Street Life

August comes to an end with Ruth having been prevented from enjoying the delights of the warm Libyan sea throughout. The ins and outs and ups and down of the wrist saga can wait for a substantial literary outpouring when it is all over!
When not on buses to/from Chania or at the hospital daytime has - for her - been the weekly cards and Scrabble fests, and solo puzzles and Araucaria crosswords. This adds significance to Paleo evenings. August has seen a steady throughput of old friends too numerous to mention (Quite apart from data privacy issues!) Many have been the 3am departures from Cosmogonia!

What is the collective noun for accordionists?

 

 

There is no hiding place between 8.30 to 11pm in terms of street musicians! Throughout the season there have been two sets of talented young mainland Greeks on the circuit. One is pair of guys out every night playing and singing - sometimes in Irish style. The second is a larger troupe with a changing line-up which usually involves dancers of both genders. They all hang out at the campsite. The Greek repertoire becomes predictable, but there is skill, a worthwhile performance at each stop and some restraint in the cash collection process! The same cannot be said of the numerous accordionists, who have become a true annoyance. This hit a new low last night when their number was swelled by a solo nine-year old Roma girl with a toy accordion.

 

Normally, however there are three sets, each with at least one child. Every stop starts with about a quarter of "Never on a Sunday" played at too slow a tempo.

 

Q:Whats the difference between Terrorists and Accordion players?
A:Terrorists have sympathizers
 

However two exceptions must be noted! Last week the oldest of the players turned up with a "lady assistant":- a mature fiddler of Northern European looks! Together they played substantial sets in Viennese/Hungarian/old Parisian style looking like they were enjoying it and with good grace! She has now gone back whence she came and normality resumed.

 

Second was a big surprise early in the season when "British John from Azogires" appeared outside Akrogiali  with - yes - an accordion! Greyrocks has been seeing him and his family around the village for many years, and had no idea of his talent.  Now that he is living "down here" he has been playing several times a week in selected places. On the first occasion he did not even seek cash on the grounds (pre-referendum) that it would be in bad taste! His repertoire is vast! We have had long musical discussions and following one he was there next day having practised Fairport's "Matty Grove" He also introduced us to "Libertango"! He has of late been working with a guitar-playing female singer.

And so to the Latino connection! In July the village was once again graced by the Mexican stilt-walking fire-twirling clown! Greyrocks has nightly Spanish  interchanges with him when he is around! Just after Ruth's accident he was once again in the street but sans-stilts and limping! The best he could was balloon-modelling following his rapid unplanned descent, and Greyrocks speculates as to the fate of his fire accoutrements when it happened!

More Spanish conversation - of sorts - with Julian and Lorena, although not with dog Trico or eight-month old son! They are travelling the world with motor-bike and sidecar and selling things to finance it all! Most evenings they are on the seafront with a huge display of maps, photos and multi-lingual information. They have been in Greece since before the baby was born and their website does not yet reflect his arrival nor that of the sidecar, but is a delight to read! Now that's travelling!

Buena Suerte!