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NOVEMBER
WEATHER .....
Absolutely gorgeous most of the time. The rains started early
though, mostly at night, and there were a few very wild days and nights.
We had our kitchen stove lit by the end of the month as temperatures
plummeted at night.
Latest
Crete Weather Link. _____________________________
Air Hotel - Forli - Italy
Air Hotel, Forli, Italy ©Burgess@ Cretanvista
Traveller's Tales - (below) has mention of this very nice hotel we found near Ancona
- and
it's exceptionally helpful staff - Elena (Reception), and Enricco Illotta.
Click picture to enlarge.
Astratigos Village Life - 'Traveller's
tales II'.
A bit likeJaws II really, but, if you live on Crete it might happen to you -
bitten by a
man-eating sharks that is. The kind with two
legs....
Just a little while after our UK holiday (last month's story) we were faced with
an unexpected family disaster. In the UK, our son-in-laws father died. His wife
Lyn had already been seriously ill and was recovering at home from major
surgery. We feel such losses deeply, as do most other people with close
families. We couldn't both fly back to the UK - we were already preparing for
our annual Christmas return and for both of us to attend the funeral was
impossible. We had too much work to complete and arrangements to make before we
closed the house for a month...
We split the load. Pam would fly back to the UK and I would complete as much
work as possible before she returned a week later.
Which end of the stick was the rougher we will never know (being separated for
the week). The first problem was Pam's flights - getting them that is.
Between receiving news of a bereavement and a funeral leaves little time.
There are no direct flights from Crete - all have to go via Athens during
the winter. No direct cheap charters out of season. Olympic would take the bags
all the way through - but was a no go. Available fares were sky high (with
apologies) and final destination airports not suitable. Agean had an
answer. Direct from Chania to Heathrow (not the best destination but workable.
Fare not too bad. Ok. We did that - well, Pam did that.
Car to Chania; Agean/Lufthansa to athens; Ditto to Heathrow with a change of
aircraft at Munich. At Munich the captain of the flight to Heathrow declared
that the baggage handlers had gone on strike - but that he was departing
regardless. Cross your heart and hope that you won't die - and that your bags
were already on board before he left! Coach to Luton. Family car to Stamford (Lincolnshire)
stopover. Car to Lincoln and then to Pocklington (Yorks) for the service. Done.
We were represented at the departure of a valued friend - our son-in-law's
father.
Getting back to me in Crete turned out to be a bit more complicated. Car back to
Lincoln; Stopover. Car to Stamford (Stopover); Car to Peterborough. Coach to
Luton (stopover); Car to airport Coach to Heathrow; Flight to Munich; change
aircraft; on to Athens - change aircraft; on to Crete. Easy Peasy! Well, not
quite (never is, is it?) - Agean/Lufthansa. Who apparently can check bags all
the way from Chania to Heathrow, but not Heathrow to Chania! Collect it
at Athens madam!!
Bag snatched, checked in again, aircraft boarded and off to Athens. Well, not
quite.... The captain was apparently unhappy - he taxi'ied tas far as a
holding point and stopped all engines!! Pam did not find that amusing, as
her connection to Crete from Athens was still scheduled to leave on time. It
was the last Athens-Crete flight of the day...
Munich-Athens made it. All very well but the flight from Munich was
very late getting there... A case (apologies) of bag snatching and running
to make your departing flight. Not good at the age of 21, I suspect, and Pam is
not 21. Taking re-incarnation into account she might have been (again) in just
21 years time!
The Chania departure was still on schedule. Pam made the flight. I drove to
Chania in absolutely torrential rain and high winds - better described as a
squall, to collect her. Alond with other 'Waiters' at the arrivals I spent a
good 40 minutes beyond the scheduled arrival time awaiting a flight that had
apparently departed Athens (40 min at the most) wondering.... Good for the
heart and blood pressure - as a test that is - if you fail you will never know,
pass and you are OK - just a bit stresssed!!!
The flight arrived. It had not been permitted to land earlier because of the
weather (wish someone had told me). Pam was on it. So was her luggage!
Hence to our present, Christmas trip. No sweat. Lift to Chania; Agean to Athens;
Easyjet to Luton; overstay with friends; lift home to Luton. Easy Peasy! Say it
quickly and hold your breath...
At Athens we, as always, Metro'ed to Syntagma; had lunch at Byzantino on the
edge of Plaka; photographed the whole of Ermou Street and were back on the
Metro to the airport by 5.30pm. It was absolutely packed. And really enjoyable.
Until we realised that among the crush were the sharks...
By the time we reached the airport Pam's purse - 10 Euros and credit cards - had
been lifted from her until then buckled bag! Maybe 15 minutes ago. At the
airport we tried to report it. The police captain said to go to the downstairs
office and make out and sign a report. The police sergeant downstairs
declined to make a report.. and advised canceling our cards back in the UK.. How
much could vanish from our accounts by then?
We enlisted an airport security officer. He cancelled our Greek bank cards with
us. We bought extra access to airport internet and cancelled our UK cards (with
some difficulty) and transferred our bank account cash to an uncompromised
account. The thieves had spent 35GBP on the Metro and 430 GBP at a car wash (!)
in Athens while we were checking in... Cancel in the UK 4 hours later?
Sharks bite faster than that, 'officer'.... |
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In the News and News Reviews..
El Greco returns ...
Perhaps the most famous Cretan after El Venizelos is now starring at
the Syntagma Square metro station in Athens - 'Moments from El Greco: The Film'.
The British star - Nick Ashdon said that he came to see his part through the
"Cretan soul"....
Link
to Story.
And Queen Sophia attends the opening...
Queen Sophia of Spain is also Greek - she not only attended the El Greco
Exhibition opening but also watched the film along with other dignitaries... El
Greco died in Spain - where he had a large workshop at Toledo - in 1614 ...
Link
to Story.
But back on Crete...
Life often continues, with modern adjustments, in a sometimes raw and very
direct way.... (item
4)
Link
to Story.
Murder is not unknown...
And those suspected of such crime are frequently apprehended...
Link
to story.
Ongoing Story (Item 6) -
Second Link.
And university staff have safety fears...
To the extent that heads lifted the 'University Asylum' rules and allowed
police onto the University of Crete campus...
Link
to story.
And traditions can have tragic consequence...
Which were never their intended result...
Link
to story.
Road accidents continue...
One involving a car which collided with a (thankfully empty) school bus,
injuring two...
Link
to story.
British teenager in Kos balcony fall...
Another young Briton loses his life whilst on holiday in Greece....
(item 3)
Link
to story.
Focus is on missing children...
As international experts point out salient facts and discuss police
training.
Link
to story.
And missing child alert is successful...
Fifteen year old German teenager found after reportedly running away from
her parents following an argument. It could have ended very differently...
Link
to story.
Easyjet airline enters Greek islands...
At last! The recent acquisition of GB Airways by Easyjet heralds. By March
2008 (probably before) the Easyjet colours will arrive at Iraklion (Heraklion)
Crete; Corfu; Myconos; and Rhodes. Possibly from Gatwick. Hopefully they will
bring low fares with them.
(Item 2)
Link
to story.
Kos flight lands at Athens...
Landing, at the same time, a 49 year old man before a prosecutor on the
Island of Kos accused of making a malicious telephone call - starting a bomb
alert on an Amsterdam bound charter flight.
Link
to story.
And another Athens cabbie..
Becomes the 155th to be taken to court and fined for attempting to charge
a tourist 978.88 euros for a short (5Km ride) from Syntagma Square to Liosion St
bus station.
Taken for a ride?
Link
to story.
Plus, our man in Athens...
British Ambassador Simon Gass was summoned to the Greek Foreign Ministry in
Athens to receive the Greek 'displeasure' at the British government's decision
to sign a 'strategic partnership agreement' with Turkey. The agreement referred
to the Turkish occupied area of Cyprus as the "TRNC" (Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus) - which only Turkey itself recognizes as self proclaimed
state... Diplomacy...
Link
to story.
Greek ministers house problem...
Work on an 'out of town' house of the public Works Minister Giorgos Souflias
was suspended because of missing building permit. Apparently the civil engineer
responsible for work on the house had had failed to apply for renewal of the
permit.
Link
to story.
And after Easyjet? - Easycruise!...
Stelios Haji-Ioanniou, founder and chairman of Easyjet, is now
introducing three cruises on the Greek seas... Join now - if Easyjet is an
example, everyone and his donkey will..
Link
to story.
But no one can beat this...
Dire-straights leader Mark Knopffler will star at Athens Lycabettus Theatre
on June 13th, 2008.. I for one hope to be there. Ticket link at end of story...
Link
to story.
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The Cretanvista Review of
Carol Palioudaki's
'Cool Guide to
Living in Crete'
(A gold mine of information)
is, like the book, available now.
Out Now - Get it
at www.livingincrete.net
Or visit www.coolpublications.co.uk
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