Shopping Serifos style

Friday 18th November

 I made a newbie mistake last night after feeding the cats. I went back to the  house with the cat sitter, owned by the person  who normally feeds them to see it. It’s very traditional and lovely. At that house are even more stray cats that are fed. But the mistake I made, was to walk past the place where the ones I feed are fed. Two started following me. I thought they would give up, but near to my house one of them was still with me. I know what it wants, it wants to find my house and move in. No way thank you. So as I had half a tin of food left, I put some down and scarpered! It’s a mean trick but I had to do it. 

I sent an update to  everyone back in the UK on the WhatsApp and Facebook messenger groups, I created a month ago. It’s the easiest way of keeping in touch with a big group of people, and not doing it, would mean I could end up loosing touch with these people. I got some lovely replies, good to hear from them.

The trees growing in the sand on the beaches are  called Saltines. I know this because on one of the Greek Facebook groups I am on, a post mentioned they are being trimmed, as they are and included a photo of them. They look a bit ugly now they are trimmed, in the UK we would call this trimming pollarding.

Today, a shorter walk to Livadi, but by way of  places I did not know existed. My friend wanted to buy some DIY stuff, so we went for a walk. Down to the industrial area by the currently dried up river bed. It will fill up, I have been assured. Anyway there is a cheese place, but they don’t have any at the moment, and although it was shut we could see other things they sell and make with tomatoes, olives and other things they grow themselves. I will certainly go and have another look sometime. There was a lovely different view of Hora and some beehives in the foreground.

Next was the wood place, they sell wood and cut it to size. My friend went in and got what they wanted. We then walked around and dropped down into Livadi, this road I had been on, in a search or a church, I found it, but could not get to it. We then went into Grans, had lunch and a break. On the way through Livadi we saw two cats making the most of a rug on the back of a truck. 

Back by the dried up river bed, we turned left  and went through this door. An Aladdin’s cave met us. All sorts of things, all put out nicely, in a series of rooms.  Anything a builder, plumber etc would need. A paint making machine. I asked my friend to translate to the owner, that this was the sort of place we used to have in the UK, but sadly not anymore. The guy running it, was the singer at the music night at Vasileas the other night. He had run this store for years, having moved down from Hora, having had the shop there for a while too. We then went up the steps, to Hora and went the  different way, which had us go past that Miners building I mentioned the other day.