Now that's unusual!

DESPITE the official clamp down on smoking, which seems to be totally igmored in every taverna and pratically every eating establishment we have been in since the ban was introduced, here is something totally unexpected from a recent report.

  Up until a short while ago, Skotino in the prefecture of Heraklion here on Crete was known mainly for the cave that lent its name to the village, yet recently people have been talking about it for an entirely different reason following a report in local media which revealed that none of the village’s 70 residents smokes, making Skotino something of an exception in Greece.
  However, the residents did not decide to give up smoking as a result of the country’s anti-smoking campaign launched a few years back, as abstinence from tobacco in the village, according to the report, dates back at least 20 years. The “habit” of not smoking has since spread from one generation to the next, with the grandchildren of the oldest residents, now adults themselves, stating that they are all nonsmokers. What’s more, as a result of clean lungs, unpolluted air and the famous Cretan diet, the residents of Skotino tend to live to a ripe old age.
  Skotino is an oddity in Greece, a country where a smoking ban for certain areas introduced a few years ago has been systematically flouted by individuals and businesses alike. Maybe, though, Skotino shows us that something is slowly changing in the Greek psyche.

There is always time for a party!!

AS SURE as night follows day you can be certain that going out with a group of Greeks will end in a party of one kind. It was just that yesterday with a trip towards the southern shores of Crete with a excursion organised by a cultural/church group from the village.

  The signs were there as soon as the coach pulled up to meet us in Pano Hersonissos, when we spotted one of the party carrying an accordion.

  First stop was to the new Amazonas Animal Park just outside Neapoli. Set high in the hills above the town with stunning views, it's mainly a sanctuary for exotic birds. It's well laid out on steep paths with well presented cages for parrots and macaws. It's not really animals, although there are goats and a donkey, and they need to widen their horizons to a greater audience.

  Ierapetra was new call sitting the the sun to taken in the delights of a beach side coffee and the fortress, before Miros a pretty village on the coast and eventually a splendid and cheap lunch high in the hills of Pano Symi before setting off for the area around Viannos, scenes of much war activity and eventually back to the village.

  Lunch was where the party was. We had already had music and signing on the coach, but, as soon as lunch was under way out came the accordion again, more signing and then group dancing, it was a splendid way to spend the afternoon.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
 

Anyone for cake or fish or animals?

VILLAGE life can be fun, especially when things are unexpected. Over the years we have been here we have witnessed many changes, but one thing is remarkable as a village, and that is the variety of goods and items that are brought here for sale, almost certainly a throw-back to life in Greek villages many years ago.

  We have grown accustomed to the cheeseman, the fishman, the family who come around with a van jam packed with household items and the handcart laden with clothing, as well as chickens and rabbits.

  Today there was something totally new, and perhaps a reflection on the financial situation in the country. People are looking for new ways to generate income, and we were stopped in our tracks by two women holding large aluminium cases in which were cakes and other sticky goodness to tempt the palate. They included balaclava (layers of phylo pastry packed with nuts and honey), as well as other traditional pastries, including the custard pie so popular here. There was too much for us we explained, and the women moved off to try their luck in the tavernas, and even the bakeries!!

  They eventually got back into their car and drove off, having made several sales,, making way for the fish trucks from the harbour and then individuals selling anything from DVD's to socks and even jackets. Never a dull moment,

On your marks - get set

IF HARD work means a successful tourist season, then the owners of the establishments in our square deserve a good time.

  The first flurry of tourists have started to trickle into the village and they will see than while three tavernas are up and running, the others are not far behind in their efforts to have everything ready for the season.

  One building has been successfully turned around from the Dutch couple who thought it a good idea to go for the Dutch market - in a really Greek village! That was never going to be a success, the owners are now a Greek family and they have been tearing out the old and replacing it with new kitchens and setting up lighting and painting a decorating.

   One other taverna has had a new rood and interior and all the others have been refreshed. It's also been good to see the two kafeneion's also working their magic in preparation for the tourists - we hope that their efforts will be rewarded with a good season.