"Beware the Ides of September!"

Greyrocks has commented frequently on the fact that September in Paleochora is different - and in many ways welcome! However, it is also a fact that the weather record is patchy, with some shockingly "bad" days. Ruth's records show that these are usually around the middle of the month!

The view of the Nea Chora from Portes

Our month started started with the last few days of Chloë and Jack's stay, and our travelling with them as far as Chania when they moved on. As previously reported we visited the Charma brewery on the way! We were to stay two nights on the Nea Chora, and began with the late lunch with Chloë  and Jack. They remembered the restaurant Portes as being in the old town. We remembered it as on the Nea Chora. Their website was unclear, so some confusion happened, but it was so good that Greyrocks went back there two days later just before leaving Chania. We had a delightful stay, taking advantage of very easy entry into a warm sea, absence of wind and a Chinese restaurant. When we came to take the afternoon back there was a very small rain shower at the highest point.

We returned to find that a handful of old friends had arrived, and a new social whirl began - and Ruth was out of action for a day with a throat problem, and shortly thereafter most tourists were stopped in their beach-ward tracks by three days of  extreme wind. Numerous beach umbrellas were blown into the sea, bits of the primary school roof came off and restaurants with indoor tables did very well! Greyrocks made a short escape by going with Olga to Houmas for a sheltered beach, short bathe in a calm sea, and - of course - a superb lunch! High winds did return for a few days later in the month, but as sunbathing conditions resumed the September sunbed crisis loomed, with tales of bad-tempered exchanges between naturist tourists and Yiannis the Sunbed of his son Manolis - now helping out. Once again September meant sharing "our tree", and Manolis was heard explaining to a couple that we were "good people" who had lived in his house and had been using the tree thus for many years!

More recently on the climatic front we had the events of 24th. There was the threat of rain throughout the preceding week, and the humidity crept up, and in the morning the sky was a very nasty colour. By the evening it hadn't happened, but folk carried umbrellas as they went out to eat, and once more the places with indoor tables had a good night, but still no rain! We  chose to revisit Pasefaei, where we would have had cover if necessary. (Most of the gigantic and delicious pork shank was taken away to form sandwiches!) The impact of the looming storm turned out to be an evening with around thirty tiny power cuts of a few seconds - caused by the humidity shorting in the village and up in the mountains where it was definitely raining!

After all the excitement of this - and the Thomas Cook debacle - there is now calm and serenity. This was the sunset on 27th as viewed whilst we were waiting to eat at Finikas.

Goodbye, September!

Art and Music: Less is more??

Greyrocks has had only half the "normal" time in Paleo, but the art and music offering has diminished much more than that in quantity! And Brexit can't be blamed for that. It must be climate change!

2007 or 2019? 

By the time we made our way to the Limnaki cantina for the first time Arvid had taken up residence and was hosting late afternoon jamming sessions as he has since records began! With up to eight players at any time, and a loyal audience this did no harm at all to the drinks profit! There was no chance of Ruth walking back along the beach in the dark, so we missed the several occasions when there was still action late into the evening and heads were sore next day! Amongst the participants for a week or so were Rainer's boys, Felix and Lucas, whom we saw perform their first ever busking many years ago, and now work in TV/Music in Berlin. (Their Dad - a regular - was absent this year with a broken leg!) Noreen was persuaded to sing a few times, and the ebb and flow of participants added variety!

Come the evening there seems to have been a clear-out of the less welcome street musicians. The aged Albanian with unidentified wind instrument no longer tours, confining himself to sleeping on or near the Sandy Beach pavement - and on one occasion projectile vomiting a metre from Ruth! Similarly there have been no paraded children and adolescents "playing" or "dancing" with their father. The regulars have been the players of general Greek favourites who stay at the campsite and work almost every night. This year we have seen a very talented trio - including a woman - all on string instruments, and  - separately - Costas with his bouzouki (as at the wedding party last year). Unfortunately he has taken to using a backing track!

Other performers have been the Romanian accordion player, (much less frequently than in other years), a couple of classical guitar player visits, a troupe of Spanish dancers with fire that we had seen a few days before in Chania, and a delightful appearance at Eva's leaving meal. A jolly young woman bounced into The Wave and asked if she could perform, She sang several songs, whilst playing her ukulele and dancing! Delighted - we asked for more, but after that she was never seen again!

We also think there has not been as much folk song and dance this year! There was a three day festival which involved troupes from all over the island touring other centres. We saw some of the dancing both on the stage near Scala and in the street, and then discovered that quite a few of them were staying in accommodation above us - at well over the specified number. A very noisy departure!

Then there are the gigs in bars/kafenions. The former Monica's - now going under the name of Giorgo's- gets very little custom most nights, but has had some huge crowds when there is live music. The regular player is John from Drapanias, who is not to everyone's taste, but Greyrocks likes the repertoire - all lyrics fully memorised - and the radical slant! Fortunately Mats has been able to join him each time for a few weeks on steel guitar, as has Petra with her Latin and or Baez songs. In due course regulars Chris and Jann (Shades of Gray) arrived. Part of their stay was with family so we saw a bit less of them, but their appearances at Giorgo's, were very crowded as usual,

Greyrocks was also invited to join the minibus trip up to Azogires for an evening of their music at the Alpha taverna arranged by Lucky, who is a real fan! Whilst they were setting up there was time for wandering round the village, consuming "Sofia's world famous Omelette", and looking round Gail's gallery, although she has now relocated to Scotland! Some of the village inhabitants and tourists showed up, and it was a very jolly raki-fuelled evening, We moved inside when it became a bit dog-dominated, but vowed to return = as indeed we did - read-on!

But what Greyrocks was craving was rock bands! Eva told us that we had missed Flush Royale at least twice whilst in France, and that the band with overlapping personnel: Change House had also been around. On three occasions there were fairly convincing rumours, but nothing materialised other than a gig at Scala -  unannounced as is their wont there! And just as we were despairing Flush Royale played Atoli, Almost all of the Yia-yia Club was in town and we had a superb time with dancing that suggested the need for a defibrillator.  Greyrocks even hit the floor when Hotel California was dedicated to us as "that wonderful couple"! When the band finished we were treated to a performance of exotic dancing by Margarita - the  82-year old Norwegian we have known for many summers!

Chris and Jann were booked to play again in Azogires to mark the end of the Art Festival. We wanted to see the exhibition so went instead on our own in the afternoon by taxi, and found it in the "hotel" where there was also a workshop with flour dough being run by Julie, whom we also known for years, so there was much reminiscence. The range of work on display was striking and included a handful by each of Olga and  Shelagh:- Ruth's Scrabble mates! Such talent! We stayed at the Alpha for a few beers and a chat with Lucky and watched chaotic preparations for the showing of a short film. Lucky and his new wife Rebecca were proudly introducing baby Sofia Our taxi arrived before the film was shown, so we will never know if it was worth the confusion!

The Art Flow Gallery in Paleochora has been very busy with short seasons, one of which interested Greyrocks  particularly. It was paintings by refugees in the Greek camps, who are supported by a charity in ways that include art therapy. It was a very moving experience, especially reading the accompanying biographies,  and we have since donated!

Something like Normality resumes!

"Cosmo" - Hangout for a good many nights!

It was "All Change" ten days into Greyrocks' truncated summer stay, as we were due to move to the usual little apartment on the same day as Chloë and Jack would land at midnight in Heraklion.
Complicated texts were sent giving instructions for finding the studio we thought we would still be occupying and telling them not to disturb us at 4 am. (To Greyrocks' disapproval they had ordered a taxi for the entire journey!). However, on the morning in question we were told we could move there and then, so we did - and sent a new text to tell them to leave their luggage outside the usual apartment. By the time we had been for a meal and moved on to Cosmo the idea of staying up to meet them took over and when the sent a message to say they were close we replied that they should dump their bags and then meet us there! So it was a 3.30 rendezvous and for Greyrocks a 5.30 bedtime! The new arrivals went for strolls, purchase of goodies at the commercial bakery and an eventual check-in to their room.

An old Houmas specials board

If you use Facebook (which we do not!) you can see details of various "jollies" which Chloë and Jack enjoyed without us - such as walking the Anidri Triangle, and overnighting in Loutro - as well as some we shared. Search for Chloë using both parental surnames!  Early on they helped us retrieve our sunbeds and other stuff from storage, so we were able to get one of the sunbeds down to "our" tree for Bob to use. Ruth had not - at this point - managed to sit down on one, so that did not join its partner for a week or so! On two occasions we four eschewed the sandy beach and took a taxi through the chaotic roadworks to Houmas in Gramenon, where we could enter the sea easily in a sheltered bay and also choose from the wonderful menu. On the first occasion Ruth managed several "firsts":- getting down onto and up from a sunbed with the aid of a parasol pole, getting into and out from the sea with human support, and doing shoulder exercises resembling swimming!

There were some windy days, so we thought it was timely to have some time in Chania, and planned to join the kids as they left for Rethymnon after ten days. We booked a taxi to take us all to the Cretan Brewery inland from Platanias on the North coast. There we paid to taste five beers - including two seasonal brews. We followed this with a chosen full glass each and some very pleasant mezes.

We could not book a tour, but we could look from outside onto the various tanks, after a while the"wally-trolley" arrived from Platanias and disgorged fifty or so Skandis, who were given a reduced range to taste, but a fuller exposition. When they had gone we ordered a taxi to take us into Chania. Chloë and Jack went to leave their luggage at the bus station and visit the market, whilst we were dropped off fairly near Nea Chora and our hotel. We planned to meet at Portes for late lunch, which did happen, but not without confusion (see next post), and after a long and very pleasant meal they left for their onward journey. A good spell together. Next meeting is planned for Goa in December!

In at the Deep End - or not?

83 days after the accident Ruth makes it into the sea!

Since 2008 we have arrived for our long summer stay some time in June. We have found the village coming alive, and often the sea a bit too cold for ageing sun-seekers. As the weeks progressed people we know would arrive (and then leave) and general tourism levels rise - to ultimately accommodate the Italians, and finally the Greeks. The famous summer winds would be anticipated, but rarely caused trouble for many weeks

Not this year! We were straight in to peak season with pressure on sunbeds, mad traffic, and as can be seen in the table one of the windiest days of the early part of the month was our first - prompting allegations that we had brought it with us!

Our first ten nights had to be in a neighbouring studio as our "usual" apartment was occupied, so we kept things simple! Ruth was walking with the one crutch and struggling with stairs and poor surfaces, so we stuck to nearby establishments and stayed off the beach for a few days, then made arrangements with the local physiotherapist for frequent sessions that structured days and brought new confidence, so that some paddling in the shallows happened, On day 6 we needed to book a taxi for Chloë and Jack so asked for a lift to the cantina car park, where we were greeted effusively, and things started to feel more normal! We even managed to walk slowly and carefully back. Over the next few days we tried various ways to get Ruth's feet into deeper water. A plastic chair against the leaning rock didn't work, and nor did getting down onto a sunbed next to the Europa's mew pool as a guest of Hilary. The breakthrough had to wait until Chloë and Jack arrived and we went to Gramenon - but more of that later! 
We could - however - build the cantina into our days once Ruth could walk there (latterly without the crutch) and Bob went regularly for short swims. The first few evenings were busy with meeting and greeting the usual suspects - especially those like Gunter who were coming to the end of their stay.

Here is the rundown on changes we found in the village:- with the usual "spoiler" warning for those who like surprises! We have seen no newly completed buildings, with construction work is dominated by ongoing major roadworks on the way to Kondouras. This is chaotic, dusty and noisy and follows from a historically severe winter which locals willingly describe.
Some money will also have been made by builders in fitting out the restaurants and bars on the stony side with flash permanent canopies. Greyrocks has not yet discovered how these became legal after several years of bodging! The stately old police station is now occupied as a private residence but has highly pertinent artwork in the grounds. On the restaurant front there are a few developments:

• The Family Grill (known as The Brothers) has moved to larger charming premises and is "heaving"
• Pasifaei  has opened on the stony side in what was once The Port. It has been beautifully decorated and is getting good comments. The cuisine is in the style of Finikas, as is the wine policy, which is one of the criticisms, Greyrocks has yet to visit!
• Aristea has expanded its dining area significantly, and is - even so - usually full!
• After an impressive start last year Dakos has reverted to a more standard offer
• Dionisos continues to attract good comments (including from a Greyrocks offshoot!)

The most notable feature, however, is the absence all season of Kiparaki (the Small Garden) - a clear favourite of many folk! This is down to illness and recovery! Much missed!

Down on the beach the density of some sunbeds in the main section has caused comment -as has the price of the posh ones, whilst the shortage on Limnaki has already been causing stress, and September with all those very serious sunseekers has not started! I predict a riot!!

"Special Handling"

 Ruth couldn't contribute much to the re-packing of the squeaky clean Yvette:- even relieved of the sling the left arm was (and is at time of writing) inflexible and weak, but we managed to get everything in around the bikes. There was a lengthy farewell at Reception - including presentation of macaroons - and we left Dax to its festive chaos! Destination: Toulouse:- not for the carefully planned city break we intended for June, but a functional overnight stop in an Ibis in the right place on the "Peripherique" and with - allegedly - all rooms having a walk-in shower! The journey was uneventful, and through parts new to Greyrocks, and it was very hot! The hotel was pretty simple, but the bar was open and the staff friendly. We needed to change to a different properly adapted room as the facilities were not as advertised, but this was no problem! We sat outside in a temperature of 38 deg C and surveyed the scene. We were going to have to dine on-site, with the very limited menu, but this all functioned well enough!

The next day was going to be a long one! Our flight from Barcelona was just before midnight, so we set off in a leisurely manner and  got round Toulouse and onto the "Autoroute des deux Mers", with which we are familiar. We then realised that it was a Friday in August in France, so the level of traffic was daunting, the service stations crowded and risk of hold-ups high. At times we pondered that all the surplus hours would be spent in queues, but not so! We joined the very familiar A9 and the weather deteriorated as we approached the Pyrenees, with some rain near Perpignan, and a chilly picnic. At the French border toll-booths there was a northbound queue of five kilometres or so, but we sailed through and arrived at the Girona parking well ahead of schedule, and bade farewell to Yvette for eight weeks.

Great Service at Barcelona

We now faced many hours before the first of two coaches that would get us to the airport, but some research showed an earlier possibility if we sped to Girona station and could use our existing ticket, A jolly taxi driver got us there just in time - and Ruth negotiated successfully, so we arrived at the airport ridiculously early and by now hungry, The fairly new Terminal 1 at El Prat is well designed, but has little by way of land-side catering. and involves a lot of walking - albeit aided somewhat by  moving walkways - so we had requested assistance for Ruth with her crutch, and we wanted to get through security to eat, so after a very smooth check-in - unfazed by the earliness - we were sent to the special assistance area to wait. There several of the seats were occupied by folk with no visible mobility issues who shuffled off, leaving just us and one guy in a wheelchair. Also nearby were a couple of groups filming reports on the impending strike by security staff, during which chaos was expected! We were, however, passed seamlessly from one friendly employee to the next - from wheelchair to security check to another wheelchair and to one of those buggies. We told the driver we wanted to go somewhere to eat and wait comfortably and he took us and yet another wheelchair to the perfect spot - a branch of Enrique Tomas - where we found delicious dishes based on their charcuterie - and some fine wine, Time passed and we went back to the designated spot for another buggy ride to the gate, where we sat watching queues assemble and board, until a nice man - who turned out to be French came and wheeled Ruth to the aircraft door! Now that is service. Nothing but praise for the "Sin Bareras" team! Greyrocks just doesn't want to need their services again too soon!

Not quite so impressive at Heraklion at 4 am local time! We managed slowly the descent of stairs from the plane, the bus, and the lift to Reclaim, and there was Giorgos to drive us to Paleochora. As arranged the key was in the door and we got to bed at 6.30. Worth every cent!

Feria fever! A load of bull - time to leave Dax!

Greyrocks' plans for a "managed exit" from France entailed roughly two weeks from surgeon appointment to checking out from the comfortable Dax accommodation. We held on to the wheelchair for a few days but barely used it, and the three last visits for physiotherapy were achieved without even the single crutch. The town was getting very full by the time we did leave as the dreaded "feria" approached, and eating out at our favoured places was a bit tricky, but we did get round what we see as the culinary stars of Dax:

• Le Marche Friand
• La Cuisine at Terres d'Adour
• Le Valmont
• La Tete de l'Art

(Ruth intends to write Trip Advisor reviews of the last two in due course!)  We also enjoyed being able to get on foot to the on-site very sound restaurant where we were on the third iteration of its three-week plat du jour cycle.

Also on site - but unthinkable until this last phase - was the spa! We eschewed the mud treatments but on a very hot afternoon had an hour or so in the pool. It was a shade crowded but Ruth could exercise, and Bob even passed to the outdoor section for a short swim. We made a third visit to the cinema:- this time to see the film with the English title "Can you ever forgive me?" - thirteen in the audience - and Yvette got her first ever full valet service - to set her up for the grand départ on August 8th.

This was not a day too soon, as things were getting a bit drastic in the town centre! We saw more and more public areas, such as roundabouts and statuary,  sealed off with wire fencing, so asked the physio about this and heard that it was to prevent rogue camping, drunken damage and urination/vomiting, all of which abound during the four-day event. The mild-mannered young woman waxed lyrical about the olden days before such measures - in particular the smell! These two videos convey both the colourful official side, and the reality, of the Feria. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJPlel0OdxI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE8n1vGKf_U

Greyrocks decided it had a soft spot for the town - which holds the record for length of time in one stay in France, and that a short re-visit would be quite pleasant - but not in August!!

Red, and white: Phase 6 continued/ (rose is good, too!)

The Gascony flag is everywhere now 

Well - as The Seekers nearly sang: "The canicule is over!" and quite dramatically so! Also Ruth is mobile, and Greyrocks' exit is planned! Last Wednesday saw temperatures around 36 deg C in Dax and high humidity. Not the best conditions for sitting around in a hospital with a plaster cast - but - oh so welcome! We arrived - as we thought - early and didn't mind spending time jump-starting a guy's car so we could have his place! Then we saw that everyone with an out-patients' appointment in any department had the same arrival time and a queue-ticket regime was in force, so a bit of a wait! When called, by a coincidence we saw our guichet was that of the blessed Valerie, whose English had greatly assisted Bob during Ruth's stays. She sorted out our programme for the day but said we would have to pay full whack for it as there was a problem with the EHIC! Panic! But at least the health outcomes were encouraging!

 The x-ray showed total success, the mobility of the arm was deemed progressing but needing continuing physio, the sling-thing (which has been disastrous with big boobs) could be discarded, and as an afterthought the surgeon arranged the removal - with a chainsaw - of the cast on the leg and said the tendon would be OK simply from 7 weeks' immobility and walking could be gently resumed. The next check-up in another two months can be done by any orthopaedic (traumatology) surgeon we know, and flying is not a problem. 

Ouch!! Not R herself of course!

So - within 24 hours - we booked a flight and have since been refining the plan and slowly returning to something like normal to include a lot of physio and walking with one crutch! We have kept the wheelchair for the rest of the week - but without the dreaded extension, and we have used it a little, but the walking is progressing very fast and the physiotherapist (unpronounceable in French:- kinésithérapeute!) is happy. She is, however, getting serious with the shoulder, = - including use of the ventouse - and this has given some gyp - especially at night! Rather less painful was the flow of emails to and from Newcastle to resolve the EHIC confusions!

After stunning temperatures on Thursday we moved into several days of dramatic thunder and downpours somewhat cramping the new liberated style! So we went to an afternoon cinema showing. The place was heaving and parking a nightmare as numerous families had the same idea - but not for the same film! As a result we missed five minutes and entered the salle during a very dark bit. It was not until the lights came on at the end that we realised there was only one other person there! Greyrocks highly recommends this intelligent and nuanced film, which ends amongst the refugees in Calais. The weather was still bad when we emerged so we drove to an industrial estate to eat at an outlet of the Poivre Rouge chain and enjoyed a very good dinner! By Sunday afternoon the rain had stopped and we saw some sun along the riverside.

We have begun packing and planning for departure whilst the town is gearing up for a major cultural event! The red and white pennants fly from many lampposts, and parking/access notices relating to August 14th to 19th are being prominently displayed! Stalls throughout are selling red and white clothes and accessories. Local TV features full-on coverage of the Ferias in neighbouring places! Beam us up!