"By the time we got to Phaestos..

.. we were half a busload strong!"
On Ruth's birthday there was a sighting of Angel Skordilis of classic rock fame. He was jamming in Cosmogonia, looked well and left in his wake a poster telling of a forthcoming appearance (with band) at the final concert of a Hippie Reunion Festival in Matala. We were onto the case like greased lightning. A German guy has written a book, which was to be launched, and the dimos (local council) had helped organise this with free camping, loads of free music, street sellers .. We had to go, but in one of life's little tricks -  on the first real occasion in four years when a car and camping kit would have been useful we had left them in secure parking in Girona! A flurry of planning around buses and rooms ensued, including seeking guidance from the very useful Living in Crete forum.


So on Saturday we were on the 7.15 bus to Chania. Then followed Rethymon - with a mad dash and pleading - to get immediately onto a bus for Agia Galini, a wait in a nice cafe, a bus to Mires, and a chaotic but effective connection with the bus to Matala. By this stage there was indeed half a busload - mostly under 25 years, but dressed for the part! It was about 2.55! We had managed to book a room - although it wasn't easy, and when we discovered the faults we were just grateful to have a roof over our heads. In any case we didn't spend much time there. We were last in Matala in 1987 - well past the Hippie period. There have been a few changes!!!

• A few more medium-sized hotels have been built, and - we believe - had a life with package companies that is now over. This is handy as we found one such to use for daytime relaxation away from the crowds.
• The whole souvenir thing has gone mad, with dozens of shops selling the same things - presumably to the many day-trippers! 
• There is now a good supermarket, where we bought some Beaujolais!
• The caves are now not only open but beautifully lit at night. (They were covered with wire netting on our last visit)
• There is a magnificent tree sculpture
• For the Festival - but possibly to stay - dozens of pavement paintings on Flower Power themes have been made:- particularly in the prettified plateia.

The programme for the festival revolved around daytime Sixties and Seventies music selected by local radio DJs, followed by "back to back" bands into the early hours, and then a beach party with modern dance music. The bands played a very wide variety of music including some reggae, funk, Greek bazouki rock and -of course- a lot of Classic Rock. On the first evening after dark we were eating in a seaside taverna when the music suddenly stopped, and thoughts turned to that Cretan classic:- the power cut! But no! There followed a wonderful firework display over the caves and behind the stage, culminating in an illuminated CND symbol high up on the cliff! There were similar displays on both the next evenings.

We spent long spells in The Lion's Cafe which gave a beautifully clear (if long range) view to the stage - rather better we think than at Glast or even Cropredy - and had cheap wine. We were suddenly brought some more which had been inexplicably bought by a neighbouring party of youngish people from Heraklion. We think they must have believed we were real old hippies (as opposed to tentative weekend ones!). Bob had a very long conversation with one of them, sorting out the IMF problems!

And there were two other chance encounters. On Sunday morning were sitting in the plataeia with Bob wearing his 2009 Fairport Convention Cropredy T-shirt, and saw someone wearing a ladies' one from a previous year. (This resonates with what happened in Chania in 2009!) There was a wave, and on the last night the wearer came and introduced herself, leading to a pleasant hour or so with Barry and Judy from Kalyves - who are equally keen - not only on Fairport but on Angel Skordilis! Whilst we were boogying away to Angel's superb Santana medley down on the beach by the stage Ruth received a big kiss. It was Zakis - the famous Lebanese tavli player and favourite of the ladies from Paleochora. He (well probably his partner) had driven down for the night and had spotted us.

Angel and band's set was magnificent! It started whilst we were still in our long-range eerie. The into to "Shine on you Crazy Diamond" was so good Ruth swore it was a recording, but then in came the band! Since we last saw him play Angel has taken to the small keyboard, and - as they say - it rocks!
The journey back on Tuesday was even longer in elapsed time than the outward one. (9.30 bus from Matala.. arriving Paleo 18.00!) En route we talked with a family of Greek jewellry sellers, which gave us some insight into the commercial side of the festival. Apparently the baker had made enough money to cover the whole season, but sales of non-essentials were good enough, but not impressive.

We are already thinking about Matala 2012!

Here are some images.

For the context of Joni's song click here!

Is it summer yet?

 The general consensus is that May was "disappointing", but on June 2nd a run of gloriously sunny and still days started, and the knees of workers have at last been seen. Meanwhile down on the beach it is not quite summer. The rock plates at the shore are still very exposed, and getting into the sea is very difficult, the Blue Flags have not arrived, and the mayor says that summer starts on 15th June so the cantina - newly extended and clearly ready - is not yet open, and the number of sunbeds is still inadequate. Our usual spot is dominated by very loud elderly Finns, and there is no escape!

On Saturday we celebrated Ruth's 60th birthday, with breakfast at the Almyrida (see the very scrummy avocado toast served on their birthday plate), free beers at the Jetée, beach and sea time, and then drinks and cakes with friends at Cosmogonia. There was one of those large celebration cakes with a decoration of flowers and fruits which we thought could not go wrong as with last August's! There should be a picture but technology failed, so the minor faux pas goes unrecorded visually:- the message of Happy Birthday in Greek, and the 60 was written correctly, but  the name was PUTH! A jolly time for all and ludicrously cheap!

"Ne'er cast a clout!"

Well, May went out at midnight, and we have been in Crete for two weeks casting clouts, and then rapidly putting them back on again!
The first few days were quite sunny at times, although the sea is icy and the evenings are distinctly chilly! Blankets are still needed at night! Then last week as predicted by the forecasts we lurched into a horrible few days. We had a series of dramatic thunderstorms, some high winds, deserted beaches and plenty of daytime bar activity! By this Saturday things were a bit better and down at the Jetée there was a non-traditional Greek wedding reception with beautiful flowers. In fact flowers here are glorious. The winter was apparently more "normal" than recent ones, but with a lot of rain, making the terrain very green, and on the bus ride down we saw glorious gorse and poppies.

The changes in the village since we left in September are neither numerous, nor drastic! Here we go:-

• Michaelis has finally closed the pastry shop in the main street. He now hangs aound his son's one on the sea-front, which - like many establishments - is still rather quiet.
• Meanwhile the slow church-wards shift up the main street in terms of evening activity continues with the opening of a new pastry, crepe and ice cream place on the corner where the fish shop once sat. It is very popular with the locals.
• The old periptero in the main street has been removed and the new one further down has opened. The circular paving outside the town hall has been finished and we await the re-instatement of "the statue" so familiar to many children who always played around it. The bust of some local hero disappeared last year (or was it more?)  pending all the prettifications. On our first day back we saw a hollow concrete plinth strategically placed and half-covered with stones. Shortly thereafter the stones had been stripped! Watch this space!
• Tassos is back running his Seagull after several years
• "The Hole in the Wall" - as in Giorgos - looks as if it could open any time, but hasn't when we are about.
• No new enterprises have opened, but several new buildings - homes and rooms- have been started, and there has been some investment down at the Jetée with extended and upgraded decking and plantings.
• The new clinic on the sea-front has never opened.
• The old Livicon has been fully renovated to form council offices, and looks very good. Doctor George is back as mayor now - with a considerably enlarged domain which now includes Kandanos.

• Finally - the Hatch/Match/Despatch news is that there has been an outbreak of fertility and in August and September we expect babies for Tonia at Zygos, ex-Kosmar Diane, and our neighbour Young Popi. Sadly in early May we lost Sam Reed, who was a stalwart Paleo writer, walker and character. Bob met Lucky from Azogires in the Post Office, and he was desperately upset. See his last encounter with Sam here! RIP.