Birthday Blog

Belated Birthday Blog with Zorba

Here's  bonus blog from June 2020 .  I am really not quite sure why I didn't publish this but since it is cheering me up just to look at this and remind myself just why we are here in Crete.  So not much to read but you might enjoy the pix on a dark February evening!

Also another dribble of news about Al.  It appears from today's conversation with the cardiologist that they regsrd his condition as serious - a 'ticking bomb' as Al puts it.  (I think he rather likes that image.)  So long as he is in the hospital here is a safe as possible, so going home doesn't seem to be an option, at least as long as they are prepared to keep him!  He's really not much trouble!  We have a meeting with the consultant tomorrow afternoon to try to get a grip on just when the surgery might happen, and what factors are in play.  Of course, there's the private route, but somehow I have more faith in the public hospital for the serious stuff - just like the NHS.  Private medecine fine for ingerowing toenails etc!

It's been a while.  It was my birthday last Sunday, and Al's last Thursday.  So first, a big warm thanks to everybody who remembered and got in touch in whatever way.  Of course we don't remember everyone's birthdays all the time.  I think that during this weird time we probably all think about our friends, people we used to know, people who we knew who have died or we have lost touch with. So I suppose I am trying to say that as humans even we introverts have a mental social life! 

Last week we made a trip out to Balos (Βαλος).  This involves an 8km drive on a dirt road then a 40 minute walk down paths and steps to the beach and lagoons below.  The lagoon is warm and has a few fish. It's little more than knee deep so we snorkelled over to the other side before the 40 minute treck back up.  Worth it though.  By the time we left, wehad the whole place to ourselves! We can see the dirt road that runs along the Gramvousa peninsular from our house and on Saturday nights particularly, we see many headlights as cars come back from viewing the sunset. 

Birthday Blog

Belated Birthday Blog with Zorba

BECALMED

I read a somewhat satirical account of the middle classes during lockdown.  The author pointed out that people get lyrical over the tiny seasonal changes in their locality.  Guilty!  The Spring is certainly turning into Summer here. There is a whole new look to the roadsides and olive groves.  These purple balls are some sort of Cretan alium.

TODAY'S TRACK

The light has also been spectacular with the 'magic hour' turnng everything brilliant orange.  These from an evening walk last Monday.  The grasses seem to be on fire and the olive trees glow. 

We have been going a bit further afield, in this brief time before the holiday travel begins in earnest. 

Everything seems so, well, normal, but to me it still seems lke a lull before the gusts pick up again. People go about their lives seemingly unthreatened.

Of course the virus will swan in, without a passport or customs check, invisible and silent until like Alien, it pops out of a someone's belly when you least expect it.  Well, not literally but I'm sure you get what I mean. So we are pretty much maintaing the mask / social distance / handwashing / grocery washing routine.

Actually  I wanted to write about Kissamos.  I would like to take you shopping with me.  Kissamos is a very ordinary, almost ugly little town.  When we first saw it, we drove straight through, thinking that there was nothing worth stopping for. That's still sort of true, although there are a few modest Roman sites, none of which the town can afford to open to the public.  Now it's the very ordinariness that I've come to appreciate. 

This is where I join the main road, around 5 minutes drive downhill from our rented house.

I usually park in the square. The cafes are open now, but with only 2 people that I could see at around 0830.  The dilemma for restaurants and cafes will be tough.  Should they cut their losses and stay closed or spend time and money refurbishing and bringing their staff back for half their expected summer clientele, who might in any case, stay away.  IMO the Greek Government would be wise to give €500.00 restaurant and cafe vouchers to all Greek households, to spend locally.  No international tourists and everybody is well fed and happy!

Of course Kissamos (AKA Kastelli) has its share of tat.  And hats.  I am headed down the road to the greengrocer. 

The food is good, and mostly local to Crete.  My list is quite long and includes local greens, aubergines, peppers, huge and inexpensive tomatoes, courgettes (small and tender, also flowers)...  plenty of fruit too and this will only get better as the summer goes on. 

Final call is the supermarket ΣΚΛΑΒΕΝΙΤΗΣ.  Almost empty at 0915 or so.  Still plenty of food and wine to be had. Good deli counter for feta cheese, olives, hot pickled peppers.  Prices more or less same as UK.  Apart from tea, which is a different story.  Masks are rare.  Mainly older women and older couples, no older men shopping alone wear them, neither do the cashiers.  Hand gel at the enterance.  I wear my mask, no gloves - I think hand gel & washing are better, so long as you manage not to touch your face.  Gloves good if you are prone to do that.

Maybe tomorrow - our trip to Balos.  

BECALMED

I read a somewhat satirical account of the middle classes during lockdown.  The author pointed out that people get lyrical over the tiny seasonal changes in their locality.  Guilty!  The Spring is certainly turning into Summer here. There is a whole new look to the roadsides and olive groves.  These purple balls are some sort of Cretan alium.

TODAY'S TRACK

The light has also been spectacular with the 'magic hour' turnng everything brilliant orange.  These from an evening walk last Monday.  The grasses seem to be on fire and the olive trees glow. 

We have been going a bit further afield, in this brief time before the holiday travel begins in earnest. 

Everything seems so, well, normal, but to me it still seems lke a lull before the gusts pick up again. People go about their lives seemingly unthreatened.

Of course the virus will swan in, without a passport or customs check, invisible and silent until like Alien, it pops out of a someone's belly when you least expect it.  Well, not literally but I'm sure you get what I mean. So we are pretty much maintaing the mask / social distance / handwashing / grocery washing routine.

Actually  I wanted to write about Kissamos.  I would like to take you shopping with me.  Kissamos is a very ordinary, almost ugly little town.  When we first saw it, we drove straight through, thinking that there was nothing worth stopping for. That's still sort of true, although there are a few modest Roman sites, none of which the town can afford to open to the public.  Now it's the very ordinariness that I've come to appreciate. 

This is where I join the main road, around 5 minutes drive downhill from our rented house.

I usually park in the square. The cafes are open now, but with only 2 people that I could see at around 0830.  The dilemma for restaurants and cafes will be tough.  Should they cut their losses and stay closed or spend time and money refurbishing and bringing their staff back for half their expected summer clientele, who might in any case, stay away.  IMO the Greek Government would be wise to give €500.00 restaurant and cafe vouchers to all Greek households, to spend locally.  No international tourists and everybody is well fed and happy!

Of course Kissamos (AKA Kastelli) has its share of tat.  And hats.  I am headed down the road to the greengrocer. 

The food is good, and mostly local to Crete.  My list is quite long and includes local greens, aubergines, peppers, huge and inexpensive tomatoes, courgettes (small and tender, also flowers)...  plenty of fruit too and this will only get better as the summer goes on. 

Final call is the supermarket ΣΚΛΑΒΕΝΙΤΗΣ.  Almost empty at 0915 or so.  Still plenty of food and wine to be had. Good deli counter for feta cheese, olives, hot pickled peppers.  Prices more or less same as UK.  Apart from tea, which is a different story.  Masks are rare.  Mainly older women and older couples, no older men shopping alone wear them, neither do the cashiers.  Hand gel at the enterance.  I wear my mask, no gloves - I think hand gel & washing are better, so long as you manage not to touch your face.  Gloves good if you are prone to do that.

Maybe tomorrow - our trip to Balos.  

A Subtle Change

21 st May 2020

A full 10 days since the last blog - so what has happened?  Here's today's atmospheric track HERE

To begin with, Summer is well underway  with the vegetation changing day by day into a glorious backlit mass of creamy colours.  We watch almost no Netflix, just France 24 for news.  We have been swimming in the morning - chilly but deserted, and sometimes the evening, busier with Greek families on the beach and slightly warmer water.  The air temperatures have been in the low 30s.

Apparently the weather is due to change again, with some rain tomorrow.  But there's a bigger change, and harder to explain.  We feel as though the protective wall has been stripped away, and that we are more vulnerable now.  There are few masks to be seen in Kissamos, very few.  The guy who pumps the gas handles the petrol cap cover, the credit card.  We enter the bank using 2 stainless steel door handles etc.  We wear 'face coverings', gel our hands when we get back into the car, wash them when we get home, but these trips out are still a bit nerve racking. 

 

The summer  vegetation has subtle, creamy colours, apart from the brilliant eye popping broom.   Just when I think that the display has to come to an end, another phase begins.  We should be here long enough to see figs, apricots, peaches, avocados, even almonds  and walnuts.

In previous trips to Crete we have explored many beaches, but now the local beaches  have been a real surprise, with mostly coarse sand and rocks that morph into rocky shelves and shallow reefs, good for snorkelling. They are 10-15 minutes away, so perfect for a quick hit.

On the Left of photo opposite, you can just see Kissamos main harbour, and our beaches are just to the far side of it.  The profile of Gramvousa peninsular in the background of both.


Oh yes, the Bank.  Clearly determined that Greece should live up to its reputation for pointless bureaucracy and a love of Government documents.  Polite, patient but ultimately stonewalling.  Yes, she can see we have a company VAT return, and from the bank statement she can see that we pay ourselves as employees of the company.  But where is the official proof that it is our compnay?  Cleo, our housesitter is searching for the right stuff.  Thank you Cleo.


I am enjoying the New Stateman Podcast.  No link.  Just search!  Also Guardian Politics Weekly & The Week in Westminster.  Prefer these weekly somewhat opinionated round-ups to the BBC news. 

 

A Subtle Change

21 st May 2020

A full 10 days since the last blog - so what has happened?  Here's today's atmospheric track HERE

To begin with, Summer is well underway  with the vegetation changing day by day into a glorious backlit mass of creamy colours.  We watch almost no Netflix, just France 24 for news.  We have been swimming in the morning - chilly but deserted, and sometimes the evening, busier with Greek families on the beach and slightly warmer water.  The air temperatures have been in the low 30s.

Apparently the weather is due to change again, with some rain tomorrow.  But there's a bigger change, and harder to explain.  We feel as though the protective wall has been stripped away, and that we are more vulnerable now.  There are few masks to be seen in Kissamos, very few.  The guy who pumps the gas handles the petrol cap cover, the credit card.  We enter the bank using 2 stainless steel door handles etc.  We wear 'face coverings', gel our hands when we get back into the car, wash them when we get home, but these trips out are still a bit nerve racking. 

 

The summer  vegetation has subtle, creamy colours, apart from the brilliant eye popping broom.   Just when I think that the display has to come to an end, another phase begins.  We should be here long enough to see figs, apricots, peaches, avocados, even almonds  and walnuts.

In previous trips to Crete we have explored many beaches, but now the local beaches  have been a real surprise, with mostly coarse sand and rocks that morph into rocky shelves and shallow reefs, good for snorkelling. They are 10-15 minutes away, so perfect for a quick hit.

On the Left of photo opposite, you can just see Kissamos main harbour, and our beaches are just to the far side of it.  The profile of Gramvousa peninsular in the background of both.


Oh yes, the Bank.  Clearly determined that Greece should live up to its reputation for pointless bureaucracy and a love of Government documents.  Polite, patient but ultimately stonewalling.  Yes, she can see we have a company VAT return, and from the bank statement she can see that we pay ourselves as employees of the company.  But where is the official proof that it is our compnay?  Cleo, our housesitter is searching for the right stuff.  Thank you Cleo.


I am enjoying the New Stateman Podcast.  No link.  Just search!  Also Guardian Politics Weekly & The Week in Westminster.  Prefer these weekly somewhat opinionated round-ups to the BBC news. 

 

Summer is here in Crete

May 15

I am going to start with the atmospheric music link.  Al says I should make my links clearer, so CLICK HERE!

I have a personal tradition that when I think summer has arrived, I get a Magnum.  Well, here in Greece they are called ‘Magic’.  They do come in most of the same varieties, except, I think, vegan.  Or maybe there just isn’t a vegan market in Western Crete.  They did have the ruby one, which looks nice and tastes, well, cold.  We took them down to the seaside like proper Brits. 

We are not quite dancing in the street, although we did contribute to Rik Lander’s 60th birthday video!  That was nearly a fortnight ago, but we couldn’t release a spoiler until the birthday video had been seen by the birthday man.  If you know Rik, you might want to ask Stella for a link.  Watch for his very cool Dad at the beginning!

You can listen to the track we were miming / dancing to HERE.

OMG Blogger has changed its tool.  I can't get ANYTHING where I want it.  So sorry about the appearance.

Bank News Soon!

Summer is here in Crete

May 15

I am going to start with the atmospheric music link.  Al says I should make my links clearer, so CLICK HERE!

I have a personal tradition that when I think summer has arrived, I get a Magnum.  Well, here in Greece they are called ‘Magic’.  They do come in most of the same varieties, except, I think, vegan.  Or maybe there just isn’t a vegan market in Western Crete.  They did have the ruby one, which looks nice and tastes, well, cold.  We took them down to the seaside like proper Brits. 

We are not quite dancing in the street, although we did contribute to Rik Lander’s 60th birthday video!  That was nearly a fortnight ago, but we couldn’t release a spoiler until the birthday video had been seen by the birthday man.  If you know Rik, you might want to ask Stella for a link.  Watch for his very cool Dad at the beginning!

You can listen to the track we were miming / dancing to HERE.

OMG Blogger has changed its tool.  I can't get ANYTHING where I want it.  So sorry about the appearance.

Bank News Soon!

The Gorge Walk

Monday 11 May

This morning we walked to the nearby gorge.  There's a stream fed by a spring and it creates a magical environment, quite different from the often dry, ploughed olive groves around it.  The light was just right this morning. 

It's been a few days since our last visit and the path
that was flanked by brash yellow flowers is now a delicate purple passage.

I have no idea what the flowers are, and however I try to photograph banks of flowers like these, the effect is lost.  You will just have to take my word for it - Crete has a reputation for a huge diversity of wild flowers and herbs.  Every walk reveals a new chapter in the spring story.  


Oh, was that very cheesy? 

.

 
To go with the cheese, here's a very old olive tree.  They can live for hundreds of years, and this is one of the oldest I've seen with a beautiful 'woven' trunk.  It looks as though it's been left alone for some time, definitely no visits to the hairdressers.

A very old olive tree

 I'm often bent double studying ants. So interesting!  Take a look at what these ants are carrying!  I think I need to read up on ant behaviour. 

This blog is getting seriously out of control!

A Thought Experiment

Sit back and have a taste of the 1970s 

Now the thought experiment: the C-19 virus could be anytime, anyplace, anywhere, just like the ad.  Imagine you could see the virus.  Like invisible bloodstains shown up by a lumalite in a Jeffrey Deaver novel, there it is glowing bright yellow - at the supermarket checkout, on a plastic fiver, on the grab rail of the bus, on the hands of the person serving you in the fruit shop...  scary, isn't it?  But that's what we are facing now as we enter the potentially most dangerous phase of the pandemic. As the 'lockdown' is eased, it's human nature to relax.  Eased, lifted, free - all nice words that make us feel better.  It seems to me that we have just as much to fear now as we did in the first week of lockdown.  

Control the virus?  Hmm.  Of course the one thing you can control is your own behaviour and actions.  Put on a mask, insist on your 2m distance when in confined public spaces, on the street etc.  Right now, here in Crete, I feel as though we are in the eye of the storm.  For non-sailors, that means a big bash has just happened, and that another one is about to happen as the storm passes over us.  The back edge of a weather system can be just as nasty as the front edge.  There's no reason I can see that a 'second peak' of infection would be any lower than the first. Maybe the truth of the situation is just too hard to face.  

Try another thought experiment: create a roulette wheel with 100 slots.  Let's say 8 are yellow (catch Covid and make some sort of recovery), 2 are red (grim reaper comes for you) and the other 90 are black (no infection, live to play again).  Do you play?  

COMING SOON: Our first foray into Greek bureaucracy as we open a bank account and attempt to get temporary residency.