Dodging the rain

Tuesday 29th November 

David Bowie on a car, in the car park today.

After feeding  the cats this morning, on the way back I said good morning to Marinos. He was opening his coffee shop. He came out and was pleased I was wearing long trousers. He had seen me yesterday morning with them on, and was then aghast at the fact I was wearing shorts in the evening. Then he said something in Greek, but it started with proi. I know because Den taught me the Greek word for breakfast, that he was probably talking about the fact I was wearing long trousers in the morning. He also held up seven fingers, for seven o’clock. He is happy now.

Today I and three friends were going to do the reservoir walk. We would then  have lunch in Livadi. Two of them live there, so I offered to pick them up and drop them off up here. When we drove up, there was a guy thumbing a lift, so we gave him one, and dropped him off at Hora, where he headed to the KEP. We started the walk  at Hora, the couple did not know the cat sitter who was in our group, so that was nice. There were some ominous dark clouds behind us, we might see rain today… One thing that was discussed straight away, was the earthquake that happened in the early hours of today. I did not feel it. When you meet new people here, it adds to the fountain of knowledge you have, which I find fascinating. They have told me that  local car hire guy’s company is called Blue Bird, because the Blue bit comes from his surname. It’s the name of a specific blue, like the colour of the blue on the nations flag. 

While walking to the reservoir we saw a load of goats. A guy on a scooter came up and looked at them. They were quite tame. One was munching on fresh grass, that was at least three centimetres long.

When we got to the reservoir, it was decided we would go down the track to the dam wall and then along the dried up river bed, except now it’s starting to fill up a bit. When I looked at the wall I realised it had loads of graffiti on it. I have checked my photos and I don’t have one of the wall. We think it’s an environmental protest graffiti.

We went down the track and got across the stream onto the path. When we got to the first football pitch, the one with real grass, one of my friends said it was for the local football team, they are amateurs in the fifth division. In a little covered cubicle, probably where the managers hang out, was their sign.

We carried on into Livadi. Along the beachfront was this lovely old 1936 house, no one lives there, but whoever owns it refuses to sell it I was told. It would be nice if it could be preserved. It’s not pretty but I can imagine the land it is on is worth a lot of money. There were a flock of sheep in a small field with very nice looking grass for them to eat.  We had a meal at Passaggio’s, he actually asked me in Greek how I was and I responded “well”, in Greek, which was the correct answer! I have to listen extremely carefully to make any sense of what is being said, but often now I hear words I know the meaning of. I had the lentil soup, he gave us a helping of Fava, on the house, which was kind. He had moved us to a different part of the outside covered area, as it was safer he said. As it turns out he was right to do so. The heavens opened and it chucked it down. But it was only  a shower, and I decided to walk home, the slip road was partially flooded, but was draining away.  On the concrete ramp to the Hora road, there were footprints in the concrete, full of water.

I got back without getting wet, and have been relaxing in the house, before having dinner.