EASTER SATURDAY 2008

It's turned cold and threatening rain but so far has kept dry. Football has just finnished with a win for Chelsea (Whoopee!). I have dyed 30 eggs red and polished them up ready for tomorrow. There are Easter Cakes in the fridge and the lamb will arrive tonight. The barbecue is ready and George is raring to go with a traditional street feast tomorrow. This will be our family barbecue to which anyone passing will be handed a piece of meat and a glass of wine, and if no-one passes by then we shall just celebrate ourselves (a very unlikely event).

The day was going so well... till... Zouki (my dog) spooked by the fireworks or just sulking because her tea did not arrive dead on 5 p.m. has destroyed the cane frontage to my outside bar. She was tied up to a tree near the bar and obviously got bored and started to scrat at the bamboo. What a mess, thank goodness I am in one of my 'calm' modes, it might have made me very angry otherwise. Well, there is nothing I can do tonight (or possibly tomorrow for that matter because there will be no shop open where I can find a replacement) so thank goodness it is too cold to sit out.

I will not be going to the midnight church service because I am afraid of the firecrackers which the boys throw around, funny, I am not afraid of much but these mini bombs scare the pants off me (and that's not a good thing to happen whilst attending a church service). Hopefully I shall be tucked up in bed with a cup of hot chocolate and a copy of Vogue magazine, gratefully supplied by Vanessa who has them sent from England together with 'Hello' and 'Health' all of which are piled up beside my bed.

As I write George has a noisy 'raki' crowd in his place. I have just taken him the remains of my dolmadas and some chips to serve to his mates.

So, roll on tomorrow and a good Easter Day.

ΚΑΛΟ ΠΑΣΚΑ!
ΚΑΛΙ ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΙ!

GOOD FRIDAY 2008

And it was a good Friday!

Both bars cleaned through, baking in the tins, and all ready to go to church for the evening service. How beautiful the big church looked last night with its shining crystal glass chandeliers and newly painted fresco ed interior. The highly decorated mock coffin of Jesus looked like a miniature sedan chair with canape totally covered in fresh roses, pinks, whites, lemon. George sang with the men and there was a choir of local people who sang the responses. The sound from the locals was melodic but had that sound of African song part shout part sing whilst being very earthy and child-like.

After the service, and because the evening was so cold, I returned to the bar with George, Mark and Lydia, to watch the procession through the village from the comfort of the bar. Quite a crowd followed.

The very best part of the evening though was when our lovely daughter rang me from England and I was able to chat to her and to Jack our 5 year old grandson. Hopefully they will be able to come and see us in July. I can't wait.

FOOTBALL AND MORE FOOTBALL!

Just to let you know that Chelsea will be playing Manchester on Saturday at 3.00 ish so come to the bar if you want to join our supporters and have a good afternoon.

Friday night the Easter procession with the 'epitaphios' (the coffin of Jesus Christ) will commence after the church service which begins about 7.30 to 9.30. There will be a lot of noise, fire crackers etc to accompany the procession, personally I stay indoors where it is safer and will watch the proceedings from the bar, join me if you wish.

Saturday night is Easter Night and the church service will begin about 11 and the festivities will begin at 12 midnight with the candlelight processesion and a bonfire to burn an effagy of Judas. The tradition of trying to get the lighted candle home before it goes out will take place and once safely home families will join in the traditional eating of the Easter soup, 'magiritsa' made of offal. I have to confess that I am usually tucked up in bed when all this is going on (call me boring if you want).

Sunday is the day for whooppee and a street barbecue in Vrahassi.

Gotta go now and open the shop.

HOLY WEEK

The village is certainly livening up with visitors returning for Easter (and longer). It is so good to see familiar faces again, Greek, Dutch, English - welcome back to Vrahassi, Ben, Ina, Panayiotis, Else and all.

Now this week is going to be noisy what with the bangers that go off in the lead up to Easter and all the activity in the run up to the celebration so I am expecting to have to jump (more than once) when firecrackers are thrown in the street. I can't say I like them but tradition is tradition.

On Easter Sunday George and I and as many friends as would like to join us are going to have a street party with the traditional spit roasting of a lamb (or two). So anyone out there please take this as our invitation to come to Vrahassi and share the Easter Celebration with us.

St George's Day will be celebrated on the Monday after Easter Sunday and of course George will be handing out cakes for his name day - after the bash on Sunday we shall not be repeating the barbie but will be making something of his name day - do pop by and say hello.

Got to go now have a pergola full, full of happy people and don't forget:

CHELSEA V LIVERPOOL TONIGHT AT 9.45 AT THE REVOLUTION BAR, VRAHASSI.

THE BOYS AT 'ΕΠΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΗ' !

Whilst all this male flesh was whooping it up (till 3 in the morning actually) in George's cafeneo, the young ladies of the village were parading the streets never venturing inside. Cafeneos are still a male domain.

FAMILIES AT JANE GUEVARA'S!

How wonderful it was to have all little children and their mums and dads relaxing in the warm evening last night. This is the next Vrahassi generation in the making. What lovely neighbours to have!

CARRY ON WALKING!

Hello George and Margart all the way from Scotland to holiday in Crete. They had found my www.Anavlohos.com site and rang me to fix a morning's walk. We took the old path to Neapolis, stopped at a little church on the way and when we got there enjoyed a cool beer at the Driros cafebar before returning to Vrahassi for a table full of traditional cretan food and wine. It was a great day to spend the day.

NEW RESIDENTS OF VRAHASSI

Pete and Sindy were nowhere to be seen as their container was slowly emptied, they were busy at the house trying to fit it all into a space not much bigger than the box it had come in. I'm sure it will take a few weeks to unpack. Anyway, welcome to Vrahassi you two, the skies are blue and you will have all summer to settle in. The unloading of the container did provide 6 hours of uninterrupted entertainment for the cafeneo crowd.

FIRE, FIRE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAVIN - We'll have a photo later while drinking to your good health down in Latsida at your birthday do. It has been quite a day, first George and his mates were all set at 9.30 to meet the container full of Sindy and Pete's (the people buying our house) furniture, which isn't arriving until tomorrow and then the fire engine turned up in the village.
The first thing we knew about it was when Littlelegs ran across the square to scan the mountain side. He didn't lose any time in ringing the Fire Brigade who promptly came and put out the fire. Not a lot of damage done the three Firemen, George, George and George returned to the village for a coffee in the comfort zone of Jane Guevara's. I couldn't miss the opportunity of a photo shoot.

OPEN COUNCIL MEETING IN VRAHASSI

Last night I attended the Council Meeting which was held in the Old School building next to the big church. I went with George, Gavin and Rosemarie and we sat quite near the front. We listened to the Mayor give account of the progress that had been made over the two years' of office and what the programme of action was for the future. Such things as a new water system for the area known as Pirgos and attention to the water supply to Vrahassi, also work would begin on a biological waste disposal system for Vrahassi. Work which is being carried out in Sissi should be finished in time for the tourist season (not long to go) and more roads in the area are to be tarmacked. The Mayor outlined the problems too, such things as having to wait for official papers (permissions) from Heraklion and Athens and he commented on the sheer volume of tasks which the Council was well aware of. He asked that residents be patient and that work would be carried out, such things as street lighting and rubbish collection (which has improved no end). A promenade is to be built stretching from Agia Varvara to Milatos and that may take a year or two.

I was surprised just how much of what the Mayor said I understood, his speech was direct and to the point. There were a few heated words towards the end from members of the audience, mainly about the bad roads of the area. One resident suggested that the Council purchase a plot of land near Platanos to use as a car park (I though it a good idea). George asked if it would be possible to paint parking lines in the square so as to indicate to those parking not to overspill on to the areas which are rented by the various cafe bars (again a good suggestion).

We returned to the bar, ate chip butties and put the world to rights.

Onwards and upwards as they say!

ONE WEEK TO EASTER

Now that's what I call a good weekend. Lots of Greek people under the pergola enjoying my 'comfort zone'. The very hot weather continues today and it has been a lazy afternoon, except for the cake making and the drawer assembly. David has been busy putting together a set of drawers which I bought as flat-pack in Liddle's. Now it is 5 p.m. and football is at 6 followed by a few dinners (late Roast beef and Yorkshire Pud). We have the lights on outside at night now and can eat out in the warm of the evening, great. They say it will cool off next week but who knows?

WALKING WEATHER

Is it the biggest Giant Orchid in the world?

What a brilliant day we had yesterday. We were a party of 5 and we headed off towards the Monastery of St George. Because there were so many wild flowers to take note of our pace was slow so I decided to change the route and take my flower spotters to my secret location where I know there are several different types of orchid. Sure enough we found some lovely specimens. The Giant Orchid which we came across was apparently the biggest one that had been seen by my happy holidaymakers and that made my day. Later we relaxed in the 'Comfort Zone' with a welcome drink and a few mezedes.

AND THE MUSIC PLAYED ON!

This is what George wanted and he's happy (well he was) ten minutes later there was a flaming row between the company about who should pay, ah well, there you go, I'm off to sip wine in the 'Comfort Zone'. But the music playes on and the young set seem to be having a good time.

GRAND NATIONAL

SATURDAY (TOMORROW) IS 'GRAND NATIONAL DAY' AND WE (THAT IS MARK OF MARK AND LYDIA AND I) ARE GETTING TOGETHER TO HOLD A SWEEP STAKE FOR THE EVENT WHICH WILL BE SHOWN IN THE BAR AT 5 O'CLOCK OR THERE ABOUTS. COME EARLY TO GET A SEAT AND TO JOIN IN THE SWEEP, YOU JUST MIGHT BE LUCKY! TICKETS ON SALE TODAY FROM THE BAR, 1 EURO EACH.

I shall be making some home made goodies to nosh and the bar will be stocked. It's going to be another 'fun day' I haven't watched the Grand National for years. For sports events my big tele is a hit every time and I am so glad that I invested in it. If only I had room for a bigger cooker but never mind I can still produce the necessary.

Sunday Lunch this Sunday as usual to book give me a ring: 6945 872 472

(PLEASE NOTE - IF YOU HAVE SEEN MY AD IN THE 'CHRONICLES' UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE GOT MY PHONE NUMBER WRONG BUT IT WILL BE CORRECTED NEXT MONTH)

I am still drying out bags and boxes of stuff that got wet through when the torrential rain penetrated the roof of the bar where we are now living and caused just a little extra work. Let's hope that that is the last of the great downpours before summer (finger's crossed). We are nearly out of the house now and all that is left is going in to store. Plenty of dust left though!

I JUST LOVE 'DOWN HILL'

Great, I'm back from my weekly walk and feeling good. The scales are down a fraction and David is taking me out tonight for a drink down in Sissi where Roger and Jill have just opened their bar for the season (Hemingway's on the harbour). It has great affection for David and I because way back in 1992 when we first discovered Sissi, the then 'Harbour Lights Bar' run by Maria and Bill was our favourite haunt.

The walk to Neapolis was very good exercise and I intend to do it every week so whoever would like to join me please do (no charge). All you will need is a small amount of money for a drink when you get there and a share of the taxi fare back to Vrahassi. It is down hill all the way and a very pleasant walk through the olive groves.

George is busy again tonight - good on him!

David and I moved in to the room above the bar yesterday with distinct shades of the Lake District. Anyone who knew us there will know that we ran a small guest house and to maximise on the number of guest we could accommodate we slept in a tiny room which we accessed through a hole in the ceiling by way of a makeshift ladder. Every night we would say, 'going up' and every morning 'going down'. It was a bit like the galley of a boat in reverse. Anyway now we have a similar set up only the room through the ceiling is quite large and has an en suite bathroom which is shear luxury.

We should complete the deal to sell our house in the next two weeks' or so but mentally we have left and are looking forward to another phase of life. It will be nice to have a bob or two in our pockets but most of the money will have to go into renovating another house. We would like to bring the children over for a holiday, September would be good.

Sunday Lunch this week was a sell out with 18 bookings. I bought a whole rump and it was excellent. I made about 40 Yorkshire puddings (I've got the knack of them now). So, I would say, it is better to book a table if you would like to join us one Sunday. Coffee and cake is going well, too and Lydia is being kept very busy.

Next week I shall be walking on Tuesday and possibly Thursday so either watch this space give me a ring to let me know you will be walking with me. Tel: 6945 872 472

OK, lights are out and so are we - it's not often that the old man takes me out so I intend to make the best of it. Bye for now............................................................................................................................