Tractor Blockade

The national road to Hania is being blocked in two places by farmers demonstrating about the low commodity prices. Apparently traffic is only being allowed to flow for 10 minutes every hour. Anyway our weekend away has been postponed….

The Big Laiki

All the smallholders in the county come to the big Laiki on Saturday morning to sell their veg. Cabbages are ‘in’ at the moment. I love this place, it’s a step closer to the good life; perhaps as close as I want to get.

And when we’ve got as much as we can carry, we wrap up the proceedings with kebabs and a beer, al fresco.

Giouxtas Social Club

Giouxtas is a hill that dominates the Heraklion skyline, (the 900m peak below) and has a minoan sanctuary at the top, which is fenced off. While we were climbing into the sanctuary we met a friendly trio of non-greeks doing the same thing. It’s sealed off because there is a scary 20m well – waiting for someone to fall down.

So that’s how we met Tony from Finland and Anthony & Vana from New Zealand – who we shared a winter bbq and train game with last night.

Joined-up walking

Although not blessed with many parks, Heraklion has got an incredible city wall and extensive waterfront. Both areas are being renovated, and you can now, just about, make a big circle walking around them. Surely this should be promoted as a tourist attraction.

View Larger Map

The loop can clearly be seen in Google Earth!
As of yet there has been zero development along the waterfront where they found a burial chamber. See here.

A Miraculous Vision

Some people see visions of Christ in a potato, or Mary Mother of God in a fried egg. We found this fella on a spatula….

Perhaps it’s the Flying Spaghetti Monster

Double Flat

Thankfully I was only a couple of kilometres into my Sunday drive when the Twingo got her first ever flat-tire. If we’d been halfway up a mountain, we’d have been in serious trouble, cos the spare was flat as well. It was enough trouble as it was; carrying the spare down the hill, getting a lift to a petrol station, inflating it – and the reverse journey.
(Thanks Thalia for coming to the rescue)

Then fully fixed in about 5 hours!

Hurdy gurdy music

Ross Daly, the acclaimed musician, is a living legend in Crete. He’s an Irishman who’s gone so native he’s barely distinguishable from the real thing, with his heavy moustache, black shirts and local accent. On Friday night we went to hear him perform.

A Spaniard was on the hurdy-gurdy; more machine than instrument which made some incredible sounds.

The traditional music was mesmerising, and a large fire (+rakis) wouldn’t have been out of place. Perhaps that’s why Panos couldn’t keep his eyes open.

Saharan Dust

There was a strange yellow light in the room this morning: a dust cloud from North Africa was casting an eerie glow. The dirt hangs in the air, turning the sky hazy and the sea opaque, leaving a brown residue everywhere. It stuck in the back of my throat as I was walking the dog this morning. But the fishermen were out in force – they must know something.

Eleytheria

Never happier than when truly beating someone at a boardgame,
her natural habitats are the designer shops of Paris and internet chatrooms.
Good morning Eleytheria! Shown here at her most innocent and alluring.

PS I’ll take this down if you like. But only three people read my blog. And it’s a beautiful photo

Yellow Carpet

Conclusive proof that the world is against me learning Greek. Just as I sat down for my 12 o’clock session, Poppy decided it was time to puke on the rug. (cleverly avoiding the tiled floor)

The greedy monkey had ‘foraged’ too much steak at the weekend.