Paxos: Iannis Tranakas, 'O Sparos'

Iannis Tranakas,  'O Sparos' ('The Sprat'), was a great friend of Yankos Velianitis.

They used to go fishing together.

I once wrote a haiku about Iannis, which is included in my book "Corfu Blues":

  Where's he gone,
  The man who ate lemons,
  Stood on his head, when not fishing?


Iannis used to swear by a diet of lemons.


He really did spend a lot of time standing on his head; he said it was good for one's health.

Another much-missed Paxiot with the same name, John Tranakas, was a first cousin of Popi (Penelope) Bogdanou (tou Barboula). John Tranakas was the head of EOT (National Tourist Organisation of Greece) in Rome and Corfu.

NB Amazon.com says the book is currently unavailable. It should still be available from the Swedish publisher. I still have a few copies. Check on Amazon Marketplace (UK).