Head West young man!

TAKING the lead from Hollywood, we travelled recently to the western side of the island. Although not really that far, even the main road twists and turns forcing a slower pace.
 We were in the company of two buses full of members of the Greek KAPI who had arranged the trip, and it is always interesting to travel with them, seeing things that only the Greek tourist would see.
  First stop for coffee was Bali Berach. It was a little windswept but a natural bay which is obviously very popular in the summer months judging by the number of places for coffee etc. We met an interesting ex-pat from Wales who had retired there, married a very young Romanian and published a book. We declined the offer to buy one!!
  On next to the traditional stop at Georgeopolis, where the Greeks all scrambled to buy the famous local bread, straight from the over. It is remarkable that this place, working with huge traditional ovens, turns out thousands of loaves every day - just three workers!!
  Our main stop was to the remarkable Stone House Taverna at Koumou. It was started in 1990 using bulk stone from the Leka Ori, mixed with small pebbles to produce a remarkable place, popular with weddings, birthdays and parties.
  Lunch was at Kalives before a stop at Stilos for it's water fountains and finally Vrisses, where they produce some of the best traditional yoghurt on the island, which you have to buy in terra cotta dishes.
  Finally back to our village with happy memories and even more photographs. A few of which are here for you to enjoy.

 

Get out of the water and make it snappy!!!

DESPITE all efforts and all the crocodile experts who rushed to Crete, the famous crocodile “Sifis” hasn’t bitten so far. The slaughtered chicken in the traps got rotten and started to stink. “Sifis”, the crocodile of Crete, appears  to be a clever creature, after all.  The two huge traps were set in the waters of Potami Dam  but the crocodile of Rethymnon moved to other swallow waters and other tasty bites. Most probably ducks that are merrily swimming around.
  Now the reptile experts who have flocked to the island of Crete are taking into consideration a Plan B – to catch the crocodile with the help of anesthesia – or a Plan C – to catch the crocodile with a huge fishing net.
 Olivier Behra, the crocodile expert from Discovery Channel, arrived the first days of August.   Local media report that another crocodile expert, Ervin Moser from Austria is already in Crete. He is expected to assist the Cretans in the search and capture of Sifis, the crocodile,  the crocodile-experts world and the local community of Rethymnon is confused.
  A part of the locals say the crocodile should remain in the dam lake in a isolated area in order to function as attraction for tourist and boost the local economy. According to daily Ta NEA, local tourist operators have already scheduled “a stop at Potami Dam” in their daily excursion programs. The crocodile was probably released by a person who did not realise just how big these so call “pets” could become

The Assumption - another great two days of celebration

ALL over Greece, rooms are hard to find, tickets on ferries and hydrofoils almost impossible to get, buses and trains are on modified schedules, and fasting Greeks are spending two weeks in reverential deprivation to prepare for the Feast of the Dormition (also called Assumption) on August 15th. This date in the Greek Orthodox calendar marks the moment when the devout believe that Mary, the Theotokos, ascended into Heaven, however they have added an extra night on the 14th.

  It is the same of course in our village. Preparations are made days in advance, posters for two nights are spread out to advertise who will be performing in the platia on these two nights.
  A special sound stage is erected, one night at one end of the square and then at the other - either way you cannot escape the sound!!
  For this date they use the smaller of the two churches in the village. It is packed as families come together to mark the day. They usually come in their best outfits and bring with them the4 special loaves of bread, which they hand over, each with the family name pinned to it, for the priest of say his personal blessing. Many others bring wine or even olive oil. We have often wondered what they do with all the gifts, after all there is just so much bread you can eat. The bread are cut up and handed around to the packed audience inside and out of the church.
  Then, later in the evening off they go to sit at the platia, where extra tables and chairs are placed across the area. Cars have to find their way around the village and the music goes on through to the very early (or late) depending on your time-clock hours of the morning. This is all repeated again on the second night.
  In the small square behind the church a book-fair is erected and families sift through the offering to fill another space on their bookshelf.
  It's traditional to return to home villages, so even remote locations are busier than usual as the Greeks of the diaspora return to their homeland to connect with family, visit friends, and immerse themselves in the ancient rituals, culture, and practice of being Greek Orthodox.
  Churches throughout the country celebrate the feast with traditions which vary from place to place. Rural churches are jammed with not only worshippers, but offerings in the form of animals, property, and food; some churches even hold an auction of these offerings during the celebrations, though this custom -and livestock offerings- are less common today.
  Greeks of the Orthodox faith prepare themselves by fourteen days of fasting, from August 1st to the 14th, a fast which is joyfully broken on the 15th. The frenzied travel home that many Greeks undertake is also a kind of pilgrimage, to family, culture, faith, and country. It's a rich and wonderful, if crowded, time to be in Greece.This day, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is not a day of mourning for her loss, but a celebration of joy for the union of the mother with her beloved son, the blossoming of nature, the flood of emotions, and the return of people to their native land.

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES - IT'S KARPATHOS!

We have just returned from five days on the island of Karpathos. It's seven hours by boat, and we now know it's the windy island!! Full of sweeping mountains, low cloud base and glorious beaches it was a great break, high up the wind swept through the gorges, and this was summer!
  Up to Olympos after a short boat trip, the first surprise on landing at Diafani with our guide - it was her mother who drove the coach! So along with members of our Kapi we set off up the sweeping curves to the top where the village was constructed on the side of the hill, to thwart pirate attacks from the land.
   Here the women of the village to this day always wear traditional clothing - not for the tourists. They happily call you to see their homes, often just a single room, with kitchen off our even outside with the bread oven. Inside you will find the walls covered in brightly painted ceramics and photos of their families over the years. There is a platform, called a sufi, which is the bedroom, raised high, and another if they had children. The hospitality was not put on, they handed out sweets to encourage you to look and learn their traditions.
   It was the same at another trip, this time to Mesochori, again pitched on the hillside, so lots of steps down, meaning a long way up again.We had plenty of time also to admire the beaches as we travelled around, before nights spent in the town of Karpathos.
  On our final night there was a party in a local taverna for all our group, where they provided music and entertainment, but they had not realised that one of our party, Manolis, in fact was a better singer and he took over, the local group accepted this, although all others in the tavern must have wondered what was going on.

Give me that mike (Manolis, left) takes over!

Highly decorated inside their homes

Pat tries on the traditional Olympos head-dress

A break for us at Finiki

Pity any delivery!

They still cook in the outside ovens

Olympos village perched on the hillside

UPDATED PAGES - JULY 2014

WE HAVE FOUND TIME TO UPDATE THE PAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BLOG.

You will find lots of new photographs, mainly from Crete of course. Enjoy the images as much as we did in obtaining them

A really Greek night out

Greek music, Greek food and good friends. What a way to spend a warm Sunday night here in our old Village. Along with more than 250 we joined in the fun and the traditional music served up by an excellent band. They were obviously well known as the outdoor area at the top of our village was packed.
   Tickets were only ten euros, and when seated it included a bottle of wine and more food than we could eat.. Officially the evening was due to start at 9.30, being Greece it actually got going an hour later, but the food was brought to the table during this time, and with many from the village who we know,
   It was a great evening. Our American friends Duane and Cheryl came also and had a really good time, despite it being a late night. Music was due to carry on until early morning, which it certainly did.
   This was not like the Monday night music in the platia, which is designed for tourists, but it was genuine Cretan music - for Cretans and those who enjoy a good night out.

Brushing up on artist

OUT to Fodele, west of Heraklion for a day out with American friends to the birthplace of painter El Greco. It's a quiet village, very traditional with buildings lining the small river that feeds the lush area.
  Kn own also for their quality oranges and lemons, we have a friend who runs a taverna there, so it was a visit to catch up, see the El Greco museum and spend quality time in a friendly village. The old ladies of the village still demonstrate their mecrame skills, making intricate designs, working in a traditional manner off the back of an old chair. It's interesting to see them at work, usually surrounded by young relatives as their pass on their techniques.
  The museum is packed with a well displayed selection of the great mans paintings, but obviously not original, but quality photographs placed on light-frames, whichshow  every details.

No, Yes, No - well maybe - Yes

CONFUSED? Of course you are and we refer to the popular traditional dance nights in the village on Monday nights.
  Every year since we came here, Monday nights from June is reserved for music and dance through the village square. It is very popular with the tourists and more popular with the taverna owners, although they always bitch about having to pay for it. Last year was the same, yes they would, no they would not. In the end they took a cheaper option - a disaster and the second week they reverted to the more expected professional group, As a result the square was totally packed every Monday,m with many returning in the week for another meal in the taverna of their choice.
  We were told - without a doubt - there would be no Monday music, we even told others the same. Imagine our surprise when we heard music coming from the square. Out we went and they were there - dancers and music - a cheaper option yes, but they were there.
  Somebody took the decision as late as 5.00pm, and there was no time to tell everybody - result, a poor turnout of tourist. Will it be back? Watch this space!!!
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UPDATE:::::: The answer, for the moment is YES!! We had another Monday with music and hundreds of tourists, who enjoyed the great atmosphere- are the taverna owners realising that this is the way forward - maybe

 

New adventures to the west

DESPITE being on the island for almost 11 years there are so many places we have never visited, and we do try! This week was an opportunity to explore new ground to the west and south, thanks to a trip organised by our senior citizens group KAPI.
  So it was an early start to take in Kourna Lake, which we had been to previously and then Reythmno before turning south to Paleochora.
  Situated on a peninsular, 74 kms south of Chania it is a small town, surround by the Lybian sea. Pretty with nice beaches and plent of attractions. It's famous for it's small bays, tourism and the cultivation of olive oil and tomatoes.
  Refreshed by a good overnight sleep in an excellent  beach side hotel it was time to head to the Samaria Gorge. It is a national park, rich in flora and fauna, famous as a 16 kms walk. Not an idea walk as it takes more than five hours, so it was a look and time for photographs of the rugged terrain. Visitors usually arrive at the village of Omalos at an altitude of 1,250m and then end their walk in the village of Agia Roumeli. Having arrived usually by bus, the walkers usually take the ferry back to Paleochora, tired and refreshed at the same time.
  Heading inland it was then time for  lunch at Theriso, famous for the starting point for the uprising years before, time in Chania and then to Akrotiri overlooking Souda Bay.
  There was just enough time to squeeze in a visit to Georgopolis for some of their famous wood oven bread,, a local church and then home - phew!! 

It's much too much

TOWARDS the end of last year we met Americans Duane and Cheryl, who moved into the village, about 200 metres from our house.  Since then we have become good friends, and they are good company.
  We have a taverna in a nearby village called Kokkini Hani where we sometimes go. Phyllis, Scottish co-owner is a real laugh, excellent sense of humour, and business partner Ganni is a really good Greek chef.  During the year they have what they term “buffet nights” In reality a group of people are invited, usually 20 or so, many are regulars, including us.
  The building is small and very traditional, in fact it sits on the edge of a car-park, is hardly advertised, and is not really easy to find.
  We mentioned this to the Americans who were keen to experience it for themselves, so along they came. They were very surprised by the quality and the quantity of the food,. On this night we had: Greek salad, tzaziki, fava, two kinds of pork, two kinds of chicken, fried fish, potato salad, sausages in sauce, two kinds of liver and a beef dish. Much of the produce comes from Gannis’ own animals or from his vegetable plot, it’s always fresh and there is a vast amount of food, no matter the numbers. The biggest surprise however comes at the end of the night, when the cost is €10 a head, about £8!!!
  Of course there is Raki to drink and fruits afterwards, and you cannot leave feeling hungry. The Americans have already demanded to be informed when the next one of held.
  For us it was also an opportunity to catch up with a Dutch family, who have been coming to Crete for more that 20 years. We keep in touch by e-mail, but it was extra nice to catch up personally.

That's strange for a plant

WE were stopped in our tracks today as we passed through our village. Wife Pat is a great lover of flowers and plants, despite not having a garden. She still manages to fill our two terraces with more than 50 pots, troughs and hanging baskets, but even she had to double take something hanging on the wall of one of the taverns.

  From a distance it was orange blooms with long grey leaves - at least it looked exotic, until we go closer and saw in fact that it was a potted plant, off which was hanging a pair of octopus, getting a little dried out before being BBQ;s later in the day. - Still It drew a lot of attention.
  Of course we had to stop, take a photos and give friends and family a laugh at the special plant only found in Greece.
  Pat decided it was not one to add to her collection, and agreed at least ours were more colourfuland certainly smelled much better!!

Greeks & Easter eggs

WHEN  it comes to Easter, the Greeks are in their element. It’s the most religious of times, and also when the traditional are maintained.
  Take dyeing eggs - naturally. It may be less expensive to purchase commercial dyes for your eggs, but you will get better results with natural dyes. The colours you produce will be more vibrant and less "pastel" than what we traditionally associate with Easter, but go on and be a rebel! Natural colourings produce amazing results and you can be very creative in your effects by using etching techniques with your dye.
  Common coloring techniques involve such things as coffee, onions, and spices that you should have on hand. In many cases, the items used for coloring are a by-product of another food item which can be consumed either before or after using the dye. For example, onion peels are removed before the onions are eaten, and then used to dye your Easter eggs.
  Our local senior citizens group, KAPI held a demonstration of this technique, to which we were invited. Using natural colourings the result was a deep blood red. Then came another tradition - each person was handed a decorated candle, and an egg as they left.
.  There's some controversy over the origins of Easter and whether it comes from Heathen pagan traditions or whether this is purely a Christian holiday. When it comes to Easter eggs, however, there can be very little doubt about their symbolism:
  They are a sign of fertility and representative of the new beginnings that come with Spring. Eggs are often used in pagan rituals and spell work to draw fertility to those hoping to become pregnant or for anyone hoping for a plentiful harvest. In paganism, eggs may be an offering to a particular deity in the hopes of gaining favour and a fertile Spring.
  The Goddess Ostara (Eostre) is celebrated in the Spring with the Vernal Equinox on or around March 21st every year. This is one of the reasons that we colour eggs and have egg hunts at Easter time.

What a complete waste

IT's so typical here in Greece, they arrange a big event, and you only find out about it by chance, or afterwards. Take this week as an example.
  It was the Cycle Race around Crete - Really?, even friends of ours who have a business here did not know about it until the riders flashed past their shop.  No wonder nobody stood on the streets to cheer them through. Take a look at the Tour de France, yes, it's well established, but the publicity of it stretches to all the villages, and for weeks before the event there are banners and promotions goping on.
  Here there was a double blow to the event, not only poor advertising but on the day the riders were due to ship over to the island - the ferries went on strike! Result a field that should have been more than 100 was decimated to around half.
  The riders really were put through their paces, from Heraklion, to Ak Nik onto the bottom part of the south coast and through to take in Rythmno to Chania. They wizzed through Hersonissos, and also into Neapoli, the only remarks from some of the locals was to complain about some roads being closed for a short while.

A warm welcome back!

NICE surprise today, opened windows on the house upstairs overlooking Hersonissos and there was a more than welcome visitor to our Crete shores - the Swifts are back.
  It certainly seems long time since they were here after their flight at the end of last summer, but we are sure that they are back earlier than usual - a sign of warmer days ahead, whatever the reason it's nice to see them swooping around the village in search of the nest they have made over the years.

A little pasta masterclass

WE were taught how to make Crete Pasta today. To give it the correct name it is Skiouficha, made from two kinds of flour, a little olive oil and hand-formed into small pieces.
   These are then dredged in flour and then, when partially dry, immersed in hot water until they rise to the top, and then served with cheese and or tomato sauce. Rather like Italian Gnocci.
  Pasta has always been part-and-parcel with the Greek kitchen cabinet. Though popular belief maintains that Marco Polo returned to Italy from his travels in China bearing pasta, experts now surmise that the food may not have come from any one place but from several, including Ancient Greece.
  Many scholars argue that the Greeks had a kind of primitive pasta in the form of a grilled batter that they called "laganum." The word may be the etymological root of what the Italians call lasagna. Furthermore, the word for macaroni most likely has Greek origins, given that the food closely resembles makaria, an ancient Greek funerary dish. The Ancients asserted that sweetened, wheat-based foods were highly symbolic of rebirth and regeneration, and would therefore serve such foods in an effort to honour the dead.
  It was the ladies of our social group KAPI who held the demonstration, making more than enough to serve everybody, as well as then turning the dough into triangles and deep frying it, serving it with either sugar or honey.

Let the festivals begin

ALL over Greece it's Festival time. The build up to Easter, the really big event of the year, bigger even than Christmas, is celebrated with events, festivities and parades.
  From large cities right through to smaller villages they all hold their festivals. The nearest village to us to stage event was Agriana, and we went along to catch up with the fun. It's another big social event, people you do not know still come up wishing you well, shaking your hand, sharing a glass of wine as the activities unfold.
  For the families it's a chance to dress up their children in best party outfits, they line the streets waiting to catch a glimpse perhaps of somebody they know. The events are usually on the Saturday/Sunday and then on Monday it is "Clean Monday" at which the majority stop eating meat and dairy products, and another chance to party.
  The biggest one to us is at Sissi along the coast, staged around the pretty harbour. Yesterday in Agriana the sun shone, today started wet, got wetter before the sun poked through late in the day. For the organisers of the party it was a nightmare. They place out hundred of tables and chairs, bowls of special bean soup are produced along with taramasalata, fava, salads and halva. They provide drinks also free of change, and then the music starts and dancing takes over. Despite the rain, people still came out, albeit later.

There's nothing like a good exhibition!!!

WHEN it comes to marketing their products the Greeks certainly need to wise up. On the island we have a national exhibition centre where they stage some really good events, the trouble is they usually wait until the very last minute before they promote them - and that is only half of the problem.
   Like to see a great Marilyn Monroe exhibition, or how about one all about Leonardo da Vinci or thrill the kids with a brilliant Dinosaur show? All these are at the exhibition centre and there are dozens of billboards, advertising signs and posters advertising them - the only problem? They are all finished!
   That's right, the Monroe exhibition was in October 2011. the excellent da Vinci exhibition was even earlier, and the Dinosaurs finished in October last year - despite this all the signs are still up and confuse tourists. How many children will pester their parents during the coming summer months to go to see the Dinosaurs or dad drooling over seeing the Monroe exhibition and being frustrated when they find out it has long gone.
  We cannot understand why they leave the signs up, but perhaps they want their moneys worth as they are very late putting them up in the first place. It's not only the events at the exhibition centre, which is at Gouves, but venture into Heraklion and you would be totally blown away trying to find something advertised that is actually on, they are really lax and then they moan that numbers attending these events are really poor.
   Having worked in marketing for many years in the UK, the value of promotion is imperative, so it's a source of amazement - but this has been happening for years, so you would have thought that somebody would have sorted it out by now!

Water water everywhere - except the village!!

WE have come used to water pressure being reduced, especially during the tourist season, well we are an island of course and there are great demand on supplies during the summer. But this weekend has been a real problem, not just for us, but for the whole village.
  The problem started on Saturday, continued through the weekend and was finally resolved today (Monday) - we simply did not have any water, or, sometimes just a trickle, but the whole village suffered.
  We restricted ourselves to just the one toilet, we usually have a watering can on standby filled to flush the toilet, but it was a pain. The problem was a pumping station breaking late on Friday night, parts had to be found from Heraklion, there were delays, once found they had to be fitted and tested, before the supply was back.
   Anyone with a family must have had real problems, not able to wash up of course, but you could not use a washing machine, have a shower or restrict yourself to using bottled water - something we always keep in the house.
  Service was returned late on Monday afternoon, so we could imagine a lot of families getting showered quickly in case the fault returned.

New tricks to take your money

WE have grown accustomed to the screen washers, the headlight cleaners and children playing little accordions in attempts to take your money from you - begging by any other name, but there is now a new twist.
  On virtually every corner of the roads around the main city of Heraklion and in the main areas of the city, you will be confronted by all of the above, now they are after the sympathy votes - using little puppies to tug at you heart-strings.
  We were in the city today and saw more than four such new challenges. Usually the beggars are Albanian or Bulgarian and even Bangladeshi, but the new ploy is to hold a small puppy in their arms. It's not unusual in England to see beggars with dogs, but they generally are either older, or well looked after.
  Of course the puppy knows nothing of what is going on. It thinks its being looked after, held close to the person with a piece of string or cuddled in their arms as they approach you.
  We were however surprised when they actually tried to sell the puppy of unknown origin, there are so many dogs already abandoned, so we assume that these latest arrivals will be dumped as they grow bigger or start to cost them money to be fed.
There is nothing that the police can or will do, as they are not actually breaking any rules, other than being moved on sometimes. One has to feel sorry for the puppy - the whole reason that they are going down this route - they will really do anything to get passer by to part with some money,

Good day for a dip!!!

TODAY, January 6th is Epiphany throughout all of Greece. After the local church ceremony it is tradition that the priest will go to the local harbour and blesses the waters and then throws the sacred cross into the waters, where young men challenge for the collection, a sign of good luck.
   There were hundreds gathered at Hersonissos harbour to celebrate the day, blessed with warm winter sunshine, but, we are told the water was still very cold as 12 brave souls vied for the wooden cross pitched into the sea by the priest from the brow on a boat.

  We go along, meet friends there, and enjoy the activities, and stay on for coffee and a chat, but the ceremony is still to be admired as they retain their traditions. 
   Epiphany is an important religious celebration for all Greeks and Orthodox Christians. The day on which Jesus was baptized symbolizes the regeneration of man and that is why Epiphany used to be celebrated, until the mid-4th century, as New Year’s Day. Epiphany, or Fota as this celebration is otherwise called in Greece, is associated with the removal of evil spirits, human fertility and land fertility.
 It is also considered that the celebration of Epiphany brings catharsis. The waters are sanctified and evil is driven out of them. During earlier centuries, villagers considered this particular day as the biggest celebration of the year when they would wear their new clothes in order for them to be sanctified!
  There was also a myth that on the eve of Epiphany, the heavens opened and people could get anything they requested.

A little bit of England!

WHEN we arrived here in Crete nearly ten years ago, it was almost impossible to buy many of the creature comforts that we could easily pick up in our UK supermarkets. We are not talking shopping trollies of food, but the few items that we miss from the UK.

  Gradually over the years as more and more ex-Pats have come to the island that changed a little. Take brown sauce as an example. You can go into any Greek supermarket and the range of tomato sauce products is vast but no brown sauce (vital for fried eggs or bacon sandwiches). It was impossible also to obtain castor sugar and golden syrup, not everyday requirements, but sometimes essential, after all you cannot make a golden sponge with honey instead of syrup! We won't talk about Marmite of course.

  Well, gradually over the years the demand on friends and family coming to the island has gradually diminished, now, virtually everything is possible, thanks to the opening of various English shops on the island.

  The first for us was the English Warehouse in Agios Nikoloaus, a trip of 40 minutes each way. Run by an English lady and her Greek husband, it really came into its own around Christmas with top cheeses, frozen goods and even cards and crackers.

  This year another shop has opened about 10 minutes away, at Stalis. Delightful Vicky Light  and her Greek boyfriend Nondas run this shop, small but packed with more than 300 ambient lines, plus an ever expanding frozen goods, all those essentials much needed. We also know of at least one other English shop, to the east at Chania, too far for us of course. Stalis is the shop by choice, they would even deliver is needed, we get an update of their range of goods, as well as their frozen produce list. They deserve every success for their enterprise, it took a great deal of planning and hard work, which from our view is paying dividends.
  Their first Christmas was a surprise to them, they had nothing to judge the situation by, but learned a great deal, making sure that planning for the big week would be done earlier next time. Their customers of course realise the value of such a shop, and together with personal service are sure to return time after time. 
  Now both local (to us) shops have increased their ranges, importing direct from the UK a wider and wider range of frozen foods. We love Greek food, cooked oiur way also, but there are also little treats that make life that little more special.
  A toasted tea-cake for example in the afternoon. Real English pork pies with that crisply outside housing a delightful pork and jelly inside, nothing in Greece can offer that, although there have been some who have tried  without real success.
  Of course the shops really are for those living here, but on the influx of tourists they get to hear of the shops and load up with items for self catering, which is certainly better than the fully inclusive hotels that ties visitors to their hotels - but that's another story.

Eastern Crete - just right for birthday trip

SITIA, eastern Crete has a charm of it's very own. It has been two years since going to the town, but a birthday trip was duly planned, but with weather in the first three days of the week resulting in storms and torrential rain the signs were not good.

   The Hotel Elysee had been booked, complete with sea view, so when the day of travel arrived and it was bright sunshine, the whole mood of the trip changed. It  was the first time at the hotel, where management and staff could not have been friendlier. Our double room was large and well appointed. Clean and comfortable were obvious keywords for the hotel, and they maintained these standards.

  On our first experience was a trip to the well appointed Museum, filled with Minoan history, small, but as they say, perfectly formed, and well presented.with history

  The actual birthday dawned, again with bright sunshine, and even people were actually swimming in the sea, December remember!! We travelled around the area, including Zakros and Zakros Beach, so much history and natural beauty to be seen. We even gatecrashed a birthday party in the evening held for a local family, including live music - a perfect end to our eastern trip

Loukoumades (Greek donuts) for all

THE last weekend of November is the traditional time for the serving of Loukoumades, and our senior citizen group (KAPI) also serves them,, virtually to anybody who calls into their building - and there are many of course. 

  Loukoumades are Greek doughnuts which have a round, golden appearance. Made using flour and salt, and dressed with honey syrup and cinnamon, they are very popular in Greek cooking. The dessert first originated in Ancient Greece, where they were called "honey tokens" and were awarded to winning Olympic athletes.The pastry was first recorded in writing by the poet Callimachus, making it one of the oldest recorded desserts in Greek history.

  The Greek pastry is made by first combining flour and salt. Yeast is then dissolved in warm water and a pit is made in the center of the flour mixture where it is poured until the dough is malleable and sticky. The dough is left to rest and, once it has doubled in size, it is ready to be fried in hot oil in a deep fryer. 
  To achieve the round shape, a small amount of dough is placed into the palm of a hand and is molded into a small ball before it is placed in the oil. This process is continued until the entire dough mixture is used; when the pastry balls float to the top of the oil and appear golden in color, they are ready to dress with syrup
  While there are variations in recipes, loukoumades are generally served with honey syrup and cinnamon. To make the honey syrup, water, honey, and sugar are combined and brought to a boil. The syrup is then poured over the loukoumades and cinnamon is sprinkled on top. Loukoumades are usually served warm.


 

Autumn - a time to reflect

AUTUMN is Crete has been days of warm sun, lazy days in the local cafe drinking coffee and generally watching the world go by.

  Tourists have virtually disappeared from the island and our village, Pano Hersonissos has entered a new time-zone. All the tavernas, bar one, have closed, leaving the locals, and us to use the kafeneions. These are always well supported through the whole year, and in recent sunshine a pefect setting. 

  The kafeneions prepare and sell traditional food, and it's very good value. The first rains, albeit little, have started, but not enough to discourage a walk out. On Sundays one enterprising trader from Kastelli, about eight miles away, comes to the village his van laden with plants and small shrubs. He has done a great trade in the village and will be here until the heavy rains come. His family own a garden centre and his enterprise has been good for him.

  One of the tavernas on the edge of the village square has taken a big step forward. During the years that we have been here we have noticed that they really have no trade to speak of. For whatever reason they have embarked on a major change. The place has been re-designed, with a fresh decor, so we shall watch this one carefully over the coming months.

  Soon most locals will be out checking their olive trees, looking for a good harvest. A recent newspaper article in England listed one oil from chania, as one of the very best. When we checked, the selling price was 39 euros for half a litre!!!! It had to be very very special for that. We are more than happy with the oil we have thank you. Current value if you have to buy it locally is around two euros a litre, we certainly have no complaints from our local suppliers.

Psst - wanna buy a fake bargain?

WE know the economy here is Greece is in a parlous state and people will do what they can to make money, but we came across a new one today.

  Shopping in Hersonissos at the international company Lidl, as we loaded up our purchases, a very suspicious man edged up to our car.

   He said nothing at first, but then, offered a brand new ""Apple iPhone""  It's genuine he said when he realised we were English. It only 100 euro today special offer. First of all it could not have been genuine for that money, or secondly it was stolen. It could even been the kind they have in phone shops - the dummy ones that look the part for sales but actually have nothing inside the case. Did it come with a charger, did it work??

 We could not believe that he thought that anyone would even give it a fraction of their time to buying such a fake..Are there really people in this day and age who would fall for it - we certainly hope not.

It's a blooming good night!!

LAST year we were lucky in our village of Pano Hersonissos, to have the traditional Carnation Night revived. The area is well know for it's flowers and you will find row upon row of growing sheds around the area.

  So it was nice that, after it had been missing from the village for more than 10 years, it was brought back. Even better it was continued here again. It seemed that the whole village was out, despite there being two very big local wedding parties taking place, as well as the very important Greek football match Olympiacos v. Panathaniacos (Olympiacos won 1-0) being shown on television. This meant that the festivities started later, but that is nothing new in Greece, although it was obvious fromn many faces which football team they supported!!
  Everybody was having a good time, including the village dogs who were out in force. They are all very gentle and were all well fed by the end of the evening.
  Wine was free of charge, and a non-profit price on all other drinkls and there were thousands of soulaki (meat on sticks) being cooked to feed the revellers. Live music pushed the evening along, and it was not long before the traditional dancing took place, all into the very early hours of the morning. Towards the end of the night, thousands of carnation blooms were handed round or thrown into the area where the dancers were. Another night to remember.

When Oxi really did mean "NO"

OXI Day (pronounced oshy and sometimes spelt as 'Okhi Day' or 'Ochi Day') is celebrated every year in Crete and the rest of Greece on October 28th. It is a public holiday and it is commemorated with military, student and union marches and parades. The Greek flag flies freely on almost every building.
   Oxi day commemorates the very firm "No! (Oxi!) of the Greek government to the capitulation ultimatum of Mussolini in World War II.

  In October 1940, Europe was being oppressed by Nazi Germany. Poland, the Low Countries and France had already fallen and Britain was fighting the Axis powers of Germany and Italy alone.

At that time the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, had massed an Italian army in occupied Albania directed at Greece. In the early hours of October 28, 1940 Mussolini issued an ultimatum to the Greek leader Ioannis Metaxas to surrender, in effect, by allowing Italian troops to occupy Greece.

  Greece's brave and adamant reply of Oxi! (No!), to Mussolini's capitulation ultimatum echoed throughout the world and gave much needed support to Britain and the forces of freedom. Metaxas' reply marked the beginning of participation of Greece in World War II

 We always go, if only to meet friends in the main town, and today was no exception. The children who take part in the parade maerch with passion, especially the very young, after a church service first.

Tough times

THE end of the tourist season is almost here on the island, and businesses will be assessing what has been a very tough season for many.
  In our village many did not even manage to finish the season, while others report a better than expected season. Already some have actually closed down for the season, one taverna is always the last to open, but the first to close. Our friends Nico and Anna run Margo
taverna, which is certainly the prettiest in the village, and right to the end have enjoyed a good summer, however, one taverna which returned to Greek ownership this season actually closed down in the middle of the season - they simply could not attract business, some nights only serving two or three customers  while employing more than that in staff.
  Elsewhere the picture has been much the same, what needs to be addressed during the winter months is what is to be done for 2014. It will take a brave person to forecast that, but certainly many will fall.

Brilliant Balos - Great Gramvousa

OUR final excursion of the year has been for three days with our senior citizen group KAPI, to the western tip of the island to visit the former pirate outpost of Gramvousa and the fantastic lagoon of Balos, and the efforts was worth it. We were based in Chania for two nights at the Hotel Kriti. Been here before and very good value, only 300 meters from the main town.
  There was time on the first and second nights to explore the town and have a meal. One shock was the small local hotel by the harbour we had been to before has now changed hands and upped all their prices for the winter, so that has been crossed off our list.
  However the main reason for the trip was the island of Gramvousa.  Departing from the port of Kissamos and travelling for approximately 55 minutes in the gulf, first you see a vast cave, that is believed to have been the ancient shipyard - Tarsanas. It is found near the Roman city of Agnion, thought to be the god Apollo (today Ag. Sostis).
   At the end of the Gulf there is an impressive geological phenomenon where, as a result of the passage of time, the western part of the island is raised, while the eastern part is sunk.
  This phenomenon was created by catastrophic earthquakes that took place in 66 BC and 365 BC. These earthquakes, caused by the movement of the lithospheric plates of Africa, caused the abrupt elevation of Crete from 6m to 9m above sea level. This ancient sea level can still be seen today as a black trace along the rocky coast. According to scientific estimates, this geographical phenomenon is still continuing today, but at a much slower rate.
   During the voyage across the gulf passengers often come across marine turtles (Caretta Caretta), the Mediterranean seal (Monachus Monachus) and dolphins of the region, no such luck for us however.
   We were impressed with the island, although declined the long haul up to the very top to explore the castle fortress. Sneaked a few pictures from another source so we could see what was missed.. However Balos was something else, little rock pools from which you could extract sea-salt before the main lagoon. Walking knee deep it was a great experience.

A very Happy Birthday

Our Romanian neighbours were celebrating the first birthday of their son Dimitri, and insisted that we went along to the celebrations. So, along with family and family we went to the setting, in the local stables, in in keeping with their culture there was a great deal of food, lots to drink and of course music and dancing.
  We had met many of those there previously and felt at home, even with some language difficulties. The setting was excellent for the families with children as the stables have a play area as well of horses  of various shapes and sizes, of course, as well as other animals.
  It was interesting to see their customs, a little different from a typical English party, but tradition dictated a birthdaycake, complete with fireworks instead of the more traditional candles!!

Inspired Beatrix Potter

HAVING lived and worked in the Lake Distriuct prior to departibng for Crete, it is a pleasure to hear a move that saves a special place.

  An estate on the shores of Derwentwater which inspired Beatrix Potter to write The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin has been given Grade II listed status.

  Lingholm, built in the 1870s, was designed by architect Alfred Waterhouse

  The Department of Culture, Media and Sport said the listing would preserve the home, Lingholm, at Portinscale, near Keswick.
  The home and surrounding area are said to have inspired some of the author’s most famous works, including The Tales of Peter Rabbit, Mrs Tiggywinkle and Benjamin Bunny.
  The woodland nearby and its population of red squirrels is also recognised as an influence behind The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, and Potter was known to be a dedicated conservationist who spent much of her life trying to preserve the area.
  The listing means the home is recognised as “being of special architectural or historic interest” and protected against “unauthorised demolition, alteration or extension”.

Modest decline in foreclosures

A STUDY carried out by the Greek Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants finds €50bn bank recapitalisation is likely to result in only a modest decline in the rate of closures.
  Some 40,000 small businesses across the country are likely to close in the second half of 2013 at a cost of up to 90,000 jobs, despite a major bank rescue program implemented before the summer, a study published this week warned.
  The survey of 1,200 small businesses conducted between found that the €50bn bank recapitalisation was likely to result in only a modest decline in the rate of closures, from an estimated 55,000 in the first half of the year.
  The idea behind the recapitalisation program, part of the country's second international bailout deal, was to pump cash into the real economy.
  The survey also found that some 65.7% of small businesses said t hey had reduced hours or salaries for staff so far this year, while 75.4% described their situation as being worse than in 2012. Source: AP,

Ladies' Night & Killer Heels!

IT IS a well known fact - the Greeks like to party. In the month of August, traditionally the holiday season they really go to town. In our village it seems that there is something happening every week

Last night was the traditional Ladies" Night, when usually they all get together, plan what they will offer in the way of food and prepare and serve it - all for free.

  In the current situation it was no surprise that they asked this year for a €5 donation, and when you see the quantity of food handed out there could be fee objections. The difference it was all prepared in advance and we got for our money - wait for it: fava, giant beans in sauce, dolmadias, salad, pork in sauce, hondros with snails and if that was not enough pork and potato from the oven. Local wine was just €3 a bottle and soft drinks a matter of cents.

Of course there was music, and dancing, of course everybody dressed up and that's when we spotted many killer heels, even on the dance floor! The music went on until at least 4.00 am, we retired a little earlier.

  Not seen before the traditional lamb skin instrument, sounded like a bagpipe, very interesting. 

A musical instrument that you meet only rarely nowadays is the bagpipe - the askomantoura.
The bagpipe, a member of the woodwind family, consists of three main parts: the mouthpiece, the bag and the pipe. The pipe is the most complicated part and consists of a wooden socket with two reeds and the melody pipe.
For the mouthpiece or the blowpipe (fouskotari) a hollowed out bone is generally used, as it is considerably stronger than wood.
The bag (askos) is made out of the skin of a kid or a lamb. An animal of approximately 7 kilos is preferred, as it gives the best size of the bag. The hairs are cut to the length of ½ cm to prevent the bag from bursting. The hairs will also catch the moisture when you blow, and thus prevent the wooden parts from being destroyed. Afterwards the holes from three of the legs are sewn up, while the hole from the throat and the fourth leg remain open for the wooden socket and the mouthpiece. Then the reverse side is turned out.
The wooden socket, cut out of oleander or maple, is hollowed out in order to make room for the two reeds (kalami). Any leaks that may occur are sealed with beeswax.
The fingerholes in the reeds are made by glowing pieces of wood in order to make them completely round.

A genuine Kri Kri family

ANY day out with our senior group KAPI usually means a short visit to a church ior monastery, but this week was a little different, we were actually able to see Kri Kri. Kri-Kri is the common name of the Cretan feral goat (Capra aegagrus ssp. cretica) which is the largest wild mammal on the island. Its grandeur, its bravery, its ability to observe without being noticed, its speed and its impressive horns are the features that were loved by the locals and made it a symbol of Crete and the untamed Cretan spirit.

 It lives mainly on the White Mountains and its local name is "Agrimi" (GR: Αγρίμι = the wild one) for the male and "Sanada" (GR: Σανάδα) for the female. Recent years, young kri-kris have approached the old village of Samaria, where they are fed by the park rangers and can be seen by the visitors. Kri-kris and goats are close genetically, as the hybridization that exists between them show. Kri-kri's size however is a good deal larger than that of a goat. The young kid was skittish of course, but was lured to the fence with some grass for a photo chance.

We saw them in a taverna high up in the hills during a  day trip to the west of the island, when the staff pointed them out to us, as they are rather special. They had a whole family in a perfect setting. We had seen images of them and even stuffed ones in the natural history museum, but it was nice to see them up close and personal.

  Our day out included the village of Vrisses, where they sell their famous yoghurt and then to Georgeopoulis, famous for their traditional bread. Needless to say we came home with bags of both, whoever the two coachload of KAPI members actually cleared the bakery out, which was some going as they produce over 1,000 loaves every day.  Some of the locals had to make do with a wait, only 15 minutes to get to the next batch.

Listen, enjoy - let's eat!

THERE is always something to enjoy here on the island, Tonight it was another music night, this time with our senior citizens organisation KAPI. Held at their headquarters in Hersonissos, the choir came up with some new material under the direction of their new choir master.
  They had hardly finished when there was a big rush (as usual for the food) Members had been asked to bring dishes along to add that already, and there was a great deal.
It ranged from moussaka to souvlaki, and a whole range of other special dishes, Despite some filling plates to overflowing there was enough to feed all, there was also a great range of drinks, and then it was down to the dancing until late at night.

Great cast - great song

The 10th anniversary concert for Les Miserables. They brought 17 Valjean stars from around the world to end the concert - something really special. Copy and paste in browser to listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpDbvlAI_A0&feature=share

Hitting the right notes

THERE is one thing about living in a traditional Crete village - there is always something of interest happening.
  During the summer months in particular there are a variety of events, from cultural to things for the children, and first up 
it was an open air concert by the local Cultural Choir. Staged in the small platia behind the old church, chairs were laid out and the well rehearsed choir performed for over an hour. They featured popular Greek music mainly and had the local audience thrilled by their good voices.
  There are a great number of events to attend, all free, during the summer months. The local council produce a small brochure listing all the upcoming events. We shall have a translation done to make sure we will not miss out during the summer.

Another trip & More islands!

OUR KAPI organisation came up with another treat, a four-day trip to Syros and Tinos for complete contrast.
  The trip meant a early hours arrival after the ferry to the first island. Hotel  was situated right on the sea-front, and within walking distance of the main town.
  This is the island where Greek tradition and western influence come to a harmonious marriage. Ermoúpoli (meaning “the city of Hermes”) is the island’s capital town and has been the first important trade and industrial centre of the country in the 19th century.
  Evidence of this glorious past can be seen on public buildings (the City Hall, the Customs Office, “Apollo” theatre), on the neoclassical houses and at the beautiful squares. Due to its economic activity, Ermoúpoli has been called “Manchester of Greece” and the history of its years of blossom is exhibited in the Industrial Museum.
  The Orthodox community has contributed some outstanding religious monuments to the architecture of Ermoúpoli such as the churches of Metamórphossi tou Sotíros (Transfiguration of Jesus Christ), St Nicolas the Rich (Áyios Nikólaos Ploússios), Dormition of the Mother of God (Koímissis tis Theotókou)
  The medieval quarter of the Roman Catholic community and the fortress-like St George’s cathedral are on St George hill, also named Áno Sýros (meaning upper Sýros). Go up the stairs to the top of the hill and through the narrow streets, by the traditional whitewashed houses, the archways and the open spaces with a breathtaking view of the island.
  This was not for anyone other than fully fit - all steps, no roads and all very narrow!! It’s murder for the postman - no names and deliveries must be a complete nightware.
  Sýros is well-known for its gastronomic peculiarities. Halva pie (a pie made of thyme honey and roasted almonds), loukoúmi (a delight made of water, starch and sugar), “loosa” ham, fennel sausages and the San Mihalis spicy cheese (appellation d'origine contrôlée/”protected designation of origin") will no doubt satisfy even the most demanding taste buds. We also biougght excellent sea salt, sun-dried tomatoes and capers for about a third of the price here in Crete.
  We also had a one day ferry trip to Tinos, for a complete change. During the summer months and on the weekends, the town is throbbing with activity, primarily due to Greek visitors here to pay homage to the Holy Virgin at the famous Church of the Panagia. Unfortunately for many of them, they do not have the opportunity to visit the rest of the island, as most visitors for the Church stay only a few hours or for only one night.

  The final day was a late departure, so it was a tour of the island, and later for us a train trip around the city. Eventually it was off to the ferry, arriving from Athens. Hundreds surged forward and we found dozens of people stretched out over the seats, when there were no chairs to sit in. We spoke to one man saying one ticket-one chair, he grunted, swore, but moved for us. Others did not have the nerve and finished up sitting on the floor!!