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FEBRUARY WEATHER
..... January continued. Cold. Wet. Windy.
Stormy. Absolutely miserable, keep your head down weather. Except for those
few beautiful sunny mornings with clear blue skies and temperatures reaching late
20C - early 30C on protected balconies... Late February was early
spring!
Live Chania Webcam
Current Cretan Weather Link
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Astratigos Village House in
1990.. 
A place in the sun!
Looks good from the side! Story below.
See picture
panel - center below.
Astratigos Village Life.... Getting some..II
Well, here we were, about to
decide whether the house we wanted to buy really could be ours...
The door and windowless
(air con); the (con)crete work-top with built on fire corner; the outbuilt
kitchen courtyard (own fitted fig tree/unsupported Venetian arch); and the large 'please
yourself what you use it for' outbuilding; 2500 miles from home in the middle of
nowhere - it really was irresistible!
Our very own (con)course....!! Stop me and buy one (or two), you'll never ever
(have time to) regret it.... Ok!
But first we needed to know if the villagers we could meet would accept
our owning a village house, and eventually our living there. Sheep, goats, donkeys,
chickens, dogs and cats, badgers and birds were an obvious yes, but an English
couple living right here in the village? For us it was to be the clincher - or
not.... If they appeared to accept us Ok. If not, equally Ok - we would smile,
say thank you for any hospitality received and leave - after all, it was their
village.
If only we had known. Cretans don't 'Ok' you - they embrace you - sometimes
emotionally, sometimes physically, sometimes both! Or not. One thing became very clear
immediately, you are left in no doubt about what they think.. Two chairs
appeared outside a neighbouring front door, shaded from the bright sunshine by a
rapidly developing grape vine climbing across an overhead krevatina. The chairs
were accompanied by
several villagers and plates of almonds, honey and glasses of
Tsikouthia (Tsipouro - Raki!). Cretan firewater...
Of Greek language we knew little - of body language we knew somewhat more. Our
agent to be spoke fluent Greek and did all the talking and interpreting. It
didn't get (as far as we knew) much beyond who we were, what we did for a
living in the UK and big smiles. Even a grin or two, but the welcome to
Astratigos was obvious - Aspro pato!! (White bottom - bottoms up!!). Aspro pato...
'But don't mention the house' cautioned the agent - 'it will put up the
price'... Since we already knew the price I thought that unusual. Curious. But having
spent much time in psychiatric hospitals I thought that maybe it was normal...
Not everything is always the way it seems. Best not to mention either of it....
There might be confusion about which we were referring to.
The top and bottom of it was we decided that would try for the house.
In
an earlier life,
together with some male
companions, I had become somewhat tipsy in a Blackpool pub
called, rather appropriately, the Jolly Sailor - before we all went riding the
Big Dipper. I remember the ride to this day - leave your heart and breath at the
top of the climb as you drop over the edge - and meet your tummy at the bottom as it tried to reverse
direction!!
I didn't realize that this was ride number two... Frederick Forsythe couldn't
have plotted it better. And I was still happy - all we had to do now was buy it.
Our starter for 20 grand, another 20 for the work and our 2500mile dream in the
sunshine would become reality! Honest!
No need to see anyone, not air-sea rescue - or a
psychiatrist to get another opinion - just pay for the dream before we awaken...
But it wasn't to be that easy. First
came the news that Kate Secker's daughter also wanted the property. No way were
we going to get in the way of our friend's daughter. It was off.... Then came the
news that Kate's daughter was no longer interested - It was on again...
Then came the news that the selling price was a little higher - maybe off, maybe
on... Then 'Off' became 'on!' Now we needed to have the deposit ready. Money. Cash.
Not Credit cards. But how to achieve this from the UK? And time was seemingly of the
essence.
Kate's agent would act for us. Effectively becoming our agent in the
deal. We had a cheque for a number of thousands of GB Pounds payable to him
hand delivered to him in Crete. When it cleared he would be able to act for us and pay
vendors the asking price in cash at their solicitors office. Our dream would be
on the way to reality... Was this lunacy? The Shirley Valentine Factor?.. No,
doubts aside, do it!
Then came another snag - the military commander, whose permission was
necessary for us to own property in Crete, was proving elusive - as was his
permission! Another hurdle was that if we wanted to get around that difficulty
we could buy together with a Greek partner (first find one) who would then
legally own 51% of the property purchased - with our money - and thus the legal
ability to sell it and give us back our 49% - or not - depending upon his or her
ultimate intent....
Could we find or did we know such a person? After only a few two week holidays
in Crete and speaking no Greek? Would you? The anxiety was intense - we had
already committed a fair sum of money on pure trust. Could it have been an extremely foolish
commitment which could well backfire and prove very expensive....
(Continued in April..) |
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In the News.
Human remains found...
In Listaros in Messara, Crete - the finding of the body of an
unidentified male is being investigated..
(Item
6)
Link to
Story.
And age is no protection...
As a 73 year old woman in Rethymnon, Crete, needed hospital treatment
after being raped, beaten and robbed by intruders who broke into her home..
(Item 2)
Link to
Story.
Plus the unhappiness of Cretan farmers...
Continued unabated with Cretan farmers heading for Athens to demonstrate
outside parliament...
Link to
Story.
Prevented from reaching parliament...
By riot police who refused to allow them to drive their tractors from
the harbour at Piraeus. Running battles ensued during which farmers pelted
police with tomatoes and potatoes. The riot police responded with tear gas..
Link to Story.
Which was unfortunate for Pasok leader...
MP Giorgos Papandreou, who attended the scene unannounced and was, along
with one of his officials, engulfed in tear gas.. At the end of the second
day the farmers boarded a ferry for Crete, still unhappy..
Link to Story.
But the farmers returned home heroes...
The EU wanted more details of the farmer's aid package proposed by Greece,
but Cretans know a hero when they see one - and here were many!...
Link to Story.
Cavo Sidero - March 5th...
Greece's highest administrative court was due to assess on 5th of March
whether the massive Cavo Sidero tourist development on Crete, strongly
opposed by environmental lobbies, should be allowed to proceed or be
cancelled.
(Item 2)
Link to Story.
Chania prison guard accused of murder...
The 23 year old opened fire with a shotgun at oncoming motorists on a
country road, killing one and seriously injuring another... There was a
suggestion of a mental problem.
Link to
Story.
He is due to testify on charges...
Of murder and attempted murder relating to the incident.
(item 7)
Link to
Story.
Meanwhile...
Chania bombers are thought to have used dynamite in a blast which completely
destroyed two parked vans and damage surrounding properties. Police did not
speculate on motive...
(Item
5)
Link to
Story.
And on a financial note...
Tourists beware! Those who may fancy a brief dash over the superb Rio-Antirio
bridge - the longest of it's type in Europe and undoubtedly one of the most
handsome to look at - especially at night with it's coloured lights on -
should think twice about it.
The 2,883 metre bridge
(2,256 metres airborne) cable-suspended between four huge pylons trip will
cost around 11.20Euros per car. There is a two hour return at
12.50Euros, but who wants to make a token crossing or two - around 10minutes
taken slowly - at 12.50 GB Pounds a go? More than 2 hours - 25 GB Pounds or
thereabouts...
(Item 2)
Link to
Story.
But on the trucking front...
Mass action by truck drivers/owners entered a second day on 20th. They were
demanding that Greece intensifies customs inspections of foreign trucks
entering Greece, unlicensed transport companies and illegal immigrants
hiding on their vehicles...
Link to
Story.
And illegal immigrants are stranded...
On the Aegean Island of Agathornisi as bad weather and high wind
prevented illegal immigrants who had landed there from Turkey leaving.
Creating a food shortage and heightened tension...
Link to
Story.
Plus, on the subject of food...
The EEC Commission has noted that food prices in Greece remain at
unjustifiably high levels - when commodity and fuel prices are falling.....
Link to
Story.
New British Ambassador....
Dr David Maurice Landsman, presented his credentials to Greek President
Karolos Papoulias on February 27th. Perhaps he will see the tremendous value
to Britain of returning the Parthenon Marbles to their rightful homeland...
Perhaps...
(Item 2)
Link to
Story.
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