Cretan Diary - Chapter 43

Friday 22nd - Drizzle

January 22nd, 2010

I dragged myself out of bed at 9am. Jenny had gone to the shop. I had an aspirin and checked my emails. I noticed an error on the web site and corrected it. I checked the TV programmes that had downloaded overnight from my computer in the UK. Jenny returned and made breakfast. She mentioned that the shop had an expensive book that has photos and descriptions of all the edible "weeds" and tree leaves. Aspaseea's husband, Spiros, had expressed disbelief that everyone in England didn't eat dandelions. (Here, nobody sprays roadside weeds with chemicals. They eat them.) I continued to work.

The rain abated and the sun appeared so we took a walk up the hill and around the village. We could see clouds hanging lazily in the adjacent valley, not moving. The air was still.

We called at the shop and bought milk and the book. It's rather heavy! It is a bilingual book in Greek and English. (Try buying one of those in the UK!) As we walked down the hill towards our house, I felt some spots of rain. We'd timed it just right!

At 1pm the sky is now overcast and the temperature outside has fallen below 10 degrees C. Darn, my coffee has also gone cold!

We went out for dinner and quizz night and returned quite late!

Saturday 23rd - Day off

January 23rd, 2010

Rain was threatening as we set off for our round-the-village walk to the shop. A rainstorm floated across the bay towards Rethymnon.

We met Sue and Ken in Aspaseea's shop and arranged to go to their house after lunch.

On the way home we discovered our local turkey alive and well. Clearly this one wasn't just for Christmas.

Lunch was sandwiches and, in view of the rain which was now falling heavily, I decided that we would drive to our friend's house, rather than walk, then continue down to the valley to take furniture to Eleni and Christos.

We chatted with Sue and Ken for over an hour, and took advantage of their log fire. They pointed out a car with smashed windows, which had been abandoned outside their house. They were debating whether to call the police but decided to ask their neighbour when she returned. She speaks no English so it might be a struggle! Eventually, we left and drove down "seven bends road" towards the valley. On one hairpin bend we met a small flock of sheep and had to wait while they decided where to go.

In the distant valley, below, we could see clouds of smoke billowing from the house - our destination - and we hoped it was merely a fire in the field behind. When we arrived it was apparent that Christos was burning the remains of his olive tree trimmings.

We handed over our unwanted coffee table and cupboard and chatted for some time.

On the way back up "seven bends road" we met the sheep again.

Then, at the 'T' junction, at the top of "seven bends road", we were confronted by two men, in camouflage, carrying rifles. One of them gesticulated, pointing to his mouth then pointed right, in the direction we were turning. I have no idea what that was about but we got out of there, rapidly!

Then, further along the road on level ground we met another flock being herded by a shepherd. Some of them took the opportunity to eat leaves from the bushes. We simply had to wait.

Back home I turned "Skype" on and, almost immediately, the face of Ray from England appeared. He and his wife are planning to visit us in May. We chatted for a while, as Jenny and I took turns to get dinner underway.

Now I have some catching-up to do. I've recorded several TV programmes and transferred them from the UK, but haven't watched them yet.

Sunday 24th - Cold and Wet

January 24th, 2010

I thought it was raining but was pelted with hailstones when I went outside. As I started the car engine, the dashboard computer flashed "Ice Warning!" The thermometer displayed 3 degrees. Brr!

We collected our friends and drove to Georgioupolis for Sunday breakfast at the Naos. The "somba" was glowing and the doors were firmly closed against the weather.

After breakfast we walked to the "Oasis" bar and bought lemon curd at the table-top sale - a rare delicacy here! The bar was filled with cigarette smoke so we had a brief word with our friend, Eleni, then left. We took a detour along the sea front and returned to the car.

I spent the rest of the day at the computer. Initially I felt warm but, as is normal for me here, the instant the sun disappeared and the central heating came on, I was shivering! The temperature outside never rose above 7 degrees and the indoor temperature struggled to reach 17 degrees.

Monday 25th - Plumbing and Burns

January 25th, 2010

We awoke to the sound of heavy machinery. The outside temperature is 6 degrees. Rather them than me!

Vagileea phoned to ask if it was OK for Spiros, her husband, to come and install our new bath at 10am. I said yes and hung up. Then the power went off very gradually, with the kitchen light still glowing half a minute after my UPS started to bleep. I shut down my computers then phoned Vagileea and told her.

I called it "Elektreekee" (electricity) but she referred to it as "Revma" (current). Must remember that. She said she'd ring Spiros to tell him then call me back. She did so and said that Spiros would come anyway. I hung up and the power came back on.

Such is the uncertainty here!

I turned my computer back on and went upstairs to take the bathroom "before" photo. You can see the broken shower door, which is hanging off.

Jenny left at 10:20am to collect her friend for a shopping expedition to "Jumbo".

The plumbers turned up shortly after 11am and proceeded to wreck the place. The shower tray was removed to reveal a messy hole in the concrete.

Despite the "no rain" local forecast, it rained.

At 3:45pm, the power went off again so the plumbers packed up and left, with the instruction "Don't use the bathroom! We will return tomorrow."

At 7:30pm we walked to the supermarket and met friends who drove us a couple of kilometres to the next village, Palailoni, where we were to attend a "Burns Night".

Despite the roaring fire, the room was bitterly cold and I sat for the whole evening with my fleece on and my raincoat wrapped around my legs.

A ceremonial haggis was paraded around the room...

...and placed reverentially on a tartan-clad table.

The "ode to a haggis" (or something like that) was read and then the meal began.

And a good time was had by all - except Ken, who managed to sprain his leg while participating in the dancing. Hopefully, the copious servings of whisky helped to dull the pain.

We arrived home around midnight. I checked emails then went to bed.

Tuesday 26th - A New Bath

January 26th, 2010

At 8:30am I was still deeply asleep when Jenny shook me: "The plumbers are here!"

The work continues. Jenny is going on a walk with Sue and others. I'm not! It's five degrees outside!

Eleni's face appears on my screen in the "Skype" window. I can see her lips moving but I've forgotten to turn on the loudspeakers. She wants me to go there at 11am and show her how to format a memory stick.

The sky is completely overcast and the temperature has risen to just 6 degrees outside by 10:30am. Indoors it is 16 degrees C.

The noise continues upstairs, as the plumbers fit the new sink unit and cupboard.

11am. The plumber beckons me upstairs and tells me in broken English:

"Eet ees feeneesh but therre ees small prroblem."

"Uh?"

"Thee outlet pipe eet is meant forr draining a shower."

"Uh?"

"Eet ees too small forr a bath. When you emptee thee bath you must let thee waterr out seega seega or eet weel come up through thee drain in thee floorr."

"Oh."

The plumbers left and I drove to Eleni's house. The dogs barked. I could smell food. We spent some time discussing memory sticks and web sites then Christos arrived home. They invited me to eat. Salted cod with potato in a tasty sauce. Then, as I was leaving, Eleni offered me four Euros to cover the cost of the printer paper I'd brought.

I refused it. "No way! You just provided lunch, which would have cost me double the price of the paper."

I walked down the driveway with Christos. It felt bitterly cold. He waved to a farmer friend who braked his pickup truck to a halt and reversed up to us. They chatted and my phone rang. It was Jenny.

"Are you with Ken?"

"No, with Christos, but I'm just leaving."

"OK, we'll see you there. Bye!"

I drove up "seven bends road" to our village and turned down the narrow street where our friends live. A woman was holding a dog on a lead and pulled it close as I slowed right down to pass. The street was very narrow. I heard a shrill "thank you!" as I parked on the corner next to the house. The woman looked as Sue had described their neighbour, Maria. I climbed out of the car.

"Eeste Maria?"

"Nai," she smiled.

"Preppee na vleppo oh Ken. Echee ena provleema me to potho."
(I have to saw Ken. He has a problem with the leg.)

Maria's expression changed to one of concern but my Greek wasn't good enough to explain that Ken had sprained his leg while dancing, so I said "Yeia sas" and went through the gate.

Jenny and Sue were already there, brewing mulled wine. Their walk had been cold. The house was cold and Ken had gone to bed to keep warm. Sue lit the fire and Ken hobbled downstairs. We drank mulled wine and chatted then Jenny and I came home.

Our central heating was on but the house wasn't very warm. 16 degrees!

I checked my emails and various internet forums then Jenny asked me to take Ken the painkillers which I had left from my own injury. I drove there and back quickly and Jenny made me some sandwiches with the local brown bread. It's much nicer than English bread, which is full of chemicals, but you have to chew carefully on the hard crust!

Jenny went in the bath (!) while I worked, then I had a quick dip in the still-hot water because I was shivering. I was tempted to light the somba.

"Have I any long-johns?" I asked.

"Yes, but you're not wearing them tonight, otherwise you won't feel the benefit on the walk, tomorrow."

<groan>

Wednesday 27th - Embrosneros Walk

January 27th, 2010

Jenny made breakfast and Sue collected us in her car at 10:20am. Ken didn't come because his leg still hurts. Jenny and Sue discussed his sprain and came to an agreement that he should exercise. Sue phoned him and I heard only one side of the conversation.

"Jenny says you have to move your foot, otherwise it will heal with the toes pointed. Stop walking on tippy-toes....."

"Yes, I know it will hurt but you have to do the exercises..."

"OK, hang on, I'll pass the phone to Jenny and she can tell you..."

Poor Ken.

We parked near the village of Embrosneros and set off up the hill.

The path was a little damp, being fed by a spring!

At the top was an amphitheatre that looked quite new.

Mental age of 15.

A spring - the source of the water that cascades down the footpath.

The church of St Antony is built into a cave.

Inside the church, which, according to the priest, is 2000 years old.

Another place of worship beneath the main church.

Jenny takes a photo of the White Mountains.

We visit the Castle of Alidakis in Embrosneros...

...which could do with a good sweep.

Here are some snippets of information, which Geoff has dug up about the Castle of Alidakis in Embrosneros:

1. "The castle dates back to Venetian times when Embrosneros was the seat of important merchants and was considered a rich village. The castle is named after a Turk of Greek origin who ruled the village around 1800. Not long after this time it was destroyed by the Sfakiotes. One building was left useable and 50 years ago this was used as the police station."

2. "The castle, which was once the seat of Alidakis, a notable farmer and Janizary [a member of an elite military unit of the Turkish army organized in the 14th century and abolished in 1826 after it revolted against the Sultan]. People say that the stones in the walls were bound together with milk and loam instead of water to show the wealth of the village. The Greek word for his estate is "pyrgos" meaning 'a highly fortified tower' which still perfectly describes the appearance of the ruins. The remains of carved decorations can still be seen around the spectacular main entrance together with a room for horses and three stone rings in the wall where they could be tethered.

An old folksong describes Alidakis' wealth:

"He had countless flocks of sheep and fields and meadows, shepherds' huts with springs and wells, forests, mountains and winter pasturelands, cisterns and watering places.

Herds of wild oxen, flocks of goats. And a row of twentyfour shepherds' huts. He ruled all the Riza [the area north of the Lefka Ori], all the fields, all the slopes."

3. "In 1774, Manousakas gathered a number of armed men on Askyfou, from where they went down to Embrosneros on the Apokoronas peninsula to kill the notable farmer and janizary Ibrahim Alidakis, who had raised an army in order to purloin the Cretan shepherds' pastures."

4. "The tower of Alidakis in Embrosneros of Apokoronas is another reminder of the Turkish rule."

He certainly was a wealthy man but he seems to have finally got his comeuppance when he tried to nick someone else's sheep. You do not mess with anyone from Sfakia!

As we walked through a village there were many dogs barking. One waited until we were right next to it before emitting a very loud "WOOF!" that made poor Geoff jump in the air! The lady owner appeared in a doorway, wearing nothing but a towel, and berated the dog loudly. We all waved in appreciation and shouted "yeia sas!"

Interesting church yard.

We returned to our cars and drove to Vreeses where we had drinks before returning home.

At 6pm the temperature is 9 degrees outside. It has been warmer than yesterday.

Thursday 28th - Sunny!

January 28th, 2010

Wow, what a difference! Today we have clear blue sky and sunshine. Jenny wants to wash curtains and do housework.

I drive to Vamos to pay the plumber. As I'm leaving Apokoronas, an elderly lady lifts her carrier bag towards me, as if offering something for sale. I've noticed this a few times and ignored the gesture. This time I stop, 50 metres past her, and the lady trots up the lane towards me.

I told her (in Greek) that I was going to Vamos and she replied that she lived in a village near Xirosterni. That was fine as I had to drive through it to reach Vamos. I dropped her off and continued on my way.

At the plumber's shop, Vageeleea accepted my 550 Euros contribution towards the new bath, basin and cupboards. She couldn't tell me the total owed because she needed to determine the labour charge from Manolis. I would return next week.

On the way home I stopped at the supermarket and spoke to our neighbour, Chris, who was parked outside. She told me that they had decided to get a bath but her husband would install it himself "because he wants it to be right". I bought bread and looked for mail. None for us today.

Work on the house opposite continues.

I did some work on the computer then Jenny and I took a walk around the village.

This tower overlooks the sea. We don't know whether it was a dovecot, a storage room or a defence tower.

The cement-pumping lorry and cement mixer had arrived by the time we completed our walk.

Jenny chatted with Chris while I checked emails and did some web site changes. Then we drove to Georgioupolis where we hoped to have a meal at our favourite "Naos" taverna. I chatted in Greek with the owners and with a customer, while Jenny went to buy a TV paper. I determined that they could indeed make lunch for us (it was after 2pm) and, when Jenny returned, we ordered a pasta meal, which comprised macaroni, with a small amount of mince, topped with cheese. Very nice!

At 3pm the car temperature guage thinks it's 16 degrees outside. At home my electronic thermometer displays 13 degrees. Indoors it's 17 degrees.

Jenny is doing more cleaning and hanging the newly washed curtains.

6pm and it's now 11 degrees outside, 18 degrees indoors and we're both bashing the keys. Have you seen Apple's new "iPad" computer?