Monday, 17 June 2024

Tour de Poros

- School's  out .  Till 12 September. 

 Greek schools have the longest school holidays in Europe.  3 months, mid June till mid September.  It's just too hot and children can't concentrate.  A lot of schools don't have aircon but even if they did kids would still be out in the heat in the school yard and to and fro from school.

 Older children finished end of year and  University Exams a week ago.

Poppi is in Athens this week running, swimming and throwing the shot-put. It's the last part of her entrance exam to the prestigious Athens Gymnastics Academy. 

 Primary Schools have just closed.  In their last weeks there were fewer lessons and more outings,  cultural and sporting events . 


- 3rd June was World Bicycle Day



Primary school children and their teachers went on a ride along the harbour and back.
Bikes, and Helmets, were lent by the Bike Hire shops on the island.
Police stopped traffic .
We all (sitting at harbourfront Cafes drinking coffee) clapped as they rode passed.



An ambulance followed them to pick up any casualties.



- Athletics Festival

School children from Poros and towns across on the mainland competed in track events.
The Navy School has a football field and running track which are used for island sports events. It even  has a small grandstand . 
All the grandkids have taken part at some stage and we've sat on the hard stone bleachers cheering them on.

Happy Hols kids

Some of my grandchildren are working this summer.  Poppi will be visiting her sister on the island of Lipsi. 







12 comments:

  1. You could have played Alice Coopers "Schools Out For Summer" to accompany this post. Three months holidays is great if you are a teacher.

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  2. Being a schoolkid there sounds like fun. Just as it should be.

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    1. Summer on a small island is great for kids. They spend the day swimming and meet their friends in the evening to do what kids do. Freedom. But they're ready to go back to school by September

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  3. Replies
    1. It's a great summer for the kids. Reminds me of my childhood on the 60s

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  4. All that sport on a hot day doesn’t sound like fun to me. But then again I was ok when much younger I guess. We oldies just like to be comfortable. Good luck to your granddaughter. I hope she gets into the gymnasium. Who knows one day we will be watching the Olympics and I’ll see her and say. Ohhhh I know her yiayia lol

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    1. That was back at the beginning of June. At least it wasn't heatwave weather. Still hot though.
      So far Poppi has thrown the shotput and she ran this morning. She thinks she did well. Cross fingers. Swimming tomorrow

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  5. That's a great idea. I used to love cycling, it gives a whole different view of places one thinks one knows well.

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    1. The children loved the bike ride, There was a little one at the nack who could hardly ride but her teacher just guided her along and held the bike. I loved the way everything stopped till they completely finished the ride. No taxis even

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  6. Great bike ride event - I read an article recently about a city in Colombia that closes 120 miles of roads (including highways) on Sundays so that people can go bike riding. It has become super popular. Living as we did on Themistocleas in Piraeus, we saw a huge difference in the way the coast road was used when everyone was locked down during COVID - an evening a week of no traffic would transform that place into a park - bikes and strollers and dog-walkers and skateboards and roller skates, and people eating ice cream and enjoying being by the sea without cars roaring by.

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  7. Just like the old days when everyone came out to walk and meet friends. A different atmosphere. No noisy motorbikes for a start

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