Greece - Kalo Taxidi! Notes from Greece and the Greek Islands.
Monday 27 August 2012
Sunday 26 August 2012
Nigel Slater's flatbread recipes | Life and style
Nigel Slater's flatbread recipes | Life and style | The Observer
A receipe to try in Greece- a bread cooked in a frying pan.
Another "flatbread" I used to make in a frying pan was one I called panbread. I've mislaid the recipe, but it contained flour, Greek yogurt, and a little olive oil. It didn't rise that much, but then there was no waiting for the dough to rise. And as I never have a pair of scales in Greece, no accurate measurements were involved.
A receipe to try in Greece- a bread cooked in a frying pan.
Another "flatbread" I used to make in a frying pan was one I called panbread. I've mislaid the recipe, but it contained flour, Greek yogurt, and a little olive oil. It didn't rise that much, but then there was no waiting for the dough to rise. And as I never have a pair of scales in Greece, no accurate measurements were involved.
The Deserted House on Anaphi
I wrote this in the late 1990s - bear this in mind if you try to find this deserted house. But I have day-dreamed about many other deserted Greek island houses!
The Deserted House on Anaphi
I would not have found the cottage if a couple of German tourists had not pointed it out. Looked at from the cold light of an English winter, the cottage was a ruin and would never be lived in again. Seen from the rosy viewpoint of a tourist I saw only the marvellous views and imagined living there. Even my rosy eyes saw the drawbacks of water from a distant well, and the long climb to and from the limited shops in the village. A cottage at the end of Europe indeed. The Germans had approached the cottage from the opposite direction to me, and I understood them to say that they had walked round the back of the mountain. I tried to do the same but found the terrain impenetrable. I spent longer than I would normally have done trying to get round, on the basis that anything they could do, I could do better. I eventually gave up. Meeting up later, we compared notes on our respective walks. It turned out that the Germans had walked in front of, not behind, the mountain!
The Deserted House on Anaphi
I would not have found the cottage if a couple of German tourists had not pointed it out. Looked at from the cold light of an English winter, the cottage was a ruin and would never be lived in again. Seen from the rosy viewpoint of a tourist I saw only the marvellous views and imagined living there. Even my rosy eyes saw the drawbacks of water from a distant well, and the long climb to and from the limited shops in the village. A cottage at the end of Europe indeed. The Germans had approached the cottage from the opposite direction to me, and I understood them to say that they had walked round the back of the mountain. I tried to do the same but found the terrain impenetrable. I spent longer than I would normally have done trying to get round, on the basis that anything they could do, I could do better. I eventually gave up. Meeting up later, we compared notes on our respective walks. It turned out that the Germans had walked in front of, not behind, the mountain!
I wrote this piece many years ago, when the old Skopelitis was the local ferry running between the small Cyclades. I've been to Amorgos twice this year (2012) on the Express Skopelitis, and on one trio the Express Skopelitis did dock at the old harbour.
Approaching Donoussa
At Donoussa, larger ferries use the new harbour. The Skopelitis uses the older, smaller harbour nearer to the centre of the village. The Skopelitis no doubt continued to use the older quay as it was more conveniently placed for deliveries, especially in the days when there was even less in the way of wheeled transport than there is today. There is still little in the way of transport on Donoussa, but more than there was a few years ago. [Note from England: in summer 1998 the Express Skopelitis was brought into service; being larger than the old Skopelitis, she uses the new harbour. The Skopelitis I refer to here is the old, original, Skopelitis.]
On other islands the Skopelitis docks by way of her "car ramp," on the side of the ship at the back. "Car ramp" is probably too grand a word for a ramp to an area of the Skopelitis that could in theory carry two small cars. In practice, the area is so crammed full of boxes, parcels, and (especially at Easter) slaughtered lambs packaged up like mummies, that there is no room for a car.
At Donoussa, a small gate on the front deck is used for embarking and disembarking. The locals and regular travellers in these parts know this know this. Most other people see what is happening. However I have known passengers wait around at the back of the boat for the ship to dock - when the ship has docked and undocked at the front. I remember that at Donoussa one English chap was most irate about it. As the Skopelitis was pulling away from Donoussa, he kept demanding that he be returned to Donoussa, and that the Skopelitis should dock 'properly'. He was told words to the effect of "hard luck mate, we'll take you to Koufonissi and you can come back tonight." He had wanted to get off at Donoussa but he stayed on the boat. The only way back was by the same boat on the return trip. It is easy to laugh - but everyone has to learn the ropes somehow. If I had wanted to get off at Donoussa the first time I was on a ferry that called in there, I could well have missed it! I thought about my first trip to the Cyclades, when I was hovering at the ‘wrong’ end of the Panagia Tinou waiting for her to dock, without realising that the other end of the ship was tied up to the harbour. At least that chap knew that the island was Donoussa. The islands do not have name plates like railway stations, and often novices have no idea where they are. One young girl asked me once as we approached Katapola "The boat, does she go on to Chora!" For those who do not know, Chora is inland and uphill.
It is easy to laugh... But... At Naxos, the Skopelitis usually docks at the small boat harbour. Once when I was waiting to catch a fast boat at 3.15 (I hang my head in shame, the Skopelitis left at 3) the Skopelitis was moored in the big boats quay. Confusing. I never discovered why, and if I had wanted to catch her, I might have waited in vain at the wrong quay. I kept my head down - as I felt like a traitor not going on the local boat - but arriving at 5.30 instead of about 10.30 is quite an advantage.
Approaching Donoussa
At Donoussa, larger ferries use the new harbour. The Skopelitis uses the older, smaller harbour nearer to the centre of the village. The Skopelitis no doubt continued to use the older quay as it was more conveniently placed for deliveries, especially in the days when there was even less in the way of wheeled transport than there is today. There is still little in the way of transport on Donoussa, but more than there was a few years ago. [Note from England: in summer 1998 the Express Skopelitis was brought into service; being larger than the old Skopelitis, she uses the new harbour. The Skopelitis I refer to here is the old, original, Skopelitis.]
On other islands the Skopelitis docks by way of her "car ramp," on the side of the ship at the back. "Car ramp" is probably too grand a word for a ramp to an area of the Skopelitis that could in theory carry two small cars. In practice, the area is so crammed full of boxes, parcels, and (especially at Easter) slaughtered lambs packaged up like mummies, that there is no room for a car.
At Donoussa, a small gate on the front deck is used for embarking and disembarking. The locals and regular travellers in these parts know this know this. Most other people see what is happening. However I have known passengers wait around at the back of the boat for the ship to dock - when the ship has docked and undocked at the front. I remember that at Donoussa one English chap was most irate about it. As the Skopelitis was pulling away from Donoussa, he kept demanding that he be returned to Donoussa, and that the Skopelitis should dock 'properly'. He was told words to the effect of "hard luck mate, we'll take you to Koufonissi and you can come back tonight." He had wanted to get off at Donoussa but he stayed on the boat. The only way back was by the same boat on the return trip. It is easy to laugh - but everyone has to learn the ropes somehow. If I had wanted to get off at Donoussa the first time I was on a ferry that called in there, I could well have missed it! I thought about my first trip to the Cyclades, when I was hovering at the ‘wrong’ end of the Panagia Tinou waiting for her to dock, without realising that the other end of the ship was tied up to the harbour. At least that chap knew that the island was Donoussa. The islands do not have name plates like railway stations, and often novices have no idea where they are. One young girl asked me once as we approached Katapola "The boat, does she go on to Chora!" For those who do not know, Chora is inland and uphill.
It is easy to laugh... But... At Naxos, the Skopelitis usually docks at the small boat harbour. Once when I was waiting to catch a fast boat at 3.15 (I hang my head in shame, the Skopelitis left at 3) the Skopelitis was moored in the big boats quay. Confusing. I never discovered why, and if I had wanted to catch her, I might have waited in vain at the wrong quay. I kept my head down - as I felt like a traitor not going on the local boat - but arriving at 5.30 instead of about 10.30 is quite an advantage.
Election day drinking
Election day drinking
We were in Amorgos on election day in Autumn 1993, and saw many people going back to Athens to vote. In the evening the word PASOK was lit in large red letters on the hillside above Katapola. There is a law against drinking alcohol on election day - but no one seemed too sure what the law was. We knew nothing about it and ordered drinks as usual - then every place we went to seemed to have a different interpretation of the law.
I can see that in Athens and the other big cities there might be a problem with people getting drunk and disrupting the election, but surely not on Amorgos?
We first tried to order a beer in the bar in the square up in the Chora. We did order the beer and the owner went in as though he was going in for the beer. Then he came out again and very apologetically said he couldn't serve beer on election day. We ordered frappes instead. We naively assumed that the law only applied to drinking without food - we assumed that we could drink with a meal. At lunch time we went to the restaurant in the main street. We had eaten there a number of times, and always helped ourselves to wine and glasses, and opened the bottle ourselves. So there we were in full view of the whole village, waiting for our dinners to arrive with a full bottle of red wine on the table! There was another tourist at the next table - a German I think - and of course she saw the wine on our table. I could see her thinking 'if they can I can' and she went in and came out with a bottle of wine as well!"
We wondered if drinking wine with our lunch could affect the outcome of the election, and what the penalty was for contravening the law! We could have had an extended stay in Greece at the expense of the Greek government. Later in the afternoon we came back to Lefteri's Lefteri said that if we were eating a meal we could have a beer or wine with it, but if we wanted a drink without having a meal, we would have to go inside to drink it so that we could not be seen. We had a frappe outside. That night we ate at Gavalas. Mrs. Gavalas wouldn't serve alcohol indoors or out. We had a bottle of water with our meal. After dinner we went to the cafe in the square by the Skopelitis and had no problem buying a Metaxa - with the usual free assortment of nuts, but no meal. We sat outside in the square as usual. it may be that by that time of night the polling stations had shut and the drinking laws were back to normal. I wondered what the nuisance is that the law is trying to prevent. Corruption at elections or drunkenness and disorder on the streets. It is strange when the Greeks are usually so relaxed and sensible about drinking.
We were in Amorgos on election day in Autumn 1993, and saw many people going back to Athens to vote. In the evening the word PASOK was lit in large red letters on the hillside above Katapola. There is a law against drinking alcohol on election day - but no one seemed too sure what the law was. We knew nothing about it and ordered drinks as usual - then every place we went to seemed to have a different interpretation of the law.
I can see that in Athens and the other big cities there might be a problem with people getting drunk and disrupting the election, but surely not on Amorgos?
We first tried to order a beer in the bar in the square up in the Chora. We did order the beer and the owner went in as though he was going in for the beer. Then he came out again and very apologetically said he couldn't serve beer on election day. We ordered frappes instead. We naively assumed that the law only applied to drinking without food - we assumed that we could drink with a meal. At lunch time we went to the restaurant in the main street. We had eaten there a number of times, and always helped ourselves to wine and glasses, and opened the bottle ourselves. So there we were in full view of the whole village, waiting for our dinners to arrive with a full bottle of red wine on the table! There was another tourist at the next table - a German I think - and of course she saw the wine on our table. I could see her thinking 'if they can I can' and she went in and came out with a bottle of wine as well!"
We wondered if drinking wine with our lunch could affect the outcome of the election, and what the penalty was for contravening the law! We could have had an extended stay in Greece at the expense of the Greek government. Later in the afternoon we came back to Lefteri's Lefteri said that if we were eating a meal we could have a beer or wine with it, but if we wanted a drink without having a meal, we would have to go inside to drink it so that we could not be seen. We had a frappe outside. That night we ate at Gavalas. Mrs. Gavalas wouldn't serve alcohol indoors or out. We had a bottle of water with our meal. After dinner we went to the cafe in the square by the Skopelitis and had no problem buying a Metaxa - with the usual free assortment of nuts, but no meal. We sat outside in the square as usual. it may be that by that time of night the polling stations had shut and the drinking laws were back to normal. I wondered what the nuisance is that the law is trying to prevent. Corruption at elections or drunkenness and disorder on the streets. It is strange when the Greeks are usually so relaxed and sensible about drinking.
Friday 24 August 2012
Louis Cup to go on display at Acropolis Museum | Athens News
Louis Cup to go on display at Acropolis Museum | Athens News
Read more about Louis Spyros, or Louis Spyridon, who won the marathon at the 1896 Olympics.
Read more about Louis Spyros, or Louis Spyridon, who won the marathon at the 1896 Olympics.
Wednesday 22 August 2012
Five-Day Heat Wave Expected Thursday | Greece.GreekReporter.com Latest News from Greece
Five-Day Heat Wave Expected Thursday | Greece.GreekReporter.com Latest News from Greece
Are there any flights left ..............................??
Are there any flights left ..............................??
Saturday 18 August 2012
Friday 17 August 2012
Thursday 16 August 2012
Greek Ferry Firms Facing Dire Straits, Sinking Fast | Greece.GreekReporter.com Latest News from Greece
Greek Ferry Firms Facing Dire Straits, Sinking Fast | Greece.GreekReporter.com Latest News from Greece
"The government has also delayed paying subsidies for unprofitable routes, for up to eight months" - this will affect travellers to the smaller islands in particular. I have known a small ferry not run when a subsidy was paid late - normal 2red tape" late, not over 8 months late.
"The government has also delayed paying subsidies for unprofitable routes, for up to eight months" - this will affect travellers to the smaller islands in particular. I have known a small ferry not run when a subsidy was paid late - normal 2red tape" late, not over 8 months late.
Sunday 12 August 2012
Saturday 11 August 2012
Friday 10 August 2012
Wednesday 8 August 2012
Monday 6 August 2012
Sunday 5 August 2012
Saturday 4 August 2012
Thursday 2 August 2012
Wednesday 1 August 2012
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