The Long Hill

When we left you in the last blog on Friday 26^th July we were about to go to Kokylia to pay the bill for the anniversary supper the previous Monday.  When we got there it was a bit early to eat so we went round to Kafeneo (Kokylia’s café) for a beer.  Having practiced our Greek on Cifis (Joseph), one of the bar staff, (Dud’s ‘Greek’ always makes him laugh!) we eventually went through to the main taverna. It was very busy by now so we took over one of the two ‘locals’ tables that sits about six people (it was empty at the time). These tables are usually just for drinking but we decided to stay and eat there.  Whilst there an elderly couple came and sat with us (at our invitation) to have a drink whilst awaiting a free table. Well, we got talking to them (yes in Greek!!! – they didn’t speak a word of English - thank goodness for Wi-Fi & Google translate on my phone!). They were Yiannis & Yiorgina who live about half a mile down the road.  We shared wine, raki and meze with them and, we think (well, according to Yiorgo (of Kokylia)), we were invited to their house on Sunday!!  - what a lovely end to the day!

Behind me you can see the 'locals' table in use by locals on another night!

Saturday, 27^th July, we went on guided tour of the new excavations at Gournia (see pics in previous blog when we went there with W&B - we are not allowed to show pics of recent excavations until they have been officially published). There were about 80 of us, but mainly American students from INSTAP who have been digging there.  It is always good to have the new excavations explained by an expert as we don’t always know what we are looking at (but don’t tell anyone that!!).

In the evening we were invited to a small party at Cecile’s, a delightful French boutique in the village. We had a very pleasant evening where we met Francois who runs an International College in London. Had a chat with the son of Cecile's partner who is half German but speaks good English, German and Greek!  Nico was also there (who had been working at Kokylia's for our first couple of weeks) and he told Dud he wanted to learn about the Minoans!  Nico had found the right chap!!  Much wine, raki and food later we staggered home up that long hill (the short cut - but it's rather steep!).

Cecile's boutique in  the 'day time'

Sunday 28^th July. Now although we had been invited to Yiannis’ & Yiorgina’s house, in our raki’d state on the Friday, we didn’t know when or where!!  Either that, or something had got lost in translation. Anyway, after last night we thought a quiet day was in order.  Dudley bravely grappled with an enormous mosquito and defeated it.

the mosquito - it's certainly a big'un and if you look closely you can
see 'love', 'hate' and 'mum' tattooed on its legs!

On Monday, we went into village for quick drink at lunch time and to thank Cecile for the party on Saturday - we had made vague 'arrangement' to meet Francois, but Cecile said he was still sleeping!  So we went to Kokylia’s for a beer anyway. I know we showed you the Roman fish tanks last year but they were very clear today

one of the Roman fish tanks outside Kokylia's kafeneo

Tuesday, after a run we stopped off at Mochlos Mare where Panayiotis brought out a water melon for us and Sterie invited us for supper on Wednesday (tomorrow). Spent the day on a mixture of work and research for Southampton, it was quite a hot day but kept at it until early evening when had a much-needed drink on upstairs balcony before going off for dinner at Dimitris.  After supper, Dimitris gave us a drink of calvados, which was very nice (and quite strong!) - made the walk home up the hill quite tough!

this is how you buy rice in the supermarket - by the handful
(can't see British 'health & safety' agreeing with that!)

Wednesday, we set off for Anatoli to visit the site that Yiannis Papadatos is excavating this year.  Drove to Anatoli where we were met and taken up to the site at Gaidourophas, which was initially 'seen'  by Sir Arthur Evans and then John Pendlebury in the early 1900s but not excavated by either of them.  Yiannis gave us a tour of the ruins and pointed out what they had found and it seems to be a very important site.  It is located 900m above sea level, which is much higher than usual for a settlement, the highest being  400m (apart from Karphi which is a refuge).  We were then taken to Stavromenos by Costas, where there is most likely a peak sanctuary (religious site) - the views were stunning and you could see both north and south coasts of the island!  As with Gournia, we can't put any pictures of the excavation itself on the web, but here are some of the views.

view to the north from Stavromenos -in the far distance you can see
the hills surrounding Mochlos

view to the south and Ierapetra - the numerous white 'patches'
are plastic 'greenhouses' for bananas and tomatoes

the Stavromenos peak sanctuary site overlooks Gaidourophas, making
both sites an important part of the Minoan world.

We came back and went off for supper at Mochlos Mare with Panayiotis, Sterie and their daughter, Maria. Maria is currently applying for a Masters in International Management in the UK and has several offers so we were talking to her about the various universities.   After a lovely supper of mousakka (me), rabbit (Dud), vleta, salad etc. we came back and went to bed exhausted after our day in the hills !

Thursday, I was thinking of running but Dud wasn’t, so we didn’t (I’m easily put off!). Quiet day on computer …..  

Friday 2^nd August, we did run. Went to see Tina at INSTAP around 3pm, really just to touch base and see what she wants us to do next week - measuring metacarpals (hand bones) - around 400 of them, each with 3 measurements to take!!  I quickly said Hi to Flint (Dibble) and arranged to speak with him next week about his bar-coding software (okay, yawn!).  On the way back we drove into Ierapetra to try and find the 'House Store' where Rosa is having some cushions made for downstairs balcony chairs. Finally found it (we had failed on a previous visit) about 5.30pm, but it was closed until 6pm. So we waited only to find that cushions were  not quite finished so will have to go back next week! Came back to Mochlos and got ready to go down to Kokylia as Friday night is BBQ night. All very nice food plus a couple carafes of wine and then Nicky brought us a large raki free of charge!  Long hill home with short rest on seats on the way up!!

the cushions - we knew you would want to see them - worth the wait!

Saturday, Rested – worn out!  Sunday, again quiet day on computer. Decided go to Dimitris for supper. Got home at 1.30 am – not sure how that happened !  Monday, definitely no run! Nor did we make INSTAP for bone measuring.  But we did get there on Tuesday and Wednesday, and finished the measuring on Thursday. Dud is metacarpaled out now – I think he will be happy if he never sees another hand bone again!

Metacarpals - just to show you what we have been measuring so you can
share in the thrill - 4 out of the 400 !

 In the evening we went down to Mochlos Mare to return some dishes (which had contained left overs of the supper we had there on Wednesday) and saw Panayiotis and Sterei and had couple (or maybe more) of glasses of raki with them before going into the village where we decided to have supper in the Kokylia’s Kafeneo - had a few selections of dishes, one half litre of wine and some raki – that hill was very long again this evening!

Friday, had a problematic day with the computer – where are the IT boys when you need them?! Eventually got it sorted.  Off for Monastiraki (a village about 5km away) to meet Tina for supper and report  to her on the bone measuring.  We had a very pleasant evening with her and she paid for our supper which was very nice as well.  Back home we decided to abstain from raki on the balcony!

Saturday 10 August, we decided to have bit of a lazy day, some reading and sitting in the sun.  Nick & Heather drove past to say they are 'back' from UK and we arranged to meet them in Kokylia for supper that evening.  Went out at around 7pm and had nice supper in Kokylia and then on way back I decided I wanted late raki in Dimitris! - N&H (sensibly!) declined and went home. We went home eventually, not sure when (that hill was very long again …).

Nick and Heather are back !

Sunday, definitely a quiet day - did some kindle reading – well, we are on holiday as well.  Monday, got quite a lot of work done and then spent the rest of day researching - have an idea about using bone measurements to work out the sex of animals if it is not known – sorry, am I boring you?  

Tuesday, went down to Nick and Heather’s around 7pm for a drink. Then to supper at Dimitris which was very nice - we shared the mixed meze starter between us and then shared a selection of meat afterwards.  N&H quite tired so left before us and we stayed quite late (there's a surprise) and had several free rakis, including one from Mikalis (whom we have seen somewhere before but can't place him!).

Wednesday, A level results day so very busy on the computer. Both Dud’s A level Law students got grade A’s which he was quite chuffed about (good teaching, he commented!)  Dud and Nick went off to Mochlos Mare to ask Panagiotis where Nick could buy some wood for one of his BBQs. He has spent a lot of money on the equipment but can’t find any wood to burn on it! Panayiotis ended up giving Nick a whole sack of wood, refusing any payment, and also giving him some wine and some raki to , as he said, “make the BBQ go better!”  I don’t think he meant for Nick to actually put the wine and raki on the BBQ, but I’m sure Nick understood!  Having tasted the wine when he got home, Nick sent us a text later to ask if there was a government health warning on it!

Thursday saw me doing some work on the A-Level statistics and generally keeping in touch via email. The folllowing day, Friday 16^th – Nick came past during the morning so Dud went off with him for a drive to Sfaka, which ended up with a 'couple' of beers in Lastros and then at the 'Organic' taverna at the top of the Mochlos Road! According to Nick, they 'had' to go to the second taverna because they weren't given any meze (free food with the drinks) at the first one. Then Nick found out the reason there was no meze in Lastros - the waitress had asked, in Greek, if they wanted it and Dud had said no! In the evening N&H had invited us for drinks & meze, which turned out to be quite substantial food and all very nice it was - we also drank Welsh whisky!

Nick & Heather's pool by night

Sat 17^th – Dud went off to help Nick with re-positioning and checking speakers for the wall-mounted TV (surround sound stuff).  However, it didn't go so well and Dud came back to get me to 'help'  - eventually we got it working (although we're still not quite sure how!).  In the afternoon we went into village to have a beer and small snacks and stayed all night!  Well, N&H left around 5.30pm as they were going out with Yiannis (architect) et. al. for supper next door at Bogazi's and we decided to stay in the Kafeneo.  We then met Dominiq who had done the paintings on display in Kokylia and we bought a picture of a  boat in a box that we had admired all summer. Nick had seen it for the first time that afternoon and also liked it and had asked Cifis to reserve it, but we 'over-ruled' that after Nick had gone and bought it from the artist!! This could have caused an international incident between us and Nick - but we will give to N&H as 'house warming' present.



boat pic - looks 3-D but it is definitely not!




Sunday 18^th – decided to go for a walk so set off towards Sfaka (about 5km away) and walked quite a way, but not as far as Sfaka!  However, by the time we had turned round and got back we had been out for 2 hours!  We stopped off at the 'beach' (very pebbly). In the early evening we went down to the Kafeneo to meet Dominiq (as arranged yesterday) who showed us his fabulous paintings of ladies-on-the-beach and we decided on the one we had first seen last year in the Art Gallery up the road, but had then been told it was not for sale!  We had a couple of drinks and a chat with Dominiq and then he went home  - so did we, but a bit later after more raki to celebrate our second art purchase!

the lady on the beach



view from the pebble beach on our walk, the 'small' island in the middle 
of the picture is the island we see from our apartment

Monday 19^th – after lunch we decided to go for another walk and set off towards Sfaka again, but this time turned off in the direction of a Venetian tower, on the way to Myrsini (one of the villages you can see the lights of at night from Mochlos).  Didn't go all the way to the tower, but did walk around 5 miles in just over 2 hours (well, we did stop off for some 'sight-seeing' of a lovely church!).  Later in the day I was about to start cooking supper when we had a phone call from Panayiotis, inviting us down to have a drink with them as Sterie had made galaktekoboureka!  Whilst there we met Carol and Dieter from the USA who had just arrived for a 2 week stay so we had a nice chat with them.  Finally left quite late in the evening with Sterie chasing us up the hill as she wanted to give us some galaktekoboureka to bring home!!




this is the church we saw on our walk

Tue 20^th – in the morning I went down to see Sterie as she had invited me to collect some produce from their garden.  I ended up with 2 big bags of tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, courgettes, onions, garlic, melon, vleta (greens) and potatoes!!!  Had a glass of raki with Panayiotis (for the 'hill' he said!) - also had a prickly pear fruit to eat (from their front garden - first time I had eaten this, it was strange, but nice).  The reason I had the produce was because N&H were coming for supper and I was slow-cooking lamb, so apart from the meat all the other ingredients came from P&S's garden!  N&H came round early evening and we gave them the boat picture as a house-warming present, then had a very nice supper (if I say so myself) !

On Wednesday (21st) Dud got up to find that his back had 'gone' and he was pretty immobile for the next three days!  We stayed in for supper each night, but on Thursday Nick came round and drove Dud into the village (and back) so they could have a couple of beers!  (medicinal I'm sure).

Sunday 25^th – Willie (Nick's neighbour in Istron) had invited us to join him at Kokylia's for supper this evening and first of all we went round for early evening drinks at N&H's where as well as Willie and Liz, we met John & Eloise who live in Kalo Chorio (next village to Istron).  When we got to Kokylia we discovered it was Willie's birthday! We had very nice supper and Yiorgos brought out an ice-cream cake for Willie at the end of the evening.  Another long hill home !

another birthday party - Willie is sitting next to Dud

Anniversary Waltz

Tuesday 16^th July, we both went for a run and collapsed on the way back outside Panagiotis’ (Mochlos Mare) for a rest. Dud says he has always liked the sight of Mochlos Mare but never more so when he sees it on the way back from a run as he knows it’s nearly all over! Anyway, we were greeted by Panagiotis’ wife, Sterie, who came out with fruit and veg she had just picked from her garden for our breakfast and lunch.

Fruit and Veg from Mochlos Mare

Wednesday, we went to Heraklion airport to pick up Warner and Barbara (W&B). Took them to Manoli’s cafe at Knossos for lunch. We have known Manoli from our days staying in Knossos at Sir Arthur Evans’ Villa Ariadne/taverna a few years back (when Dud was student!) – he (Manoli not Sir Arthur Evans!) came to our wedding supper two years ago which was nice as Knossos is some way from Mochlos and he is very busy this time of year.

Peacock 'guarding' the West Porch at Knossos

We then dragged W&B around the Minoan palace of Knossos.  We got back to Mochlos around 7pm and whilst W&B had rest (well, they had been up since around 4.00am!) we went up to church ‘on the hill’ to light a candle for Dad's birthday. 

Lighting a candle in the church 'on-the-hill' for Dad's birthday

Walking up to the 'church-on-the-hill'
(see the dots of houses in the background, that is where we started from!)

We then all went for supper at Bogazi's listening to the music, where Warner had a lesson on the Cretan Lyre!

Warner learning about the Cretan Lyre

Thursday, I went for a run but Dud didn't (well, he had done quite a bit of driving yesterday – that was his excuse anyway!). All quiet on the email front today so we went off for lunch in the Kafeneo at Kokylia with W&B, but not before Barbara & I had to go and collect Dud & Warner who had got raki'd with Panagiotis – and this was in the morning!  How did it happen? - well, W&B had been shopping and walked back via our apartment. Dud offered to drive Warner down the road with the shopping to Mochlos Mare where W&B are staying.  Well, that was fatal - D&W met Panagiotis, raki was brought out....….need I say more!

When we eventually got down to Kokylia we had nice meze lunch.  We then came back for a rest ready for the evening, and arranged to meet in Mochlos Mare garden where we had a couple of glasses of wine in the garden and a chat with Panagiotis (who gave us wine and raki to 'take-away'), then down for supper in Kokylia - where we also bought some cheese from the back of van from Rethymno (and very nice it was too!).  Trying to get home we were ‘forced’ to have a drink in Dimitris' bar - this made the long hill home even more of an uphill struggle!

Friday, Dud drove us all up into the mountains for a real rural experience. Then back to Pixidia (on the main road above Mochlos) for a beer and a seafood salad ‘to die for’

W&B in the hills above the village of Anatoli

Seafood salad to 'die for' !!

In the evening we met W&B in Mochlos Mare garden for glass of Panagiotis' wine and then down to Dimitris for supper, where we met Nicole & Dominik (N&D), a young couple from Austria. Nicole had a beautiful voice (she had trained at the Vienna Academy of Music ) and she sang with Dominik playing the guitar-  Warner had his violin with him and joined in. It was great! Left very late after having drinks with N&D after the impromptu playing had finished.

Saturday - W& B were due to come to us for supper... However, in the early evening, I got a text from Warner to say that N&D had arrived at Mochlos Mare for some music practice - so supper went on hold and we invited N&D to join us for food after their practice.  Managed to get 6 round the downstairs balcony table and had good evening with a mini concert from W, N&D on our downstairs balcony after supper!

Nicole, Dominik and Warner 'in action' on our balcony

Sunday - we took W&B over to the Minoan site of Gournia which is always a fascinating visit. The Minoan town is in such a good state of repair (well, its basement walls are) that you can just feel the Minoan townsfolk walking the streets and going about their daily lives 3,000 years ago.  When we dropped W&B off at Mochlos Mare, Sterie came out with galaktekoboureka (a delicious cake/dessert) for our anniversary the next day which was very nice.

Gournia - from a distance to show the extent of the site

actually, I'm 'testing' whether the stone slab could have been
a preparation area in a workshop or kitchen!

'Tour Guides'

In the evening, we went down to Mochlos Mare garden for pre-dinner drinks and then to Bogazi's taverna for the music night.  Warner, with his violin, joined in with the 'band' and lots of jamming went on, more and more people 'joined' the band and we all had great time!  The Cretan band members were very impressed with Warner and asked him back next year (they weren't playing again at the taverna before he was to leave Crete).

Warner playing with the band

The band is getting larger..............

.............and larger!!

click to hear Warner playing 'live' 

- the tune is called Irinaki

here he is again, at the end of a 'jamming' session

Monday 22^nd July – 2^nd Wedding Anniversary Day! W&B came round at 1230 with a gift of cotton (very traditional and lovely) and we had a celebratory drink of 'fizz' with a piece each of the galaktekoboureka from Sterie.  We went into the village to see if the boat was there to take us over to the island but it wasn't as it was too windy and there were too many waves - oh well another time!  Come the evening, we all met down in Mochlos Mare garden for early evening drinks and Panagiotis gave me a single flower that had been growing in his garden which may be similar to the famous Minoan Lilies (see below on Wednesday for more on Minoan Lillies).

Perhaps a descendant of the Minoan Lily

Then it was time for the celebration supper at Kokylia for 12 of us.  We had lovely starters (chicken pie, rolled, stuffed aubergine, sausages with bacon and mushroom, tszatziki) then lamb for main course!  Absolutely fabulous food – Yiorgo at Kokylia always does us proud. Lots of wine and raki were not far away and Warner played his violin for Dud and I to dance to  the 'Anniversary Waltz', then we sang 'Those were the days' after which Dud serenaded me. It was also a full moon that night - all in all, a lovely evening.

Dud and I in the light of the full moon

the 'group' - sadly Barbara is missing as she is taking the photo!

Yiorgo (who owns Kokylia) serving the fabulous food that he had arranged
(slightly blurred as he's always on the move - but the only one we have of him
......at the moment!)

Warner in action

Dud and I dancing whilst Warner plays the 'Anniversary Waltz'
(Willie with his hand over his mouth trying to stifle a laugh at our dancing!)

Warner wrote a poem for us for the occasion and with lyrical zest read it out at the dinner table. We thank him sincerely for this as it was a lovely surprise. He has allowed us to reproduce it here:

                A CRETAN ODE

                Dudley and Sarah are the nicest couple you could wish to meet

                And each year they return to the Isle of Crete.

                They have settled in this little port of Mochlos:

                For without its friendly people,

                They would be at a loss.

                The couple share an interest in all things archaeological;

                Sarah particularly in bones: that’s matters osteological.

                Their quest for the secrets of the lost Minoans

                Has taken them to many a site of excavations.

                By day Dudley writes his book on the early archaeologists travels;

                In the evening however,

                After the wine and the raki,

                Productive activity unravels.

                Sarah meanwhile organizes a college timetable,

                And Dudley as well; if she is able.

                Together they make an excellent team

                Whether it is on a dig with a trowel

                Or a talk with a screen.

                Today we celebrate their return

                To the wedding location.

                Please raise your glasses

                And drink to this occasion.

                                                WFT, Mochlos, 22^nd July 2013

Tuesday, and surprisingly we didn't feel too bad after last night's festivities.  Went down to Mochlos Mare to collect W&B and take a trip to the Richtis waterfall.  There was some difficult terrain at times but I hope W&B are looking back on it as worth a visit.  On our return we felt we had deserved our visit to Kokylia for a reviving cold beer and ice cream.  Early evening found us meeting up at Mochlos Mare for a raki and a chat with Panagiotis, where W&B learnt about some of Panagiotis' gardening techniques.  Eventually we went down to Dimitris for W&B's last supper.

Richtis waterfall

Wednesday, sadly W&B’s last day – but they had a late flight so still time to ‘do’ things. W&B wanted to see the church ‘on the hill’ and the fantastic views so we gently strolled up to it (see pic in previuos 'Wednesday' above). W&B then came round for a late lunch - I cooked up the leftover 'take-away' lamb from Monday with onions and tomatoes (from Mochlos Mare of course!) As we set off for the airport, W&B said goodbye to all at Mochlos Mare and promised to return! 

We stopped off at Malia at around 6.00pm to see the Minoan site but it was closed. Its website said it did not close until 7.30pm but I think its early closure may be something to do with the recent general expense cuts in Greece.  So, a good excuse for W&B to come back again to see Malia! However, not daunted, we went instead to Amnisos to see the Minoan 'house of the lilies' (so-called simply because of the lilies’ fresco (wall-painting) found there). This is normally closed to the public and you can only see it from the fence, but this time the gate was only ‘secured’ with a small piece of rope so we assumed this was an invitation to go in and look around. We hadn't been able before and wouldn't have if Malia had been open - so a result!

Dud 'explaining' that this is not just a pile of old stones!

it might look like 'just' a wall to you.............

and these are Minoan Lillies....
this fresco was found in one of the rooms
(and is now in the Heraklion Museum)

Having dropped W&B at the airport we set off back to Mochlos for much needed glass of wine on our balcony. We hoped W&B enjoyed their trip as much as we have enjoyed their company. It’s was a fairly busy week for them courtesy of ‘Bramber Tours’!

Thursday, we both went for a run in the early morning (yes, we have been running at least a couple of times each week!!) followed by quiet day catching up on work and an evening in for home-cooked food.  Friday, again catching up on work but Dud remembered he hadn’t paid Yiorgo for Monday night (can you imagine paying the bill a few days after an event in the UK!), so an excuse to go to Kokylia’s for the evening (not that we needed an excuse – perhaps ‘justifying a visit’ would be more appropriate!)...............