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OCTOBER WEATHER ...
Remained very good on the whole - perhaps a little cool for swimming, although some people were still indulging, but some days were very, very warm. The cloud was gradually building up though and a few real storms, though short lived, brought hope to the olive farmers...
Paul Smith
Our utterly reliable resident bird-watching expert. Above: Cretanvista's Paul Smith - has been with us almost as long as the site has been on line - since August 2001 to be precise. We have lost count of the number of bird sightings he has reported in his column, which may well be the foremost regular bird-watching column on Crete. Paul
Smith's Page.
Astratigos Village life...
It started
as a love affair. It has continued ever since.... With the passage of time it has become beautifully mellow, this particular affair, it has become deeper and deeper, like the colour of a superbly ageing wine. The colour deeper, richer like superbly ageing oak. The aroma deeper. Richer. Like ageing walnut ....
It started with 'O Patreeck'. He was the first - but of course he didn't last. Then came Stelios - his part lasted over two years but then he went the way of his predecessor. The came Terry, only to be quickly replaced by Ben. Ben, blonde, blue eyed Ben! But no he didn't last either, although he is always willing to return... Ben was replaced by Andy; Andy by Stelios II.
But they, like all the others - now gone.
I remember our wedding - no Stelios's then. No Patreeck's; no Terry's; no Ben's; no Andy's; no Stelios II's! Just me, my position unassailable. An unchallengeable star. A real first, not a passing fancy. But then I digress. Lets get back to the story. Where was I? Ah, yes, romance... Increasingly mellow, the colour of superbly ageing wine. The deeper aroma....
The aroma..! Like ageing walnut - mixed with fresh cotton and local sheep!! Well, local sheep after bathing anyway. And it creaks when it moves. Even sheep don't do that.
There is nothing, but nothing, to complete a modern romance with Crete than...
"Pssst, wanna buy a loom love"? (O'Patreeck'). We did and we did. From a family in upper Afrata. It is very old. It had belonged to the vendor's mother. But the vendor, like many of her now ageing generation, no longer used it. Pam would use it. Although unable to weave at the time she would (she said) learn. Spinning too! After we had renovated the ruined house in the next
village we had just bought! The loom was excellent - just minus the shuttle. But where would we keep it?
Enter Stelios I - he stored the loom (with his rabbits and tools) in his outhouse while we renovated our house. A magic man... A perfect loom. Oh' the patina of the wood, so smooooth.
Wait a moment though - the heddles, made of cord - lots were broken. Enter Terry, on long term holiday with his wife Kate - he spent hours repairing (perfectly) the broken cords - to say nothing of assembling the new Ashford spinning wheel. All for a beer or two. Another magic man. Oh dear, Heddle pulleys no good. Andy made some absolutely perfect oak replicas - irreplaceable. Hang on -
what about the warp (thread). Well, Ben (a carpenter) made a warping board for special projects and the raddle (like a huge comb) to separate the warp threads. A gentleman without doubt. Another moment - is all it took Stelios II to have our empty warp beam re-filled with 350 threads, each 100 pixes (Pikhes) long. 64 centimetres x 100 makes 350 threads x 6400cm. I can tell you that it weighs
a lot - I carried the last through Chania on my shoulder. But Stelios II - a superman! A traditional warp beam, traditionally warped, with thread actually made here on Crete - (But spare a thought for the woman who 'warped' the beam so to speak).
So, there have been lots of other men in Pam's life, all eager and much appreciated helpers to get her traditional Cretan loom back on the road. Have they succeeded? All of them! Pam weaves regularly and prolifically - her work is superb. She got that from me - apparently my great grandfather was a weaver!!
Picture Strip: And the rains came - they certainly did - Chania Market Hall on Oct 5th! |
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Site News.
German Language Version. Gudrun Harms, our German language translator has been making much progress of late and we are hopeful that the main site will soon be available. We are aware that automatic translation is available but anyone who has used these tools will tell you that they are far from perfect. They certainly cannot translate my sense of humour!
Food and Drink.
The Greek recipe page has been quiet for a long time - although the few recipes we have are outstanding - the recipes are local interpretations of the real thing, and we do try them before we share . However, our next addition is in the pipes and no, it is not a recipe for mince pies - and I really do miss steak and kidney pudding!! Keep watching.
Books & Good Reading.
Growing rapidly and is now in need of it's own introductory page and index - which we are now addressing. It may be New Year though the reviews will keep coming and are currently added below (Rt hand Column). Two new reviews this month.
Photo Galleries. (Homepage links).
An addition to our flower galleries is in the offing - we currently have 3541 photographs of flowers that you can find here on the Rodopos peninsula. Not all different varieties of course! But we will be expanding this section of the site soon, certainly well before the next season for visiting enthusiasts, and adding much more detail - including locations you can search personally.
There are of course many other developments going on all the time - including new ones which I have to bite my tongue rather than reveal until opening day.
Are we listening, do we hear?
We are and we do. The continuously increasing numbers of visitors and complimentary e-mails seem to show that our visitors - 21,000 plus individual visits in our best month so far this year - appreciate our efforts.
I must confess to being at a loss to understand the motives of those who bombard with rubbish spam and viruses the e-mail of a free site, which diverts any offered finance to sick and handicapped children a bit difficult to understand...
Two things I would like to emphasize:-
1. We do not compete with commercial sites - they have a living to make. Several also assist us indirectly - for example by giving permission to use material they own; providing good links and even, one case, advertising and a little graphic design in exchange for access, if they want it, to our site content.
2. If you have any of our work on your site without our consent - seek permission now.
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Here's another Guest Book comment..........
Remote User:07 APR 2002
Time:17:46:46
comments: .....A very interesting and useful site. I would like to see more information on your experiences in buying (and renovating?) your home. What problems you had, what was easy - and impossible etc
Signed: Victor
Well, it really is good to know that someone other than me thinks well about the site and asks questions which are easy to answer. What problems did we have? - All of them!
What was easy? - Nothing!
What was impossible? - Stopping laughing - is it hysteria?
(Sorry!- But I really enjoyed it...WB)
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MORE FUN & SERIOUS PLEASURE PLEASE!
To our visitors who have taken the time to tell us that they have found our site enjoyable/ informative/ helpful/ or otherwise complimented the site - very many thanks. We are trying very hard and it's really good to know that you like it". Besides, my wife notes that many of you are ladies! Please don't stop!!
GUEST BOOK LINK
NB. Please don't use the Guest Book to place website links - any URLs - or contact style messages, are automatically disabled/removed in the interests of minors. Questions can be sent to us privately at:
cretanvista.gr
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