Culture in Corralejo: - well nearly!

As the year ends Greyrocks looks back on some cultural highlights of the last two months- in music, cinema and stage.
The island doesn't feature on many significant rock tours, but we did have a gig by a Dire Straits tribute band called Overbooking - who hail from Gran Canaria. They played at the Corralejo Auditorio, and this was Greyrocks' first visit there. An impressive line-up and very competent performance to a rather under-sized audience!
We have also made international news as the setting for filming of the new Ridley Scott spectacular:- "Exodus", causing some excitement and some (rather constrained) temporary employment.

And last - as the nadir or zenith - there is the panto! (Notice the acronym for the company!) Greyrocks tried to rouse interest for a coach party, but it it ended up as them plus Mel and Elaine. We nonetheless had a whale of a time. It was very well-produced, had beautiful costumes (of course!) and there was animated audience participation. The Phoenix Bar was closing for good the night after we went, so watch this space for news of Kennie (Sadie) rising from the ashes!

Greyrocks wishes all readers a Very Happy, Healthy and Peaceful 2014!

Gringos Tontos and Felices Fiestas Round 1

One of many seasonal sand sculptures in town

One of the benefits of being ex-pats retired  to a non-Anglophone country is the humility meted on otherwise competent folk when best efforts with language and local custom just aren`t enough. The  past month has seen a series of "doh" moments:
First there is the Big Toe:- how dumb to have imagined Ruth would walk in off the street and have the operation done there and then, but we did think this resulting in us making arrangements based on that assumption. It was, in fact, just a fairly brief X-ray inspection and consent-granting visit, so Greyrocks continues to wait for the call, and now it can´t be done until after Goa.
Second, we have the saga of the (extortionate - don´t they want visitors?) Indian visas. For three consecutive annual applications Greyrocks has traipsed down to Puerto del Rosario by bus to send off the passports to Madrid by the specified courier. Its office having moved south to beyond the airport we were distressed. This would mean an even more tortuous journey, which we reluctantly pencilled in until we were talking about this with a friend who asked why we didn´t have the package picked up from home. We rang the couriers and asked how much extra this would cost. The answer:- nothing - all included in the extortionate price! The nice man called round next day!
Feeling relieved but stupid we waited to find out what was wrong with the visa application as there always is something! Sure enough the phone call came through from Madrid:- we had left out some documentation and would have to send it by e-mail. This interchange is taking place in slow simple Spanish. The attempts to spell out the e-mail address numbered six! This is because it includes the letter "k" - a late entrant to the Spanish alphabet and pronounced in a most peculiar way. Very embarrassing! In further pre-Christmas acts of stupidity Ruth has fallen off the bicycle, stabbed one finger on the sewing machine and chopped into another with a vegetable knife, but we did manage to complete the re-decoration of the whole duplex just in time for the festivities. (About time, after over eleven years!) The swimming pool and sea remain untroubled by Greyrocks`presence, and we have had some "interesting" weather:- notably between 9th and 13th when the whole archipelago was hit by a tormenta. Our island got off lightly compared to - in particular - Tenerife.

"Not Frosty the Snowman!"

Claire's inspiration 2013!

Aftermath at the Rock

Normality on the climatic and domestic front resumed and by Christmas Eve afternoon we were able to sit outside Los Pescaditos in bright sun with a bottle of Prosecco listening to neighbours Dave and Pete, who - to our disappointment - added three festive numbers to their repertoire, and British tourists attempted to whip up Xmas jollity. Ah well:- the Bah Humbug hat came out next day for the traditional afternoon with roasties and meat rolls at the Blue Rock! Greyrocks had done its festive meal by then, finding the Spanish practice of cooking for the previous eve a more restful thing. After a glorious sunny time there we lurched down to La Tasca for a beautiful Chateaubriand, and that was Xmas - done and dusted!



Yarmouth Boy presents the new Fishwife

The plinth outside Blue Rock has yet another occupant! Regular readers (or indeed visitors) will recall that a water feature, an urn and a peculiar cartoon figure have been there and been removed!  A couple of weeks ago this statue  - in remarkably good taste - suddenly appeared. Greyrocks almost organised a proper caption competition, but didn't. Some suggestions have included:
There's a plaice for us
Gotta whole lotta sole
Found it at last - I wondered what the smell was!
etc!



Meanwhile today Greyrocks is off to the pantomime. "Oh, yes we are!"










Two breaks, two (missed) wakes, a knees-up, Big Toe issues and a thousand tissues

"Ahhhh!"

Well, November is probably the cruelest month in Spain with no bank holidays after All Saints on the 1st and the double festivo whammy in early December, plus the effects of the hour change! We did our best but it was not our happiest time! Halloween largely passed us by because we took a three night break further South to the Barcelo in Caleta de Fuste, which is a tourist rather than residents´ location. The justification was two-fold: to celebrate a year of weight loss for Ruth (37 kilos at the time) and in anticipation of her immobility following the toe operation seemingly scheduled for the 9th. It was not as good a stay as in 2012:-  the tariff structure meant Greyrocks didn´t run to a Superior Room, the place was over-run by badly behaved Brits (both children and adults) and there was a lot of cold wind. Ruth - having relished a pain-free walk to the hotel - twisted something, hence:- no swimming, no cycling, little walking and not much sunbed time, but we knew what we were doing on the dinner front, and along with one Barcelo buffet (for which they forgot the wine making it a reasonable deal) Greyrocks got in two excellent meals. Read about them on their Trip Advisor.

Just after the return home the hospital rang to say the appointment was changed (with no other options) to 29th. A cat amongst the pigeons! We would be in Gran Canaria on Trip 2! Hasty rearrangements took place to get a flight back booked to be on time, and we would also lose 3 days of paid-for accommodation. Unfortunately on top of this Ruth had started a head cold in Caleta, so spent two days bed-ridden, and Bob was three days behind. This was a bad week! We hunkered down, and - as a result - missed the wake for Boat Mike whom we knew fairly well and would have liked to toast! A few days later there was a second wake for a Brit we barely knew:- Clive! A bad run!



"Not bad for 65!"

RIP Mike and Clive

 

Fortunately we did not miss the do (a week later and also at Rogues´ Gallery) for the 65th birthday of Greyrocks´ friend and hairdresser Elaine. It started in the afternoon, featured food from Casbah Mike and a flash cake and there was jolly music, singing and dancing. It´s a shame all the party frocks were hidden beneath fleeces:- a chilly wind!










 



"That`s Playa del Ingles! - think 3 characters from Pugwash!"
 

The filthy colds lasted for three weeks and there were too many cold spells, but we struggled through and went off on our Birthday Bash trip to Gran Canaria (albeit truncated).  We started with three days in Las Palmas. On the first afternoon we sat at a bar on Las Canteras prom with a chilled bottle of wine and thought all was well. Suddenly the wind changed and we got inside just before the rain started! It rained everyday after that - most notably on Sunday when we went to see "The biggest TransAtlantic Regatta in the World" and ended up wandering round the administrative area of the city in a downpour. We found a bar and lurked there for hours. Having suffered appalling drunken noise until 4am this was probably a sound outcome! Anyway, we then went for four nights at the lovely Vista Flor in Maspalomas. Not such bad weather, but nothing to write home about! Bob did a good walk, Ruth swam once, we went to the market and we sat on a very windy and eroded beach!

 

Of the whole week the best thing was some good meals. For details look at the Trip Avisor reviews!

We got back on a morning flight, were seen early at the hospital for both X-ray and surgeon consultation, discovered surgery was never envisaged for that day (but will be soon!), and went by cab to despatch our passports for Indian visas. The couriers had moved! Grrrrr! So we end the month with a pile of washing, a package of passports to go to Madrid, a layer of calima on the terraces and an intact - if defective - big toe! Read on!

 

 



 

 

 

Gone to rust!

 So October comes to an end and Greyrocks marks three weeks back on "Fraggle Rock". It was an easy, uneventful and cheap transit from Barcelona, and Windows Dave met us and by the time we reached Corralejo he had responded to questions and told us most of the openings and closures of note.
We were soon back into the swing, but when we moved the bikes from the kitchen we found a level of rusting too gross to show to the Bicycle Repair Man. There was nothing we could do:- a brand new Spanish bike for Ruth, and a re-conditioned one for Bob (against which he was given an allowance)!
Greyrocks wallowed in renewed access to the Health Service, with Ruth seeing the sainted surgeon and discovering the need for a small operation. (More on this follows). Bob did his verucca thing with the (paid) podiatrist in Puerto del Rosario.

Last weekend Corralejo hosted the Blues Festival. Greyrocks had been very disappointed when the 2013 event did not happen in the Spring, but suddenly there were posters, and plans wewre made to make the most of it! It was more low-key than previous ones, with no "big names". On Friday we lurked behind the stage at one of the German bars, and on Saturday seven of us booked a table at La Plaza and were delighted most by something barely Blues at all:- The Big Band de Gran Canaria. There wasn´t so much "Street Blues", but we did encounter a scratch band at Africa,s. Nice!

The weather has been glorious, with just a couple of days with cloud and spots of rain.

On the gastronomic front we have been back to La Luna (twice), Slow Boat Wok (twice) La Tasca (change of personnel) and Caracoles and all are still up to scratch! Our only new venture is Boa Vida which has opened in the old Pancho Villa premises near Avenida. It is a Brazilian "rodizio" such as we have encountered in Rio and Las Palmas. Very noisy, variable meat quality, disapponting salad... but definitely a positive addition to the Corralejo scene! We have also been to the re-opened Cafe Lounge near chez nous. Not bad - see how it goes!

GOOD TO BE BACK!

The Surreal Thing!

The last phase of the Migration comprised a three-day stay in sunny Roses on the Costa Brava. We went back to the hotel used in the Spring. It was hot and sunny with little wind, and we had a jolly time! We also at last made it to Figueres  for the Dali Experience. This was the most "touristy" thing Greyrocks has done for a very long time. The Museo  was heaving and there were many Russian elbows and giggling German students. Having failed to collect a plan at the outset we performed the tour fairly shambolically, but perhaps that is fitting! What a genius! Worth every (pensionista rate) euro!

(Greyrocks, camera died the day before the trip, so the mobile phone has been in use since. Hence the photos are even worse than usual!)

 

La Rentreé

"We're in the wrong bit!"

 

It seems inevitable that the posts about the Autumn Migration are late each year, so Greyrocks is only now covering late September and the languorous progression through the South of France. We were having such a great time at Lattes that we decided to stay on there rather than have the second week in Agde. The decision was also the result of close scrutiny of the Meteo, which kept predicting and then re-scheduling a serious storm. Eventually it happened, and it was indeed dramatic! On many days it was very hot and sunny. We mastered getting into and around Montpellier by tram, and we cycled a lot. Here is a flavour of our 13 day stay:

"Forza" and Italia: two to avoid!

We are now in Lattes (within the Montpellier agglomeration!), enjoying a quiet life, good food, cycling and very civilised public works. We are also needing to locate clothes stashed away for four months as the weather is somewhat odd, and getting used to the price of French beer.


"More water with it!"

To say we are glad to have arrived here is to greatly understate the relief. Here is the story of our last two weeks. Early September was pretty good in Crete. There were windy days, of course, but the sea was warm and the beach generally - if busy - quite mellow with the arrival of the "grey pound, euro and kroner". We moved belongings into storage with the blessed Jeff's help, and a week before departure moved ourselves and everything else into a tourist studio in the block that will be our future summer home. This meant we could get our under-loved apartment cleaned and returned, and we could get some decent nights' sleep! Bliss! After a few days the wind started, and we endured unbeachable times, although we were able to brace ourselves and walk to the cantina for an end-of-season party, which went on into the early hours and involved Ruth's backward tumble from a dodgy plastic chair:- fully recorded by Duke!

"You don't often see this!"

In what is becoming the tradition we never knew we were having our last proper sea dip, thanks to inclement weather! On the Monday the sky darkened. We drove to the access point to collect our sunbeds for storage, and met the Kandonites with whom we were planning to eat lamb chops in the evening. We pondered the advisability, but got the job done and sat on our balcony until the thunderstorm. It was dramatic, but the rain did stop after an hour or so, and we decided to meet up. On our way we walked along the seafront and witnessed enormous and frequent lightning flashes moving slowly east over "the crocodile" and beyond. This was some show! There were forks that looked like a cartoon representation. As a chronicler Ruth was able to tell all that would listen that September 16th was also the date of last year's thunderstorm!

Tuesday was clear and very hot, but Greyrocks was on a mission. We returned keys, moved remaining items around the village and took Yvette for the most thorough wash and brush-up of her six-year life! Towards the end of the wash there was a sudden panic as the brushes knocked the bike rack backwards leaving it horizontal. Brackets had been bent, and it took hours of fiddling and the help of the garage owner and visiting maintenance men to get it securely re-fitted. That, together with liaising with cleaner and restocking Yvette with kit put paid to any beach time that day! Wednesday was our last day, and it was - yes - unbeachable! Except that Greyrocks did in fact go to the beach to find a Chinese masseuse and get Bob's back seen to. We were about the only people there! That evening we went to do a series of farewells and then feasted at the Small Garden. Afterwards at Cosmogonia it was all very jolly and we were about to turn in when our companions got a call from Mats the Swedish singer and Sophia to say they were in Kandanos en route from the airport. It seemed churlish not to wait to greet. This turned into an epic nostalgia trip, an incident of Bob falling off his chair and a 5.30 bedtime!


Observe and reflect Paleo elders!

Next morning was an organisational mess the results of which in terms of overlooked belongings is only just becoming apparent. Still, we had all day until the ferry and enjoyed a good lunch on the Nea Hora in Chania (where they have made the effort over the Blue Flag), although it was too windy for the beach! We did a wine run in Carrefour and then sat in a very nice little bar near the ferry terminal killing time until we were allowed to board. We had a fair cabin, no need to eat and a good stock of UK TV to watch, so the only problem was the very severe wind which kicked in later on and made for some noisy perturbations. Disembarkation was efficient and we decided to drive despite the early hour as Piraeus port has de-modernised in the last few years and now has no facilities at the Crete end! So it was a clear run towards Patras with hours and hours to kill.

We made a few stops, had an over-priced but quiet and long lunch at the marina, and drove down the road to the "new" (to us) terminal 5km south. In retrospect the little bar we used for the afternoon and early evening was a bit small to be the main terminal, but we didn't know and thought we were doing fine when boarding started and we got into an ill-tempered queue. After half an hour we reached a malevolent official who said we hadn't been stamped and we had to go to the check-in. Suddenly it all made sense, but had there been any signs to tell you this? Have a guess!


Never again!

To our great disappointment it was to be "Forza" again. This is a horrible ferry! (see June post). The cabin was small but adequate and outside, but the public space is completely inadequate when busy! Overnight was no real problem, but at 6 am it pulls into Igounemitsa for a 8am departure, and many, many more people embark, so for the day and following night there is huge pressure for seating space. There is virtually no deck space and what there is gets full of smokers and dog-owners, so one spends a day with no fresh air. Sleeping on banquettes has to be tolerated as there is so little deck space, so people without cabins hang on to the seats with sleeping bags and general spreading. There is only one cafeteria so one gets thrown out of those seats at meal times.. and there is pressure on that, too! All in all, not a recommended route anymore!



"When we will ever get off?"

Time passed, however, and we arrived only 30 minutes late having had the enchanting voyage up the Grand Canal on a pleasant morning. It was then another hour and a half before we were on the road. We never found out what was stuck where, but it was disembarkation chaos, mitigated only by the fact that we were on an open deck and could watch the arrival of a cruise ship. It was from the same company as the ill-fated Costa Concordia!



"Just as well!"

It was then a 260 mile drive to Varazze, where we had booked into the same hotel used three years ago. The sun was shining, and we even sensed better driving habits and felt safer. We could remember exactly where the hotel is, but still overshot and ended up driving down a pedestrian street that became an alley full of chairs and tables. We had the humiliation of being addressed by a bar owner  in English about our sins and how to extricate ourselves. On arrival at the hotel we got a good welcome, a secure parking spot and a very nice room!

It was a sunny September Sunday afternoon, and the town was heaving! We strolled down the promenade remarking on the inviting beach and sea, and the gross bagne that ruin them! We stopped for a beer and were ignored, stopped elsewhere and only got Becks, stopped somewhere nearer the hotel and enjoyed good cheap stuff and a community at play. Later we went out for dinner in a restaurant we had used last time. It was delicious! We were warming slightly to Italy. In the middle of the night Ruth woke with stomach cramps. This made for a nervous and uncomfortable 300 mile drive next day!






 

Art for Art's Sake

The brief video says it all, but it does insufficient justice to the artists exhibiting where Greyrocks had camera issues!

Check out detail on the website

 

Sax on the Beach and a Cocktail of Music

We have just come to the end of a period of rich musical experiences! First Arvid and Jo arrived with flute, harmonicas, up-market guitar and an array of gadgetry. Once settled in at the cantina it was if their three year absence had never happened! Then Rainer came for a brief stay, joined in of course, but also made contact with Austrian Franz, so that there was a great gig at Christos restaurant until the early hours. Then Jan and Chris from Norwich hit town and there was a week of overlap, followed by a week during which the two of them did their thing most afternoons.
Shortly before they left there was a well-publicised evening at Atoli. The band was led by said Franz and resembled that from last year with the addition of Jan on sax. It was billed as "We won't do it for Money", and the there was a Rock set and then a more Jazz-Funky one. The place was heaving and a great time was had by all.
A similar line-up (minus Jan) played again this Thursday with guests and a more satisfactory sound mix. Cool!


And on the subject of "cool" we recently had some freak weather! There was a sudden clouding-over of the sky in the afternoon and it was chilly! Very odd!



 

 

 



A "chronic" case of nostalgia!



As  September progressed and departure time loomed the thoughts of Greyrocks turned to the hills, so a trip was arranged. Four of us took a taxi up to the Alpha in Azogires, and spent a pleasant and cool day. One purpose was to tell Lucky of the death of Sean, and drink to his memory. As you will see we managed the latter fairly successfully! (Shortly before we left an organised German-speaking group arrived, for whom Lucky donned his traditional dress, and the expression on the faces of the earnest punters when they saw the table was worth the taxi fare in its own right!)



"Just popping out for a quick one!"

Bob walked up to St Theodor's church to see the grave of Andy, and we asked Lucky to unearth his copy of the Paleohora Chronic from 1976. Public readings followed. Greyrocks borrowed it and made a copy back in town. The images here sample the spirit of this handwritten masterpiece. No-one can trace any of the writers, so we hope this is not a breach of intellectual property rights.



"As you were!"

That´s more like it!
The full moon was last Wednesday, and this signalled a vast improvement in the weather! It was followed by two nights with a red moon. The shore has gained a fair layer of sand, so the sea has been inviting! Musician friends have arrived for holidays with instruments various, so there has been jamming at the cantina and Christos! The card school is up and running again now that Duke is back from UK, and there has been a series of official music performances on the stony beach prom! One was a local rock band whose bassist used to play with Angelos Skordalis. Greyrocks had  a word  with him!

Previous to this there was an exhibition in the cultural centre of old photographs of  the village. Delightful! If it resonates readers will also enjoy Norbert Blok's site.

 

What goes round..!

Praying for a drop in the wind

 

Fortunately Greyrocks has no brief to promote tourism to Paleochora! It has been a historically long period of very high winds and deserted beaches. Popular sayings are: "This isn't funny anymore!", "We are going to have to look for somewhere else to go!",  "Imagine if this was your only week's holiday!" and "Still! Mustn't grumble!" (The last only from long-stayers and residents and through gritted (sandy) teeth!)

Just before the windy spell we saw our first praying mantis at the cantina. Apparently this brings luck. Something wrong there, then!



Better cover up that lamb, then!

 We are also, of course, emerging from the dreaded August Assumption onslaught, when moving around the village is impeded by flocks of Greeks tourists "parking" as only they know how. (Quadruple outside the supermarket, doors open while they visit the periptero, middle of the road while they look for rooms!) As ever the talk is of whether overall they are a "good thing", given that only the cheapest of restaurants see any benefit. Those that came for the beach will have enjoyed Thursday the 15th itself, which was fine. Yannis at the cantina organised the spit-roasting of two lambs, and the place heaved. Delicious! Since then, however, the weather has been a disaster, with heavy cloud on Saturday.
 

Blow out

After much texting, surfing and mind-changing we eventually got tickets for Chloë and Matt to fly out to us for a week. We had to get them a taxi as the flight was too late for the buses, and we got them a basic room next door to us. When they arrived (Tuesday 29th) we were having a very hot spell without too much wind trouble. After some initial chilling-out they wanted to spend some of each day  exploring the area on foot, so left us on "our beach" (of which more later) to see first Azzuro beach on the way to Gramennon, then on a fairly windy day to do the Anidri Triangle including time at the beach (Gianiskari). There was much talk of what to do as the "big day trip". By now the daily wind was a steady Force 5 Beaufort, and Chloë didn't fancy the long boat voyage involved in getting back from walking the (overly) famous Samaria Gorge. We had met veteran walker and author Bob Tait one evening and he suggested that the Agia Irini walk would be more pleasant so they planned that  - we thought -  for the Sunday, leaving them Monday to recover before flying home. (It is also cheaper by way of bus, boat and entrance)

 

In fact that didn't happen. After a late night they failed to prepare or set an alarm, so we later discovered them recovering, and planning to do it the next day. We had our own surprise when we got to the beach that day. Our "cunning plan" with sunbeds padlocked to the Blue Flag noticeboard had been scuppered by the removal of the board. (We assume this is so as not to draw attention to the loss of BF status!). This is not an issue for locking as there are other posts, but we had been using the shadow cast to avoid bringing other shade. Sunbathing was therefore curtailed even before the late afternoon gusts started.

 

Monday was a day of events! It started for Greyrocks with the realisation that - just as predicted - the wind was up to Force 7 with gusts. We saw that CandM had gone on their trip, starting with the 6.15 bus. Ruth went to play cards. This had to be inside because of the wind. An early topic of discussion was that it had been too inclement for the boat to run. This would mean no boat back from Sougia for CandM. For several hours warning text messages were sent to  Chloe's phone. They remained unanswered - mostly because the phone was in their room! The spectre of a taxi back loomed! Later in the day we heard that it was the Gavdos boat that had not run and all would be well. We monitored the Samaria  online, but because of the time delay on the site had to suddenly rush out as we saw it approaching from our balcony. Disembarkation was apparently tough, but the voyage had been OK, with the route taken rather closer to the coast than usual. They had enjoyed the day oblivious to the parental panic.

 Next day we had a leisurely departure for Chania. Greyrocks had decided to drive the "kids" to the airport and then have two nights in the favoured hotel in the Nea Hora. As we drove over the mountains the sky became quite cloudy, and it was certainly cooler on the North coast. Bob took them on a walking tour of the city whilst Ruth lay on the beach, then we all had a last lunch at the excellent Akrogiali before depositing them at the airport.

 

 With just a week in Crete Chloë had been keen to choose well for dinners! Also Greyrocks was paying, so we went for the most "interesting" restaurants. There are many very good traditional Cretan places (and some duff ones), and one day there may be a subjective analysis of them on this blog. We might also be moved one day to explore the vexed question of interpreting the meaning of the words "Fresh Local Fish" in Paleochora,  but for time being  here are three recommendations for something a bit different:

 

1. The Small Garden is a real favourite, and the Trip Advisor comments say it all! Offal lovers and vegetarians alike flock here!

 

 2. Kapetan Dimitris is the transformed Captain Jim, and what a transformation! High quality tableware, diner attention and toilets, and a pleasingly short menu of modern Greek "dishes with a twist"! Again.. read Trip Advisor and enjoy!

 

3. You won't find much about Cape Crocodile on Trip Advisor as something has gone wrong with the reference. (Georgios is trying to sort this out, and Greyrocks ought to submit something!). Its menu includes the usual things, and it is popular with locals for special occasions; but what make it a favourite are two specialities - huge racks of ribs, and delicious fillet steaks!

 

So once back from the airport  Greyrocks had two days and nights in Chania (including a meal at Suki Yaki), then did the three supermarkets run and returned home. There having been a Tuesday we found an influx of regular holidaymaker friends, and have thus had a week of far too many late nights at Cosmogonia, and a poor record on the "Moth Day" front! Nor did Catherine's birthday bash at Corali help!

 



Mike from Bristol thought the world should see this!

 On our return we were told that the wind had been very troublesome, and this week has not been the best for beach bums! On Friday we had forgotten about the shade issues, so had to abandon early. On Saturday we took down an old parasol to leave with the sunbeds, and Ruth was able to almost finish the Guardian Prize crossword encased within this Heath Robinson contraption! On Sunday there was no way it could be used as the wind was back up at Force 5, and we also had dramatically large waves and beach drenching. No sea dipping that day for dodgy knees! Monday was completely unstrandgebar (is that right, Günter, as a translation of "unbeachable"?). Only the very, very determined went anywhere near the beach, and Ruth couldn't ride her bike to Zygos for Scrabble. Bob did manage to ride his out to the campsite where most of France's female youth was amusing itself. The general consensus is that this is the worst August weather for many years. Oh dear!

Remembering absent friends

Also in July we have marked the passing of Stephen - as noted in a post in May. Earlier this month his grave was finished and a group of us was invited by Olga to visit the churchyard in Voutas to see it. Most of us had not been on the island for his funeral. It was a gloriously sunny day. Barry read  a piece of Stephen's poetry as he had done at the funeral, Olga said a few words and we toasted him in (of course) chilled white wine. The setting is breath-taking, and the headstone is simple, clean and tasteful:- as Stephen would have wanted it!

Published with Olga's permission

 



Just a few days later Greyrocks received a surprise e-mail. It was from the brother of Sean, who was originally from Belfast and has a long history with the village and Azogires. It explained that he had just gained access to Sean's address book and was informing his contacts of his death in September 2012, aged 64.

RIP

 

Watch this space for news of the little memorial we are planning for one of his preferred haunts:- the old Coconuts!

Crunch, splat and loads of dosh!

 



This week saw closure of the Yvette Prang Incident, so here are the gory details! On arrival in June we parked outside The Wave and Votsalo with the intention of finding a better semi-permanent spot within a few days, but we did not do so, and within a week we were called in by a local taverna owner who showed us both the damage to the hatch (which would now not open) and a copy of an insurance form in which (allegedly) full culpability was acknowledged by the owner and driver of a local pick-up which had backed into her. An official had already been to sign the form and take a photo. We were assured all would be well, and heaved a sigh of relief that the deed had been done in full sight of two crowded eateries. We did panic and called Fuerteventura, but it was all to be done through Athens and within a few days we were Skype-calling a helpful English-speaking person there and making real progress. On the way to Matala we called in at the Fiat dealer in Chania and showed them the damage. On the way back we went again to have formalities completed, and then we returned to Paleochora to wait for the call to say that a new door had arrived and we could have it fitted.

 When the call came we decided to stay two nights on the seafront in Chania rather than do two return journeys. The weather was beautiful and the hotel we use is also very pleasant. We chilled out, and ate well after an extensive and contorted search for two particular Chinese restaurants, which have probably disappeared! Unlike in Paleo some efforts have been made and Blue Flag status 2013 has been awarded to Nea Hora. To mark this a man went up the flag poles and everything in wood or metal was being painted blue. This included a handrail used by Ruth. Katastroph as they say! The man with the white spirit wasn't sure how to react!

 

We were called to say the car was ready, said farewell at the hotel and took a taxi. Yvette was gleaming, we paid a lot of cash (the only way they would do it!) and drove off. On the way to the supermarket a warning light and sound came on suggesting "Engine Failure". We also seemed to be losing some power. In the car park we pondered and decided we would have to go back as the garage's closing time was approaching. We made the journey worse by getting onto the National Highway in the wrong direction! Back with Fiat they tried diagnostics, and declared that it was safe to return over the mountains. Back to the supermarket, this time completing the extensive stock-up including six huge buckets of low-fat yoghurt! We re-join the highway (in the right direction) and head off home. As we speed along the coast there is a profound diminution in power, so we slow down, take the turn South and it gets worse. When we try the first real ascent - just after Voukolies we know we are not safe to attempt the rest of the journey (even with the strange set of foodstuffs we now have aboard!) Too late for the garage so we return to the hotel, and are given back the same room. A lot of yoghurt goes into the fridge, we collapse, have a disappointing meal and make contingency plans involving buses and yoghurt. They weren't necessary, though! We arrived at the garage as they opened and the problem was traced to a dirty filter (which should have cleaned itself but hadn't). No charge and we were back at the hotel in time to claim our free breakfasts! This time the southerly trek was uneventful and we stopped in Voukolies to buy a mint plant. Within a few days we were sent an e-mail to say that a cheque made to cash would be at the insurance agent's local office the next day. Well, the visit there was worthy of Feydeau."Do you speak English?" "No!". Sign language of cheque, letter, car, thump, etc. He rings his daughter and Bob tries again but is assumed to be lodging a claim. We mention some names, Fiat etc. He looks in his journal and locates the incident when he was called in. He rings someone else, whom we recognise, so tell her we don't think she can help. Suddenly we see outside Giorgos who used to run the cantina. He comes in and acts as an intermediary. In the end we establish what we already suspected:- that the cheque hadn't arrived. Nor the next day, nor the next day, then it was the weekend... Anyway in the end we got it, signed and took it over to the bank. Out of pocket with rounding, no refund for diesel, fares ... but it could have been so much worse! All Yvette has lost is one Spanish bull sticker!

Meanwhile the beach situation had improved in our absence, but we did have a run of rough seas and high winds. One day the shoreline was marked by "pink stuff" as is found on nearby Elafonisi. It was gone by next day! The water has been getting warmer - though possibly not to the level we enjoyed in Chania! The cantina has been getting busier, and Vicky is now serving breakfasts there between 8 and 12. We have been benefitting greatly from our "clever trick" of securing our own (5 year-old) sunbeds to a noticeboard, with the approval (and protection) of plagist Tony, and an excellent point for sea entry.

Beyond beach-life things are also hotting up! The Skala has live music on Monday evenings, and the Atoli has a Rock and Reggae night on Thursdays with a buffet. This is usually recorded, but they sometimes have live acts on other evenings. The Third Eye has rebetika on many Sundays. The Paleohora Club near the campsite remains firmly closed! Jolliest of musical evenings are, however, the randomly-timed ones at Cosmogonia. We enjoyed a session with Mats and a Chania-based duo, that went on till well past the witching hour!

The International Chess Tournament happened with absolutely no prior publicity!

The view from our balcony!

There was great excitement last Thursday evening! A strange vessel suddenly came into view. Ruth called Bob who said it looked like a stealth boat, but when identified on line it was Main - an Italian-registered superyacht last docked in La Spezia. Half a dozen Googles later Ruth found  (allegedly first in the village) that it belongs to Giorgio Armani. (Hence the colour black!) Inexplicably the party ate at Caravella. Giorgio himself was photographed sitting in the pharmacy. Was this before or after eating?

 

 
 



Echoes?

Greyrocks has had two excursions since arrival. The second was last week for some cosmetic surgery on Yvette (Next post for that saga!) but after ten days or so we went to Matala for their (and our) third annual festival, which you will see is now styled as a "Beach" rather than "Hippie" do!
The logistics were very different this year as we had Yvette. The date depends on Orthodox Easter which was very late this year, hence the spell in Paleo beforehand. Before and  after the three day stay in Matala itself we had time in Rethymnon, staying with Saint Lefteris at the Aloe (as last year). It was very hot, and the sea was a bit too frisky to be safe for arthritic knees; but the stretch of beach is very pleasant. Overall, however, we felt that the city was "on the make" from "new" tourists that are everywhere. (Yes.. Russians!)  The sunbeds were absurdly over-priced, as were some drinks and restaurants. We ate at the Noodle Bar outwards and The Fat Snail on return, both easily delivering what we were after!
We stayed at the Matala Bay Hotel, but had become anxious about being "bumped" as we were warned this could happen and we were not staying on the first (Friday) night. We almost were! We were shown to a room in the "Annexe", which had been recently equipped to meet the stated specification, but was not very appealing. When we returned at 4.30 am we realised we had left the key in the electricity switch inside. Ruth slept on the sofa fortuitously placed on the landing, and Bob - having failed to find a night porter in the main Reception - slept for a few hours on a leather sofa there until wakened and given a spare key! At breakfast we were offered a room in the main building, which we gladly took and was ideal!
The attendance was huge:- particularly for the Saturday night when young fans from all over Greece were there for Locomondo. A fair proportion of the tiny village of Anidri (up above Paleo) was there too! The Kings of Floyd were note-perfect! Other acts varied from barely adequate tributes, through interesting modern Greek rock, a very strange but profoundly popular "novelty" band and a set by an ex-Strangler that didn't include "Peaches".
We had some fun over meals too, meeting other fans (mostly German), and having the last dinner with Kalyves Barry and Judy in a tavern on the beach, where we were remembered by the waiter.
The only real objection to the whole thing is the very uninspiring T-shirt of which many remained unsold at the end!

We have booked a room for next year. (The Matala Bay is already full)


 

What a difference nine months makes!

It`s five weeks now since Greyrocks arrived in Paleohora, so time to respond to reader requests (well 1 request, John!) for an update on changes in the village. Passing over some deaths - and in no particular order - here is the list:

At least there is another Seagull on the other side!

• The Seagull (Glaros) has moved from next to the Pal Beach Hotel to the site on the stony seafront where Calypso had its second existence. Tassos seems happy with trade, which is now mostly in the evening
• There is now only one restaurant between crossroads and church, because the betting shop is now only operating as such
• Last week a new pastry shop opened in the old OTE office next to Yannis Place
• An old building in the back streets near Niki`s House has been tarted up Chania style and turns out to be a hairdressers
• Rumours that the cinema would not open proved false as we now see it will be showing something unremarkable tonight (and Zorba tomorrow!)
• KTEL has expanded the bus service from Chania
• The south coast ferry schedule has been "all over the place" with arrivals and departures on the Gavdos run at peculiar hours. This is allegedly a consequence of austerity removal of subsidies for ferry fuel.
• The weather in June was declared to be the worst in living memory with a severe rainstorm on 13th, quite a few days with cloud and some chilly evenings. July has been much better!
• The geology of the sandy beach has made entry to the sea very difficult. When we first arrived we had never seen so much of the rock at the shore exposed, and there was a run of three days when there was no safe entry point in our area. Of late Nature has deposited some sand, and it is getting better. (Near the old Ostria Nature has been recently and dramatically helped by a bulldozer, and the long term effects are eagerly awaited.
• There will be no Blue Flag this year for any of the five local beaches that have normally received one! The threshold has been raised in terms of required facilities and the powers that be failed to do anything about it. Needless to say there has also been speculation about water quality, but no solid evidence has been discovered (Pardon the pun!)
• Finally we have a new statue. It is the work of German who lives in Koundouras, and the full meaning has yet to come to light.

Hallo, hallo! It's the sun-worshipper with the big boobies! (Transgender?)
 

The Italian Job (mercifully short)!

History is all in Trieste, too! Austro-Hungarian glory, a Fascist centre, ethnic cleansing and post-war carve-ups! It is also a favourite of many travellers.
We managed to dodge the rain for the afternoon and evening and spent far too much on small beers in one of the many grand piazze - not even Moretti!(Still, it was Ruth's birthday!)
A feature of the city is the number of very flamboyant coffee houses reminiscent of Vienna. We ate in one such near our hotel (The Greek restaurant in our own hotel being closed!).
.. with prosecco, local red wine, local cold meats and tender tagliata you could almost want to spend longer in Italy, but...

we had a ferry to catch. En route we encountered two major motorway hold-ups (with the newly familiar static queue of HGVs in the slow lane), and road works with diversions in Venice itself. We had little time to kill at the port. Then we struck "ANEK as the Ryanair of the sea".. again!

What a farce! At one point four elderly British women stood in a queue behind Eastern European foot passengers getting an airport-style security check. We were in various states of fury and anxiety having been hauled out of vehicles driven by partners and ordered to go through this procedure and meet them at ship's reception. There were those with no passport, those with both passports, and there was Ruth who had done this sort of thing before and was carrying her half the voyage's necessities:- most worryingly a supply of Croatian wine. She had spotted the disposal point for liquids! Whether the middle-class (and somewhat xenophobic) tirades in English had an effect or not suddenly a member of staff waved us all through and we went back to tell tales! Of course, if we were meaning to transport explosives we might just think to send them in the vehicle!

The ship itself was also a disappointment, but the earliest part of the voyage never is..

 Our previous sailings on this route have been on large ANEK ships with plenty of sitting-out space (and a swimming pool) up top, a gyros bar, a cinema, three or four separate restaurants and working internet. No to all these on the new (improved?) one, so not our best time! We have also of late been getting a cabin with two low beds for the same price as a budget one (as Seniors we think). This ship seemed to cater for HGVs and coaches, and there were many very aged ladies travelling in groups so we think we lost out to them. Two nights aloft in the upper bunk for Bob, then! Still, time passes with some stashed TV films watched, and we met other holders of the grey pound, several of them going sailing!

Patras port has been improved and we were soon out and on the road. We drove to the hotel on the outskirts near the new Rio bridge, had a good breakfast, used the internet and twiddled our thumbs as it was not looking like the sort of day for sunbathing by the pool to kill time. So we set off again towards Athens sticking to the coast at points, and then it started to rain! Just before the real start of the city we stopped for a long lunch at the usual spot. No navigational errors getting to Piraeus, the rain stopped, we raided LIDL, dodged beggars and found ourselves with hours on our hands. We were however let early onto the ship and we did the usual port-watching with wine until sailing, and had an early night! It was a long slow docking, and the lift was available for a change. (In fact Ruth met a lady of 110 in it!)

No through road this year!

We decided not to hang around waiting for shops to open and were soon turning off the national road near Kissamos to use the tunnel route to go South. In time there were notices in Greek warning of diversions. We ignored them, but thought the village of Topolia looked very quiet. Then a sign said "Odos Kleisto" or some such, which left no doubt that the road (and presumably the tunnel) was impassable! When we got back to the main road we thought we saw a look in the eyes of the seated old men we had passed twenty minutes earlier. So Bob drove the standard route down to Paleochora for the first time, and we survived, arriving outside Votsalo to quite a few "Welcomes".

Dalmatian spots (not all black and white!)

Why Croatia, why Zaton?
We knew nothing about the options when we started our research. We would be coming back up again for the Venice ferry - not ready for Serbia and/or Albania yet -  so not too far South, and then it was a matter of choosing a good beach, suitable cycling territory and a comfortable apartment. Generally we were pleased!

 Of Croatia as a summer holiday choice we liked:

• Stunning landscapes
• Good infrastructure
• Good food (mostly Italian style, some more local specialities, fish)
• Cheap, good draught wine
• Clean sea (untested, given the weather)
• Well-trained staff

Less to our personal taste was:

• Knowing no Slavic languages at all, so feeling like any other ignorant tourists
• An uncomfortable feeling about recent history:- deserted quality homes that are presumably the legacy of ethnic cleansing

So we left thinking we could well come back for a taste in decent weather. We were very lucky, however, that it did not rain on the northwards journey! We would be using a fair bit of Adriatic coast road - shown on our old road atlas as due to be of motorway standard by 2008! Thus, we could not understand signs suggesting an alternative (and much longer) route to Rijeka. We took a road across to Senj on the coast, and it was a bit intimidating, but when we hit the coast the fun started. Mile after mile of unmade surfaces as part of roadworks and we were in a convoy consisting largely of Dutch caravans! It went on and on, until reaching some vast viaducts and complex junctions.
 Eventually we reached Slovenia and got away without a vignette for the 56km because it was not motorway. it certainly wasn't! Then into Italy and the downwards plunge into Trieste. A journey to remember - and it was Ruth's birthday, too!