29/07/23

[Maik]

Kef fire risk 29/07/23: High

Today’s bank rates:
1 €UR = £0.8846 GBP
1 €UR = $1.1459 USD
£1 GBP = 1.1305 €UR
$1 USD = 0.8727 €UR

Based on Alpha Bank exchange rates, these are widely used by exchange agencies in Greece.
Other banks likely to offer a different rate which may be marginally higher or lower.
Banks and foreign exchange offices normally charge standard 2% commission.
You may get a better rate changing your holiday money in advance at e.g the Post Office.
NB: some f-ex agencies advertise "No Commission".
Invariably, they deduct commission before they (don't) advertise the rate.
Foreign exchange offices are businesses, not charities.

Ten day weather forecast for Kefalonia:
This is an overall forecast, due to the mountainous terrain the weather can be very localised.
Updated forecast @ weather.com

Day, Date   Hi°/Lo°   Wind sp   Wet   Forecast
Sat 29/07   31°/22°   18 km/h   02%   Sunny
Sun 30/07   33°/23°   21 km/h   12%   Sunny
Mon 31/07   33°/22°   22 km/h   08%   Sunny
Tue 01/08   32°/22°   15 km/h   10%   Sunny
Wed 02/08   32°/22°   14 km/h   08%   Sunny
Thu 03/08   32°/22°   14 km/h   08%   Sunny
Fri 04/08   31°/22°   15 km/h   08%   Sunny
Sat 05/08   31°/21°   21 km/h   17%   Sunny
Sun 06/08   28°/21°   26 km/h   05%   Sunny
Mon 07/08   29°/21°   27 km/h   03%   Sunny

[Maik]

Body of a 79 y-o Greek male recovered yesterday morning from the sea off Bati beach, Paleo Faliro, Attica

Body of a 75 y-o male recovered yesterday morning from the sea at Milias, Stavros, Halkidiki

Body of a 71 y-o foreign female recovered yesterday morning from the sea at Pefkos, Rhodes

Body of a 56 y-o recovered yesterday morning from the sea in Stavros port, Madytos, Thessaloniki

Body of a 68 y-o female recovered midday yesterday from the Pnevmatikos Faros sea area, Preveza

Body of a 46 y-o foreign male recovered midday yesterday from the sea off Akrotiri, Mounda bay, Kefalonia

[Maik]

Fire near Markopoulo substantially extinguished

[Maik]

Royal Mail: Three days left to use non-barcoded stamps

Time is running out for people to use any standard non-barcoded stamps as Monday is the last day they can be used to post items.

After Monday, customers sending mail with these stamps risk the recipient being given a surcharge of £1.10.

However, commemorative and non-barcoded Christmas stamps will still be valid.

People can swap their old stamps for barcoded stamps through Royal Mail's Swap Out scheme, where there is no deadline for exchange.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66335213

[Maik]

UK's longest-serving sniffer dog retires from fire service after putting dozens of criminals behind bars

Reqs, an 11-year-old black Labrador, has helped at around 500 incidents since joining Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2012

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/28/longest-serving-sniffer-dog-reqs-hertfordshire-criminals/

[Maik]

Greece wildfires under control but strong winds still a threat, say officials

Wildfires that have scorched Greece for more than two weeks are under control, but firefighters remain in key hotspots with strong winds still a threat, officials said.

“Scattered fire pockets are being extinguished,” the fire department said, adding that there was “no active front” in the three biggest wildfires in Rhodes, Corfu and central Greece that had forced thousands of people to flee.

Nevertheless, more than 460 firefighters were still deployed in these three areas as a precaution, it said.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/29/greece-wildfires-under-control-but-strong-winds-still-a-threat-say-officials

[Maik]

‘The season is over for us’: Greece prays for tourism as islanders sift through the ashes

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/rhodes-wildfires-tourism-damage-greece-b2383699.html

[Maik]

August holidays begin for thousands

Tens of thousands of Athenians left the capital on Saturday in what is traditionally the largest summer holiday exodus.

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1216689/august-holidays-begin-for-thousands-2/

[Maik]

Tourist sector looking at August with optimism for the Greek islands

The tourist sector welcomes August with optimism as most destinations have reached 90% capacity in reservations.

https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/07/30/tourist-sector-august-greek-islands/