Every year through the summer Sylvia and Peter (pictured) together with her sister Eva and husband put their tables and chairs on the water front and entertain passers by. In the daytime they usually have their bathers on and take a dip in between chats. In the evening they have the ouzo out and kick start night. The four of them are from Sydney and run pubs. On Kastellorizo people use public spaces as their own.
This is a rather charming painting of the small second harbour called Mandraki. It captures the colour and picture book quality of the island.
This is a side view of the Stavrianou house painted by one of the Fins. It is an interesting painting. The family house is the one with the cantilevered structure. Underneath was a shop onto the street. The house is in a great state of disrepair now and we are wrestling with the mayor to get it back.
Just having my evening drink. I went to Turkey to the markets today. I also went to all sorts of other shops to do chores. I am pretty good at knowing my way around now. The people of Kas speak very little English so it is a challenge. I wanted to buy some hooks and eyes and I could not find a haberdashery shop. I did however manage to purchase blankets, tea towels, a door handle and various other interesting things.
I am sitting swathed in smoke. The person bending over in the picture is the priest. He came on the boat with us to Turkey. He went off for a while and has returned. He is dressed in his long caftan priests garb. This is his unofficial office.
A group of Finnish artists have been on the island for the last week. They had a week in Kas prior to this then came to Kastellorizo for a week. They had an exhibition in one of the squares at the end of their stay. the paintigs were really interesting as they showed so many different ways of looking at the same community.
The wild oregano is wonderful and concentrated around the settlement away from the goats. It is aromatic as it is stepped on. It dries beautifully and really complements the greek salad.
This nasty looking bush is everywhere and clearly not liked by the goats. It you tread off the trail or fall over into the bush its spikes are hazardous.
I dont know what this flower is but it is very delicate and quite prolific on the island.
I really enjoyed Ina-Maree and Fonz's company. We went out for diner together on their last night. They are friends of Elmars from Holland and visit the island regularly. They headed off for the plane Thursday at 5 to connect in Rhodes with a flight to Amsterdam. The plane never arrived....so they missed their connection and stayed another night on Kassie.
Last night I had a lovely meal with a Dutch couple Ina-Maree and Fonz. She is a policewoman and he has a desk job of sorts. I have enjoyed their company. I met them at the radiocafe having breakfasts.
Sylvia and Eva and their husbands come to Kastellorizo every summer and have a strong presence on the island. They set up a table and chairs in the square in front of the Church of St George on the water front. In the evening they catch passers by and invite them to sit down for a ouzo. In the daytime they invite people to sit, chat, play backgammon or have a swim in the harbour beside them. They are colourful characters.
Η Σίλβια και η Έυα και οι άντρες τους έρχονται στο Καστελόριζο κάθε καλοκαίρι. Έχουν ενα τραπέζι και καρέκλες στην πλατεία μπροστά από την εκλησία Άγιο Γιώργο δίπλα στο λιμάνι. Το βράδυ κάθονται εκει και πρσσκαλούν όλλους να καθίσουν για ενα ούζο. Την μέρα προσκαλούν όλλους και άλλους για κουβεντιάσουν, να πάιξουν ντάβλι η να κολυμπήσουν στο λιμάνι. Αυτές είναι γραφικές και ιδιόμορφες καρακτήρες.
In the evening I usually go for a walk for about an hour and a half. The restaurants, bars and houses are all hugging the harbour and the area is mostly on the flat. High mountains rise behind the settlement. This means that to go for a walk I always need to climb the mountain. The rest of the walk is across the top of the island which is undulating but not steep climbs. The first hill is the killer. I have tried all sort of different tracks but in the end the steps is possibly the best. After conquering them the rest of the walk is easy.
Το βράδυ συνέθος πάω για βόλτα για μία και μησί ώρα. Τα εστιατόρια, μπάρ και τα σπίτια όλλα έιναι κοντά το λιμάνι και είναι αναπεπταμένο. Ωιλά βουνά είναι πίσω απο αυτά. Πότε περπατήσω πάντα χρειάστεται να ανέβηκω τα βουνά.
I am very excited about the new Turkish couches. It has been an interesting process acquiring them. I first noticed them in the weekend markets in Monasteraki in Athens. I was not entirely sure that I would be able to locate the exact shop again. when I went through Athens on my way to Kastellorizo on this trip I arranged to be in Athens in the weekend so I could look for them. Luckily I did find them. I then needed to negotiate to purchase the couches, increase the size to 2m to accomodated Dan, and get them transported to Kastellorizo - and all in Greek! I rang Michele who translated all the difficult things on the phone.
Two weeks later the couches arrived on Kastellorizo and I held my breath hoping that all was well. They are superb. I bought some Kilim style cushion covers in Turkey last week for them and they look amazing. What a relief.
Έιμαι έξαψη για τις δύο καινούριες κάναπες τουρκικές. Πρότα τις είδα στα άγορα του σαβατοκυριακού στο Μονεστεράκι στήν Αθήνα. Δεν γνώρισα επακριβώς που ήταν. Όταν πήγα στήν Αθήνα πρίν το Καστελόριζο, κανόνισα να μείνω εκεί το σαβατοκυριακό πότε τα αγορά άνοχταν. Ευτυχός τις έυρηκα. Χρειάστηκα να μίλησα στον μαγαζάτορο στην Ελληνικά. Τελεφόνισα την Μιχελ που μίλισε για μένα.
Μετά δύο εβδομάδες οι κάναπές γύρισαν στο Καστελόριζο. Κράτησα την ανάσα μου και έπλισα τα πάντα ήταν καλά. Και ήταν. Αγόρασα μαξιλάρια απο την Τουρκία την περασμενι εβδομάδα και έίναι φανταστικά. Έβγαλα στεναγμό ανακούφισης.
Only in Greece would this happen. I woke today (Sunday) to the sound of trucks, a cement mixer churning and chatting in a language I couldn't understand. I looked out from the balcony and there were about 10 Albanian workmen, and they were building a path to my house. The result after about 3 hours was the cement path leading straight to my front door. Before that I had been struggling along a rough uneven and dustry track which was fine to negotiate in the daytime, but more problematic at night.
Χτές πιο νωρίς το πρωί, περιπού δέκα εργάτες έκαναν ενα δρόμο στο σπίτι μου.
This is the view back to the cafe with the owner standing outside the door. They live above the cafe. Giorgos is a captain and takes people around to the blue grotto and over to Turkey. His son does most of that work now, so he spends more time sitting outside the cafe. In the winter he practices his craft of silversmithing and makes beautiful jewelry and reproduces bouklas, traditional Kastellorizian brooches.
I am sitting at a nearby cafe while I am waiting for builders to clean up the building ruble around the house. It is a little cooler here with a stiff breeze, but warm in the sun. There is a lot of building going on here with a number of builders. They do tend to do what they want and not follow directions, but in the end the results are good.
This morning while eating breakfast I was entertained by happenings on the harbour. A yacht had pitched its anchor and it became caught on the debris on the harbour floor. They tried with no avail to get the anchor up. Then a fisherman came to their aid and after about an hour and much ado, managed to free it.
I had to choose the lights for the house from this amazing array in Turkey. It was overwhelming, especially as some of the lights were not on display and we had to order them from a catalogue. When the lights were installed in the house they looked absolutely amazing.
John and Elizabeth entertained me on their balcony. Later we went out for a meal and met up with Roslyn.
I met up with some old friends of Andy's sisters. They were staying in a recently restored family house on the edge of the harbour. We sat on this tiny balcony with superb views and enjoyed a drink in the evening light. As the sun dropped the lights of the cafes twinkled over the water.
This breakfast looked disgusting but was in fact delicious. I think it was some sort of omelette with egg, tomato, chilli and pepper.
Το πρωινό δεν μιάζει καλό αλλό ήταν πιο νοστιμό. Νουμίζω ήταν μία ομλέτα με αυγά, ντομάτες, τσίλι και πιπέρι.
The house is in a really tranquil position and the evening light is lovely. This view does not show the huge amount of rubbish about that the builders have yet to clear up.
I was trying to photograph this subtly so I held the phone out to take the photo. Hence the strange picture. This was about 6 in the evening and I was walking along the limani on the way home and decided to stop for a frappe. There was a line of men seated with their backs to the cafe walls watching all who went past. They were all smoking so I sat in a pall of smoke. On the other side of me was the priest in his long garb but I couldn't get a shot of him.
Προσπαθήστηκε να πάρω μία φωτογραφία των άθροπων λεπτότητα και πήρα το κίνιτο μου μακριά. Ήταν περίπου στις έξι το βράδυ και περπάτουςα γύρο από το λίμανι στο σπίτι μου και αποφάσισα να σταματίσω για ένα φράπε. Ήταν μια ουρά άντροπων που κάθισαν με τους πλάτες τους μπροστά άπο τον τείχο του καφενέιου που κοιτάξαν όλλους. Όλλοι κάπνησαν.
This may not look good but it was the most delicious pasta - simple with olive oil, olives and tomatoes.
I was ready to eat diner on my own when I was invited inside Radiocafe for an amazing meal. Some Italian regular customers of theirs had taken over the kitchen and cooked a feast. I took my stuffed squid inside and added it to the feast. I sat opposite an elderly Italian gentleman who was an antique dealer from Milan and looked after his mother to the age of 104. When she died he came on a holiday to Kastellorizo and decided to build a house here. There was another Italian couple from north of Milan who have been visiting the island for many years and have a beautiful house at the Horafi.
There was a Dutch couple - regular visitors and 3 french women. An interesting night.
Μαγείρευα βραδυνό μόνη μου που ο Βανγέλις μου προσκάλεσε να φάω μαζί του. Οι φίλοι του άπο την Ιταλία μαγείρευαν στην κουζίνα του Βανγέλι γερό τσιμπούα. Πήρα το καλαμάρι γεμιστό μέσα για το βραδυνό. Κάθησα απένααντα ενα γηραλέο Ιταλό που είχαν ενα παλαιοπωλέιο στο Μιλάνο. Αυτός φρόντισε την μήτερα του ώς τις αυτή είχε εκατον τέσσαρεις χρώοων. Όταν πέθαινε έφτασε στο Καστελόριζο για διακοπές και αποφασίσε να φτιάξει ενα σπίτι εδώ. Και ήταν άλλος ζεύγος άπο το Μιλάνο που επισκέπτομαι τακτικά και έχουν ενα ωραίο σπίτι στο Χοράφι.
The Greeks are not big on occ health and safety - this is the ferry arriving from Athens. Cars and trucks coming on and off, people, prams, goods - you name it.
I would not usually order fish soup but I was persuaded by Vangelli to try it. It was truly delicious - although it is not the most appetizing dish to look at.
This is another view of Athinas restaurant and you can see it is just beside the harbour with the boats tied up beside it.
When I arrived back from my walk this evening there were goats grazing on the track beside the house.
Πότε γύρισα από την βόλτα απόψε, ήταν μερικές κατσίκες δίπλα από το σπίτι μου.
Yet another funny meal. I went to dinner at the restaurant Athinas where we are having Chris' birthday party. There was one man in the black shirt who ate, fell asleep for a while and said nothing but listened to everything (apart from when he was sleeping). For a while Giorgos from Palamyra was there eating dinner - he had a bit to say but all in Greek. Then this English/Aussie yachtie turned up with a lot to say. Vangelli the restaurant owner was holding court. He loves a little controversy and really led this man up the garden path. I sat and listened and joined in occasionally. It was lots of fun. I tasted the meal of fresh schnapper we will be eating at Chris dinner and it was delicious.
Πήγα στο εστιατόριο Αθινά για βραδυνό που θα έχουμε το πάρτι του Χριστού. Ήταν ενας άνθροπος με μαυρό πουκάμισο που έφαγε, κοιμίθηκε για ένα διάστημα, δεν είπιε τίποτα αλλά άκουσε τα πάντα. Ο Γιόργος έφαγε το βραδυνό εδό. Μετά ενας Ανγλέζοαυσταλέζος έφτασε και είπιε πολύ. Ο Βανγέλι αρέσσει πόλυ τα επικριτικά σχόλια και με τον έπαιξε. Κάθισα και άκουσα και είπα σποραδικά. Διασκέδασα για τα καλά. Έφαγα το βραδυνό θα είχαμε για το πάρτι των γενέθλιων του Χριστού και ήταν πιο νοστιμό.
I went for a walk this evening along a narrow track on the hills with the water below and the mountains of Turkey in the distance. It was very relaxing.
Πήγα για βόλτα απόπσε κατά μήκος ενα ορεινό μονοπάτι με την θάλασσα κάτω και τα βουνά τις Τουρκίας στην μακρινή απόσταση. Έυρηκα χρόνο να ξαποστάσω.
Sprung - I dont think I have lost any weight. There is this amazing dessert called Ravani (Ραβανί). It is a traditional Greek cake from Rhodes. It has a cocconut base, then a custard layer topped with cinnamon. It is amazingly delicious - and I have only given in to it twice!
The first night was fantastic. I slept well and woke to the sound of goats braying on the nearby hills.
Η πρότα νιχτά ήταν πιο φανταστική. Κοιμίθηκα καλητερά και όταν ξύπνησα άκουσα τα κατσίκες κοντά.
Michele, is the lawyer who managed the purchase of the property in Greece, and Tasoula is one of the locals who assisted me with the move in to the house. We ate dinner together. It was a cold night so we sat inside at Hondros and had a delicious meal of salad and souvlaki.
Η Μιχάλα, το σινιστρα, είναι ο δικηγόρος που αγόρασα το σπίτι την Ελλαδα. Η Τασούλα είναι άπο το Καστελόριζο που μου βοήθηκε να μείνω στο σπίτι. Φάγαμε βραδυνό μαζι. Έκανε πολύ κρύο άρα καθήσαμε εσωττερικό στο εστιατόριο Χοντρό και φάγαμε ενα πολύ γεύμα τις σάλατας και των σουβλάκιων.
I had such a funny time with the lights I had bought in Turkey. I arrived at the house to find that the electrician was an Albanian with a very rudimentary grasp of the Greek language, and with no command of the English language. We had the funniest conversation with my very stilted and limited Greek. At one stage after I had been sitting around for a while I established that he had about 1 hour to go. So I told him I was going off to have a coffee - and he put in an order for a take-away....
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