Alerted by a Facebook message, we heard
that the Electricity Board intended to make upgrades to the
electricity system in various points around Crete between 8.00 a.m.
and 4.00 p.m. on either Thursday or Friday. As far as we could see
from the locations in the list, our village was not one of those
affected, but experience tells us that the electricity can go off at
any given time, and it makes me wonder if my dream of owning a
freezer is a bit on the ambitious side.
As Kimon had to get the early bus to
Rethymnon for a doctor's appointment, it was my job to get the garden
watered before a coffee date. Bearing in mind the horrible bites I
had got from not sure where - and it could have been the garden – I
decided to smother myself in mosquito repellent, a long sleeve shirt
and jeans, socks and boots to accomplish the task. It was only 9.00
am but very, very hot. The mosquito repellent needs a few words of
explanation because I bought it in an Olive Oil goods shop last year
– supposed to be totally “organic” (I can believe it) and it
really does the job. It repels anything and everyone! Imagine
someone living on a diet of onions for a year, wearing a permanently
damp woollen jumper and not washing the jumper or themselves all that
time and you have an approximation of the horrible smell of the
stuff. However, it works so I reckoned that I could have a shower
when I got back from garden watering.
So far, so good. The ground, in spite
of daily watering, is dust dry. Ian's pumpkin plants are starting to
race across the vegetable patch taking big, bright yellow flowers
with them, the tomatoes from our bush are strange shapes but very
tasty whilst Ian has nice looking plum tomatoes which have not
ripened yet. The olive trees, after their savage pruning earlier in
the year, are beginning to look much more healthy and it was a lovely
quiet time hauling the hose pipe around the tree trunks, listening to
the swallows swooping and clomping back home in my wellies, hoping
that I did not encounter anyone in my repellent state before I
reached the shower.
Miraculously made it back through the
village without meeting anyone and jumped in the shower to get clean
again. Oh, no, you guessed it … we had electricity but no water!
Saturday we took a short drive to the
Melidoni Caves about 7 km from here and had an interesting day out.
We arrived via Perama on quiet roads through olive groves and
meandered through the village which had a lot of Venetian buildings
with impressive frontages – not all in a good state of repair –
and noted the pretty village square and traditional kafenions. There
was a solid new road climbing up and up until we reached the fence
and gates of the perimeter. We visited a newbuild Chapel and
reception area where Kimon chatted with the lady taking the money.
As we were locals, there was no charge! We believe that the Cave is
kept as a memorial shrine to many villagers and soldiers who perished
there in Ottoman times, and we climbed across the rocky approach to
the black entrance dropping down steeply from the doorway. It was
just a bit precarious for us. There were steps and wooden
bannisters, but the climb had us checking every footstep and clinging
on tightly as bats skimmed round our heads at the entrance. Inside
the initial cavern was ENORMOUS – bigger than a Cathedral with
coloured lights showing stalagmites and stalactites at their best.
The central area was dominated by a large stone Christian Altar so we
looked around to every direction where smaller passages led off from
the central chamber. The well translated leaflet noted all the
archaeological finds made there dating back to Minoan times. As we
emerged gingerly into the sunshine, we noticed that the Little Train
from Panormo had just arrived with a full load of people and we
reckoned we had 'been there and done that' at just the right time.
Sunday was a high day in our village.
We heard that there would be a barbecue and live Cretan music in the
village square, but we hadn't realised the scale of the event. The
village square is a bit of a crossroads with six lanes leading from
it. We couldn't easily leave home because a big stage together with
tables and chairs had been set up which covered every inch of the
sizeable area to seat hundreds of people.
We arrived at 7.30 p.m.
Everyone else arrived at about 11.00 p.m. by which time pork chops,
souvlakis, chicken, lamb and salads were all prepared and being paid
for at a make shift counter. Large drinks fridges had been set up
nearby. Everything had been organised down to the last toothpick.
The players with guitars, lyra, bouzouki were playing lively music
and in the school playground which borders one side of the square,
all the little girls were lined up and practising traditional dance
steps.
Skepasti was packed completely; young families were all
there, prams and all. The toddlers were all there with the other
children running and playing together. The teenagers and young
adults were all there eyeing and flirting with one another and us
'oldens were there enjoying food outside and great music. Finally,
the guns were all there too; we're not sure why - but the music went
on until 6.15 a.m. with occasional bursts of automatic gun fire –
presumably into the air – all night. What with a noisy wedding on
Saturday and the music event on Sunday, the sound effects have been a
bit like a war zone.
We left at midnight but did not get a
very good night's sleep. Predictably, everything is unnaturally
quiet and subdued in the village today!
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