The Last Boat out of Piraeus?

September 22, 2019.Reading time 14 minutes.

I certainly didn’t think so at the time, but Oman Air did us a big favour in cancelling our original flight, and forcing us to arrive in Greece a day earlier than planned, rather than a day later. Had we stuck to the original plans, we’d still be in Athens right now, instead of enjoying […]

A most un-orthodox Easter… part two

April 3, 2018.Reading time 30 minutes.

I’m really in need of a ‘Fix’ after making it back in one piece, after that awesome trek along the side of the mountain, and the terrace at Pauvlo’s Taverna is the perfect spot to have it ….. icey cold and goes down a treat….. not even touching the sides…… just as well that not […]

A most un-orthodox Easter… part one.

April 3, 2018.Reading time 23 minutes.

Ever heard of Loutro? no, I didn’t think so. It’s a very small, some would say tiny, laid back village on the south coast of Crete. The only way to get here is by boat, unless you are very adventurous….. or very stupid….when you will arrive here on foot…..by walking about 7 kilometres from the […]

Freedom or Death?

March 26, 2015.Reading time 20 minutes.

“Freedom or death” were the words uttered by the Bishop of Patras on March 25, 1821, as he raised the flag of revolution over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese, and these words became the motto of the War of Greek Independance against the almost 400 year rule by the Ottoman Turks. Today […]

Rio? No, Rethymnon

February 23, 2015.Reading time 24 minutes.

In Greece it’s called ‘Apokries’ and it’s the 3 week period before Lent, with many different customary events taking place. It culminates in a carnival of street parades on the Sunday before ‘Clean Monday’, the start of Lent. We have heard that the best Carnival in Crete will be in the old Venetian port town […]

What’s in a Name?

February 20, 2015.Reading time 11 minutes.

Is it Chania, Hania or Xania? Lets start with the Italians, or to be more precise, the Venetians….but before they got here in 1252 , the place was ruled by the Minoans, (this was in 3000 BC!!!!) then much later by the Arabs, then the Byzantines…..then the Welsh …… Anyway, right up until 1645 or […]

The Athens Way? No, thank gawd!

February 20, 2015.Reading time 12 minutes.

I took a bit of of a punt on my choice of hotel to stay at during our two night stopover in Athens. I’d never stayed there before, nor even heard of it…… It’s location on the edge of edgy Exharcia could have been a problem, and it’s name ‘Athens Way’, well, I’d hope that […]

Hey big spender…♩ ♪ ♬

June 22, 2013.Reading time 24 minutes.

It's 1:30 pm on Friday afternoon, we have just been driven to the port by Florian. Yineka-mou and I are, sadly, having to say goodbye to Koufonisia after just over two fantastically enjoyable weeks here. We are now going to get the seajet ferry to Naxos, there catch another ferry to Piraeus, to spend a […]

I’d like to take you…on a slow boat to Patras

June 4, 2013.Reading time 11 minutes.

Monday 3rd June, aboard the Anek Lines ship 'Forza' , somewhere in the Adriatic, en-route to Patras,Greece. After two nights in Venice, ( and YM has at last had her long-held wish come true…. a gondola ride with a handsome lover…. OK, maybe she didn't get exactly what she wished for, but a ride is […]

Koufonissia here I come…right back where I started from…

June 4, 2013.Reading time 13 minutes.

After arriving one and a half hours late in Patras, we disembarked the good ship 'Forza' at around quarterpast midnight. We walked down the gangway to the deserted 'new port' and I asked ( in Greek) a couple who were waiting on the jetty where I could get a taxi…They looked at me in surprise […]