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Unfortunately there is nothing new to tell. The documents prepared for the new location (some 50-100 m towards the Hydra village from the original site) are still in Athens, waiting for approval by the Historical Office. The permission has been promised "next month" since January. Before OK from Athens the Municipality of Hydra cannot build it although everything is ready, including all the stones.

We have had several members on the island this month: Henning and his family, Demetris, and Petri and Auli. They have asked all our local contacts, and it is very clear that the delay is in Athens only.

Other news: ChristinaManolis Tavern is open again. Petri saw Christina, her daughter and son-in-law, all working now at the tavern. The food is as delicious as always. There are some new taverns as well: Tehni (Petri was not sure about the exact name) is a romantic restaurant close to our bench, it opened in a house that has been empty for years. Another new is Manna in the harbor area. Great food for vegetarians but very loud music from the bar next door.

Looking forward to next summer when we're going to have our next meet-up on the island!

The new location of the bench is in this area.
The road goes to the Hydra village from Kamini.
The sea is on the left, on the other side of the road.
Photo by Petri.

From Lakis:

Petri is about right. This it will be the new location!
But we have to wait for a while to get the final papers from the Archeological office.
Both George [The Mayor of Hydra/Jarkko] and myself are quite often in talk and telephone with the administrators in Athens to inform them that the time passes quickly.

We are very optimistic that we have the final papers before autumn. That means that we’ll
have the whole winter to build it.

It’s really nice to see so many friends to come and stay in Hydra.
We hope that you all will have a nice time in your meeting in Holland.
Keep hoping for quick good news.

Every bit of good news, however small, is so welcome! Looks like it would be the sunny spot for the bench. Wonder if they would allow us to plant a fast-growing tree there for shade. Even in full sun [or, perhaps, especially in full sun] a bench would be most welcome, regardless.

HOPE to be able to make it to Hydra next summer. What month is it that we usually go? Early June, before the tourists hit?

Such great news on Christina and her resolve, with the family's involvement. And such very good news that there is now a NEW place to eat, as well!

Thanks for all this positive information, Jarkko

Hello,I am new to this forum,I think this tribute to Leonard Cohen is wonderful ,I am going to hydra next month and plan to walk the area where siting of the bench is proposed,I'm sure that doing so will bring a few of Leonard's songs to mind.

Deferd wrote:Hello,I am new to this forum,I think this tribute to Leonard Cohen is wonderful ,I am going to hydra next month and plan to walk the area where siting of the bench is proposed,I'm sure that doing so will bring a few of Leonard's songs to mind.

Pity the bench isn't there to sit on . If it hadn't been for one local complaint and slow greek bureaucracy, i'm sure it would have been.

I am on the island now, and sad that there is still no sign of the bench. It is intriguing, isn't it, that mayors who in Greece have dictatorial powers don't actually have the discretion to site a bench on one of their paths without the involvement of a pantheon of bureaucrats. I suspect someone somewhre is hoping for a fakelaki.

Techni (it is impossible to be sure of the name, as the sign uses a weird script) is housed in what was the Cavos nightclub. It doesn't look very interesting. An upmarket taverna has opened on the front where Psaropoulos was, while Psaropoulos itself thrives upstairs at the west end of the port -- one of our favourites, with a lovely house-salad full of mussels and shrimps, plus the tenderest chicken kebab on the island (marinated?). Marina's at Vlichos is doing well, while Cryptolimani continues to offer superb fare in its tiny garden. The Miramare at Mandraki remains closed and fenced off, though the beach is open. Peculiarly, there is a seaplane permanently parked on the beach (truly!)

Our bench project has taken an unexpected an unwanted turn.

Lakis informed us last night that the Archeological Institute in Athens denied its authorization to our bench plan. This happens after they had kept the documents on their table for more than a year. They say that the Municipality of Hydra has to change the plans to something smaller and simpler, like the other wooden (?) benches on the island. This is really strange because they already once gave the approval to the very same plan. After their first OK the owner of a house near the original site filed a complaint (because - he said - the bench would bring noise and trash to the area and his house). A bit later the Municipality and the person in question made an agreement that the site of the bench was to be moved a bit towards the village, and everything was supposed to be ok. New documents were sent to Athens for updated approval, and the Municipality was ready to build the bench. Something must have happened behind the curtains, because Athens has now made such an unexpected U-turn.

Lakis is going to meet the Mayor of Hydra this week, to discuss the next step.

This is not the news we wanted or needed at all. Let's hope they can get it worked out! Thank you for the update!

Typical Greece. it's usually back handers that clear the path (scuse pun)

Very regrettable, especially as the u turn announcement is so close in time to Leonard's passing.
Originally planned as an 80th birthday gift ,sadly would have become also an ' in memoriam' bench , perhaps somewhere to peacefully sit and remember leonard.
I hope it gets sorted out , though if it can't be a wooden bench would be better than nothing

Maybe, if the Mayor backs the project, they should just go ahead and build it, then argue about it afterwards if Athens finds out . . .

The whole point of a stone bench was its permanence. A wooden bench deteriorates rather quickly, even the more durable ones we've had in our garden never last ten years. Maybe this is why the Parthenon was not constructed of wood.

I am quite perplexed why forces keep arising to thwart our project to honor Leonard. How on earth could this project ever be viewed as inappropriate or as a nuisance? And a side detriment to the foot-dragging is that it only delays the awarding of the excess funds that were raised to Hydra charitable organizations.

Is there no one of authority in Hydra or Athens who can step in here? If not, I am sure that Montreal would gladly allow a stone memorial bench in their Parc du Portugal, where so many have paid tribute to Leonard since his death.

...in the meantime folk are more than welcome to come and visit the beautiful and unspoilt greek island of schinoussa where we have had our very own leonard bench since the summer of 2015....ta ken

Well that Island has a Leonard Bench!

It's amazing how difficult a simple bench is - thank you to everyone who is still working to make this happen. There is something about stone that makes it seem more permanent.