:
taxi to kukunaries bill 12 euros, she gave a 500 bill, change a tip!
lunch same story
kunistra visit again, a few candles, same tip
sleep in by the steps, bill 48 euros, then the water fainted for again a 500 note, the change tip.
for the rest of the month all skiathos talked about the bloody 500 notes and the tips,
all including myself secretly hoped for a visit from this GREAT (IRONY) LADY, BIG SPENDER.
then we found out the reason:
she was buying good will ( very cheap at less than 5000 euros on tips) for her big wish is to BUY TSUNGRIA.
i hope she falls and brakes her arm cause she hurt my kid, and i hope she NEVER GETS OUR BELOVED PARADISE.......

Elle · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:58 pm Post subject:

Yes, Ian - theat voracious Tsougria mosquito will make it difficult for anyone to enjoy the island after dusk unless they spend millions of euro filling in the brackish backwater there, which is where they breed!

For once, I am admiring the little monsters...
Twisted Evil

Mosquitos made it close to impossible for anyone to enjoy the #2 taverna last year, which was hoping to be the new after-dark Arkos rival.
_________________
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
- HH The Dalai Lama
--
modern folk music
http://www.cdbaby.com/all/kammmac
http://www.myspace.com/paulkammandeleanoremacdonald

skiathos lad · Joined: 08 Jan 2006 Posts: 292 Location: skiathos

i wish it were that simple.
you see all it would take TO GET RID OF THE MOSIES IS SOME KILOS OF TDT OR EVEN SOME CANS OF PETROL. the only reason it hasn't been done yet, from mihalis at the first taverna is that he is scared of the skiathos environmentalists and true enough they are the only ones that can protect this beautiful place.
some years back people tried to mess with vromolimnos dirty lake, and previously had tried to destroy the airport lake, but were stopped by the environmentalists which seem to have a strong majority, and the support on the town council.

Elle · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:54 pm Post subject:

thank goodness for environmentalists everywhere - though to some people, 'environmentalists' is a dirty word.
But -if nothing else - they are saving Tsougria!! Imagine what the use of Petrol and/or DDT would have done (or would do) to the sea - not good.
(Now - if those environmentalists that I hear rumor of on Skiathos would get to work cleaning the 2nd beach...)

Does that water ever dry up? I remember being there in September and October, and it was still a stinky, murky, mosquitoey mess... does it get filled by fresh water springs, as well as winter storms?

Here in the states, both petrol and most chemicals are absolutely unnacceptable options - even the sophisticated new chemicals that do get used are considered to be cancer causing and have to be used with great caution. DDT was banned long ago - you really DON'T want that stuff anywhere near you or your children, or any food you are going to eat.. the air you breathe...

They do a lot of 'landfill' here... that is how they deal with backwaters and swamp and marshlands that have to be 'de watered' to get rid of mosquitoes that spread a disease we have here now (that affects birds, horses and humans) called 'West Nile Virus'..... the 'lakes' are filled in with dirt, and more dirt and more dirt... and then, more dirt. And then - MORE dirt! They can't just burn them or poison them anymore.

I think the mosquitoes, and Tsougria, will have the last laugh...

xo
Elle
_________________
"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
- HH The Dalai Lama
--
modern folk music
http://www.cdbaby.com/all/kammmac
http://www.myspace.com/paulkammandeleanoremacdonald