Settling in

Wednesday 29th October we received an email from the family to say it was snowing in Bridlington.  We also received photos from our friends in Surrey showing the show around 11pm. Here in Plakias it was hotter than yesterday.  In need of gentle exercise we took a stroll along the road to Souda encountering an English couple on their first visit to Crete. We left them to go the   beach whilst we continued our walk up the mountainside following the tracks through the olive groves.                                                                                           

                  

   

 Plakias and surround area  

                           

A pleasant circular walk which takes us past Theo and Maria's olive grove by the stream which today was flowing quite fast.  The olives are beginning to drop and the branches of heavily laden with fruit.  There has been very little rain and the locals are praying it will come soon or at least before they begin harvesting.

In the afternoon we took a stroll along the sea front towards the 'Peligrimnos' Taverna and rooms to see the progress of the new villas being constructed.  Again lots of people were on the beach and swimming.  This morning whilst breakfasting on our balcony we heard voices and saw 3 divers immediately below Theo's property.  We saw 2 more in the shallow water at Souda and another 2 in the water here.

We made a last minute decision to go and eat in the 'Panorama' taverna in Mirthios where again most of the tables on the balcony were occupied.  We have been told that the Taverna is going to remain open until the end of December the same as last year which is good news for us.

Thursday 30th October and market day in Rethymno.  Maria asked if she may come with us which was nice and so was the weather 29C.  Maria needed to do various things and we wanted the market and so we arranged to meet at 'Messostrati' raki bar for lunch.  Whoever got there first would telephone the other.  When we met up Maria ordered a plate of aubergines with tomato and feta cheese which smelt and looked delicious when it arrived on the table.  We stook to our usual Cretan omelette.  We were also treated to a plate of 'glace orange' in syrup and expected it to taste very sweet.  On the contrary it was very nice with a tangy marmalade taste.

Whilst we ate our meal we were treated to a musical interlude by a young lyra player and an older lautro player.  I admired the lyra which look quite new.  A small 3  stringed instrument played with a bow in an upright position resting on the knee, rather than like a violin on the shoulder. On leaving we thanked the musicians for entertaining us.    The first time we haven't taken our cameras with us.

There is a lot of landscaping taking place around the Old Town and the promenade and our usual exit from the car park on the harbour top was undergoing a makeover.  We managed to drive by the workmen and leave the city by our familiar route.   

5pm Lambros and I went fishing from the small beach below 'Creta Spirit' where I discovered my casting technique needs a lot of work!  A shoal of small fish leapt out of the water close by and we couldn't even catch one of those!

Friday 31st October and it has to be hot as Maria is wearing a Tshirt and it is only 9.30am. The brake and ABS lights keep coming on and so Keith took our Yaris back to see Kostas, returning with another Yaris for the day as Marcos, their mechanic was in Rethymno.  

This morning Keith would help me fish and as we left I told Maria we were going hunting for sharks as there seemed to be no whales about!  We caught nothing.  Returning in the evening with Lambros we were just about to leave when I caught an angel fish - small but at least we caught something.

Back home Keith was enjoying nibbles and raki with Theo and it was decided we would all go up to'Kastro' tonight.  We went in our own cars as Theo said they would be returning home immediately after eating.  It was almost midnight before we got them to move and that was because Lambros was falling asleep.