Well it's been a busy week for the hapless Port Police in Paleochora. Normally resigned to drinking coffee and haranguing the occasional fisherman, they have been putting in overtime sheets for dealing with the extremely serious and grave offence of restaurants putting their tables out onto the road.
Traditionally, restaurants along the seafront have been putting tables out onto the road after 7pm when the road is closed to traffic. The Port Police in times past have allowed tables past the 'yellow line' (see photo). One fish restaurant of ill repute started putting more & more tables out and even getting a bulldozer to level areas across the road for more tables. This stirred the gallant officers into action and they descended on said restaurant in full swat gear. When they were politely told to 'Fuck Off' the decided in true kindergarten fashion, which is still the preferred way of dealing with things here, to do the SAS macho swat thing to every restaurant along the front.
The air was filled with protestations and delegations were sent to Hania. The Occifers relented briefly and promised not to fine restaurants over the busy weekend period but today said that the yellow line rule stood again. Then, direct from Port Police God who resides on a cloud in Hania came the decree that we could go 2 metres beyond the line! Only to be rescinded at the 11th. hour (1 minute to 7) and it was back behind the yellow line again. Pity the workers at restaurants who had jumped the gun and had to get all the tables in again! The drama continues....
Note: Serious bodily injury has never been reported due to tables being on the road.
