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JANUARY
WEATHER.....Sometimes
absolutely sunny with beautiful views of the snow capped White Mountains.
But the early temperature drops amazingly quickly. Plus, sometimes gale
force winds drive horizontal rain in from the sea. Very cold, very wet!!.
Current Chania
Webcam
Current Cretan Weather
Link
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All Roads lead to Athens Acropolis....
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So whilst there maybe keep fit. Or maybe not -
these four wheeled, four seater 'Fun Bikes' can be pedaled but also
have battery drives! |
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Astratigos Village Life.... Travelers Tales.. XVIV
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.... And then it was already next year. Time for just a brief
reflection and 'onwards into the wood's' - but then, he who planneth
best - usually gets the biggest surprises!! Our 2013 plan had been Souda/Patras/Forli (Italy)/Forni
(Switzerland)/Reusel (Holland)/Harwich/ Hook of Holland/Harwich (UK)/Luton/Stamford/Lincoln.
Plus
a
little gadding about in the UK to stay with people in places
Macclesfield (Treacle Town); Holmfirth (Last of the Summer Wine); Newark
on Trent (water!); Stamford (Burleigh House); and London (North Finchley
- our oldest friends) - and back.... |
He who planneth best!....
A new year! Again! Have we really to
do that all over again in 2014? Seriously?
Well, perhaps the real question
should be 'what else do you have to do today'? Most people seem to
believe that we sit here under a large brolley in the Cretan sunshine,
drinking Amstel or cocktails and demanding more ice - whilst the birds
singing are the only sounds that disturb the peace! Not so, but that's
another story, lets tell this one first. First trips first!..
Kicking off, for several days at the start of 2013 (six weeks
altogether) we decamped from our home in Crete, loaded our CRV and
headed off into the sunset. After, that is, spending a lot of
time planning in an attempt to make things run smoothly (!), and a whole day loading
before turning the car key to 'start". But then we had several countries to cover,
hopefully there and back. Before we would be able to switch off
and relax for 24 glorious hours before getting back into the fray after
the end of the trip. A long way to go. Around 5,000 miles; six hotels;
six overnight ferries to mention just a little of the challenge.
The first part of the challenge was
loading 'Fred', our ever faithful CRV. Under the watchful eye of village
ladies! Sometimes one. Sometimes two. But towards the grand finale four
or five.... Giving away none of their thoughts but offering great
encouragement as we loaded our gear. Three suitcases and two
handbaggages - about 90 kilos; 72 kilos of Kolimbari extra virgin
olive oil; a 17 kilo can of Voukolies extra virgin oil; a couple of
cases of village wine 24 kilos; assorted fruit, veg, cheese (cretan diet
incarnate) and we were approaching about a quarter to a ton. An English
long ton, not the cissy metric job!!
Add two adults and assorted gear - loose coats, handbags etc and
assorted etc and you can add another 360 lb - well, lets be a sweet and
call it a ton and abit! Add the weight of the car and a full tank of
fuel and we are heading for a gross vehicle weight of 1.2 tons and we
are talking 2.2 tons! doesn't sound a lot, but just you try picking it
up!
And, the mind boggles - if you
drive at 70mph you are looking, according to American figures, at 1.8
million tons. Best not to stand in front.... Although of
course if you sit inside the air-bags may save the day! Sit
inside....
At 7pm on the dot we set off for ANEK lines ferry Elyros. Bet that
weighs a bit more - but then that isn't our concern and our CRV, smooth
and silent like silk, doesn't even break into a sweat as we drive on
board and are loaded in the lower of the two large garages. It's so
squeaky clean, bright and shiny down there that it seems such a simple
operation. Gone seem the days when the loaders worked in the pits,
shouting and gesticulating to squeeze yet another can of beans where it
doesn't seem to fit! And there is even a lift to raise both you and you
overnight baggage to reception from the garage. Elyros. A real lady. We
are bound for Piraeus, Athens. We even have a decent bar for a
pre-evening drink in the posh restaurant (with waiter service) and a
glass of red before it's off to bed time! If life continues like
this the trip will a doddle - a real holiday!
But things can change....
And needless to say, change they did. Very pleasantly most of the time.
Air hotel Forli - still A1 - their recommended restaurant 'Canario'
right next door had stunning sea-food; Hotel Airolo in Switzerland had
the fastest lift on the planet, police arrests right outside the
restaurant, stunning clientele and superb cuisine'; Hotel Cecil in Metz
(France) was a regular friend and the local food always superb - we had
been known to get lost seeking it - but not on this occasion; Hotel
Centrum (Ruesel, Holland) - always superb, magic; and the Stena Lines
Hollandia was A1 - no problem at all.
Next stop Luton. This was really the
highlight of the trip over, putting all else in total shade. When we
came off the M1 we knew we were home! Well, as close as one can be
without actually being there. Bill, godfather to our son. His wife Syl -
a stunningly full of life friend who never ceases to amaze. The sense of
humour here is pure slapstick - Morecombe and Wise banter. More magic!
We once did the entire trip to Crete with them, using their car, and
then sent them back alone - with only a Michelin Map!! They made it,
and still speak to us!!!
A couple of days later we were back
to our family in Lincoln with a brief stop in Stamford for sandwiches
and then home to our family and our grandsons. We finally arrived on
June 7th - roughly 2500 miles ago! After what seemed a visit to short to
cram in all we did we were repacked, reloaded and, by Tuesday 2nd of
July - almost a month after our arrival we were heading for Hunstanton, for another quick stop-over with friends. The next day saw
us heading, once again, for Harwich and our Stena Lines Ferry to the
Hook of Holland. But with an addition to our next stop, the Townhouse
Hotel in Maastricht, of a live Andre Rieux concert! It was a stunning
experience, absolute magic - and if you have ever seen it he really does
tell the audience to 'go home!' at the end. And then has to play on for
at least another hour after the audience wins the argument and
stays.....
Then, after a couple of nights in Maastricht, it was on to a night at the
Ibis hotel in Colmar, and the next day to the terrifying
entrance/exit to the UNA Hotel in Bergamo. Complete with mosquitoes and
medical conference (!), a quick overnight and we were almost home.
Just one stop left. But what a stop. Venice! Yes, yet again we wound our
way up the spiral ramp of the car park at the Palazzo Roma for another couple of
nights (and days) at the Locanda Herion Hotel. The weather was, as usual
at this time of the year, very hot and very humid. Two shirts a
day stuff in order to stay reasonably dry. And the evenings again a
source of superb food in local Venetian restaurants. The mosquitos,
likewise, know where to find food but good repellent keeps them at bay. Another magical stay...
The
Cruise down to Patra on the Ro-Ro 'Forza', which had been hired by ANEK
Lines, was, all said and done, something of a disappointment. It really
does seem like a commercial truck transporter - not something that
visitors to Venice would actively seek. But the Crew were pure ANEK -
superbly helpful. A quick trip over to Piraeus, hop on the ferry to Crete and
next day we were home!
But - perhaps having become slightly inebriated with this very health
dose of travel, we were already getting ready for our next jaunt!! Which
possibly begs the question - getting ready to go where?....
The answer? Getting ready to fly (this time) back to
Venice - for a second time in one year, with our close friends Chris &
Adonis - and what was to become our undoing - at least until next year!
But then, the best laid plans....
(Continued in
February).. |
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In the News
Reviews...
British tourism on the up - and up....
Figures published by the British Association of Travel Agents (ABTA) are
said to show Greece among the top travel destinations for 2014.
Arrivals in Greece were said to be 1.9 million in 2013 - bringing in 1.4
billion euros. The Expedia booking agency has figures which show that
(internet) searches for Greek island holiday have more than
doubled for 2014.
Ed: If that were to be realized there would be around 3.8
million arrivals this year, bringing in possibly 2.8 million euros.
Extremely good news - but with 'if' and 'possibly'. Fingers
crossed....
Link to Story.
New Year brings sad death..
For a 26-year-old man
killed in a motorcycle accident on New Year's-eve......
Link to Story.
And Police seek 15 swindlers of the elderly.....
As a 26-year-old woman was arrested whilst police seek a further 15
suspects following reports by elderly people that they had been swindled.
The police believe that a gang has been at work since 2010 and have
swindled the elderly across Greece, including Crete, out of over 120,000
euros...
Plus, two British MP's want...
British police to take a more active role in the matter of the death
of Tyrell Mathews-Burton, a 20-year-old who was stabbed to death during
a brawl reported to have involved more than 30 British youths in the
resort of Malia, Crete in July 2013.
Another British man, 19-year-old Myle Litchmore-Dunbar, was arrested and
charged with the murder. He is currently in Greek custody awaiting
trial. He has repeatedly claimed that he is innocent of the crime.
M Litchmore-Dunbars family have described the support provided by the
Britsh authorities as "wholly inadequate"...
Link to Story.
Oxfam has ranked Greece
13th in the world...
as a place to eat - ranking counties in the survey according to diet; food
quality; prices and disease levels. Spain, Germany, UK, Norway, Finland and
Cyprus are also ranked 13th.
125 countries were surveyed...
Link to Story.
Life sentence for double murder...
A 52-year-old man from Iraklio, Crete, has
been sentenced to life imprisonment having been found guilty of shooting dead
Priamos Xydakis (34) and Manolis Stavroulakis (63) In the area of Profitis
Ilias in June, 2013...
Link to Story.
Baby bust -
maybe...
A Greek couple on Crete became involved in police investigations into a
possible illegal adoption racket. Police report that a 58 -year-old man and
a 51-year old woman from Crete traveled to Athens where they alledgedly paid
30,000 euros to buy a 1-month-old Bulgarian baby from its natural mother.
A prosecutor ordered that the child remain with the couple Kathimerini
reported...
Link to Story.
New Ryanair hubs...
Athens and Thessaloniki have become the latest additions to be opened in
April 2014 by the airline as part of a $280million investment in Greece.
In addition Ryanair is adding nine new routes -
Athens-Chania; Rhodes; Thessaloniki; London; Milan; and Paphos. Flights will
also be added from Athens to Pisa and Warsaw.
Link
to Story.
British store Dixons...
Has sold off its Turkish and Italian investments. But it continues to
stick with It's Greek stores, Kotsovolos after sales there rose 3pc between
Nov 1st and Jan 4th...
Link
to Story.
And possibly good news for some
...
And possibly very bad for others, Greece has posted the second steepest
drop in house prices in the EU in the third quarter of 2013
Although there has been a
perhaps understandable major decline in demand for houses, the report
indicates that house buyers are able to negotiate a 21.5 reduction from the
asking price...
Link
to Story
But perhaps for the residents of Cephalonia...
One of the biggest stories of the Greek month was the occurrence of a
6.1ML earthquake. No injuries were reported but the 'quake certainly
caused some damage to buildings and roads, and to parts of the electricity
network causing blackouts. Local residents were certainly alarmed and many
spent time in the open before being housed on Greek ferries which sailed to
the island to assist and to provide accommodation to those in need...
Link to Story.
Second Report
Link to Story.
But unlike the citizens of
Cephalonia...
Who have been given some respite from taxation by the government because
of the earthquake, for the rest of Greece electricity bills are growing at
the rate of 4 million euros a day
Link to Story.
And it is thought that...
About 1 million cars are circulating without insurance - the government
is preparing legislation...
Link to Story.
But there is
some good news...
Piraeus port has become the third-largest container-traffic hub in
the Mediterranean. What is Greece's largest port, Piraeus handled over 3.16
million containers in 2013...
Link to Story.
Plus - Greek Civil Aviation posts...
The highest figures for arrivals in
Europe in 2013, the Hellenic Tourism Enterprise estimating the total
number of tourists arriving at 17.8 million. A rise of 15% over 2012...
Link to Story.
Coming as no suprise to those in the
know...
Greek wines are starting to make their mark in the US. One survey
found that Greek wines were "available at as many as 480 restaurants and 520
wine retailers in New York". *For those of us 'in the know' and with very
wide experience, the top quality Greek wines are among the finest in the
world - Shssss...
Link to Story.
Plus, staying on the brighter
side...
British UKIP leader Nigel Farage gained much popularity (and publicity)
after dressing down Greek PM Adonis Samaras in the European parliament.
Link to Story.
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Amazon.co.uk & Selected Cretan
bookstores
Living in Crete
by Carol Palioudakis
OUT NOW IN PAPERBACK!
Price £9.50 GBP |
|
Amazon.co.uk & Selected Cretan
bookstores |
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