Christmas in Crete

We had a fabulous Christmas in Crete this year. The first one here in about 4 years.

The weather was mild and we celebrated Chrismas day in the traditional way. Presents...gin & tonics....The Queen and a massive roast Turkey meal.

We had a friend, Brian the jewelry seller and our German neighbour Wolfgang to share our meal

On boxing day skies were clear blue and temperatures high so we headed off for a walk along the coast. Here is a photo of the boys on the walk.

So now we have to get back to work...and back to finding some work asw well.

Sausages-sausages

Hey everyone!

I am so excited! I just finished and uploaded a new step-by-step guide book.

As an expat, I always missed good sausages especially Lincolnshire sausages so I make them myself.

Then I though perhaps others may want to do this too, after all, you can then control what goes in them and you can make your own recipes up as well.

So my guide is an easy straightforward tutorial on making your own sausages at home.

Check it out here: http://www.sausages-sausages.com

Typical...

It just turned chilly and rainy this weekend, when we were planning on going for a walk.

It looks like the weather put bob tait off too as his latest article on Bob's Blog is a puzzle competition. Just the sort of thing for rainy days spent indoors.

The Paleochora Puzzle actually carries a prize of a signed walking book from Bob & Lynne. The rumour that runners up get 2 books is completely untrue. lol

See if you can figure it out: Bob'sBlog

The Blog Goes On!

So I will continue the Calypso Blog. Infact continue is really pushing it a bit...as I have let it slip a bit of late.

I will write and add some articles, thoughts, ramblings and experiences all about our life here in Crete.

So stay tuned.

Calypso Closes

Crete has an average of 300 days of sunshine annually, and statistically 22 of these fall in November, so don't put the walking gear away yet. But shorter days require shorter walks, and this one, from Krios beach over to Vienna, approx. 45 minutes each way, is ideal




Vienna is a fascinating place, where there would appear to be a partially man-made anchorage out of a natural, protected harbour, and the remains of a Hellenistic/Roman sanctuary. On the shore are the broken remains of several marble columns, which possibly once formed a temple here.

Read about the walk to Vienna Beach and more about the mysterious archeology here

The best Greek food is reliant on really fresh ingredients. Nothing can be fresher than from out of your own garden. So why not grow some of your own?

Most people can't be bothered as they relate it to hours and hours of back-breaking effort for little reward at the end of the day.

Well, I just came across this superb step-by-step instruction book and video by Jonathan White, Environmental Scientist and Horticulturalist, which promises to show 'garden newbies' how to save up to $5000 on their fresh food bill each year in return for just 8 hours of light work each year!

Take a look at it for yourselves: Click Here!

Cycling to sarakina

Over fifteen years had flown by since I last cycled up to Sarakina, a pretty village 11km north of Paleohora, and some 400m higher. That, and the need for some strenuous cardio-vascular exercise after an easy summer (and too many Amstels), was a good enough reason to ride there again in late September.



The first three kilometres on the Voutas road, through the Panorama 'estate' are steep, but from the col, at 200m, there's a view many visitors to Paleohora never see - an impressive steep-sided valley with rocky mountains on either side, and you would never imagine the sea is so close.

The rest of this article can be read on Bob's Blog at The Paleochora Site

New Greek Food Blog

I have just made a new blog which I have been threatening to do for some time.

Its a blog all about Greek Food, called 'The Big Fat Greek Food Blog', it will give some recipes, rants and thoughts about Greek Cuisine. The good the bad and the ugly, it will all be in there. And your comments too, I hope.

Take a look: Click Here

Michaelis Tsouganakis

Here is one of my favourite songs by my favourite Cretan musician, Michaelis Tsouganakis. This appears on the studio album 'Axtides' which is well worth tracking down.

Just Before Dawn

Bob's Blog

Kadros - ‘Ancient of Kantanos’

Almost everything Lynne and I know about the historical site in the hills above Kadros - signed to ‘Ancient of Kantanos’ - came from our friend the late Tony Fennymore. Tony took us here, and to other local sites of Viena and Irtakina, and made the places come alive with his vivid descriptions. “Imagine you were standing here 3,000 years ago,” he would tell us, “this is what you would see.” Tony always intended writing a guide to these sites, but never got round to it, and now it’s too late.















Tony kindly offered us his rough notes to Kadros for use in our book ‘Ten Walks from Paleohora’ (see below), and now, with permission from Ann and Tony’s family, they will give much additional interest on a circular walk of approx. 10km from Kakodiki, a short drive (10km north) from Paleohora, or just 10 mins on the bus to Chania.

This article can be read in full at The Paleochora Site

An amazing performance

I remember hearing this on a jazz radio channel a few years ago and searched in vain for a copy. But here it it (and an amazing live performance) by Nat King Cole. Calypso Blues.

Bob's Blog

Bob Tait has published the first edition of his blog which is part of 'The Paleochora Site'

There is a link to the blog just down there on the right hand side of this text (you may have to scroll down a bit).

The first edition finds Bob kayaking along the coast....which reminds me of a joke about making love in a canoe and American Beer which is far too filthy to repeat here.

New Paleochora Website!

A brand new Paleochora Website has been launched called, imaginatively, The Paleochora Site.

There are lots of cool features - A forum, an interactive photo gallery, monthly recipes, a monthly article on walking and living in crete by Bob Tait, a Cretan Bookstore and much more. You can even listen to Radio Gavdos live while browsing!

Its brand new so content is still being added and its still being tidied up but its there and ready to use! Have fun with it!

www.thepaleochorasite.com

Missing the place?

Easter Sunday

A reminder for folks near or in Paleochora this weekend.

Calypso will be about the only place serving lunches on Easter Sunday. We will have some delicious, tender slow-cooked lamb as wellas many other dishes.

We will open at 12 noon.

καλο πασχα!

For all those British Ex-pats out there: This is wonderful. Watch BBC iplayer and other 'on-demand' UK TV channels on the computer!

The site is at www.adtelly.tv

Dont call me a twit, but.....

Hi all! Now you can read my frequent vacuous musings on Twitter. Just 'follow' BarryinCrete

Kid's playmate becomes, eh, a Playmate

Well done to our former Au Pair, Sarah. In December 2008 she was Playboy Playmate of the Month in the Dutch issue. Bravo, Girl!

Funny thing is, when one lives in a place where one actually has to read most of the news, it can sometimes be a slight disadvantage when it comes to pronouncing new words to the English language.

I had a shock this Christmas as I had read about the new game console called the Nintendo Wii. For some reason, I naturally assumed that this was pronounced 'Wy' as in 'Why". Strange, I thought, to name a product in such a way as to almost invite 'buyer remorse'.

No! Nintendo's faux pas is much better than that as I discovered it is actually pronounced 'Wee' as in, well.....'Wee'!

The poor sales advisor in Currys must have thought me a trifle strange as I struggled, unsuccessfully to contain my fits of giggles as he kept on saying WEE as he described the games features and benefits. It's not my fault, I was brought up on Carry On films.

Did I buy one? No fear. I'm going to wait for the 'Playstation Poo'.