Cretanvista Site News & Reviews - August 2008 Issue 66 | ||||
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No links to sites with adult content accepted. |
AUGUST WEATHER ..... HOT. It has been just about impossible to sit in the sun on days when there has been no breeze. Nights have been stifling and we are now longing for an end to the drought - or even some clouds!
Current Cretan Weather
Link (Re-enactment of traditional Cretan Wedding - see Extra News, below)
Village Life.. It’s
August and the island is heaving with visitors, both Greek and from the
rest of The
level of entertainment on offer locally has ratcheted up from the almost
non-existent to something nearly every evening. There have been wine
festivals, snail festivals, raki festivals, honey festivals, fish
festivals, countless church name-days, jazz sessions, funfairs, circuses
and more ‘typical Cretan evenings’ than you could shake a stick at.
(For those not in the know, a ‘typical Cretan evening’ involves
food, drink, three or four Cretan musicians, and dancing.) There have also
been exhibitions of Cretan produce, organised boat trips, walks, athletics
competitions, a horse fair, and even a re-enactment of a traditional
Cretan wedding (see photo above and details below). As it
was the one day this month we had agricultural water for our garden, we
drove up the hill to the hydrant and turned on our tap. As usual, we then
followed the plastic pipes down the hill back to see if any damage had
been done. (More often than not they have been driven over, ploughed up,
accidentally cut or someone has lit a bonfire too close and melted the
pipe.) On this occasion we found that the pipe had been driven over and
one of the connections had pulled loose. We returned to the hydrant,
turned off the tap, went back and repaired the connection, drove back and
turned on again. We went home and checked all the drip connections (55) to
make sure none were blocked or had blown off the pipe. We
went indoors for a break.
Then the doorbell rang. It was English friends from down the road. They
returned a few books they had borrowed, and chose a further selection. We
arranged to go there later to have a swim in their new pool. By now
it was time for a lunch. Afterwards,
we spent the early afternoon checking the watering system again and
attaching hose sprinklers to water the outlying areas not covered by the
drip connections. When all was doing to our satisfaction, we visited a
neighbouring building site and collected discarded wooden pallets to make
compost bins for the garden. Now,
at last, we thought we could relax. We visited our friends down the road
and had a quiet swim. Alas, our relaxation was short-lived. Two Greeks
appeared in their garden and drew their attention to the fact that an
ominous bubbling lake was appearing in the gravel over the area where
their septic tank is located. We had to undertake complicated
Greek/English/Greek translation to discover that the septic tank for their
new house is located over an old water main which feeds a sub-hydrant
which has only that day come back into use for the summer. When their
builder installed the septic tank last year, he must have inadvertently
severed the plastic water main. Many
phone calls ensued, to their builder, the water company, and so on –
only to be told that, as it is August, it would be several days before
anyone could come out to deal with it. Fortunately
the two local men who had spotted the problem offered to return the
following day to dig out the offending pipe and relay a new one. They also
knew where to turn off the water to stop the ‘Rotorua effect’ in the
front garden. Result!
Large gin and tonics all round. Returned home for a rest. The
door bell rang at ten minutes later. It was the young Greek mother and her
two small children from down the road, bringing us a plastic bag full of
vegetables from their garden, as a gift. We caught up on all their news
– problems with the neighbours, her husband has kidney stones, that part
of the village needs a new wheelie bin, difficulties with the water
shortage, etc. We plied the children with grapes (from the garden) and ice
lollies and tried to prevent the two year old from committing suicide
through the balcony rails. His mother seemed unphazed by the 10 foot drop
straight down onto paving slabs. It was
dark by the time they left. Some leftovers were zapped in the microwave
and we somehow managed to eat a scratch meal before falling onto the sofa
in front of the television for half an hour. One or other of us decided
that the day was definitely over, and we retired to bed. Maybe
one day we will be able to loll
around in the sun and drink beer? Dream on! |
In the News
... Athens expects traffic congestion will
worsen.... Dirty rivers to be flagged up... Scientists are planning to award 'black flags' to Greece's most polluted rivers... Link to Story. Tourist critical after Malia stabbing.. A Dutch tourist who intervened to break up a fight was stabbed in the stomach.. Link to Story. Swiss jogger goes missing... Beaten body found on beach.... Shooting death after boundary dispute Another tick bite death.... A second woman has died in Northern Greece after being bitten by a tick.... Link to Story. Deadline extended for land register.... Late applications and holidays have been blamed for the extension to the deadline for land register applications..... Link to Story. London to Athens on chip fat.... Yes, it could only be attempted by Brits! Someone has discovered that you can run a car on 'environmentally friendly biofuel' - that's cooking oil to you and me..... Link to Story. Priceless golden artefact found.... A large copper vase has been unearthed in northern Greece, containing a golden wreath and human bones.... Link to Story. _________________ | ||
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