Package ‘Rmosek’ February 15, 2019 Version 1.3.2 Title The R to MOSEK Optimization Interface Author MOSEK ApS Contact MOSEK ApS Description This is a generic meta-package designed to make the optimization facilities of MOSEK available from the R.
Contents. Understand Nisyros, with fewer than 1000 permanent inhabitants, is famous for having the only 'active' volcano in Greece together with Santorini (Thyra). The island is essentially a volcanic cone with a large collapsed caldera in the center. It is possible to walk into the volcanic crater and view the smoking fumaroles at close hand. There are two main villages on the island; Mandraki in the north-west (where the ferries dock) and Nikia, up on the edge of the volcanic rim to the south.
In Nikia the people are not Nisirians, they are Nikiates. They inhabited Nisyros hunted from pirates and settled there around 1600. Still today when asked they never say 'I am from Nisyros' the say i am from Nikia. Get in By sea Nisyros is one of the stops for ferries that run between (on the Greek mainland) and, with other nearby stops being at,. Sailings are not to a regular daily schedule and become less frequent in the winter months. In addition, a fast catamaran service runs to Rhodes on some days (via Tilos), and many tourist boats bring day-trippers over from Kos each morning, returning early afternoon. Get around Mandraki and Nikea are small enough to stroll around on foot.
To travel between the two there is an occasional bus service, or you can take a taxi. Alternatively, it is a half day hike between the two villages, via the volcanic crater. There is one car and motorcycle rental based on the main port. Pali Harbour - Marilyn & Mike at Eagle's Nest Car & Bike Rental - Friendly service and very helpful information.tel. See The walk in volcanic crater. A path leads down to the yellow sulphur stained floor where you can walk up to and view the steaming vents. Do Hike between Nikea and Mandraki via the volcanic crater.
Most hotels on the island have free maps available for anyone interested in walks around the island. Buy Eat If you go to nisyros with a group, try to avoid where the tour guide sends you to eat. Some tour guides get a commission from the restaurants, which means it will be expensive. Look around and try to avoid the main tourist pathways. Drink Sleep There are a few hotels at the harbor in Mandraki.
Prices from around 30 euros. In Loutra (about 1.5 km from the harbor, there's an hotel at the hot baths, where rooms can be rented for 20 euros (basic and clean, toilet/bath shared), single rooms 17 euros (prices july 2013). The hotel is situated on the left, coming from Mandraki - it's a big white building. Great atmosphere! This is an and needs more content. It has a, but there is not enough present.
South of Kos and facing Kardamena is the island of Nisyros, a brooding and from a distance a mysterious presence in the sea in the Dodecanese islands, between Kos and Tilos. It is basically a volcanic caldera 8 miles in diameter about 8 miles seawards south of Kos. It is a quiet place, far from the well trod tourist path, which is meant to fascinate and charm visitors with its strong colourful character, the dark brown of its volcanic earth, the white of its houses and the deep blue of its sea. Close by is the other volcanic island of Giali under the flight path to Kos Airport which looks like it has been bisected as it is mined for pumice. There are no large towns on Nisyros but rather a collection of villages by the coast and on the crest of the caldera (Emboria and Nikkia) joined by the one road. It is an island I had long wanted to visit but had been put off by the reports of the “Volcano bus tour” which meets you at the harbour, then brings you to the “volcano” and back to the harbour. I wanted to see the real Nisyros so I arranged with Sevi in Lauzimis Tours (who operate boats and hydrofoils between the islands) to book a taxi to show us around Nisyros.
There are only two taxi drivers listed on the island so she suggested Irene as she. South of Kos and facing Kardamena is the island of Nisyros, a brooding and from a distance a mysterious presence in the sea in the Dodecanese islands, between Kos and Tilos. It is basically a volcanic caldera 8 miles in diameter about 8 miles seawards south of Kos. It is a quiet place, far from the well trod tourist path, which is meant to fascinate and charm visitors with its strong colourful character, the dark brown of its volcanic earth, the white of its houses and the deep blue of its sea. Close by is the other volcanic island of Giali under the flight path to Kos Airport which looks like it has been bisected as it is mined for pumice. There are no large towns on Nisyros but rather a collection of villages by the coast and on the crest of the caldera (Emboria and Nikkia) joined by the one road.
It is an island I had long wanted to visit but had been put off by the reports of the “Volcano bus tour” which meets you at the harbour, then brings you to the “volcano” and back to the harbour. I wanted to see the real Nisyros so I arranged with Sevi in Lauzimis Tours (who operate boats and hydrofoils between the islands) to book a taxi to show us around Nisyros. There are only two taxi drivers listed on the island so she suggested Irene as she was the better one and spoke English. So, it came to pass on the appointed day we found ourselves waiting on the quayside of Kos Harbour for the boat to Nisyros. Only the boat had broken down so after some confusion we found ourselves on MV Petros, a 40 year old hydrofoil on the way to Nisyros.
These are soviet built thunderbird like vessels originally built for the Volga and Don rivers and the Black Sea. Petros seemed to be one of the original stock and we sat in the back cabin behind the noisy engines and looking at the ritual of the crew making frappes for themselves in the rudimentary kitchen but no service for the passengers! Even by the standards of these old vessels Petros sounded rough and our suspicions were confirmed next day when we saw it out of the water for repair at Kos Marina being subject to frantic hammering and welding. After a while Nisyros loomed closer, dark and mysterious from afar but closer up you begin to detect the houses and greenery and soon our destination, Mandraki, the harbour town. Because the hydrofoil takes half the time of the boat our taxi driver Irene wasn’t there but in the best Greek tradition we had a coffee at the harbour and mentioned we were early and a call was made to Irene who turned up in 15 minutes. Up the side of the volcano we headed on the steep road taking more than a passing interest in old Audi’s wheezing & rattling. The island of Nisyros is one big strato-volcano with a large central caldera.
The island was built up above sea level about 66,000 years ago and may have risen as high as 1000 metres 24,000 years ago. The main central cone of the volcano then collapsed during an eruption to leave the caldera we see today, around 400 metres high. Pumice from this eruption may be found in 100m thick beds on the higher parts of the island. The last eruption was in 1873 when tuff cones were formed at the base and an explosion created Stephanos, a circular pit 300m in diameter and 25m deep. This pit is the site of the only volcanic activity on Nisyros at the moment in the form of sulphurous hydrothermal fumaroles, mud pots and hot springs. It is this blast pit that tourists are presented with as the 'Nisyros Volcano'.
Nisyros also has therapeutic springs with good curative properties at Loutra and on Kos at Thermes there is a hot spring in the sea from a fissure from the volcano 12 miles away. First stop is halfway on the 8km road to Nikia at the village of Emboreios, which is just off the road. Emboreios is the type of special and poignant place which makes traveling in Greece so different.
It is a village still only accessible by track where there are only 20, mostly old, people still living here. Wandering through this largely deserted village and its vista of white and blue houses. Many derelict and some collapsed, it is possible to imagine the harsh and frugal lives of the people who were once here like the village clinging to existence in a place of sparse resources. I tried the door to the village church and was surprised when it opened – inside was a treasure of icons and paintings and above all in the sanctuary a dome painted sky blue with golden stars.
This orthodox tradition of painting a starry sky on their domes which represent the heavens comes from the Egyptian tombs - a pre Christian tradition imported by the Ptolemy’s. Onwards to the end of the road to Irene’s home village of Nikia. In this atmospheric totally pedestrian (People & Donkey) village you find the loveliest little town square in Greece with a wonderful Zodiac design in the cobbles and around area it built in seating and two Kafeions.
Most Greek villages have two Kafeions as families who were on opposing sides in the Civil War wouldn't drink or take coffee together – things are more relaxed today but the dual cafes remain! The church in the village overlooks and frames the square and the caretaker is happy to show you the icons and contents and out the back there awaits a splendid vista of the volcano crater – looking down on it you can feel sorry for the tourist ants below who have missed out on the real Nisyros. Back down to the harbour where Irene gave us an extempore demonstration of navigating hairpin bends on the side of a volcano whilst smoking with one hand and holding a mobile in the other and having a heated argument in Greek all at the same time – a truly virtuoso display which we all appreciated as a somewhat relieved party bade farewell to Irene and her vintage vehicle back at the harbour. The main town of Nisyros is Mandraki which in Greek means harbour or by extension, the harbour town. It has 650 inhabitants and it is impressively picturesque with lovely traditional houses on the waterside and white washed houses - some coloured - with flat roofs externally layered with pumice stone and internally covered with reeds.
Balconies and gardens filled with flowers and creepers. Narrow little streets take you up to the castle and the monastery of Panagia Spiliani. (The Virgin Mary of the Caves.) The monastery is located on the opposite side of the harbour (northwest) and sits on a rock 30m high which it shares with a Venetian fortress from 1315 A.D. The monastery was built around 1600 A.D. And its church is a basilica with a beautiful iconostasis from the 18th century.
There is a small library with Greek and Turkish documents and a collection of valuable holy relics and ecclesiastical vessels, crosses, Bibles and icons. The 270 steps lead to the holy cave and the icon of the Blessed Virgin from which the monastery takes its name. Mandraki is a pleasant and photogenic town with some nice shops and straight forward tavernas. Wandering back through Mandraki we caught sight of Irene having a coffee and chat in a house.
Who knows what secrets the Taxi Driver of Nisyros has to tell us? If you book her for your trip you may not discover her secrets but you will have a character forming experience on the side of a volcano and discover a unique island away from the tourist track. More Show less.