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THE TENTH INTERNATIONAL BACKGAMMON COMPETITION IN AZOGIRES

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 With great success the 10th International Backgammon Championship in Memory of Andrew Millar, a man who we all loved, took place in Azogires.
A contest that was founded 10 years ago today from myself, my grandfather Eftihis Koukoutsakis, who is not longer with us and Andrew Gordon Millar. It was his idea actually. Me and my grandfather, we just liked to play backgammon and eat popcorn.
Although he was from Scotland and he was not a Koukoutsakis my grandparents always refered to him as 'pedimou' which means 'my child'. The years he was coming here since 1976, he was practicly raised by my grandmother as one of her own. And that's what makes us love and honour Andrew Millar every year in his favorite village, Azogires by playing backgammon, eating popcorn and consuming loads of Raki. Long lives his memory

Some people this year decided to spill this memory and hold a totally illigal backgammon competition in Paleochora with only 3 players.., so that they could win the Andrew Millar trophy cup. Causing a big problem and many people not to come to the 10th historical championship, but those who were loyal to the memory of Andrew Millar were here. Neil and Julie for example traveled all the way from England, just for this occasion and they arranged all their work and their vacation around the days of the championship. Never the less it was a great success. 5 different nationalities, 2 judges and off course our security guard who makes sure that no one cheats. He does this by drinking his head away or eating popcorn. Many spectators came from time to time to witness this historical event. First prize winner was Monica Michna from Texel of Holland, 2nd prize winner was our very own champion Arthur Jarvis from manchester of Great Britain. 3rd prize winner was my good friend Neil Brothers and for the constellation tournament, I was the winner of the loosers. 2nd prize winner following was the one and only Paul Hunter and 3rd prize winner was my beloved sister Julie Griffiths. They all received titles and prizes. The prizes were sponsored by the Alpha Cafe. A special thank you to the judges, Martin Elliot ann Billborough, and to our security guard Martin Webster. But most importantly a very big thank you for the people behind the scenes, my mother Harriet, who make the best popcorn of the year, my father Tony and the one and only Ioanna. Who coordinated everything and even took pictures.








BOOK SIGNING DAY IN AZOGIRES

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A great success, not only for Azogires and Azogirians alike, but even greater success for all the fans and fanatic supporters of the author Julie Griffiths. We were all so excited for the 7th of October to come, cause it is not only one of the days of the festival of the 99 holy Fathers, it was also the day Julie Griffiths came to Azogires to sign copies of her book for friends and family. People that couldn't come gave a big list to Bob Tait also a very famous author of our area.
To buy books for them with special dedications straight from Julies hand and heart. We all got drunk with joy and happiness. Not to mention the raki and popcorn. Julie on her speach mentioned she is writing a second book 'THE NEW ADVENTURES OF LUCKY' which will be out by next year. Since her first book 'THE ADVENTURES OF LUCKY' is nearly sold out all over the world!







THE LOSS OF A GOOD NEIGHBOUR

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For years now, Ninian was a good friend, good neighbour and good guardian to me. His family brought him to the village 6 months every year. For those 6 wintermonths every day he was guarding his family and mine. He was the fluffiest, softest and sweetest dog around. But I don't want to refer to him as a dog, he was more like a human. Every day I would pass to go to my chickens, he would run down those stairs to give me a hug. When he was on the street taking his daily walk, and he would happen to meet me, in that moment his eyes would fill with joy, and he became a baby again, and he ran into my arms. Sometimes due to his massive size and his overraided love I would fall to the ground, as he would try to lick me, his way of giving me a kiss. A little bit less then a month ago he was eating a chicken bone. As dogs in Greece do. My dogs for example, have been eating chicken bones all their lives. But Ninian was not used to it, since his mammy and daddy raised him with European standards, so he got a little wound in his mouth, causing him to bleed. His family took him at once to a doctor to give him the proper antibiotics to avoid any infections. BUT THIS DOCTOR who I do not wish to express my real thoughts about him, found out that Ninian had throat cancer. A small tumor, somewhere near his main arteries of the neck. And he demanded that they bring Ninian back to him for surgery, so he could earn a miserable couple of hundred euros. They brought him back, gave him his surgery and returned him home. Ninian died that night next to his mama. He is buried and resting under Azogires' soil. We are all very sad, we will not get another dog like this. And everyone misses him. For me he is always alive in my heart. FAREWELL, DEAR NINIAN

Christmas days in Azogires

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It was a Christmas never to be forgotten, the tale of this Christmas could actually be told by the worlds greatest story tellers. Even miss Doubtfire herself. Some would say that Christmas in Crete this year would have been very poor due to the crisis. But here in Azogires we say; What crisis? We don't have. And everybody offers something. The month started with the joyfull Diana3 and Arthur1 (both residents of our village) who started giving their Christmas presents early. As early as the beginning of the month. Every day at 12 o clock Diana3 brought into the cafe a big pot of the most delicious and the warmest soups on Crete. And gave it away like in a homeless shelter, but in this situation not to homeless people, but to residents who needed their heart to be warmed by the Christmas spirit.


The presents continued coming, from Horsts wife Annamaria, she made cookies and applepie and sended to the cafe in the nights with her husband for all the village to enjoy. They were so tasty that the tray never stayed a second day full. Everybody thanked her, we know she did it from the bottom of her heart. But I think that there was more involved to it. It was a way from her to thank us for keeping her husband locked up in the cafe every night, so she could have some peacefull time. Off course? That's just my thought. Cause I like to piss him off, every chance I get. In reality she too was warming Christmasless Azogires hearts.

It all went on with Ioanna returning from Holland just to help decorating the Christmas tree, not only mine! But also my parents. Two Christmas trees that made me remember what Christmas was all about. At the same time Horst and his wife decorated their whole house with Christmas lights, that could been seen all the way from Paleochora road, reminding the passing by people that even though they tell us Santa Claus is no longer around. His spirit is definetely here.

Then came the time for the Christmas table of all Azogirians, like one big family, that they all are, and always will be. Despite their differences they stick together, especially in the holy days. My parents cooked wild goat with potatoes in the oven, fried meat Tsigariasto and pilafi. Even I who have been eating all my life their food admit that this time they exceeded every expectation. Ioanna made beautifull design salads, cooked lovely kalitsounia delicious sfakian cheese pitas with honey, as for me I made my speciality fried hotdogs with red peppers and onion. Old Tassia made delicious Melomakarona, a traditional greek sweet for Christmas. Diana3 made a lovely cake and Annamaria made a HOUSE? Yes, a house, in this situation one you can eat from ginger bread. For the first time of her life she made a greek house. How can you tell the difference? Greek roofs are never straight..everyone fell on it, like ants on a sugarcane. Everyone had a great time. Ioanna brought presents for all and we consumed pardon my language, shit loads of alcohol. As you will see on one of the lower pictures, on the end of the night there were only two drunken sailors left, who almost disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Even though they were not smoking.




Then came Christmas day. Which is the day of Clinton's Birthday. Clinton has been in our family since december 25th of the year 1998. Making him a little bit over 98 years old, yes, he is an old man now. But he is still part of the Azogires family. in case you haven't realised, Clinton is a dog, but not for us in Azogires. He is a part of the family. He was never trained, but he understands everything you say and everything you do. he even opens the door, when he wants to come in. The problem is he never closes it. On the above picture you can see him with all his birthday presents as they were inspected by him.
Then suddenly it was New Years Eve, a quiet evening in the cafe watching Charlie Chaplin. Eating a variety of dishes included Dutch sweets made by Ioanna's parents. The night went quietly and unnoticed. Suddenly we were in 2013, wishing everyone and eachother a prosperous, healthy and happy new year. We cut the traditional cake, the Vasilopita. A traditional greek cake that has its origins all the way back to Casery of Capadokia, when a proud leader and a man of piece that we Greeks call Saint Vasilis had his territory invated by an army of thieves. In order to save his people and avoid the blood shed, he went out and begged for money from everyone. They all gave him gold coins and jewelery in order for him to pay off the raiders to leave his people alone and not killed them. But it was not nesassary cause the raiders lost the battle. So he descided to give all the gold back to his people, since he was not a gready man. But how could he do this? There was no record of who gave what, so he gathered all of his countries bakers and they made small breads each one holding one item inside. A normal coin, a gold one, silver, neckless, rings whatever. And every resident of Capadokia got one bread. An in this manner the wealth got back to the people. Maybe not equal but fair. Since that day Vasilis is the Santa Claus of the Greeks, and on the New years day every greek household cuts a Vasilopita. And one person gets the coin, that is hidden inside, a happy new year to all of you, and we wish you to be able to visit Azogires this year at least once to feel the magic and enjoy nature.











AZOGIRES FIRST CYCLER OF THE YEAR AWARD

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Early January, a bright and sunny day, but yet, winterish chilly. We were all sitting in the cafe with nothing to do and wondering between us, who will be the first to have an omelet this year.. Who will be the first to do anything this year? For in Greece the first of the year matters a lot, it matters what kind of person steps into your place of business or your house for the first time. If the person who steps in to your house on the first first day of the year is pure hearted and generous, then your whole year goes well. Many shops hide behind the curtain and don't open their doors, others go to more ancient traditions such as going to church to bring an icon home or to the field to bring a new born baby lamb in the house, cause it is just born and pure and innocent. And the house will fill with purity and blessings for the whole year. Enough about traditions and back to our story.
As we were sitting a man road up the road on a bicycle, so it was obvious this man WAS THE FIRST BICYCLER OF 2013 to step foot on Azogires ground. He sat down and ordered an omelet. It was no other then the Famous Dutch Children Story teller Gerard Groenevelt. A man who's passion for story telling brings him cycling into the smallest villages of Crete to learn and compare new and old stories. A man who can tell you with the last detail the origins of a story all the way back to ancient Greece. So rightfully we presented him with the title and the prize of  FIRST CYCLER OF 2013 IN AZOGIRES.

The First International Cooking Competition of Azogires

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Last sunday in Azogires, all housewives, as well as housemen, were very busy. So busy they didn't even came out of their houses, until .......it was showtime!
They all came on the street as if it was a showdown on an old wildwild west cowboy movie, in stead of wearing pistols they were packing trays with food. Some of the most delicious meals ever made in this village, made with love, patience, attention and lots and lots of stress in order for them to be number 1. For those of you who don't understand what we were talking about; it was the first International Cooking Competition of Azogires. I personally had the honour to be one of the judges, as well as 2 others. One was the well known Horst Schaab who himself is an expert chef, trained by his loving mother, since he was 6 years old. Until he was 10, he knew everything about food, so we couldn't have had a better taster. And the third mister George from Kefalonia, he on the other hand probably is not an outstanding cook. But all his life he has been tasting some of the finest cooking of his mama.
There were 7 competitors, 6 different nationalities. And 7 of the greatest dishes in the world. First prize was Anastasia Tsouroufli, who made great soutzoukakia, 2nd prize was the loving Ioanna who made the tastiest sweet pancakes ever, third prize was my mother, but she made it clear from the beginning, that she did not want to win, so her prize went to Yanni from norway with the tastiest Quacomoli ever. 4th was Arthur Jarvis from England with a typical londresian meal of mashed potatoe, with beef and green peas, and heart shaped pasteries, putting his wife Diana3 on 5th place, she said she will never forgive him. And from now on he sleeps in the tool shed (that they don't have build yet..).




The competition was sponsored by the Koukoutsakis family, Alfa Enterprices. The winners each, received an title, as well as an monetary contribution. And everyone else got free drinks and off course loads of free tasty food!

2012 MUSIC EVENTS IN AZOGIRES

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scroll down for more
2012 Azogires music events  .As always Azogires doesn’t sleep  at night the people are wild and they like to rock ,some of these rocking nights  took place last year  it all started in the beginning of the year ,with Burkhard elger.A real blues man   giving food to our souls with his pationate music  , he really is a man with a  heart of Gold ,then   middle of august with the glorious return of my good friend John from England ,who is an excellent and  very stylish violin player  with his iver 100 year old violin that he rescued from the tip ,he came up one afternoon and gave joy to our ears and harmony to our souls .And that was just the beginning our very own Johnny Human  gave a concert  with his romantic and heartwarming accordion   ,the café filled with people to listen to this remarkable man play the  sounds of love ,life ,and romance , it was a very peaceful and relaxing night for all of us ,he had with him his son Patrick who is his personal manager and stage organizer as you can see on the clips below he has the managing talent from youth. Few days went by when a man appeared from nowhere with a guitar in his car ,and said can I play something we all thought why not    he might just be worth it , not to realize that he was the unique and most talented George Iakovou ,who can play ten different sorts of music and songs in his magical guitar, he played blues, jazz ,rock and roll, hard, and soft, Rempetika ,Cretan  folk modern Greek, and heavy metal. He had us all dancing rocking jumping screaming all night long , until its was time for bed and we could not stand any more , just by shear luck Archie Lee Hooker was vacationing in our paradise village with his lovely lady ,and he took the chance too sing with his total blues  voice along with Georges guitar  ,tears came from my eyes all though I managed to hide them  as I can never forget Archie and Carl Wyatt when they played at my place in 2011 ,turning my little ghost town in to a large city  of blues party animals . lets see what 2013 has in store for us you will find out next year .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfuqIXvziHs&list=UU95bx15Ykqv3A_btH356GtQ





7 DAYS GRAPE THERAPY WORKSHOP IN AZOGIRES WITH GRAPE DOCTOR GERARD VAN DER MEER

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7 DAYS GRAPE THERAPY WORKSHOP IN AZOGIRES WITH GRAPE DOCTOR GERARD VAN DER MEER





Come join us in one of Cretes most breathtaking events ,and forget all your problems just by doing what Cretan have been for the past four thousand years .

Learn more about Crete and its ways of life ,take a dive in to local nearly forgotten and nowhere recorded history learn about the real life of Cretans and their secrets to longevity ,feel the presence of Ancient Cretans on every footstep you take.

The workshop starts on 9 September and finishes on the 15 ,seven days filled with adventure experience and everlasting knowledge ,you become one with the Cretan Earth drilling from its everlasting energies .

Doctor Gerard will take you on a step by step tour to the most virgin and wild Cretan villages , to collect grapes from ancient vineyards of Crete ,and feel the magic of grape therapy.

A therapy that has gone down from generation to generation with many secrets to be learnt , become one with the vineyards and enjoy the blessings they give you , the blessings and the presents of mother earth .

The seven day workshop will cost 40 euro per day per person and it includes your room with Cretan Breakfast ,and dinner at the local tavern

There will be 5 days of grape picking and grape stumping to make raki and wine ,two of the most precious presents a vineyard can give us and you will learn a lot more about grapes and grape therapy, then you will have 2 free days to either scroll around the area to discover Crete even more ,go to the beach , or you can join our two guided walks down mystic path ways and down gorges all the way to the sea .

For more information you can contact us at alfacafenion@aol.com or call at 0030 28230 41620 mob 6972138588 ,and to leran more about Azogires visit our blog Azogires-alpha.blogspot.com


EASTER TIMES AZOGIRES STYLE

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 Easter was a bit late this year  ,but without many weather complications it all went well in Azogires,as the Holy week began the villagers started preparing ,and each one had a diferent chore .


 The ladies of the village had to find the brightest and pretiest flowers for dressing the Epitaph -the grave of Jesus on great Friday .All the ladies gather with flowers and wild flowers that they have collected ,all sorts even orange and lemon tree blossoms ,and they fill the grave of Jesus with them ,then comes our priest and places an Icon Of Jesus on the grave ,for people to worship while he starts a very sacred ceremony ,that requires a lot of people preaching the story right out of the Bible books.

 He then takes the Holy Bible and leads the crowd who hold on their shoulders  the grave of Christ   and carrie it around the Church 3 times ,and then they lift it high above the door so all the worshipers can cross under it ,to receve the blessing  of Jesus .


 The the grave is returned inside the Church  The priest retrieves the Icon back to the Altar ,and the villagers take the flowers from the grave home they sun dry them and they use them as insense to burn in their homes in order to illuminate evill and bring joy and prosperity in to their lifes.


 The following night all the worshipers gather at the Church to receve the blessing of the Holy flame ,that is brought from Jerusalem by plane to Greece,they follow the priest pnce more around the Church in the same manner as the day before ,while the bells are going ,and then they gather in the courtyard to declare.Jesus has risen from his grave ,and  as this is done   by blasting tons of firewoks that are prepaired by the young man of the Kriariana neighborhood  they go off in to the sky making the night magical ,so magical that people loose track of time,and let their mind body and soul rise on to the sky together with the soul of our saviour Jesus Christ.

 Everyone then shakes hands and with each other ,and they talk about Jesus one says Jesus has risen Christos Anesti , and the other says he has trully risen Alithos Anesti.
 Afterwards people return to their homes ,or go to the local alfa cafe ,in order to eat the traditionall mageiritsa soup made from sheep and goat intestents and have a glass of wine, this dish puts to an end our fourty day no meat eating campaing called nisteia .and sets us for Easter Sunday  . that very same evening the Holy flame is taken to peoples houses , and a cross is made above the doors with the candle smoke to keep disease illness and evil out of our lifes.


 And finally comes Easter Sunday, a very Holy day for all Christians who come together with family and friends in their backyards ,in secret mountain positions or just next to the road to cook their lambs eat drink dance and forget all worries yammas to all,,,,,,,, and  next year may we all be here to celebrate once more again .

COMMEMORATING HISTORY

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A group of descendents of New Zealand soldiers came to Azogires on May the 9th. 2 Mini bus loadsof heart warming active good hearted people. They arrived on Crete several days before and started on monday the 6th several days of commemoration gatherings. The first one was at Sougia War museum, many people came together to see and learn about the brave people who in World War II said NO to slavery, and YES to freedom. The next day they went to Tripiti by boat, and posted a plaque to honour the people of Western Crete for the sacrefices they made in providing save heaven for numerous Australian, New Zealand, British and Cypriot soldiers between 1941 and 1945. The last group of these soldiers was evacuated from Tripiti by the Royal Navy on 7 and 8th May of 1943. Erected in graditude by the families of the evacuees. The next day they went to Koustogerako, and held a service at the main War monument of the village. For Koustogerako we will have never enough monuments, because throughout the centories it has been the torch of freedom, the village itself has been burnt down 3 times in the past 700 years. The last one being in 1943.



 And on thursday they honoured us with their presence in our very own village of Azogires. They were greeted Cretan style by the locals, who welcomed them with open arms. The reason they came to our village was to have several excursions to the local War museum at the monastery, to the neighbourhood of Pateriana, in order to visit the house of Pateraki Angeliki, where she and her father hid an allyed soldier by the name of Arthur Pauling, or as they baptised him; Leftheris. So local informents would not be able to tell they had him there. He stayed with them for almost 2 years, and became literally part of the family.The son of Angeliki, Yannis Paterakis greeted them with a bottle of raki and local ecological walnuts. It was very emotional for them, and a little bit the feeling of the past. A touch of the strong raki brought them to a trance of emotions and joy.




 The other group headed for the neighbourhood Koukoutsiana, to visit the church of Saint John the hermit, and the grave of Sophia and Eftihis Koukoutsakis, for 2 reasons; a; Sophia Paterakis Koukoutsakis was a little girl at Koustogerako in 1943, the day the group of Nazi soldiers entered and burnt the village to the ground, gathering all the women and children inside a house and pouring diesel on it, to burn them literally alive. Although they were trained to kill, inside them there was still a human. And when the women and children started to scream; 'Don't burn us like animals, kill us better', that's when they let them out, and led them to nearby patio. Placing them in an excecution line. That's when young Sophia attacked the excecutioner, fought with him, brought him to the ground, hit him with a stone in the head, took his machine gun, and led about 30 surviving women and children to safety. As the allied soldiers and local guerillas had opened fire up on the enemy. She herself got seriously injured, but made it out alive.


 the second reason was; Eftihis Koukoutsakis, also a resistance fighter of the time, during World War II period, had hid in a mountain cave a New Zealand




soldier, by the name of Len Frazer, who was the father of Ian Frazer, co-author of the very detailed book 'On the Run'. Afterwords they went to visit the carved cave of Azogires, which served as fortresses during Turkish occupation and watchtowers during World War II. The most brave actually climbed up to the caves, while the rest of us relaxed, enjoyed the view and admired their bravery to climb so high. It was a day we, the Azogirians would never forget. We could keep writing about it, another year. And it wouldn't be enough. I as the president of the Azogires Cultural Association, will say on behalf of all the villagers that they are always welcomed to come back for we felt that we spend the day with our own family members.





VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

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               Ανοικτή  πρόσκληση
Ο Πολιτιστικός Σύλλογος Αζωγυρέ οργανώνει την Κυριακή 16-06 , τον καθαρισμό της κεντρικής αρτηρίας Αζωγυρε Παλαιωχωρας, Αζωγυρε Αχλαδιακες, Αζωγυρε Ασφεντιλες, και των γύρω δρόμων.
 Παρακαλούμε για την πολύτιμη συμμετοχή σας,  ώρα έναρξης  10 πμ.
Πληροφορίες στο τηλ. 6972138588
Ο πρόεδρος και το συμβούλιο.

Open invitation, the Azogires Cultural association is organizing on Sunday the 16th  the cleaning of the main street of Azogires and the side roads. In order to make this possible we need volunteers, so we ask for your assistance, start time is 10 am in the center of the village.  For more information you can call on 6972138588, join us and help us make life better for locals and visitors alike.
The President and the committee.

AZOGIRES BACK TO NATURE

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The Azogires Cultural Association put out an announcement asking for volunteers to come and help clean the streets of Azogires. Many promised to come, but less then 10 came. Those who did come were brave, curagious people, who actually care how the environment around them is. And they actually want a cleaner planet for all. They came at sunday at 10 am. Some were using their own vehicles, and some on foot. They managed to collect 3 dumpsters full, of bottles, cigaret-packets and things you can't even imagine. They bravely climbed down hills, and riscfully put their hands inside spikey bushes, to even get the last piece of plastic out. We appologize for not having pictures of all, cause we were all busy making Azogires a better place to live in. And less busy trying to record this historical event. A very special thank you to my parents, Antonis and Harriet Koukoutsakis, for feeding us all. and providing all the drinks we had. As good sponsors would. Also a very special thank you to A Gerard van der Meer, for the use of his cars that day, B to Horst and Annamarie Schaab, for the use of their car and for Horsts trashbags, also for participating and collecting under the hot sun. C to Ullrich and Gabi Deutschman for cleaning the road to the monastery, and climbing down the hills below the monastery to collect decades old trash. D to Yanni from Norway, who went together with Horst walking all the way to Asfendiles, and not even leaving a cigaret bud on that road. E to Martin Webster, who joined me all the way down to Paleochora and who noticed, that one gentleman has been throwing repeatedly his old hollborn tobacco packets along our road. F to George Tsourouflis for driving from Achladiakies to Azogires, and joining me down to Paleochora, G to Harold Qhrn, for sitting in the back of the car, and spotting every little piece of trash, from Achladiakies all the way down to the crossroad. Thanks to his strong legs, he ran faster, and we finished 2 hours earlier. H to Sissy Panegiotto, for holding the fort, and making sure we had a ready table to sit on, and enjoy our free sponsored lunch. We hope that all Greece will copy what we did. And that they will do it every year and in every village, and every town, nation wide. To make a better tomorrow for us, our children and the thousands of guests who come every year.









A MOST VALUABLE DONATION

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We the people of Azogires would like to say thank you to Horst Schaab And his wife Anna Maria , two active members of our  Village .for their love towards our community .And their every day devotion to making our Village a better place to live in,their latest donation and most valuable is the construction of wooden Trash cans,that will be placed on diferent positions along pathways ,monuments ,and Churches.This will help the Village to stay more clean and more organized .


The president of the Azogires Cultural association.
Ευτυχιος Κουκουτσακης.
and the members of the commitee

ROCK NIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT

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SOFT - HARD - HEAVY


The golden oldieNIGHT

Friday 05. july

FROM 20:00h – 01:00h

in

AZOGIRES

No Entry

We play for you the GOOD OLD ROCKSONGS

(from CD`s)

presented by the Culture Union of Azogires

SMALL MEALS CAN BE SERVED BY ORDER

BILL CLINTON 1998 2013

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My dearest beloved friend it is 4 days since I lost you and the world has colapsed on my head.I have no more tears and my heart is ready to explode ,for some you were just a dog .But for me you were my friend when ever I was depressed you were there to help me when I was happy you were there to share the joy with me ,for 15 years you were my shadow and now I dont know what to without you .
No one ever trained you  but you still opened the house doors , you wiped your feet on the rug and you closed the door behind you ,when you were shot 01-01 2000 ,you lost some of those talents cause those cowards shot you in the head ,but you still were intelligent  ,I remember you sitting next to the fire with me keeping me company as I watched  evening films,the tim,all those countless times when you followed running next to the car ,all the way to Paleochora ,but still you refused to jump on the car ,the time that there was trouble at the hotel and you were biting your chain to go help my father,all the women you pissed on their legs and clothing , There are so many things I remember .Especially wh en you were born on Christmas day along with your other 6 brothers and sisters ,no one will ever forget your kindness and your true friendship .But cancer has taken you away from me living me alone once more .

ROCK NIGHT AZOGIRES STYLE

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Some people dreamed it, and some others lived it .   On 5th of July the Azogires Cultural association organized a rock night with no entry ticket, and all volunteers who came together to make the village (ROCK),


With head leader of the night , and very well organized DJ ,Horst Schaab, the night was a full success .He brought his amazing Rock music collection . A collection so vast and so well  organized ,that even the worlds most fanatic collector would be jealous of .

, ,
He and his wife Anna Maria have been active members of our   community for a long long time .But this time he surpassed him self .    He made azogires come to life ,  you named the song he had it people went wild dancing on the streets all the way until 1 am  ,and the last song he played was we gotta get out of this place and everyone obeyed .                                                                                                                            Our special guest of the evening was the one and only  ARCHIE LEE HOOKER ,with his gorgeous lady , he was amazed to hear  songs from his uncle John Lee Hooker ,it was a little surprise Horst was saving for him .


And at last we want to thank all the people who came  to rock with us and make us all feel like we were in a time machine going back to those glorious days. Ps I promise to upload some videos of that evening in the next days .




POETS CORNER

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Azogires is renowned for  its many charms of beauty ,both of nature and human creations .But one charm that Azogires has  is the gift of Inspiration many people in search of it  have come here  to create  both amazing artwork amazing poetry , among  many other things.If    you are looking for something different ,special,spiritual,artistic .Or just apiece of mind then Azogires is the place for you. Todays topic is Poetry  for countless years Cretans especially Azogirians have been riming poems little poems known as mantinades ,in Ancient Crete people would make special  chants with the help of local witches ,usually old ladies with the proper experience .But with the arrival of Christianity these black magic rhymes were forbidden and people were  cruelly punished if captured using some of these ways to get what they wanted,whether it was a women ,the farm they always dreamed of ,their freedom etc etc.But one thing was for certain Cretan are not the type of people who let go of something  even if they are threatened by death,and when the door is shut they always find a little window go thru.   So  the magic chants became miniature songs called mantinades Poems that they would rhyme depending on the situation .For example if there was a wedding it was proper for the friends of the family to make little poems of how pretty the bride is,or how charming and brave the groom is , and how  good the familys are, After the weddings and during the 3 day party known as glenti ,where everyone became pissed drunk ,there were people know as kontradori ,these people came with the guests each table of guests made sure they had one good looking dancer ,one singer one man with loads of bullets .And one kontradoro the kontradoro would be a man who could rhyme really fast and everyone on his would repeat the rhymes he just spontaneously made .These very talented miniature song makers could go on for hours about the same topic and other kontradori from the other tables would compete with them as if it was a fight to the death,as it sometimes was .
When one rhyme would insult the other and he would return one back to him and so on at one point the knifes and guns came ,and they functioned under the power of tons of raki.and wine, leading to countless deaths .But mantinades did not die they are still here today people all over Crete are making little rhymes posting them in papers singing them at weddings baptisms or just good gatherings ,cauise a Cretan dosent really need a reason to party he will make a party even if  his sheep give birth ,anything that gives him joy is a reason to dance sing and make a party .Many of these amature but very talented poets originate from this village for inspiration is everywhere .Azogires did not stop there it gave its poetic spirit also to the visitors of this village just a few hours in this village is enough to get you going .One of our most talented local tourist poets was andy Millar from scotland he called Alfa Cafe the poets corner many othrs followed my good friend Sam Reed was always here just to get inspiration for his next poem ,many of the poems are not proper for the public cause they aqre rather rude but many other are ok here is one I ran in to this morning forgotten behind an old table drawer ,written by someone called Paul ,and bears the date 19-08-2010 the rhyme said
.                     Azogires
Holes appear in time
But the fabric stretches
Like a hammock
Under  the weight
Of sun and history
As Luckys Fetches
The drinks and the mystery
Of how to find a rhyme
With hammock softly
unfolds beneath the vine
Its late now but
Late may be fine
If we can fix the hole in time.

BACKGAMMON CHAMPIONSHIP

11 TH INTERNATIONAL AZOGIRES BACKGAMMON TOURNAMENT

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With great success ,the eleventh backgammon championship took place.In memory of Andrew Gordon Millar ,A man who loved to play this ancient game,that has its roots more then five thousand years back, from the ancient Greeks-Somarians -Egyptians and Romans. A game that was  played  always by  all classes of the Greeks ,but only by the upper class and the royals  of Europe,and the rest of the world .All the way until the 1960 s , when it was introduced to the general public , and it flew like a rocket .In all homes ,parties ,festivals etc .Backgammon became the number one game  of the 20th century,now going to the 21st backgammon  fans and athletes are taking the game to new levels. And giving the success it actually deserves .
For us in Azogires its not only a hobby its nearly a religion and a way of life, all winter long the boards are clacking every single night in the taverna ,and the players play every game as if its their last for they are one with the dice.
This years championship went more then well ,and every one enjoyed my mother popcorn My father Antonis sponsored our cash prizes ,and for that  I thank him very much .Also a very big thank you for all those players,visitors  and judges, for coming together and helping me make this possible to honor the memory of the late Andrew Millar .



I think its worth mentioning that for the first time in 11 years  we had a large number of Greek players joining our  Tournament ,which brings great joy to our hearts    , for it shows us that they also approve  of our actions .Until next year I hope we will have more contestants  and all of you out there who wish to compete you better start practicing .







THERE ARE STILL FRIENDS OUT THERE

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My birthday this year was rather special ,like every year my friends remembered me even though I never remember them . A day of someones birthday can be very emotional  when friends appear   out of nowhere  . to remind you that you are not alone , you are not alone  on this strange world .
And when a man stands alone on his birthday  he feels rather strange and then his friends appear to remind him he exists and that they care  ,  that is exactly what happened to me this year again .from Ioannas surprise to paint the cafe  garden wall with  a  beautiful desing  ,to John with his Violin playing the most emotional songs just for me  , to Ruth with her so special portrait of myself to Stavroula gorgeous sea compus and all those lovely milky ways brought just for me all the way from England , and allthough my parents put only 50 euros in my birthday card , due to the crisis :) I assume   which now holds our country captive . I was so happy that I felt like a kid again , and all I can say is thank you ,the cherry on the cake was in the evening when Auntie Georgia from Asfentiles came bringning me the most lovely Basil plant I have ever had . All I can say to all of you is thank you from the bottom of my heart I will try to remember their  birthdays also  ,but you know I am Greek and we take things very slowly , so slowly that we tend to forget  things ,our logo, is isos avrio isos methavrio - may be tomorrow may be the day after .





   
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