EAR PLUGS TIL DAWN

The new Archeological Museum has opened and the displays are stunning

We were thankful to get home to our house, which was cool downstairs at least and reflect on the week in Heraklion while K had his radiotherapy each day. Monday had been nice, though. We drove back to the hospital in time for his treatment at about 3.00 p.m. and were told that there would be a little party with music that evening. We assembled in the large downstairs lounge area where trays of lovely fruit and little pies had been arranged and chairs set out. A talented lady singer/guitar player came and made music which all the people joined in and clapped along with. Most of the songs were well known Greek folk favourites but the singer even played “Let it be” so that I was included. We had an unexpectedly enjoyable time and it did help break the ice amongst all the separate people who are there for one reason or another.

We spent another day last week looking for an alternative beach … or a small village with a friendly cafeneon/taverna to have a coffee or a meal out for a change. Our little spot at Paleocastro seems the best, though for parking and convenience.

K and I were tickled by the top sign which says Idiotiko Parking.  It couldn't be a better description of the mayhem outside the hospital.  People will park ANYWHERE rather than walk for 2 minutes from the Car Park

While K was queueing up for bar codes in the Outpatients in order to get his blood tested, I took the bus into Heraklion to check out the new Archaelogical Museum which opened recently.  The displays are amazing ... Phaestos Disk, King Minos ring in bright shining gold, statuary from the Roman and Hellenic period, stunning ceramics which were beautifully set out.  

We heave a sigh of relief to get home on Fridays and forget each time that July and August constitutes peak summer wedding season and on Saturday nights the village is heaving with strange cars all lost and asking for directions to the Kentron (big event venue) which is built in stone high up on the hills at the edge of the village. As soon as we see all the lights on up there, I look for my earplugs because it is the sign that Greek music will tune and start up at midnight and continue all night until 6.00 a.m. If you were in the mood, the traditional lyra and guitar music are occasionally quite good, but all night and amplified for all the local villages in the area, it is too much to bear. By early morning, it sounds like all the drunken Uncles of the bride have got hold of the microphone and are giving it some welly. On a hot sleepless night, it is just what you don't really appreciate and neither did next door's dog, especially after some happy partygoer decided to do a five gun salute at 3.30 a.m. On nights like these, you just have to give up the idea of sleeping and get up for a cup of tea and prowl around the house, adjusting and readjusting your earplugs and wishing they worked better! The truth is that it is difficult to sleep well wherever you are on hot summer nights and the moon was bright and clear outside for the happy-go-lucky wedding guests – all who seemed in fulsome voice at 5 o’clock and unwilling to give up and go home. Sunday mornings are always very quiet in the village as most people need to catch up on their sleep.

I promised a photo of the “disabled friendly” facilities at the hospital and we thought that this one deserved a prize!  Nobody can deny that a wheelchair ramp has been provided....so that box can be ticked!

The ramp that goes nowhere ...

... here is the door!