We arrived without any problems, and our baggage arrived with us (a definite plus). We were met at Athens Airport by Takis and Marie, and drove straight down to the village, much to my pleasure. I love this place. It's a haven of peace and quiet, and very Greek people being very Greek. When we arrived I was a bit stupid, as I slept for most of the drive down, but once we'd had lunch I felt much better. Chris, Takis, and Marie then had a siesta, and I walked down to the nearest beach at Paralia, the lower village. I had vowed before we flew out that the first thing I wanted to do once we arrived was go down for a swim, and I had four swims before walking back up the hill. By the time I got home it was about 6.45 PM, and everyone was awake, apart from Chris.
It took me about half an hour to wake him up, as his jet-lag had kicked in with a vengeance, but I persisted and we went down to Paralia for a lovely dinner at Ravatso's. We bumped into Jacqui, a lovely resident here, who we met when we were here in 2005; James, an English painter who has taken up permanent residence here; and Barry and Jane, who are kiwis, who had arrived that day too, but sans luggage.
We crashed as soon as we got back up to the house, and woke up this morning feeling much more human. Chris is still a bit out of sorts, but is way more himself than he was yesterday.
Takis, Marie, and I went to the far beach this morning, after buying fresh bread in Metropoli, the far village, on the way. Barry and Jane were there, and we swam, chatted, and lay in the sun until it was time to come home. We had a set time to come home, as the mayor had an appointment with Takis to be shouted at about the water supply. She turned up after we'd had lunch, put up a brief struggle against reason and sanity, and then backed down when she realised her legs had fallen off. Silly woman could have saved herself a lot of hassle by just doing her job two years ago.
Anyway, Chris and I are contemplating a leisurely afternoon, which for me will definitely include more swimming, and then an evening at a taverna nearby, eating sovlakia.
I'm feeling very relaxed and entirely at home once again. This place is just so perfect...
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I'm luminous green with envy! Have a dolma and think of me (but forget me when you're drinking retsina). It's wet and cold here today, but it's been lovely during the week. We have huge fire going and plan to watch a movie after dinner.
ReplyDeleteYou know how to holiday! I'm experiencing vicarious relaxation and weight gain just reading this, how delightful. Swimming, dining, workmen... I'd be hard pressed to find more idyllic conditions.
ReplyDeleteThe Waikato is utter rubbish at the moment with gale force winds transforming my wind-chimes to wind-clangs and necessitating their removal.
Emma :)
Hah! It's pretty damned good. That lovely feeling you get just as you're dropping off to sleep (floaty) seems to crop up during the day here - I'm wafting around like a drug addict half the time.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like the bad weather over there is affecting lots of areas - now and then I look at the met service site and cringe. I drift out to hang out a load of washing just before midnight last night in shorts and got hot from the strenuous activity. YAY!
We're back in two and a half weeks, and I'm going to be snacking on the memories of this holiday for the two subsequent months to keep me going.
Lovely to be in touch with you Emma.
Tina: Talking of fires, I need to post today about the wildfire we had last week. It was awful, and got very close to a neighbouring village. It's so sad. Stupid shepherds and their coffee!