Saturday 29 June 2013

Mochlos - the sequel !

Wednesday 19th June: We’re back in sunny Mochlos! 

First view of Mochlos as we drive down from the main road
Once unpacked and settled in, our first visit was to Panagiotis and Sterie who looked after us so well on our first few visits at Mochlos Mare (white building in centre of picture) – and our first raki! We then returned to the apartment to meet up with Australians, Peter and Rosanne Coumbis who actually own the property we stay in. We spent a very pleasant evening with them down at Kokylia’s. They were going back to Athens at the crack of dawn the next day so we didn’t see them off!  They eventually arrived back in Australia on the Saturday – and Dud complains about a 3.5 hour flight to Gatwick!

For some reason we didn't get around to taking a photo of the four of us that first evening, so, we borrowed this great pic sent to us by P & R the week before we arrived just to show us what we were missing!
Rosanne and Peter – Mochlos island in the background 
Most of Thursday, Friday and Saturday I spent in the 'Cretan Office' – no peace for the righteous (or something like that). Thursday evening we went down to Dmitri’s tavern and had the delicious meze starter – it’s a starter to die for! And his music is terrific so we stayed awhile with raki!

Friday night we stayed in! I cooked a ‘spag bog’ and we sat out on our lower balcony with copious amounts of wine to comfort us which was very relaxing. But on the Saturday evening we were invited to a talk in the American Archaeological School (INSTAP) two villages away in Pachia Ammos. It was nice to see some old faces again – well, not so much ‘old’, but faces from last year – you know what I mean (I hope they do anyway) and it looks like we may be helping out recording some finger phalanges this year (it was toe phalanges last year - to those who didn’t follow our blog last year, phalanges are bones! ).

Sunday, still in the 'office' during the day but the evening was ‘Fiesta Time’ in Mochlos - music, dancing and drinking!!! And the moon rising ….. Then came midnight – and so into Monday – it was Nick’s birthday and he was given a melon ‘cake’ and candle.

Fiesta! – Nick & Heather eyeing different cameras – Dud literally and figuratively half-cut to the right
Moon rising over the distant hills that evening (no more of pics of these - too many last year!!)
Come midnight it was Nick’s birthday so he had a melon ‘cake’ with candle.
Babis standing to the right was MoC

Then Monday …. well, you can probably guess what I was still doing – but only until lunchtime as it was over to Nick’s and Heather’s fabulous new house, literally a 5 minute walk away, for his birthday BBQ. Here are some pics of the afternoon/evening ….

The pool awaiting water in the back garden … or is it the front garden … *
of N&H’s new pad – lovely view (lovely pad)
*Nick said this was the front because it’s what you see as you approach the house; Dud said it was the back as the front door was on the other side. Well, you can just image their ‘discussion’ after several beers and glasses of wine …. I’ll say no more!

Dud and I in the BBQ – well, not literally ’in it’
Don’t jump! – take your glasses off, there’s no water in the pool

Dud and Nick still celebrating Nick’s birthday with wine in the early evening
- this time in the front  . .. or maybe the back, garden
And finally ....

Later on in the evening at Kokylia’s, Dud and Nick still celebrating Nick’s birthday
– with  raki this time (the coffee cup is mine!)
Needless to say, Tuesday I was still working while Dud was recovering.  Later on in the day we got an email from Maria (Panagitotis & Sterie's daughter)  inviting us over  for galaktakoboureka - which Sterie had freshly made.  So, down we went and yes there was raki, fresh food to taste and a new neighbour to meet- Yiannis from just below where we live. When we left we were given a 'goody' bag of fresh produce plus the lovely galaktakoboureka!  Went down to Kokylia for some raki and a few mezes to round off the evening - the bill was a staggering €2.50 for the raki - the mezes were free because in Crete you never just drink, you always have to eat as well.

Well, onto Wednesday and a new word for the emails - relentless!  However, I did manage to have a couple of half-hour sessions outside with Sudoku in the sun so it was not all bad.  Nick drove past at one point and we agreed to meet later at Kokylia for supper - and birthday cake, which Yiorgis had told us about the night before.  So, in what must have been one of the longest birthday celebrations ever, we had birthday cake......again !

yummy - more birthday cake

The latter part of the week and things finally began to settle down in the Cretan Office.  Thursday we had a quiet night in and I cooked using some of the delicious produce from Panagiotis' garden.  Then onto Friday and our second visit to INSTAP, where  Tina & Sophie were waiting for us and had bags and trays of finger phalanges ready for us to measure and record!  We got started and managed almost a hundred before being a bit 'phalanged-out' and calling it a day.  We agreed to meet up on Sunday for a visit to the cave where all these bones were found.  It is in the Lassithi Plateau about an hours' drive away, home also to the Dikteon Cave where, according to mythology, Zeus ('king' of the Greek gods) was born.  Oh, except he also might have been born in the Idean Cave depending on which myth you read!  Supper was at Dimitris and followed by a late raki in the kafeneio part of Kokylia.

Awaiting the meze starter at Dimitris'
The end part of the evening found us sitting outside on the seafront with Nicky, some of the American archaeologists, two guitars and some singing!

Contemplating the next song 
Needless to say, Saturday was a quiet day.........apart from writing the blog of course !

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