Well yesterday it nudged 30ºC under our car port for the first time this year. Not so sure if wearing my vest was such a good idea now [see this post].
Since we've been back from our visit to the UK we've bumped into all the usual suspects, including George from the Pelican's Nest, which he assures me is well and truly now a select souvenir shop and I promised him that I'd be down there henceforth, without delay, if not sooner to take a nose around and snap a shot or two for the trusty readers. Haven't been yet and it's already a week. Oops. must set that to rights before long. He told me he'd had a natter with Vicki and Keith from the UK, who began as correspondents, but then (owing to a fair degree of kindness on their part in bring half a suitcase load of stuff over for us last season, thus making it difficult for them to pack even their own undies I shouldn't wonder) became friends. They went to the Pelican's Nest from my recommendation I think. Vicki'll soon put me right on that score if I've got it wrong though.
Nipped into the Gré cafe yesterday morning on my bike (thighs still screaming "Unfair, ref!" but I persevere) and had a natter with the two Georges. It was weird in a way, because all the time I was sitting there watching the newly arrived tourists wandering this way and that in various stages of undress I found myself thinking, "have we actually had a winter?" it seems to have gone by that quickly. But then, everything does doesn't it. No matter how long something seems to take, once it's past and done it seems like it went by in a flash. Steady on John, getting all philosophical aren't we?
The season's off and running, albeit apparently slightly slowly, but it's gathering momentum and in the next couple of weeks I should be starting on the excursions.
We actually walked down for a swim last evening. The first couple of minutes in the water felt like we'd suddenly landed in the arctic, but I have to say that staying in for a while soon made it feel much warmer, but there were still parts of the anatomy that took a while to return to their normal size and position after we emerged. Ahem. Some weather websites say that the temperature of the water here in Rhodes is now about 18º. Not sure whether they mean Fahrenheit or Celsius though.
On the way down to the beach we ran into a friend from Asklipio who was inspecting his veggie plot and exchanged a few words about vegetable growing. He promised us he'd show us how to ensure that our winter lettuce (which we usually plant around late October into early November) actually grew, since ours resolutely refused to grow any larger than tennis balls this time, even though we'd planted three different types! We've got a lot of tomato plants in this year too, primarily 'cos people keep giving them to us. We've never been able to harvest more than a handful of pathetic little cherry-sized ones over quite a few years of growing them, and those were not even from cherry tomato plants! Once again, Vasili assured us that next time we were passing he'd show us what we could fertilize them with something which wouldn't be a cocktail of chemicals.
The better half is already into her work schedule and thus had to pay the annual visit to the accountant used by her "boss". He's based in a tiny Lindos whitewashed street, which means you have to park three hundred miles away and walk into the village just to sign a piece of paper or tell him a few details. One time when she went in, having been assured that a visit was unavoidable, the accountant took one look at her and said "What have you come for? It's all sorted." Great eh?
She had to park even further away this time because there's a film crew at the village end of St. Paul's Bay, thus eliminating parking for about a hundred cars. Oh well, she had to tell herself, "I need the exercise" (even though she doesn't really) as she walked back along the road from the far end of the bay and gazed as she passed it at the gaily coloured plastic tape flickering in the breeze and cordoning off the car park that she would have used.
Since we've been back from our visit to the UK we've bumped into all the usual suspects, including George from the Pelican's Nest, which he assures me is well and truly now a select souvenir shop and I promised him that I'd be down there henceforth, without delay, if not sooner to take a nose around and snap a shot or two for the trusty readers. Haven't been yet and it's already a week. Oops. must set that to rights before long. He told me he'd had a natter with Vicki and Keith from the UK, who began as correspondents, but then (owing to a fair degree of kindness on their part in bring half a suitcase load of stuff over for us last season, thus making it difficult for them to pack even their own undies I shouldn't wonder) became friends. They went to the Pelican's Nest from my recommendation I think. Vicki'll soon put me right on that score if I've got it wrong though.
Nipped into the Gré cafe yesterday morning on my bike (thighs still screaming "Unfair, ref!" but I persevere) and had a natter with the two Georges. It was weird in a way, because all the time I was sitting there watching the newly arrived tourists wandering this way and that in various stages of undress I found myself thinking, "have we actually had a winter?" it seems to have gone by that quickly. But then, everything does doesn't it. No matter how long something seems to take, once it's past and done it seems like it went by in a flash. Steady on John, getting all philosophical aren't we?
The season's off and running, albeit apparently slightly slowly, but it's gathering momentum and in the next couple of weeks I should be starting on the excursions.
We actually walked down for a swim last evening. The first couple of minutes in the water felt like we'd suddenly landed in the arctic, but I have to say that staying in for a while soon made it feel much warmer, but there were still parts of the anatomy that took a while to return to their normal size and position after we emerged. Ahem. Some weather websites say that the temperature of the water here in Rhodes is now about 18º. Not sure whether they mean Fahrenheit or Celsius though.
On the way down to the beach we ran into a friend from Asklipio who was inspecting his veggie plot and exchanged a few words about vegetable growing. He promised us he'd show us how to ensure that our winter lettuce (which we usually plant around late October into early November) actually grew, since ours resolutely refused to grow any larger than tennis balls this time, even though we'd planted three different types! We've got a lot of tomato plants in this year too, primarily 'cos people keep giving them to us. We've never been able to harvest more than a handful of pathetic little cherry-sized ones over quite a few years of growing them, and those were not even from cherry tomato plants! Once again, Vasili assured us that next time we were passing he'd show us what we could fertilize them with something which wouldn't be a cocktail of chemicals.
The better half is already into her work schedule and thus had to pay the annual visit to the accountant used by her "boss". He's based in a tiny Lindos whitewashed street, which means you have to park three hundred miles away and walk into the village just to sign a piece of paper or tell him a few details. One time when she went in, having been assured that a visit was unavoidable, the accountant took one look at her and said "What have you come for? It's all sorted." Great eh?
She had to park even further away this time because there's a film crew at the village end of St. Paul's Bay, thus eliminating parking for about a hundred cars. Oh well, she had to tell herself, "I need the exercise" (even though she doesn't really) as she walked back along the road from the far end of the bay and gazed as she passed it at the gaily coloured plastic tape flickering in the breeze and cordoning off the car park that she would have used.
The filming they're doing is for a Golf movie, a comedy, set in Rhodes called "Swing Away" starring John O'Hurley. And Rhodes has only one golf course folks!! Check this out: http://www.rockethub.com/24620
ReplyDeleteWhy are they filming on Rhodes when the book its set on Crete. Maybe cos its cheaper ?
ReplyDeleteYour guess is as good as mine Trevor, but probably not far off the mark.
DeleteYes we did originally visit the Pelicans Nest on your recommendation John, a couple of years ago, but the other week we were eating at La Strada and George waved and shouted greetings to us so when we had finished our meal we wandered over to chat and see how the shop was coming along. He asked if we would go to the village festival in Asklipio the following day but we weren't able to make it unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteVicki
I do hope you sent a note explaining your absence!
DeleteMy mum did!
ReplyDelete