Red, red moon!

It looked better than this!

Two nights after a full moon in July and August the moon rises late and to the East glowing bright red. It is reflected over the sea on the stony beach side.

.. and appropriate music such as Nick Drake's Pink Moon, Waterboys' Whole of the Moon, and some Pink Floyd should be played to accompany it

Que rico! Jammin at the cantina

Last evening saw a reunion of musicians playing at the cantina at the end of the beach. Rainer is here on guitar with his sons Felix and Lukas who have been earning rather well busking at night on the seafront. Obscured is Arvid - a regular late-season visitor and this time a delightful classical flautist from the Netherlands joined in. Magic moments!

Previous visitors who have not been this year will see some changes - better decking, roof and chairs for a start. We also have ceiling fans, waiter service and (bliss!) a loo! Not everyone likes all the changes, but hey.. that's progress!

Wind, Fire & Water

The last week or so since Chloe and the girls departed have featured several acts of God (and Greek road-builders!)
Thankfully Crete has been spared the fires of the Pelopenese (and indeed exiled holidaymakers arrived here instead on Tues!) but last Thursday these mountains seen from our terrace were drenched in acrid smoke and the sea glowed orange as the sun was reflected through it! There was never any danger to the village, but the news on TV is even more forceful after just a small taste!
We also had 24 hours or so without water after workers put the main pump out of action and a new one had to be sent from Athens on a boat! Our apartment has a large tank so we continued to have showers etc - though many people didn't and many restaurants had to close for an evening as loos and hand-washing were suspended. The Meltemi is quite fierce this year also with a long run of days with sand-blasting wind. Oh... and a new heatwave is on the way! It's not all plain-sailing in Paradise!

The belles!

.. well three of them are!

Here are Chloe, Ellie and Alice on the day the A Level results arrived (16th Aug). Ellie's weren't available and Alice's need some contextual cushioning.. but Chloe delighted us all with As in Sociology and Spanish and a C in Psychology. She will be going to Brighton Uni in Sept 08. There were big cocktails all round at the Jetee Beach Bar!

The bells, the bells!

This is the bell tower in Paleo - erected just after we started coming here 19 years ago and reflecting the village's growing prosperity. Our bedroom is the closest inhabited point to the loudspeakers - so mornings of Sundays, saint's days and 1sts of the month are interesting! The last such was of course the Asuumption of the Virgin Mary on 15th August:- two hours of the full service broadcast! This date also meant a huge surge in toursism - particularly Greek! Things are quietening down a little now - to everyone's relief! Next day Ruth stubbed her toe unglamorously on the apartment's doorstop and suffered greatly - it must be punishment! (Further complicated by a gastric bug lasting 3 days!) Noboby likes the middle of August!

18,30,65,18 ....

A series of birthdays in the last 10 days or so!
Ben, Catherine (no fuss, please!), Duke and Alice
Much wine, much raki and some excellent cake!
Here is Duke's 65th at Barry's Calypso.
We debate who looks most stupid!
http://calypsocrete.blogspot.com/2007/08/happy-birthday-duke.html

Life's a beach

We are halfway through this phase of the summer! This is a scene we have viewed a few times:- the Oriental Bay taverna on the pebbly beach! So far this year there have been a handful of days too windy for the sandy side, which is quite good going!

Tuesdays have brought and removed the usual caravnei of friends on charters and others have come for longer stays.

To see more of us and details of the heatwave just beore we arrived, visit Barry's blog on http://calypsocrete.blogspot.com

Yvette fait do-do (or in purdah!)

We arrived in Paleohora on July 17th, and shortly thereafter Y had a wash and polish before being settled for a long rest (She is not due for a run until September 8th!). Here she is outside Niki's House where we occupy the upper apartment as we have done for several years. The fence is new since last year - installed as a deterent to Thug1 and Thug 2 who have a thing about hoses, shoes and buckets!