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MARCH
WEATHER
.....
Improving quickly and bringing on the wild flowers superbly, but they
occasionally had to duck their heads as sudden blustery change occured....
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Current Cretan Weather
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And the walls began to rise...
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As the walls rose to the
level of the first earthquake band it became easier to forget our
first dining room...
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Astratigos Village Life.... Getting some.. VIII
(Continued from February - Previous click here).
At the end the last episode...
....And on to wages. 'Nothing' said PJ. 'I owe a favour, I won't be
taking any pay!' 'You will have to pay IKA said the agent - he
seemed a bit upset that an anticipated source of income was slipping away.
'Not necessary' I said, 'all has been checked out with the British Consul,
and since PJ isn't employed in Greece he doesn't pay IKA'. Plus any work
done by myself or Pam is legally DIY - no IKA payable - we checked that out
too'... Things seemed a little tense.. |
But whatever tension
might have existed wasn't allowed to interfere with 'getting the
bricks laid' - PJ's favourite statement was 'Well, this won't get the
bricks laid' - most often used against himself when he stopped for a break
of more than 15 minutes!
With the foundation 'brick' and all corners set out and firmly laid we found
the walls were rising at a pace to behold. We all pitched in, PJ and our
agent, the latter having suddenly somehow become a bricklayer; his labourer
- a young ex-soldier fresh from his national service - laying the bricks,
whilst Pam and I acted as labourers. Barrowing the large bricks around so
that the layers didn't have to waste time supplying themselves. Pam also
acted as head cook and bottle washer, whilst we both also acted as 'runners'
between the action and Kolimbari for food and other necessary sundries.
When the sun came up, so did we! When the agent stopped work at 2.30pm so
did we. But then after a brief break for food we started again and
didn't stop until around dusk at 8pm or later. Something that didn't sit
well with our agent who, like me, seemed to believe that time was money. We
just saw it from opposing points of view. The faster we built the less it
would cost, and vice versa...... Time really was money and I wasn't going to
waste either! Besides, we had both time and financial restraints - onward.
The walls rose to the level where the first earthquake band - rebar steel
rod formed into a box - running around the whole wall length (apart from
doorways) and filled with concrete - in no time at all. Then, earthquake
band cast in, we had to wait a day or two for the concrete to harden
sufficiently to take the next layer of bricks, and so on. It was during one
of these short breaks that Pam and I visited Kastelli, about 10Km further
west to check out supply sources.
Outside a shop which seemed to sell everything from tourist giftware to
domestic electricals to guns and more, we spied a traditional Greek sofa. A
'kanopes'. Since they sold everything else we assumed that it was for
sale and went inside to ask about price and possible delivery.... Things
deteriorated rapidly. Our Greek School Greek (before we left the UK) did not
extend to buying sofa's which were not for sale - or to getting them
delivered. But the Cretan shop owner wasn't giving up on us - she sent for
her English speaking daughter...
When she arrived we were comfortably seated enjoying a (free) cold drink
compliments of Mum. 'Oh dear', she said when we explained ourselves - 'it
isn't for sale. I have just married and it is for our flat'... Oh dear for
certain sure - we had wanted the Kanopes because PJ spent each early morning
with considerable pain in his back. Our camp beds were not helping. A
Kanopes opened to make a proper bed which would help. We had hoped!
The newly wed listened attentively to our tale of woe, and then telephone
her husband, speaking rapidly in Greek, obviously about us, glancing at us
every other sentence with a big, big smile. When she put down the 'phone she
announced that the price would be 88888 888 - about £70. 'But how do we get
it to Astratigos' asked Pam. Just at that moment a pick-up arrived outside
and Ioanna's husband beamed in like a huge ray of sunshine! There were no
formalities - he and Ioanna - refusing my help (Ochi problema!) - got the
kanopes onto the pickup and ready to roll. My guilty conscience rebelled.
'But what about you', I asked 'it was for your new home'? 'No problem' came
the immediate response - 'we can get another easily. 'Where is your car? we
will follow you'...
We have always been in awe of the Cretan hospitality, which is like a
bottomless well of cool, clear sweet water. Whereas my own behaviour had
descended apparently to stealing the furniture from the new home of
newly-weds!! Stinker!!
We retrieved our car and led the way out of Kastelli onto the road to Kolimabari.
Wanting to save time for our new friends, I led the way by the most direct
route, through the village of Kamara, past Aspra Nera and
onto the un-made track to Astratigos. The tyres crunched over the large
stone chippings and churned the dusty track as I concentrated on the narrow route. The
sun blazed down. The dust blazed up.....
Sudden realisation hit me. The dust! Driving these tracks threw up a cloud
that resembled a naval destroyer laying a smoke screen at full speed!
Whatever is behind gets it! Or at least enough of it... Maybe too much..
My rear view mirror showed only fog - and if I stopped I stood every chance
of being overtaken by our new kanopes as the following pickup, which couldn't see us
for dust, stopped up my boot and the kanopes continued on unrestrained! I
kept going...
We all reached the tarmac of Astratigos plateia safely and carried PJ's
first real bed on Crete up to the building site. He was still working away,
prepping the next stage of going up in life on top of our to-be-rising wall
when we arrived. 'Got you a real bed' I said 'to save your back'...
'Looks a bit like a dusty sofa to me' he grinned, how does it work?
We placed it into his 'room' and realised immediately that we had just
highlighted another problem. The room floor sloped from back to front and
one corner diagonally to another by around 5o. To keep PJ,
or anyone else in bed would demand some clever leveling - or a very thick
rope!!
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Astratigos Village Life.... Getting some..
Is condensed from the book 'Pamela's House' - in current
preparation... Continued next month... |
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In the News
Reviews...
Migrant worker threatened...
An unidentified assailant threatened a migrant quarry guard with a
wooden club before setting fire to his guard box and scooter in the
prefecture of Chania...
(item 2) Link to Story.
New airport and roads for Crete...
March 19th is set
for the announcement of the tendering details for the new Kastelli
(north eastern Crete) airport and two new highways...
(item 2) Link to Story.
An armed robbery...
At an Iraklion supermarket netted thieves 7,000
euros. No injuries were reported...
(item 6)
Link to Story.
An Anti-racism drive...
Led by teachers is being mounted after photographs of pupils from an
Akrotiri (nomos Chanion) secondary school posing under symbols of a far
right (Nazist) organization. Other recent racist occurrences have
apparently led to the drive to stamp out racism...
Link to Story.
And three Cretans end up in hospital...
Following a brawl which broke out following a financial dispute
between members of rival families....
(item 6)
Link to Story.
Immigrant dies...
A 40 year-old father of two died instantly after being electrocuted
whilst working on a building site at Alikamassos, eastern Crete.
(item 5)
Link to Story.
And the RAF Red Arrows...
Had two of their aircraft collide during practice for the forthcoming
display season. Both pilots survived - one with a dislocated shoulder, after
their Hawk jets touched wings over Kastelli (eastern Crete) air force
base. One jet was totally destroyed after the pilot ejected, one landed
safely with a damaged wing. The rest of the team diverted to Iraklion Airport
and landed without incident.
Link to Story.
Visual Link to Story.
Petrol Station owners threaten strike...
As a government imposed ceiling on petrol prices was applied...
Link to Story.
And a step-father is shot dead...
By his step-son. The Step father was sleeping at their home in Siteia,
eastern Crete, following a 'scolding' by the 39 year-old step-father the
night before the shooting. The step-son is 14 years old.
Link to Story.
Plus, in Athens...
Bombers continue to cause problems, although in these cases warnings
were given and no one was injured...
Link to Story.
Which was unfortunately not the case...
On march 28th when a 15 year old Afghan youth was killed, his 10
year old sister seriously wounded and his mother hurt. Doctors were fighting
to save the sight of the boy's sister The 15 year old had apparently picked
up the bomb, contained in a rucksack, which had been left outside an Athens
business Institute, the latter being the real target...
Link to Story.
But not all the news is bad...
Except for the criminals. In this case those behind a scam which are
believed to have netted hundreds of millions of euros - by persuading
cellphone users to reply to charged-for messages without announcing any
charges. Police are now in the middle of a crackdown on several companies.
But - would you really reply to a messages offering to tell you how long you
are going to live? Or - do you really want to know where your wife (or, one
speculates) husband is right now?!...
Link to Story.
And burglars who fail to realise...
That the sports complex they have just entered contains not only the
goods they want to steal, but the entire Greek national judo team - who were
asleep until the burglary in progress wakened them!
Link to Story.
A rise in VAT on coastal shipping...
Which will increase passenger fares by 1% and 2% on the rates for
goods and vehicles probably won't do a lot to increase holiday traffic or
tourism (though some shipping lines have already reduced their fares with
special offers). Nor will it do a lot for on-board trade in restaurants bars
shops et al...
Link to Story.
But Athens International Airport...
Has announced that it is freezing all charges for 2010, which should
help airlines hold their charges as far as possible and aid their
development...
Link to Story.
Which may help 'Kalimera'...
The 2020 campaign for promoting tourism help stem the expected
loss again this year...
Link to Story.
And Finally - Good News...
From the prestigious Kings College in London which has rescinded a
previous decision to downsize its Greek studies, in favour of a newly
revamped department. Plaudits all round to all concerned. A magical
decision....
Link to Story.
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