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The town of Tinos with its picturesque port and Exobourgo in the background. The church of Panagia is visible a little to the right of center in this picture.
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This is the main intersection of Tinos town. The street that ascents the hill leads to the famous church of Panagia. The right side for this street is lined with a red carpet (not visible) to accommodate the faithful that ascent the hill all the way to the church on their knees.
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The dramatic peak of Exobourgo is crowned by a Venetian castle.
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The island of Tinos is marked by these terraces which were cultivated by the locals who were self-suficient in food supplies. Today, these terraces are not cultivated any longer, tourism having replaced agriculture as the main economic engine of the island.
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In this dramatic landscape in the northern end of Tinos, an abandoned margle quary is visible on the bottom left, and a monastery crowns the peak in the distance. This picture was taken near Marlas.
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Typical landscape of the interior of Tinos island, where many neat villages cling to the sides of hills. Most are in the valeys between hills where water makes the hills green with plant life. The building in the foreground is a typical Tinos dove cote.
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Pyrgos is a small town that adornes the north part of Tinos island. It was a major marble carving center, and it's still home to a major art academy. Today, marble carving has been suplanted by tourism as the major industry.
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Landscape a little to the north of Tinos town. Kionia beach is visible in the background.
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Picture of a cat and flowers in Pyrgos.
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Photograph of a street in Pyrgos, Tinos.
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The main square of Pyrgos is a nice place where one can find shade, food and drink.
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Beautiful view of a Pyrgos stree with its mable pavement, they typical white houses adorned by flowers.
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Photograph of Pyrgos street.
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A portrait of the famous sculptor Ioannis Halepas outside the little museum in Pyrgos.
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The new museum of marble work outside Pyrgos is housed in a state-of-the-art building, and it exhibits examples of fine Tinian marble craftsmanship.
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A grave in Pyrgos' cemetary is adorned with bar-relief sculptures of a scull and bones, and the tools for a marble worker (hammer, chisel, dividers, and T-square)
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View from above of Panormos in northern Tinos.
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The small port of Panormos in northern Tinos.
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Photograph of Tinos landscape with and abandoned village near a deserted quary, and the seaside village of Isternia.
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A typical Tinian dove cote. These interesting structures were use to house flocks of doves. The doves were used since Venetian times for their droppings that were marketed as a coveted fertilizer.
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A old dove cote in Tinos island.
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View from the road near Lihnaftia. The surface of the aegean is rippled under the force of strong (9 on the beaufort scale. Taking this photo, I had a hard time standing on my own feet as the wind threatened to push me over the cliff!
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Old windmill near Komi town.
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In late September, the winds pick up and build in significant force in the Aegean. In this photo, a wave crashes on the rocky shore near Kolybithra.
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Two beautiful soft-sand beaches are framed by the tiny setlement of Kolybithra.
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Typical fegites are the marble-carved openings above doors and windows of Tinos.
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White-washed houses of Volax, a beautiful little town in the interior of Tinos island. The well-advertised granite rocks of Volax were not as impressive in person, but the little town is very charming and worth a visit.
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Pahia ammos beach a little to the west of Kionia. There is another Pahia Ammos beach to the east of Tinos town.
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Stavros was the main port of Tinos town in Venetian times, and its ruins are still visible today in the form of two pillarsand the peer in the background of this photo.
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A little church near Kionia, Tinos
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The sinking of the batleship Elli in the port of Tinos in 15 August 1940 by an Italian submarine marked the beginning of Greece entering WWII. The battleship was moored in the port as part of the Virgin Mary celebrations that were taking place in Tinos town.
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Tourist shops line the streets leading from the port to the church of Panagia.
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Phicture of Tinos street at night.
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Panagia of Tinos at night. The church of Panagia hosts the famous icon that is capable of miracles according to the thousands of faithful that make the pilgrimage to the island to pay their respects.
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The famous church of Panagia is the final destination of many Christinas, many of whom choose to ascent the long street from the port to the church on their knees. The practice of approaching on the knees is usually the result of a promice to Panagia in exchange for a miracle received.
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The street that leads to the Panagia church is lined with many stores selling tall candles and empty plastic bottles. The faithful often will plea with Virgin Mary at a time of need for help, and in exchange they promise to light a candle -as tall as their own stature- in the church of Tinos. Often, the faithful leave the church with a small container of holy water they get from the church - hence the blastic bottles at the stores.
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A kiosk very near the church of Panagia at Tinos.
Among the expected products that are supposed to lure the faithfull, I noticed an unusual amount of cheap plastic toys.
In this photo the store displays religious icons alongside barbie dolls, oversized Superman dools, plastic tools, and a set containgin a plastic machine gun and handcuffs!
Given that the store is located near the church of Panagia where very few kids venture, I fail to see the reason for this assortment of plastic toys.
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Silver plaques are bought on the street an offered to the icon of Panagia as a sign of gratitude for a healed body part. This paralles the ancient custom of offerings to sanctuaries like Dodona.
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The ancient site of Kionia is mostly made of Hellenistic and Roman ruins.
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The small archaeological museum of Tinos is on the same street that leads to the church of Panagia, and houses a small collection of artifacts found around the island.
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A stroll around the back streets of Tinos town reveals a very charming landscape away from the hustle of the main streets and port.
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Picture of Town backstreets.
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Beautiful corner of Tinos town. You won't see this kind of charm unless you venture away from the main streets of the town.
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Tinos Panorama
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Tinos town, panoramic photo
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