Paleo Update for 2018

Nomads' question: "Which is more germ-ridden: a long-distance ferry or budget airline cabin?"

Greyrocks ponders this as Ruth very slowly recovers from over three weeks of sore throat and nasty cough acquired on one of the ships used in early June, and having started the Fuerteventura stay in October with something caught on the journey from Barcelona! Bob - predictably - followed on in each case!

So June has not been a great month, but here is the annual rundown on observed developments around town. It is preceded by the Spoiler Warning for those that would rather discover for themselves!

(On the domestic front we can report that after three full seasons our landlords have supplied an ice compartment door for the oldest fridge in town!)

Prettifications

The process of resurfacing the main thoroughfares seems to be complete, and it looks good. A more promising attempt at restricting parking on the Palm Tree Road has been made with fixed bollards, but parking - even at this early stage of the season - is seriously problematic, owing to many more hire cars, building on odd plots unofficially used before, and the unexplained closure of the main car park down near the commercial bakery, We have a second lifeguard post on the Sandy Beach. Interesting work is taking place at the ferry jetty, with a sludge-gulping device moving sand from the ship side over to the shore in front of The Crocodile to prevent the Samaria from going aground. (A little beach is developing there and we asked Georgios if he would be colonising it!) There are some new pieces of artwork around, including a sculpture near the Castello. We had a long chat with Dutch Anton (ex Gavdos) and this sent Greyrocks on its first bike ride, to look at Pearl Cavo near the Camping, where there is a pleasant furnished and managed beach, and on the roadside his re-sited geodesic dome. On the down side the private clinic on the stony side has disappeared.

Tourist-catching developments

Airbnb has taken hold - in spite of dire public warnings from the Tax Police about the regulations and penalties. Throughout the village there are modest old buildings which have been tarted-up and given name plaques. This is - indeed  - the fate of the former clinic! Three free-standing villas almost on the Sandy Beach have been built as part of the Villa Europa empire. Next to the Petrakis supermarket a large building is being noisily erected (rooms, shop extension, ??), and there is a mystery building between Hotel Aris and the "new" harbour, which looks a bit big for a private house and is - allegedly - Norwegian-owned.

Both taxi firms are keen to get into "tours" - one of which - involving wine - interests Greyrocks so watch this space! Diane (ex-Kosmar) now fronts a company - Paleohora Nature - with an office on Palm Tree Road which offers all sorts of aided- but only GPS guided - walking, boat and cycle tours.

Restaurant changes

To no-one's great surprise the concern that was last year in Kapetan Dimitri's former premises has gone! The restaurant has a new name (Parasties - not Parasites!), and has been expensively re-styled. Reports differed, but last night Greyrocks and Olga engaged in research, and a Trip Advisor review will follow. Conversely - to everyone's surprise - Dionysos has re-opened on the Main Street with spanking new decor and furniture after many years closed. Castro - up by the fortress - is now fully functioning and going for the fine-dining niche. Finally - just opened where there was a basic grill/giros at the bottom end of the night-time pedestrian Main Street zone - is Dakos, (named after the iconic Cretan peasant dish), which advertises itself for mezes and raki. Needs a try! All of Greyrocks' favourites are still there and - in fact - thriving!

Weather

The cantina at the end of the Sandy Beach!

Ask a local about the weather and  they will say it was a mild winter, but that rain is desperately needed for both  olives and people! Since we arrived on 8th there has been rain! Not enough, of course to solve the problem, but enough to prompt heated debates about Junes past and present! At first we found it remarkably warm during the day, but cold at night and certainly the sea was too cold for Greyrocks ("never before July 1st!"); but things went "pear-shaped" by the next Saturday, and since then it has been a matter of heavy cloud and occasional short downpours that are unpredictable. The wind, too, has been giving problems over the last few days, so beach-time is down On a couple of occasions we have found ourselves in a lock-in situation at Yianni's cantina, when the bamboo barricade has been placed for wind protection and the rain comes through the roof but the tsikoudia comes out to keep the half-dozen regulars cheerful. On Wednesday the afternoon rain was minimal. but the threat serious as the sky was very dark. In the absence of direct sun  made it positively cold in beachwear in the shade of the main body of the cantina, so six of us moved to the  roofless "annex" which has been recently constructed alongside and also offers shelter from the wind. There we spent hours of otherwise unbeachable time on shared interests:  Paleo accommodation options, Goa, baby boomer personal finance and Corbyn/Bloody Brexit! What else matters, we ask? At some point we were treated to special  tsikoudia flavoured with honey and walnuts. Nice!

Beach conditions
Seasonal concessions were sorted early this time round, so on arrival we found everything in place and very little different from last year. A few more chargeable mattresses for the beds at the town end! The line of three tavernas with beach service  - Palm Tree, Veggera and Atoli -  upping the ante in terms of competition, the really flash "shelters" gone, and the most regrettable blossoming of recreational "water activity" hire - including jet-ski! Grrr!

As last year the entry to the sea was particularly easy (rock-free)in mid-June for those who like cold sea, but the storms this week have shifted a load of sand, and it's not looking good at the moment. Greyrocks will return to this key news as the summer progresses!