Wednesday 30 April 2014

Z for Zakynthos

The last letter, Z, is here. The challenge is coming to an end, and it feels like saying goodbye to a friend. A friend who has stayed for a month, but who you are sad is leaving (and yet you are also a tiny bit relieved). Hmm. I could play the Norwegian card... - because our alphabet doesn't end with Z. After Z comes the letters Æ, Ø and Å ..So if I want, I can keep the party going for 3 more days. But what's the fun in partying alone...?

No, let us do the farewell party together. And you know, to my own surprise I discovered that I have yet to take you to one of my top favorite places on earth: the Greek islands - the perfect place for a party, even a farewell party. Conveniently enough, one of the island, (and a beautiful one) starts with Z, so today I am taking you to the white beaches of Zakynthos. What do you say dear reader? Are you in?

Greece has over 3000 islands, and the Greek islands is a concept itself. Hoards of tourists are every year attracted to the crystal clear blue waters, the white beaches, the food, the culture and history of Greece. And most of them go to one of the islands.

Zakynthos is in the Ionian sea and is the third largest of the Ionian islands. It is an island with green hills, gorgeous beaches and villages packed with atmosphere. It has its name after Zakynthos, the son of a legendary Archadian chief Dardanus. Zakynthos' nickname is To fioro tou Levante meaning The flower of the East, given by the Venetians.
VisitGreece.com
So, lets gather at one of the beaches, stretch out in the white sand, and just be.. Hearing the waves coming in, feeling the soft sand between our toes..And - look: there is someone joining us with a bouzouki  - and warm music fills the air .. At sunset we can do barbecue, get some refreshing drinks, dance and the night is still young under the stars on the beach of Zakynthos......


And you can stay here for a while, if you like, dear reader? You can jump with parachute, or just relax and rest a bit. We do need it. Our grande world tour of 26 dream destinations in 26 days has come to an end. I am feeling a bit melancholic. But this doesn't have to be Goodbye... I am going to head back to Mumbai now, and you are so very welcome to join me and follow my tales from there. I hope you will.

So, sitting on that beach with sand between my toes and with a chilled glass in my hand, I am signing off atoz 2014. But what is a party without music? I give you a favorite of mine, a song of Giannis Ploutarchos: To Fonazo. ( = I scream it: my love). With love to you dear reader who came along to all my dream destinations. I hope you will enjoy:

  
And always remember: Chase the dreams wherever they may lead, and live today. Enjoy your moment. Be blessed and happy.

Bye bye dear fellow travel companion - my humble thank you - for coming along!

1-30 April I participate in the A to Z blogger challenge, and this post is written as a part of that challenge. Check out some amazing participating blogs hereMy theme for the challenge is Dream Destinations. I hope you had fun coming along. 

57 comments:

  1. Well done, Champion Eli:) Zakynthos is awesome and ma kinda place..hope I can get to visit the place to relish the secluded me:)

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    1. Thanks a lot fellow champion Vishal! Have enjoyed being on the challenge with you:-)

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  2. Greece in October! Probably no beaching, though...Congrats on finishing the A-Z! (http://www.reflectionsenroute.com)

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    1. Thank you Corinne! And the same to you:-)

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  3. Great finish to a great challenge! Never heard of this place before but loved the snaps! Great to have met you through this challenge!

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    1. Thank you Danny! Has been so great to meet you too:-)

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  4. It is perfect place to to complete an alphabetical destination wishlist....loved all your dream destinations. ... Congratulations on completing this challenge...

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    1. Thank you so much! And congrats back to you:-) Hugs

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  5. You have finished this challenge in style, Eli. What a lovely destination and what an amazing journey! Congratulations on completing this challenge.

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    1. So happy for your kind words Sulekkha:-) Thank you and congrats to you also:-)

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  6. And thank you too! It's been great reading about your dream destinations.
    Anabel at Anabel's Travel Blog

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    1. Thanks Anabel - happy to see you here:-)

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  7. Hi Eli, I echo your feelings about the last one month and how we huddled together. Nice way to introduce the party place Zakynthos. Am sure Greece is very beautiful...

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    1. Thank you so much Jayanta- has been so great to connect with you:-)

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  8. Brilliant post... Congrats for finishing the challenge!

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  9. Congrats on finishing the challenge - and with such a wonderful destination!

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  10. What a wonderful place to have the farewell party! Thanks Eli for taking us all to Zakynthos. Beautiful pictures! But lets not think of it as a farewell farewell party..let it be a party to celebrate new beginnings and new friendships beyond the A-Z challenge. Congratulations for finishing the challenge and I know how tired you must be from all that traveling :) I hope to see you around in the blogosphere once you are rested and refreshed :)

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    1. Ahh Beloo- so happy to read your kinds words! Yes, here's to new friendships and new beginnings:-) Big hugs to you dear

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  11. Congratulations Eli on successfully completing the challenge. And I echo your thoughts. Its like saying goodbye to a friend. :)

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  12. Love this post, your effortless style and a superb destination to finish with. But it's not the end as I will be following you to Mumbai.
    Hope I can visit the island one day.
    http://www.inderpreetkaur.blogspot.in/2014/04/zealous-zeal.html?m=1

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    1. Aaaww- happy you are coming along to Mumbai, and thanks for your kind words Inderpreet:-) Hugs

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  13. Congrats on completing the challenge. I have yet to visit Zakynthos but hope to be able to visit that beautiful beach one day! :)

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    1. Hope you will too! Thank you so much:-)

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  14. Oh, I'd love to visit! Hopefully someday....

    Congrats on your successful challenge!! I'd enjoy the three additional Norwegian letters, but I guess doing it alone *would* be a little too much?! :)

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    1. He he - thanks Cindi - yeah - I figured - a little too much..:-) Big hugs my friend:-)

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  15. Most of the beautiful places around the Greek Islands are ridden with awe-inspiring and fantasy-wrought myths and legends.

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  16. Congratulations on completing this challenge! I haven't spent much time on your blog over this challenge which I am sorry about because just looking at some of your posts I really think I have missed out. I am going to try and spend some time over the next few days reading over some of them and commenting.

    This is a really great way to end the challenge. We did a post on Greece for the letter X - Xanthi and researched many of the Greek islands that are just gorgeous! Great way to finish and congratulations on your success.

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    1. Great Chris -- I almost did Xanthi too - very close to where we live in Greece...:-) So happy to see you here, and please visit again. Will pop over to your blog:-)

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  17. Adventure packed post. I will miss being a part of the A-to-Z challenge, let us keep visiting each other through the year and catch up at the 2015 challenge :)

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    1. Me too Shine - we'll keep in touch:-) Thanks.

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  18. Dearest Eli,
    You have come full circle with your month long challenge and a perfect ending with your love for Greece!
    Hugs to you,
    Mariette

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    1. Dear Mariette - that's true- back where I started - in Greece:-) Big hugs back to you:-)

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  19. Excellent way to round off the challenge. Well done on completing it. You're on my reading list now, so don't think you've head the last from me!

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    1. Ha ha ha - that's great Keith ! Happy to connect with you, thanks for your kind words:-)

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  20. Eli I really want to go here sometime! And it will happen! These travel posts, beautiful photographs, amazing description makes me crave to travel there! While these mentions makes me weak, traveling there makes me strong! Gosh! I am feeling a sensation in my feet! :))
    Congratulations for completing the challenge! Awesome end--- longing for Greece :D

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    1. I hope you will Shesha - follow that sensation, dear:-) Your kind words make me so happy - thank you so much.

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  21. Congratulations on successfully completing the challenge.. Great post to end it ...

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    1. Thank you so much Preethi - and congrats to you also:-)

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  22. Zakynthos - the name itself is so beautiful and dreamy!!
    Eli superb A-Z series! I had so much fun traveling with you.... Amongst the intense writing, your posts were like a refreshing break for me. I would read and close my eyes and inhale the beautiful places you took us to. Thanks my love!

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    1. Aaaww Aditi - your kind words make me sooooo happy! Thank you so much dear!! Big hugs to you

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  23. One of our students commented, "This is my kind of place! I hope I get to visit sometime." Visiting from A to Z Challenge at Learning at Cedar Ridge Academy and Cedar Ridge Academy

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  24. Not only do we come to know something unique about a place but also language! This is nice :-) beyond Z too? Well bring it on :P *runs*

    Richa

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    1. He he he - happy to have you here Richa dear - always:-)

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  25. I'm totally in Eli. Beautiful pictures ad now you've me longing to go back to Greece. I've never been to Zakynthos but it's definitely on the list after reading your text and seeing all your beautiful pictures. Thank you so very much for sharing sweet Eli.

    Take care!

    Lotta
    xx

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    1. Thank you so much dear Lotta! You make me so happy with your kind words. Big hugs to you :-)

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  26. Hi Eli, congrats on completing the challenge! I'm sure you had fun like me. I nominated you for the Liebster Award. Please see my link for more details and copy/paste the award to yours. Michelle
    http://writer-way.blogspot.com/2014/05/liebster-nominations.html

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    1. Oh wow - thank you so much Michelle:-) That's a big honor. Makes me so happy - coming from you dear:-) Hugs

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  27. You've completed it successfully, all around a beautiful theme. Congrats!!

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  28. Αγαπημένη μου Eli, τι υπέροχο το αφιέρωμα σου στην Ζάκυνθο και πόσο όμορφα και ποιητικά λόγια για την Ελλάδα!
    Σ΄ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ! Ελπίζω να έρθεις πάλι ...Κι εμείς σ αγαπάμε!
    Πολλά φιλιά

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    1. Αγαπημενη μου φιλεναδα! Ποσο χαιρουμε καθε φορα που σε βλεπω εδω!! Ευχαριστω για τα ωραια σου λογια! Με πολυ αγαπη!!

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  29. Dear Eli, I nominated you for Sunshine blog award for your wonderful style of writing...Do check my post on the topic to know more about it.

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    1. Oh wow Jayanta - thank you so much:-) That is a huge honor - so happy you send it my way:-) All the best

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