Cretan Vista Site News Archive May 2012

Cretanvista Site News & Reviews - May 2012 Issue 113

No links to sites with adult content accepted.

MAY WEATHER..... Just what the doctor ordered. Warm and sunny. Warm meaning a nice 30oC - although it was much cooler in the evenings as the land cooled. Areas lost as much as 10oC overnight. Nice for early risers perhaps...

Current Chania Webcam Current Cretan Weather Link
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Hotel Postillon, Buochs, (Lucerne), Switzerland.

Hotel Postillon Switzerland - Reception 2012
A once favourite stopover - but we may not be going back....
The restaurant is no longer a 'favourite' for us....

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Astratigos Village Life.... Travelers Tales.. XVIIl

'Lonely Planet?!....
With due acknowledgement of the trademark owners of the 'Lonely Planet' travel guides - which I greatly admire, I would like to offer, being on our recent travels, my perhaps somewhat dissimilar version...

What has now become an almost annual event for us is our return trip between the UK and Greece - or if you prefer, Greece and the UK, since we do it both ways by car and ferry. Usually our Honda CRV, ANEK and STENA Lines. It is among our favourite pastimes. Shipping the olive oil, wine, lemons, Kiwi fruit and even a few nectarines one way to dispense among the UK needy (!) and any items which we can't get readily or economically in Crete, such as Guinness and ink for our printers, plus socks and underpants from ASDA. That's where the 'Asda Price' advert comes from. Pat your bum - sorry, back pocket, grin at the camera and sing out 'Asda Price'! Go for it..... Everything is apparently £1 - or so it seems....

I know - it seems a very expensive way of buying a few cans of Guinness, taking into account the fuel and ferry costs, to say nothing of the overnight hotels, but just think about the excitement involved. All those lovely people....(was that a Beatles song?)... And, to be honest, almost everyone with whom we have met has been absolutely lovely! Hoteliers across Europe displayed almost unbelievable hospitality. One even removed her car from my legally booked and paid for secure parking place so that I could park there myself. Magic! Wouldn't get that at the London Ritz... Another, in Buochs, Switzerland, upon being informed that my (very expensive) meal was unacceptably awful, ensured that I had completed the customer questionnaire form and submitted it, which is more than the chef did - he didn't appear. Perhaps I should have booked him!

But, all told, most people are seriously helpful with anything and everything, including the aged lady we felt obliged to accost in the street in Metz, France, because we had become, on foot, lost! We could not understand a word, except the name of the hotel, but she animatedly guided us almost to our front door. It was well after midnight but she left us with a big smile to wend her own way home. Lovely! Or the shopkeeper who told us that the restaurant we were seeking opened in ten minutes, and then checked without our askance to discover and tell us that it was not opening at all that night. Another big (apologetic) smile - his own 'phone bill. Lovely!

Or the head waiter, a couple of years ago, who advised us to attend a free music festival and firework display after our meal. We did, it was absolutely stunning. Magic! His superb advice was unsolicited and cost us nothing. Well apart from the bit about following the crowds, which is how we became lost in the first place! No sweat - it was free and superbly enjoyable. Lovely!

The staff on both the English and Greek ferries, were superb! From the time you load your car to the time you unload it life is made very easy. But there is a major difference. Loading and unloading an English boat is efficient and without problems. There is even a tear-off pad of instructions to pocket at the exit in case you cannot find your car to disembark on these boats...Drive on - drive off, enjoy yourself in the middle! Lovely! The difference lies in the fact that loading and unloading a Greek boat can be both frantic and hazardous - both in Greek! These boats usually handle a very high volume of traffic, both commercial vehicles and private cars/caravans/campers over a very tight time scale. It can be hectic! You will be guided by a loader and if you do not follow his shouted instructions and hand signals immediately, he will bang on your bonnet with sufficient force to scare you witless, point to his eyes and shout in English - 'LOOK AT ME'! You will, I promise..... And you will be safe - after you reach your cabin! You did book one, didn't you?...

The service on Greek boats is in your own hands. Make it or break it! Almost everyone speaks some English (probably also a little French, German et al) - if you don't speak Greek try your own language, and you will find a smile is repaid a thousand times when you tip the waiter! We have met several acquaintances from our own locality on Crete simply by trying to crack the ice. Greeks are mercurial make one smile and he will love you forever! Stay cool and you won't be able to move for the icicles.... Greeks are very real. Lovely....

Driving across Europe and back is no real feat, Timing your journey can make it amazingly easy. Checking major holiday dates and time can have all the heavy traffic flowing in the opposite direction most of the time. So much so that at times, particularly in countries like Holland, France and Switzerland, it can be an almost lonely experience! Seriously... Getting it wrong and the Milan Ring in Italy can feel very like Monza must feel during a race. Very unpleasant. If it rains it can be a real challenge. Heavy rain and heavy traffic, often moving at speed in poor lighting conditions, perhaps towards dusk, will make you wish you were somewhere else - more than a little lonely! Avoid it if at all possible...

Our own most recent trip has been exactly what the doctor didn't order. Heavy and sometimes torrential rain almost all of the way from Patras in Greece to Harwich in the UK and all the way home (been raining ever since!). But god, the car is clean! It looks like it has been living in Karcherland! If it keeps up much longer it will wear all the paint off and need a re-spray. Still, only another 2500 miles to go to a day off! I would not, in all seriousness, like to be a long-distance lorry driver. It must be great on a nice sunny day, bowling along a nice wide road, piloting one of those space-age juggernaughts with the auto gear box/power steering/brakes and air conditioning, sat-nav and auto everything else in command. Alongside a smaller car in worsening light and torrential rain it is probably no fun at all.... A bit lonely perhaps.......

And those Swiss tunnels. My own favourite - Gotthard is around 11 miles long. I like it - but I know people who won't use it. And the smaller tunnels both before and after, some on sloping downgrades, some with genuine bends, certainly demands total concentration.

But overall it is for me a magic carpet ride. Sometimes easy; sometimes very demanding, both physically and mentally. But on the way, all those lovely people. They will help each other and you with almost anything, anytime.

But they are like ships passing in the night, transient, wisp-like. Then they are gone. It can seem a very lonely planet sometimes.

In the News Reviews...
Reward for Danish couple...
Husband and wife Jethe Outzen and husband Morten Boysen have been visiting Agios Nikolaos at least once (or more) every year for 27 years! They received a certificate of loyalty and souvenirs from the Mayor Dimitris Kounenakis....
Link to Story.

Olympic Torch lit for London 2012...
Thursday May 10th saw the lighting of the Olympic flame by the high priestess of the ceremony in Ancient Olympia - birthplace of the Games. The torch was passed to the first runner at the always moving ceremony and will be taken eventually to the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games due on 27th July.

Jacques Rogge, current Olympic Committee President, will be replaced for the next Olympic Games as his term of office will end in 2012.

To date, London has hosted the games three times - 1908, 1948 and 2012, but will become the only city to date to have received the torch twice....
                                                      Link to Story.

Re-lighting the Parthenon Marbles campaign...
Not unexpectedly perhaps, campaigners in Greece are hoping that the London Olympic Games will focus attention, once more, on their campaign to return the marbles, also know as the Elgin Marbles and the Acropolis Marbles, to Greece.

There seems no good reason why this should not happen, especially now that reconstruction of the new Acropolis Museum has been complete for some time...
                                                      Link to Story.

And a little more excitement...
As robbers snatched a reputed half-million euro heist from a jewelry shop located in a luxury Rethymnon hotel. In broad daylight. There were no eye-witnesses...
                                                      Link to Story.

Plus an injured bystander...
As bank robbers in Ilioupoli, Athens, opened fire with guns following a hold-up. They commenced their escape by motorcycle but then attempted to hijack a taxi and shot the driver when he resisted. They later hijacked a car to make good their escape. The condition of the shot taxi-driver was not reported.
                                                     Link to Story.
But it was not good news...
For the former chief of small banking and insurance at the Aspis insurance group. Pavlos Psomiadis was sentenced to eight years in prison for forgery and fraud - apparently in an effort to keep the business afloat.....
                                                      Link to Story.

Plus two ministry workers...
Were arrested on suspicion of soliciting bribes charges - from an entrepreneur who had applied for state subsidies...
                                                      Link to Story.

But Standard & Poor's...
Credit rating was raised - 'lifting it out of default territory' after Greece completed the largest sovereign debt restructuring in financial history.

Another Greek 'First' perhaps?...
                                                      Link to Story.

Although it was too late perhaps ...
For yet another Greek suicide - this time a 62-year-old pensioner who left a note explaining (yet again) that financial problems had driven him to his action. Suicides seem definitely on the increase....                                    Link to Story.

But a missing British hiker...
Was much luckier - a two day old search was called off when he turned up unharmed at his hotel...
                                                      Link to Story.

And Greek beaches...
Collected 394 Blue Flags for their excellent water quality. Lasithi, on Crete, collected most Blue Flags for any prefecture - 40 all told...
                                                      Link to Story.

Plus, protected status...
Was awarded by the EU for Halkidiki green olives. Only products genuinely originating from any EU region can be legally identified as such. Another addition to a growing list of protected Greek products.                                        Link to Story.

And...
Greece retained it's position as world shipping leader in 2011 - another 'First' - well done! Greek owned companies controlled 3,325 vessels with a capacity of 226.92 million dwt last year.
                                                      Link to Story.

There was no protected Status however...
When the financial crimes squad began investigating the tax records and bank accounts of 500 acting (pre general election) and former politicians - 'as part of an ongoing effort to curb widespread tax evasion ...
                                                      Link to Story.

Or for IMF managing director...
Christine Lagarde, after a major outcry by Greeks, including political leaders, after she had reportedly commented that .....'she had more sympathy for children in Niger than those in Greece who were suffering from the crisis and suggested that Greeks were suffering payback for living well in previous years'....
                                                     Link to Story.

But Christine Lagarde clarified...
Issuing a statement clarifying her previously reported comments, and expressed sympathy for the Greeks... 'and the challenges they are facing'...
                                                      Link to Story.
And Finally...
Greek wine-maker Boutari, which makes some of the most excellent wines in Greece, if not the world, always sees the glass as half full - according to family member Stellios Boutari. Good news indeed for wine lovers everywhere!
                                                     Link to Story.

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	Amazon.co.uk & Selected Cretan bookstores Living in Crete by Carol Palioudakis OUT NOW IN PAPERBACK! Price £9.50 GBP
Amazon.co.uk & Selected Cretan bookstores

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COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
All of the material produced by Cretanvista is copyright and belongs to someone who has spent time, effort and money to produce it. We are often willing to allow the use of our material for personal (non-commercial) purposes. For example our calendar photographs can be used to reproduce the pictures for your own individual calendars, or to hang on granny's bedroom wall.

We will however, take action against anyone we discover using our materials in any mass distribution exercise, especially for financial gain, unless specifically authorized by us and we are acknowledged as the source in the reproduction.
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FREE...
Cretanvista is a free site. We accept neither cash nor gratuities and sell nothing. We don't carry paid-for advertising. But we do try to give you information which you might want to know about.

Accommodation in Astratigos - For rent/Sale again....
The first house on the left as you enter Astratigos from Afrata - a large cream and green affair sporting two apartments two balconies and a small pool at the front . Live in Astratigos maybe?

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HOLIDAY VILLAS...
Another local owner has carried out some superb traditional renovations in Astratigos and has renovated what was once his own accommodation - maybe for your holidays! Book and check availability at:-
Crete-escapes.com

In Kolimbari - right on the beach near the tavernas, is:-

The Grand Bay Beach Hotel

Visit Interdynamic's website.

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http://www.provencebeyond.com/ Well worth a visit if you are interested in France, especially the southern parts.

FERRY SERVICES.
SOUDA BAY - PIRAEUS (Chania-Athens).

ANEK LINES operate daily return sailings.
Souda     -    Piraeus
21.00Hrs         05.30Hrs
Piraeus     -    Souda
21.00Hrs         05.30Hrs

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CHECK TIMETABLES WITH THE COMPANIES OR THEIR AGENTS.

WEBSITE LINKS

Moving to Crete? Get Sound Practical Advice for free..

'Notes on Greece' is a British Embassy publication which gives information on matters relating to Greece. Obtaining a copy first hand from the British Consulate in Iraklion (Heraklion) will ensure that you have the most recent edition - and professional contacts with up-to-date and wide ranging knowledge on matters relating to Crete. Contact the consulate via:-

:crete@british-consulate.gr

An e-mail copy is available as a Microsoft word file - a very fast email of very useful information.

Earthquake activity:
Most recent earthquakes in Greece - LINK

There were 13 local earthquakes in March - Link - Only 3 of any significance:

26 May: 4.5 ML, 11.52am: Crete. Epicentre 49 km S Pómbia (pop 953).
                                                                                                    Link to Story.

26 May: 4.1 ML, 11:54am: Crete. Epicentre49 km SW Pómbia (pop 953).
                                                                                                    Link to Story.

27 May: 4.7 ML, 20.24pm: Crete. Epicentre 26 km NW Plátanos (pop 1,077).
                                                                                                    Link to Story.

Although earthquakes most certainly are a common feature of life in Greece. It is however, unusual for deaths, injuries and or damage to buildings to occur, which could lead to a false sense of security.

The author of a ten year study at the National Technical University of Athens says that Greece is sitting waiting for the next major earthquake without doing anything to mitigate it's effects. (Our italics).
                                                                                                                                        Link to Report.

There are certain existing buildings considered to be at risk from major earthquakes. Link to story. These buildings, which include a number of schools, are being investigated with the objective of safety. Link to story. Engineers have also called upon the government to institute checks on old bridges in Greece. Link (Item6.)

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A Little Extra (Current) News - 'Don't look now - its coming back!!'....
Last month said that "one of the best current questions it is possible to ask in Greece right now - well, apart from the more obvious 'Did anyone get the number of that car'? - as the guy who thought that he had been eaten by a combine harvester at speed in the dark asked afterwards, head still spinning"....

The bad news is that we are now faced with another 30 million Euros worth of possible chaos with the next general election scheduled for June 17th. To recap: "But was the first General Election result a surprise? Well, no it wasn't. And typically Greek, yes it was! It wasn't in the least surprising that the two previous majority parties PASOK and ND suffered so badly at the hands of voters beaten already almost insensible by the international money-lenders. To the point where an increasing number of the population were unable to meet the increasingly rigid austerity demands. And were being threatened, it seemed, with even greater austerity demands at a time of increasing job losses and reduced income. An apparent downward spiral into doom-land. Their reaction in rejecting what seemed to be these increasingly impossible demands is understandable. Syriza rejects the austerity measures out of hand, offering a possible way out. A lesson well learned by voters". ....

The May 6th ended in complete disarray after the election dust had tried to settle. Major upheaval of the political scene had ensued and not only did no party secure a majority, but the previous government (PASOK) ended up in third place; ND moved up to first place but still lost 14.6% of it's vote and SYRIZA gained 12.2% to become a second-placed major player. But that wasn't all - the biggest shock was perhaps that the Golden Dawn which has been described as a 'neo-nazi' but which says it is a 'Nationalist' party gained 21 seats in parliament. That 'Golden Dawn' could gain so many parliamentary seats in a democracy is a major shock to many more staid systems!

New Democracy 108 - Lost 14.6%; Syriza 52 - Gained 12.2%; Pasok 41 - Lost 30.7%; Independent Greeks 33 - No Change; KKE 26 - Gained 0.9%; Golden Dawn 21 Gained 6.7%; Democratic Left 19
Link - What They stand for.

A week or so further down the trail of nightmares, the three major (albeit by then minority) parties in turn attempted (and failed) to form a coalition government. In turn, the president himself attempted (and failed) the impossible and had to form a caretaker government pending a repeat General Election. Caretaker Government.

So here we go again, a further 30 million euros worth of chips on the table and no one really certain where it will all end. But some things have changed. Europe is faced with possible bailout demands from several of the weaker economies.

Made up of 16 ideologically diverse left-wing parties, SYRIZA includes "social democrats, radical ecologists, radical socialists, Trotskyists, and even anarchists", according to Matthaios Tsimitakis, a SYRIZA supporter and an editor of political blog Greek Left Review.

SYRIZA supports Greece's membership in the European Union, but rejects the austerity measures required by the memorandum. SYRIZA has made repeated overtures to other parties on the left inviting them to form an anti-bailout coalition. However, both the KKE and Democratic Left have rebuffed this proposal.
Source: Al Jazeera.

Also possibly understandable is the entry to parliament of Golden Dawn (21 Seats), which - whatever it wants people to call it, is probably closer to being neo-Nazi than any other definition. Many Greeks blame immigrants for their problems. Golden Dawn have promised to expel all immigrants. In addition they have been offering practical assistance, food and clothing et al, to members of the Greek population to whom others didn't. There is a second lesson there. Being increasingly well learned.

The far-right Golden Dawn party was founded by supporters of the military junta that ruled Greece from 1967-74. Now, for the first time, polls estimate that Golden Dawn will win five per cent of the vote, allowing the party to win seats in parliament. In 2009, the party won just 0.29 per cent of the vote.

Golden Dawn, which is virulently anti-immigrant, has said that undocumented immigrants should be immediately deported - and that immigrants who are in Greece legally should eventually be removed as well. Golden Dawn has recently gained publicity for offering to accompany elderly people on grocery shopping trips if they feel unsafe leaving their homes alone.

The party is nostalgic for Nazism: its logo resembles a swastika, some party officials reportedly deny the Holocaust occurred, and video appears to show party leader Nikos Michaloliakos giving a Nazi salute in the Athens city council. He claims, however, that it was merely "the salute of the national youth organisation of [Greek dictator] Ioannis Metaxas", reports the Athens News.
Source: Al Jazeera.

Many Greeks may not agree with or like these lessons, but they are carrying apparently increasing weight with voters. And that is democracy....

So where are we headed, a new land of hope and prosperity, or a continuing drudge of political in-fighting and bickering about how not to pay all that we owe in Greece? I do not have a clue. Anything could happen. I do not particularly like Syriza or it's leader. I most certainly do not want a 'Golden Dawn' and being forcibly 'repatriated'. I don't really like the leader of the National Democratic party. But compared with the alternatives he is an absolute angel. My money is therefore staying in the National Bank of Greece, for better or worse....

I believe that ND will pip Syriza to the post, and this time perhaps will be able to form a government with it's more reasonable parties. I fervently hope so. We have invested almost twenty years of our lives in Crete. We do have an escape hatch - we still own our original home in the UK and spend regular holidays there with our family. It would be no big deal in practice to return home. But then Crete has become our home too; our friends live here; almost everyone we encounter has a smile (probably my hair-cut!) and even in times of stress will continue to deliver as if there is nothing wrong.

If Golden Dawn were to win I would probably be packing my bags at their request; if Syriza manages to get home first I believe life on Crete will become very difficult for us English; All said and done I believe that I will be staying here as the ND party takes over the country. I don't really have a real choice - I'm still in love with the place and it's people!

Kalos Ithate Stin Kriti.
WB. Cretanvista. Bringing the sunshine, keeping the rain off!
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Site Content:- Last Change - additions to Wildflower galleries.

Notices.

We are still undertaking our upgrade of the site. Changes here have left some pages outdated - new houses; hotels; supermarkets; roads and all. But it all takes time; please bear with us.

**Our 2012 Cretanvista Calendars all issued - Apologies! But you can always see them on our website :-
Link or browse the entire on-line wildflower galleries here.

Contacting Cretanvista..
We have now discontinued all direct email links. Our is here - Contact Link

Photo Galleries...
Calendar Photo Galleries:
A new one every year for the past decade! The 2012 Calendar gallery is complete and online now.. The 2009 calendar topic was 'Wild Flowers of Crete' (after our wild flower galleries) and the result was superb! Which is why we followed up the theme in 2010. And again in 2011! Because of our success we have already produced our 2012 wild flower calendar format - and our other themes continue. Cretanvista probably has the widest range of calendar galleries available in Crete. But we can reprint any issue with the any year's dates - whatever year that happens to be! Have a look at the 2012 wild flowers calendar Link.

Wild Flower Gallery - Now at 360 different wild flower photographs online - plus dozens in preparation - Galleries 13 - 15 are open. 360 flowers online. Gallery 16 is developing - which will mean 384 online.. Plus we are adding more reference information on redesigned pages - with more photos of each specimen to follow later. You may find an occasional duplicate, which we are keeping for the moment as the actual photographs will be different and will be used in a later planned re-organization of the galleries.

We are now well en-route to putting the first 50% of our target 1020 individual flowers on-line. But it all takes time. First find the flower (hopefully in full bloom); then get the photographs (sounds easy); put the photographs on-line (simply work); with basic information on each, making certain that it is accurate...

If you know the location of a rare flower please don't hesitate to help us photograph - we wont reveal your information to anyone else.

Please note also that All flower galleries have now been successfully re-coded to eliminate a bug which affected some Firefox browser versions. All the information will remain online at Cretanvista. With the advent of ipods, ipads, Blackberry's and other gizmos it will be much easier to take Cretanvista galleries on your field trips - and all the information that goes with them. **Your Amazon Kindle will display cretanvista perfectly - albeit in monochrome.

Wildlife Gallery - the first two pages - 48 unique photographs, including some rare specimens of the Cretan fauna. Some is quite beautiful, some a bit scary/creepy, but all now add to our wildlife page and the ornithology gallery pages. Remember that it is always worth checking where you walk or sit before you do! Start here.

Chania Photo Gallery.
Our Chania photograph galleries commenced with a presentation from Klaus Dieter Thill, whose photographs of some old buildings in the area of the Venetian Harbour show a little of what we all sometimes miss. Have a look - it's worth it. Start here.

Miniature Chapels of Crete Gallery.
Klaus-Dieter Thill - author of Minaturkapellen auf Krista, a printed photo album detailing some of those enigmatic roadside shrines of Crete, has now contributed the first page of his Chania on-line gallery.

Cretan Art and crafts - Weaving pages...
Weaving is in full swing and natural dyes are being made up and the photographs taken to add to this section. We will be adding our pages on our new looms, equipment and new projects started as soon as we can. The weaving tends to take the time right now..

Our very first nature gallery...
Contributed by Anastasios Sakoulis, whose book on Cretan wildlife Moments of Cretan Nature is also on our site as a book review. Anastasios contributed 18 pictures of birds for addition to a gallery some time ago now. We will attach these to our bird-watching pages as soon as possible.

GENERAL: There are now 37 galleries featuring aspects of Cretan life, including sunrise and sunset pictures; Souda Bay War Cemetery; the gallery of magnificent wild-life pictures by Anastasios Sakoulis; our own wildlife gallery; the wild flowers; Chania; Mhlia (Milia) traditional village; etc.. etc...

Our improvements continue. We sincerely hope that you notice little - apart from increased enjoyment and ease of use. Keep visiting - your presence is what make all worthwhile.

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	Hotel - Taverna Lefka Kolimbari
	Offers - Unsere Preise - Οι προσφορές

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UK Nursing History - Schools of Nursing
Readers who have any interest in the history of the UK nursing profession might well be interested in looking at:-

www.schoolsofnursing.co.uk

There is a main site detailing every pre-university school of nursing, the hospitals used for training and badge awarded.
A forum covering all aspects of nursing history
A 'National' nursing badge collection containing more than 2000 photographs.
Badges, nurses, hospitals et al
Web space for your own nursing related photographs.
*Membership is Free
*Membership is necessary to use the forum and photograph Gallery areas.

Related Sites - also free.
'nursingbadges & historyofhospitals

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