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Post by dennisn on Sept 18, 2016 19:14:46 GMT
But that reminds me ... The mayor was pointed out to me this morning after the ceremony and he subsequently followed us, with his small entourage, up to the Bourtzi. I wish I'd had the bottle to go ask him to fix the webcam, but I thought he'd be less than pleased to be accosted in front of his flunky and an admiral (judging by the gold things). So I didn't do it. Sorry folks.
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Post by kevb on Sept 19, 2016 11:01:24 GMT
I managed to find somewhere in Crete that charged 3 euros for a smallish packet of oregano crisps and 2 euro 50 cents for a can of ice tea, and I paid it. Felt ashamed to be a Yorkshireman. One should NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER be ashamed to be a Yorkshireman. That especially applies to those of us from the rhubarb triangle. True enough, I grew up just slightly west of the triangle but broadly my formative years wre around that area. Moved to east mids over 30 years ago though.
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Post by katet on Sept 19, 2016 13:39:52 GMT
Very, very belated birthday greetings, Dennis You were correct about rain during your Jimny days! Hopefully that's it for today & we avoid it for the rest of the week, too. We drove to Kanapitsa for a coffee this morning & someone looking a bit Dennis-y was outside the Co-op - couldn't wave as I was driving and can't do both at the same time! I havent been been able to do daily reports as the connection here is a bit iffy (we're in a studio at the back of the Myrtia, in the forest), but will start a thread when we get back. Have fun with the car!
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Post by *Di* on Sept 19, 2016 13:43:47 GMT
Kate are you at Morfia?? Im sure you said you were... Last year we stayed there and no rooms received wifi but I used to go down to the bar/lounge order a tea or whatever and use the wifi for catching up. I used to write what I needed to say in my *notes* app on phone/ipad then when I had wifi copied and pasted it into forum
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Post by dennisn on Sept 19, 2016 14:32:30 GMT
Very, very belated birthday greetings, Dennis You were correct about rain during your Jimny days! Hopefully that's it for today & we avoid it for the rest of the week, too. We drove to Kanapitsa for a coffee this morning & someone looking a bit Dennis-y was outside the Co-op Perfect timing - I read this as we were passing the time to get ready for evening meal and thought to look out - there it is, raining again and, unlike this morning's pitiful effort, this time it's raining properly. And just a flash of lightning, with thunder. Must go - Angela will be disconnecting the wifi router soon. Just wonder if we should drive to Ratatouille (200 yards?).
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Post by dennisn on Sept 19, 2016 18:24:23 GMT
Grrrr! All that follows was written and ready, when I pressed something else instead of Create Post and it disappeared into the world widely!
So again, Monday 19th September. No katet it wasn't me, we were in the jeep from 10am and off into the wilds.
Our early swim was supposed to be rushed in order to get back in time for the jeep man to be due. The weather promised my jeep hiring rain by being fairly heavy clouds, getting darker from the west as we swam - I said if we were home I'd be urging us to get out before we got hit. Just as we got back inside the gate of Villa Maria, the rain came as usual. However, not heavily. We put our pacamacs in a bag to take on our journey.
I checked two things on the Jimny - it had a new (he said) roof and the windscreen wipers were in fine fettle. When we later drove off, I discovered the engine symbol shining (they all do that said the man last time) and the speedometer and odometer didn't work. I judge speed by ears and eyes, so that doesn't bother me, but it would be nice to know how many Kms we've done, not least to judge fuel in order to avoid running out up some distant forested hill.
We went down to Koukounaries, as the rain stopped, turned right and did a forest unsurfaced drive to Asselinos for a quick refresher of pop. Then off to Ligharies for lunch. We love doing these forest track drives. Although there are some seriously jouncy spots, the tracks have not yet been crucified by storms, so a fair distance is very enjoyable. The shades of green don't just amaze us, they seem to be internally illuminated. And the quiet, calm smell of the forest is to die for. Might possibly be improved by better gearing on the Jimny's steering, but never mind, I'll spin it with the best of them
Ligharies lunch was Greek salad with the biggest slab of Feta that any goat ever laid.
We came back cross country down into Aghia Paraskevi, down the road so many of you have walked, I'm sure, so I'll just mention we noted Calma in passing.
Back to to the villa for our afternoon swim, then think of getting ready to stroll over to Ratatouille for evening meal. So it started to rain again, more heavily this time and I wondered about using the jeep to do the 200 yards there, but didn't have the nerve to suggest it. The rain eventually eased and we donned our pacamacs and set off. It stopped by the time we were out of the gate. The newly surfaced road is excellent except for one small detail, drainage. So a large wide puddle stretched from here to there, alongside the nice new footpath. We looked and waited, then hurried along and managed to just in time dodge inside as the first vehicle hurtled past - we were safe and dry.
Our meal was greatly enhanced by the presence of a lovely young family, including Elaine "I'll be five next" and Harry "he'll be two next". I impressed them with my magic powers by disappearing my pacamac into its pocket. They both did justice to their meals in fine style, although Harry had a quick change after he'd finished feeding himself! They both blessed us with copious waves and shouts of Bye as we left.
Tzatziki with pitta, chicken souvlaki, chicken Dijon, large water, beer, €29.80.
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Post by dennisn on Sept 20, 2016 19:54:04 GMT
Tuesday 20th September. We were joined on our early morning swim by Jan, a dear lovely woman of "Jan and Anthony" (look him up on YouTube, Anthony Sherwin, for his playing of several different guitars, several different styles, well worth a look and listen). They were going home today and she planned to do her farewell by swimming with us and not worry about the weight of a damp costume. It's nice to meet real genuine people and they meet that description. The swimming was vigorous, due to very choppy water. Then onward with with our second day of Jimny. The weather cheated my App and was gloriously sunny. We went over to the airport where planes were landing and taking off in the wrong direction due to the wind. We bellied up to the fence above the new extension apron and waved to Costas. Then up to Platanos Taverna for a snack. The drive was amazing - I'm used to grinding up that road in first gear, four wheel drive, windscreen wipers on full, to get through the torrent of water in our Jimny rain mode. But it was sunny, dry and fairly simple in normal drive second gear. We ate a Platanos omelette each, big and tasty, with a lovely view. Back down to see if we might get a glimpse of Jan and Anthony boarding for Manchester, but it hadn't even landed yet. I saw it on approach, but it changed its mind, pulled upwards and flew by, obviously to come in from the other direction. I video-ed it coming in later, sideways, but I can't think how to post it - it took me many attempts to get it onto YouTube from my iPhone. I think I shall probably have to try that when we get home. We ate out at Sklithri taverna and as complete novices, made a poor job of ordering. Tzatziki, haloumi, Greek salad, red mullet, bread, water and beer. I don't dare to post the price in case that bloke from Yorkshire is still reading here. Suffice to say it was close to twice the price we normally have. And there was so much we couldn't eat more than half of it. Whilst waiting for our food, we were entertained by a couple of waiters fishing with those cheapo hand lines on reels. They always strike me as toys, but blow me down if they didn't catch a 2 or 3 foot long fighter of a fish, silver and yellow,dorsal fin right down to back like a sail fish, the length of one man's arm. Then the guy got an octopus - it came out caught on his hook, but I don't think he bothered about that, it's going home to mum. First picture shows the size of the fish - head at the end of his hand, fail under his armpit. Second photo shows it looking small, head on in the ice cabinet.
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Post by kelso on Sept 20, 2016 20:07:52 GMT
I see no second photo! Have you been on the sauce or are just still recovering from the cost of your meal? Bob
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Post by dennisn on Sept 21, 2016 4:20:12 GMT
Can't understand that Bob, I can see it on my iPad and iPhone. Maybe because I'm the author? Or maybe it's because you're too far north - try scrolling down?
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Post by amy114 on Sept 21, 2016 5:41:57 GMT
Like Bob, i couldn't see the photo either Dennis but I can see it now! :-) Very impressive.
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Post by kelso on Sept 21, 2016 7:50:28 GMT
Yes I can see it now as well. The wonders of technology? I also saw and enjoyed your video on Facebook, but I'm glad I wasn't on it. I wonder what the pilot's heart rate is like when they have a go round. I hope that the weather is behaving itself for you. Bob
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Post by dennisn on Sept 21, 2016 14:44:17 GMT
That video on Facebook is something to be ashamed of, really grotty quality. It looks fine on YouTube, but in FB it's pretty rubbish. You can't even really appreciate him landing on one wheel.
I shouldn't be doing this - I have to forget it before we go to the airport on Friday!
I am currently struggling with another video from iMovie. It's 15 minutes long and I did start to upload it to YouTube, but gave up after half an hour - estimate kept increasing and I called it a day at 3h 50min. So. Need some guru to help out here.
I have two sources - first, an iMovie thing, 15 minutes long. Or alternatively three AVI files which need stitching together.
Dear guru person - HELP!
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Post by katet on Sept 21, 2016 15:05:18 GMT
Great reports, Dennis - love your Northern sense of humour! We also go home on Friday (afternoon) - and the weather forecast looks good (typical), so shouldn't be bouncy.
Di - we're staying at the Myrtia (well, to be exact, in a studio behind the Myrtia in the forest. Very Hansel & Gretel!). I've made copious notes of our stay so far - as my memory is very untrustworthy 😉. I'll have to slash it before posting, as it's a bit wordy and might bore everyone to tears! - or sleep!
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Post by dennisn on Sept 21, 2016 18:29:11 GMT
Katet, for my part I'd like to say, don't slash your report/s. Personally I hate these cryptic posts mixed up with txt rubbish and missing words which I have to assume are intended.
So, if you want to write "we decided to have a meal out", please DO include the word WE.
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Post by balddave on Sept 21, 2016 18:34:25 GMT
Dennis, I echo Kate in saying not only are your postings numerous,but also imformative,it's great to hear people holidaying and making most of it whatever the weather. I am glad you have come to grips with 'Jimmy driving' ,we had one a few weeks ago and wondered how many clutch plates they go through in a season ? Hope both yourself and Kate have a trouble free journey home
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