It is estimated that globally, one woman in three will be beaten or raped in her lifetime. On February 14 ONE BILLION women and those who love them were invited to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to this violence.
I am proud to report that the people of Molyvos stood up to be counted.
The Sarlitza Palace Hotel in Thermi was designed by French architects and built in 1909 by order of the Turkish Sovereign Hasan Mola Moustafa. It once attracted Kings and Heads of State. For more than 40 years visitors and celebrities from all over the world were drawn by its opulence and healing waters. It began to fall into decline in the 60′s and eventually closed in 1980. “Sarlitza Palace” means Palace of the Yellow Spring, after the thermal springs that are located next to the hotel.
The Prefecture of the Northern Aegean has submitted a proposal to the hotel’s current owners to return the Sarlitza Palace to its former glory. The Prefecture will undertake the restoration of the existing buildings and maintenance of the hot springs. It further hopes, pending approval by the state archaeological and other services, to fund the construction of additional facilities to turn the grounds into a thermal spring therapeutic centre or a tourism development centre.
Update June 2014 – Rumour locally is that the project has faltered in its early stages. The fear is that the hotel will be beyond repair and restoration before the bureaucracy is overcome.
I am trying to find more information on the status of the project. Please email us if you have any information to add.
Felt at 16:17 Tuesday 8th January 2013
Magnitude 5.8
39.64º N 25.55° E
Depth of 11 km
Only lasted a couple of seconds but it made my castor chair move.
Reported by Centre Sismologique Euro-Méditerranéen
The Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th. In Greece, Epiphany marks the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan with the tradition of the Blessing of the Waters.
Molyvos was bitterly cold but the risk of hypothermia was not enough to put off the brave (some might say foolish). The village gathered at the entrance to the harbour wrapped in their warmest coats. Except of course for the hardy few who await the chance of glory in their swimming shorts.
After the divine liturgy, the priest cast the cross into the water and the brave volunteers dive in and race to and retrieve the cross.
We salute all the young men who helped maintain an old tradition and congratulations to Alexandros Moliviatis who got there first.
Despite all the warnings, the world did not end on December 21 (well if it did, I apologise, but nobody told me). So 2013 is here and I wanted to wish you all Καλή χρονιά. 
On New Year’s day, Molyvos was bathed in beautiful warming sunshine and we took the opportunity to sit out by the harbour and enjoy a coffee whilst watching the world go by. It is true that not much of the world did go by, winter here is very quiet, or perhaps the rest of the world did end and we missed it. That would be typical of the laid back attitude here, the world ends and Lesvos forgot to turn up! So assuming that there are still people out there to read this, I hope that in 2013 you
- find happiness
- enjoy fantastic health
- visit Lesvos and fall even deeper under its spell