LEARNING OUR VOCABULARY

	Singular			Plural
	Masc.	Fem.	Neuter	Masc.	Fem.	Neuter
Nom	o	n	to	oi	oi	ta
Gen	tou	tns	tou	twn	twn	twn
Acc	to(v)	tn(v)	to	tous	tis	ta

Greek School got a whole lot harder this week. Having put our best efforts into learning the Greek alphabet and mastering a few short paragraphs about “What is your name?” and “Where do you come from?” and “who is that sitting next to Monika at the nice party?” ... “I don't know his name but he comes from Holland etc”. Next we had been lulled into a false sense of security by learning about different rooms of the house and what belongs where. So I now know what a toilet cistern is (useful) the names for sheets, blankets, quilts and the difference between a frying pan and a casserole. But we left our class with the instructions to copy out and learn the list of words above without knowing quite what they were. In part, they seemed to be something to do with things belonging to something or someone or lots of people – and whether the things were male, female or neuter (nothing much to help us decide except perhaps the ending of the word, if you know it), whether they were singular, plural, subjects, objects, indirect objects and the endings having to agree. Knowing we couldn't do this in our own mother tongues, let alone in Greek, we all cudgelled our brains a bit and slunk home with a bit of a headache hoping to find some instructions somewhere. Or as one person put it – how can you easily learn a language which has three completely different words for a table lamp? Its not much use if you really need to be able to call for the fire brigade! However, we will learn them by rote and hope that the penny drops sooner or later. I picked up an amusing book by Brian Church called 'Learn Greek in 25 Years' and began to realise what he was on about.

To give me some credit, I showed all the lesson papers to Kostas and Angelliki at the unofficial bar/taverna/barbers/meeting point near the Mulberry Tree and they seemed as confused as I was. However they were delighted with the diagrams of the rooms of the house and immediately conducted their own vocabulary test by way of solidarity with lots of miming and laughing as we puzzled out various objects. Trying this whilst spearing small items of meze on cocktail sticks (home grown cucumber, olives, small rusks and feta cheese) added to the pantomime performamce.

K's blood test results came back from the Lab with a very high reading for the prostate test. We had hoped that this would normalise after the infection had passed, but it had not decreased much. This is disappointing and means travelling to Heraklion for a biopsy which is scary enough in English but doubly difficult in a foreign hospital. Fortunately we have friends around who know the ropes, so we will get a few instructions and encouragement from them before setting off. Hopefully, the Health Centre in Perama will phone for us to make an appointment which may help, but experience tells us not to count on it. Wish us luck .. oh, I learned this … Kali tiki!

Our broadband has improved enough to follow most of the big matches from Wimbledon in recent days and this has been good while the weather is hot and the beaches are crowded. All these families on holiday in the hotels and restaurants means good news for businesses in the local resorts and they seem to be working very hard and keeping busy. K & I are not sure how they sustain such long hours each day – it must be gruelling and we understand why so many simply shut every winter while the proprietors go into hibernation. Everyone with a tourist business in Crete must long for October when the days are cooler and the first of the Autumn rains start.

HIGHS AND LOWS

 We had enjoyed our few days with Kimon's school friends from yesteryear. It was absolutely fascinating to find out what everyone had been engaged in by way of career, families and places in the world they had settled. We thought it a testament to the school itself that they all seemed to have gained the confidence to make a go of whatever enterprise they were engaged in and all were extremely interesting in their own particular fields. They had telephoned one of the housemasters whilst here and all taken turns to have a chat with him. Even after so many years, touchingly, he remembered them all perfectly and put me in mind of a scene from Goodbye Mr Chips. On Sunday, they had to fly back and with a little anxiety on our part and trepidation on theirs, we helped them to the bus stop at Panormo. We assured them that the bus was the best way of seeing the sights in Crete in comfort, at a very reasonable cost, and the airport was a very short taxi ride from the Heraklion Bus Station. We hope that they could see so much more than they would have done in a taxi cab all the way. Perhaps we were carrying our Hellenistic leanings a bit too far, but I hope not.

The bus stop with a difference - at Panormo

Well, it had to happen that life in the Cretan idyll had its down side and this week it happened. We couldn't work out whether it occurred whilst watering and weeding in the garden or taking a meal where there were lots of cats about, but somewhere along the way, I picked up some enormous flea bites. This is the week after K had recovered from a horrible bout of illness which had lasted the best part of a month. Fortunately, the anti-biotic from the Health Centre worked well and K is back to nearly fighting strength but I have been driven mad by nasty bright red itchy spots which could not be from mosquitoes.

... Was it from the cafe cat?

... or gardening for giant spring onions and minute carrots?

The frenetic activity that followed in washing clothes, bedlinen, rugs, vacuuming and house cleaning was almost comical and very hot work - so three days on, smothered in tea tree oil, garlic and insect cream repellent with a shiny, bright home, I am beginning to feel less sorry for myself but it was horrible for a while. Boo, boo, boo – what a palaver. If the bites came from the garden, these vegetables are only just worth it! My greek lessons have not yet given me enough vocabulary to read the small print on the back of Aerosol cans, but fortunately, Google translate came to the rescue.

A rare shady spot at Sougia on Sunday

On Sunday, the CIC had planned a trip down to the South of Crete stopping off at various haunts on the way. A 30 seater bus picked up parties of people all along the North coast as far as Kalives and then set off for Sougia making the long climb through the White Mountains and getting some spectacular views of gorges, wooded slopes and at one high point a view of the Cretan sea in the North and the Libyan sea in the South simultaneously. We stopped briefly on the Omalos plateau on the way back from the south coast parking at the entrance to the Samaria Gorge (the long walk down this is fantastic but not for the faint hearted – especially in the really hot weather … however, it has to be mentioned as Crete's most famous challenge) 

Entrance to the Samaria Gorge

and then stopping off at the Botanical Park for a late lunch before the long journey back. It was the hottest day yet this year and everywhere was shimmering in the white hot sunshine which affected all my snap shots. We had an energetic tourist guide who was trying to persuade us to climb Mount Psiloritis, go up into the mountains with the goat herds while they milked their flocks and made their cheese, set off for a two day trip to Gavros – he had all sorts of exhausting suggestions but it did make us think about ideas for the Autumn when the CIC trips will start up again and we are all hard pressed for fresh ideas. The lady I met on the bus and I timidly wondered about a gentle wild herb gathering ramble and I wanted to see the Amari – which is only a short drive from us anyway and could be tackled under our own steam. Not very adventurous and K and I realise that there are so many places we have not yet seen – what on earth have we been doing with ourselves for two years? It would be good to do some travels to the different regions of Crete to fill in the gaps in our knowledge and notebooks. We think that there are many places which we could tackle by bus and we have been consulting maps for historical sites, interesting places and possible expeditions in the cooler weather.

OPA in PANORMO, CRETE

UNOFFICIAL PAGE FOR 

OLD PIERREPONTIANS QUASI OLD BOYS REUNION

PANORMO, CRETE 2013

School Photo - Left to Right:  Bob Reed, Geoff Pilkington, Tim Watmuff,
John Robertson,  Richard Brown, Kimon Capernaros,  Simon Ranger

Prize Winners, please line up in order ...

Simon Ranger – Mark Imperiali Prize for innovative manifesto posting and swimming against the tide, sea weed collecting etc..

Tim Watmuff – still holds the School High Jump record: RESPECT!

Richard Brown - Archivist of incriminating photos and holder of Cross Country Colours

Bob Reed – Cross Country Colours to be presented .. best person to work out the taverna bill with reasonable accuracy ..

Professor Geoffrey Pilkington – (we can't believe it either) – House Cricket Colours and Greek conversationalist … still approximately upright whilst everyone else is under the table.

John Robertson - School Discus Champ (where did we put that frisbee?) and wishing he was back in the Bahamas where they have real beaches and proper hurricanes … arrived with photos from 1968!

Kimon C – Man of Hyperbole and most likely to fall asleep in a kayak

Merope C – Endurance Record. It all started with a production of The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol, a missing necklace, capsizing in Frensham Ponds and the rest is history … Mrs C is temporarily standing in for Matron (who should have got a medal).

There were many members of the OPA absent without leave. Please send a note from your parents (or purporting to be from them – forging signatures and picking locks were our most popular ex-curricula subjects) to explain where you are and what you have been up to for the last half century – anyone found slacking will be sent to the Headmaster.

* * * * * * * * * * *

We were sorry not to be in the best shape to meet our old school friends and transport at least one carful from the airport when they arrived this week. K was still in pain for car journeys and I cannot see well enough at night to attempt driving round the mountains in the dark – so we had to ask them to take taxis and meet them in Panormo late at night to show them the small apartments booked several weeks ago. Oh how the mighty are fallen and what a pair of old crocks we felt! The rooms were very much in the Pierrepont tradition and not what a lot of our guests had become used to in the intervening years. I would have changed them, and I expect one or two did without telling us! We tried to soften the blow with a supply of breakfast essentials and fresh fruit.

The bathrooms were a bit basic ... just kidding, this was an old kiln at the Pottery

There were a few things to explore in Panormo and like any collection of 60 year olds, our friends were looking for different things. Some wanted exercise and contemplated a run up the cliff path, past the goat herds and into the hills near the lighthouse to the East of the resort. Some wanted much more sleep and found a quiet niche on the beach to snooze under an umbrella. Many wanted to find the Limni Beach taverna where there are nice lunches and beers available overlooking the sea. Some braved the sea, others put in a vote for sea food so we went to one of the tavernas that specialise in fish for an evening meal.

Our favourite pottery shop at Margaritas

There was a short shower of rain first thing on Thursday. Despite this, K dusted off and pumped up the kayak before setting off to the beach with it loaded on the top of the car whilst Merope did Greek School revision at home. The learning process is very slow but we are all giving the lessons our best shot. You will deduce from this that K was a WHOLE HEAP better than before now his antibiotics have started to work. He is still taking things easily though.

Thomas and friends took us up the mountain ... and stopped for diesel on the way back

On Friday, the Little Train leaves Panormo at 10.00 a.m. and winds its way through the little villages up into the foothills of the mountains to Margaritas. We had always been somewhat dismissive of this comic form of transport and had been out of order in calling them “wally trollies”, because it was the best way of getting eight individuals half way up the mountains without having to worry about leaving people behind and/or avoiding Cretan drivers.

Shady coffee break at Margaritas

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

All boys will be asked to submit their essays “What I saw in Margaritas” first thing on Monday morning after Assembly. If anyone has a headache, snake bite, broken ankle or sunstroke, Matron will no doubt have a small supply of Disprin available and has been instructed to send off for a further bulk order without delay. Until these essential supplies arrive, boys are advised to take care - especially with regard to Ouzo, Retzina, Metaxa or Raki, which local taverna owners are only too willing to dispense with unavoidable liberality.

PASS THE LEMON BARLEY

Our views of the health system here had all been positive thus far but has been shaken a little by our visit to Rethymnon Hospital. As far as we know, K needed a second blood test. We arrived at 9.00 a.m. upon a throng of at least 100 noisy, gangs and families of people all trying to get the attention of two women behind some glass windows with a numbering system. Kimon wasn't feeling good, and we had no way of knowing whether we were in the right place or not. I got a ticket number 155. The numbers above the windows said 41. Everyone in the foyer was hot, tired, fretful and not very well. However Kimon stood his ground and after an age and lots of people shoving their books and papers through the window in front of him finally got to the front and spoke to the lady. She sent us to another office down the corridor.

So we set off and came to various offices, various corridors and various queues of people – and there was nobody minded to give anyone any help at all. We queued up at Triage for another age just to speak to somebody and find out where to go. He wanted to send us back to the first throng and queuing system. We passed an office marked “Information”. There was a bag there and an empty coffee cup but no one to give us any information or help. Everybody we asked pointed vaguely down one corridor or another, but we had no idea where we were supposed to be. We had no option than to go back to the original throng of queueing where the numbering system had got up to 71. We went out across the road for a coffee. At this point we had been there for hours and made no progress at all, so I went and did a little shopping while Kimon waited for his 155 number to come up.

When he got to the window again with his numbered ticket, the lady said No, he shouldn't be here and wanted to send him back to the previous place where we had already queued and been sent back to her – so he gave up. He had been there most of the day and had only seen office staff. I think we need to take a family of bossy Greek speakers with us next time so that we can storm the offices mob handed and make some progress SAS style. Fortunately, we got home again OK on the bus, so he is a bit better than he was. I pray I never need to go to Rethymnon Hospital for anything because the queues will kill me off in no time.

Still being worried we took him back to our local health centre the following day but they could not really do much for him there. However, the nice receptionist telephoned Rethymnon Hospital and made an appointment with the Pathologiki Doctor and we thought that this would solve everything. Taking soundings from our friends and relatives, we discover that you need to get to the hospital early because nothing can save you from the numbered queueing system at the Outpatients Windows. Kind friends picked us up at 8 am sharp and we got into the foyer as fast as possible taking ticket number 71 when the numbers were into the mid 40s. Perhaps there are people who camp out all night to get an early place at the check in window. I was a bit more vocal this time and when people tried to slap their books and papers in front of us, I just took them and gave them back, pushing K's papers forward telling them that we had spent all day on Tuesday seeing administrators and we needed to see a Doctor today. We paid 5 euros, were given all sorts of papers and chitties with official stamps all over them and went to wait outside the door of the Pathologiko. It was not such a long wait this time. A couple of people arrived and left and as no one seemed to be fighting their way in, I knocked on the door and we both shuffled in – relieved at last to see a proper Doctor and feel that something was going to happen after a week of paying 5 euros at different places and getting absolutely nowhere. The Doctor said that I should check K's temperature 3 times per day and keep a log. Bring him back if he got a fever or anything worse happened. After two banks of blood tests and another full check over, a visit to the kind ladies in the Microbiology Department, another queue at the window for another sheaf of papers and a stamp and signature, we were free to go. And it wasn't even lunch time! We felt that we had done much better today and our kind friends helped us stop and get shopping on the way home.

Three weeks on, we discover that E coli is the cause of the urinary troubles and we have been issued the right antibiotic, but it took so much time and effort to achieve it. Kimon still has ultrasound scans to accomplish tomorrow, but is beginning to look ever so much better than before. We wish we had much more interesting photos to post apart from temperature charts and home made lemon barley. Still things are on the mend.