Ice sculpture - Ballance w/c 31/12/07

Every year Livigno in northern Italy hosts an international ice sculpture competition, Art in Ice.  We hadn't checked out the titles when posed in this one called Ballance [sic] - but it was the most appropriate one for cross country skiers.  Balance, co-ordination and rhythm being the essentials of cross country ski-ing.

Livigno, Italy w/c 23/12/07

• At 1,800m Livigno has an excellent snow record which makes it a good choice for early season cross country and alpine ski-ing.  Every December it hosts the cross country ski race, La Sgambeda, which opens the FIS Marathon Cup series.

Double Oval - West London w/c 16/12/07

Kew Gardens, host to the fantastic Henry Moore exhibition, lies underneath the flight path to Heathrow, the world's busiest international airport although this rarely spoils your enjoyment of the place.  The sculpture Double Oval frames a typical West London skyscape shortly before closing time.

Knife Edge Two Piece w/c 9/12/08

Unmistakeably Kew, unmistakeably Henry Moore.

Henry Moore at Kew 1 w/c 3/12/07

Entitled Double Oval, this is one of the 28 Henry Moore sculptures now on show at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew until 30 March 2008.  It's a superb opportunity to see these impressive works and enjoy the sculptural look of the Gardens in winter, and get double value for money. 

I liked the way you could move in and around this massive piece to see so many different organic shapes and views. 

Rindomo Gorge w/c 26/11/07

The Rindomo Gorge begins high in the Taygetos mountains in the Outer Mani and descends through spectacular scenery to the coast near Megali Mandinia.  As it's dry most of the year there's a strenuous trekking route along the bed of the gorge.  However always check the weather forecast as heavy rains can result in flash flooding, especially in winter, making it impassable.

Spurge hawkmoth larvae w/c 19/11/07

Caterpillars and butterflies emerge as the autumn flowers appear in the Greek countryside.  These beautiful spurge hawkmoth larvae, as their name suggests, hatch out on spurge or euphorbia [the sap is poisonous so avoid touching the plant] which grows wild all over the Mani. 

Sea urchin shell w/c 12/11/07

Black sea urchins are found all around the rocky shores of Greece and are members of the phylum echinodermata [from the Greek meaning spiny skin] and are related to starfish.  The similarity becomes apparent when you look at the beautiful shell and see the lines radiating from a central point.  See Wikipedia for more information about these creatures.

Fishing in Kitries bay w/c 05/11/07

The fishing season has started in Greece and boats like this one work their way around the Messinian Gulf.  You can still occasionally buy fish straight from the dock in Kalamata and the market always has an ultra fresh selection [with tails in the air - a sure sign of freshness] which they will happily clean for you.

October olive tree w/c 29/10/07

Olive trees are highly resistant to drought but this year they're finding it really tough after months of no rain and summer heatwaves.  This tree looks deceptively healthy but on closer inspection the olives were small and already changing colour so there will be little to gather at harvest time which usually starts in December.

Wild cyclamen w/c 22/10/07

Wild pink cyclamen flower all over the Greek countryside in the autumn - they like a little shade to protect them from the sun so you find them in olive groves, on shrubby hillsides, in walls and protruding from crevices in rocks.

Autumn crocus w/c 15/10/07

The delicate flowers of the autumn crocus, or colchicum autumnale, contrast with the rocky crevices and bare, hard earth that they emerge from.  You can spot these flowers along the tracks and in the fields around the village of Megali Mandinia in the Outer Mani.

Koskarakas Gorge w/c 8/10/07

Travel south from Kalamata into the Mani and you cross the spectacular Koskarakas gorge between Kriskios and Kambos. Walk down to the old bridge [pictured] and you can see the earlier simple stone structure hidden deep in the trees.

Kambos w/c 01/10/07

Explore the quiet village lanes of Kambos in the Outer Mani and you'll find the smallest church in Messenia, the ruined mansion of a 19th century prime minister and an ancient beehive tomb.

Sea squills w/c 24/09/07

Late afternoon - Messinian Gulf w/c 17/09/07

The ever-changing light over the Messinian Gulf produces magical views from the Olive Press in Megali Mandinia.

Trikotsova castle w/c 09/09/07

Trikotsova is the first mediaval castle that you see guarding the road south into the Mani from Kalamata.  Located near the village of Haravgi, it's some 10k from Megali Mandinia and an ideal spot to watch the sun setting over the Messinian Gulf.

Sandava beach, Outer Mani w/c 03/09/07

Sandava is one of the closest beaches to Megali Mandinia.  It's a mix of sand and pebbles, with a couple of bars and plenty of open space.  The water is a little cooler at the southern end where freshwater springs filter into the sea.

Fishing boats at Kitries w/c 27/08/07

Kitries is a small fishing village with a jetty and good harbourside tavernas that serve freshly caught fish near Megali Mandinia in the southern Peloponnese.

Pano Vergha church w/c 20/08/07

The old cobbled track from Vergha to Pano Vergha involves a stiff but very scenic climb that takes around 1.5 hours - this church is the first building you come to on the outskirts of the upper village which is slowly being restored.

Megali Mandinia chapel w/c 13/08/07

There are over a dozen chapels in and around Megali Mandini in the southern Peloponnese.  This one is situated on the hill behind village at the start of a circular walk through fields and olive groves with views over the Messinian Gulf and inland valleys. 

Avia coastline, Mani peninsular w/c 06/08/07

Sheltered coves with crystal clear water are dotted along the coast of Avia and are wonderful for swimming and snorkelling.  Megali Mandinia is located in the district of Avia approximately 2.5km from these bays.

Rindomo Gorge, Mani peninsular w/c 30/7/08

Pictured at one of its narrowest points, the Rindomo Gorge is a dramatic feature of the landscape near Megali Mandinia.

Agave - Paliochora Avias w/c 22/7/08

Agaves are large, striking succulents that are common along the coast in the Mani.  The new leaves are smooth with vicious spiky tips; this one grows on a coast path near Ayios Georgios beach.

Sunset - Messenian Gulf w/c 16/07/07

Fishing at sunset in the Messenian Gulf with Mount Likodimo in the background, taken from Sandava beach near Megali Mandinia.

Kitries head w/c 09/07/07

Looking towards Kitries head from Sandava beach; this beautiful coastline is 2.5k from Megali Mandinia on the Mani peninsular, southern Pelopponese, Greece.

Olive groves near Megali Mandinia w/c 02/07/07

View over Megali Mandinia olive groves to Kalamata across the Messinian Gulf - the area produces top quality olive oil & the world famous Kalamata olives.