Category Archives: Islands

Red Rock

Posted on 1 May 2019 by lornaofarabia

Long before the Blue Zone, Ikaria was known in Greece as the Red Rock. It doesn’t get its nickname from the geology, but from its left-leaning politics. A power vacuum in Greece after World War II led to the 1946-1949 … Continue reading →

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Return to Ikaria

Posted on 26 Apr 2019 by lornaofarabia

When I started to outline some posts about the week we just spent on Ikaria, I was astonished to discover that I have written only once about the island in the eight years I’ve kept this blog. Since moving overseas … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat experience, Family, Greece, Ikaria, Islands | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Ha Long

Posted on 4 Mar 2019 by lornaofarabia

Any “10 top things to do in Vietnam” list will tell you that a Ha Long cruise is essential. Towering rainforest-topped islands rising out of the misty bay make for an atmospheric and highly Instagrammable situation. Not that I Instagram … Continue reading →

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Chumbe Island

Posted on 28 Dec 2016 by lornaofarabia

If you’re a regular reader of this blog then you know how I feel about islands. Our friend Lori who we met in Lalibela a few years ago told me that if we were going to Zanzibar we absolutely had to … Continue reading →

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Black sheep

Posted on 5 Nov 2016 by lornaofarabia

So, I haven’t really wanted to mention this. It’s unfortunate and a little embarrassing. But lately there have been some news articles drawing attention to the topic so I might as well face facts. You know that wonderful little island in Scotland that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Islands, UK | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Happy to be here

Posted on 16 Jul 2016 by lornaofarabia

It’s that time of year again… when lads and lassies don kilts, wristbands, and anoraks to stand in the rain and listen to rock and roll played on the bagpipes. It’s HebCelt 2016, and these are my people. There’s good beer, too. We got … Continue reading →

Posted in Islands, Music, UK | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

St. Kilda

Posted on 15 Jul 2016 by lornaofarabia

I love islands. The two places I return to again and again are the island of Ikaria in Greece and my location at this moment, Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. I keep a sort of life list of other islands … Continue reading →

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Floating Piers

Posted on 2 Jul 2016 by lornaofarabia

The artist Christo and his partner Jeanne-Claude (who died in 2009) have been creating temporary large-scale environmental art installations since 1961. I had the good fortune to see Running Fence in Marin County, California in 1976 and The Umbrellas at … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere, Islands | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Volunteer FAQs

Posted on 1 Mar 2016 by lornaofarabia

Some people want to know more about my upcoming trip to Lesvos. Here are a few questions that I am hearing a lot (with answers). How did you find out about this? As I said in my last post, I don’t remember exactly … Continue reading →

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Safe passage

Posted on 29 Feb 2016 by lornaofarabia

Next week is spring break, and this year I will be spending it on the Greek island of Lesvos. I will be there for eight days helping refugees who have just made the six mile water crossing from Turkey to Greece. … Continue reading →

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