Apokoronas Our Home

This week has been a mixture of meetings, clients and Arts week. Where to begin? Well there were meetings about animals  meetings about the environment  and other more general things! Vamos Arts week meant "The Play" Alan Ayckebourn's "Confusions" held in Vamos Amphitheatre. The day started rainy and until about half a hour before "Curtain up" we were not sure what to do , but the audience arrived complete with cushions and umbrellas and off we went. The weather cleared and a good time was had by all! Friday began with a protest at the prospective closure of the post office in Vamos and continued with Cole Porter  music at lunchtime All in all a busy but enjoyable week

A bright start to the week. The weather was good and it was the first day of Vamos Arts week. After a quick visit to the town hall first thing to chase up some water issues I drove over to Vamos amphitheatre for a rehearsal of the play in which I am taking part.  In the early evening I attended the opening event of Vamos Arts week "In Wonderland" a musical entertainment based on "Alice in Wonderland" The Mayor, Mr Markakis, and two deputy mayors (Mr Stavroulakis and Mr. Mihelakis) attended, as did Mr Hadzidakis, president of Vamos Cultural society, they all seemed to have  fun but looked a little bemused in parts! The whole week will continue full of music, art and drama, and one of the guests is the poet Roger McGough. ( fingers crossed that the ash from the icelandic volcano does not affect his flight.)

The first meeting of the environment group was very successful and because there were a lot of people who were unable to attend we decided to have another one very soon. We are to have the next on in the town hall so we can invite the relevant deputy mayors and councillors with responsibility for environmental issues to join us and answer questions. Friday was a sad day and I attended the funeral of Sifi from the Perastikos beach bar. I had known him for about 20 years. saturday was my name day. Off to church in the morning, followed by drinks and nibbles outside the church. We had a "Hell fire" priest who had a few choice words to say when mobile phones kept going off during the service! Out early again on Sunday for work, I was sorry to miss seeing the Red Arrows who were putting on a display over Hania,

After spending the day yesterday catching up on emails, sorting the in box, general tidy up of the office - very therapeutic - back to normal today. First a quick trip to Episkopi and then back to Vamos via the animal food place, for a meeting at 9.30 to try to help sort a problem. After that off to pay the phone bill ( ugh) where I was accosted - politely - by a Greek man asking for help - it turned out to be the same problem I had just been investigating! After that over to Vrysses to speak to the girl who organises the rubbish collection, that turned into a discussion on volunteers helping clear up some beauty spots. After that a quick word with various people in the town hall and making sure the Mayor had written in his diary that he is due to open Vamos Arts Week! Back home, lunch and more office type work until another meeting re some detail of the animals page on the website and their data base that has to be set up. Tomorrow is the first meeting for the new environmental group...

Part three of today's blog! After the celebration at Armenoi I went home, freshened up and got ready to go to the wedding. It was at a new "Kendro" on the outskirts of Rethymnon and the chapel was at the same place. There was a fabulous view from the chapel, but the road to reach it was difficult and everyone was wary of the return journey - especially after the wine had been flowing! I did not stay late as I had an early start the next morning! - What a surprise!

Another busy day! Left home at about 9 to be early in Armenoi. When I arrived Bob was busy putting up flags. The old school flag was flying proudly on the gatepost and the sound engineer was setting up the microphones. Up in the school house itself raki, water, juice, cheese, peanuts and the like were being laid out on the table - there was an exhibition of old school photos, 1900, 1930, 1960 and a photo of the pilots who were using the school in 1941. Chairs arrived from the cultural commitee and people began to arrive. Young girls in traditional costume Villagers and councillors began to arrive and enjoyed looking at the old photos - especially those who had attended the school themselves - there were tales of strict teachers and one person showed the scar he still caried on his head from when the teacher threw something at him in the 50's! Time went on and the dignitaries arrived - MPs, vice mayors, and most importantly the air force and a veteran who had been stationed at t...

Where has the week gone? Between the council, the play, university and "The day job" the week has shot by and I don't know where it has gone! Monday morning I had a play rehearsal at Kefalas followed by a  meeting with a member of the local community and a deputy mayor in Vrysses town hall. In the evening was the main council meeting at which many subjects were voted on - including the pedestrianisation of Georgioupolis village square. The meeting went very well and although there was naturally much discussion pretty much all of the items on the agenda passed unanimously. - there were just a couple where the communist party leader voted against the issues on principal. Tuesday I went up to the village of Episkopi to check the house of a client who was due to arrive and to make sure it was well aired. I also went up into the village to check for post for him and speak to the man in the water board about changing the name on the bill. I had to also arrange to get the keys...

I have just returned from the funeral of a young man of 27. Markos Koutsoupakis was the son of one of the local councillors Charalambos Koutsoupakis  and was a very well liked young man and active in the local community. He died after an accident on the national highway near the village of Kalyves yesterday evening. He was on a motor bike and apparently lost control on a straight stretch of road. No other vehicle was involved)There were hundreds of people at the church in Enbrosneros - most of us had to stand outside as there was not space for everyone inside the church. Luckily there were plenty of trees casting their shade on this beautiful sunny day. the Village was is full attendance, family, friends and colleagues. Members of the council and other organizations were represented, and the MP for Hania was also there. A volley of shots was heard as he was laid to rest in the little churchyard. Seeing his devastated family I thought that it is a timely reminder to us all to take c...

Today I went over to the seaside village of Almyrida. It is beginning to come out of its winter hibernation. I walked through and took a look at the bridge which is in need of restoration and re building - but the local hotel owners were up in arms last week and said they did not want it done till after the season as they don't want to lose business - they will lose a lot more if it collapses!!! Sunday morning I walked through Georgioupolis early and could smell the Eucalyptus trees and warm bread from the old bakery.  This morning in Almyrida it was a smell of frying - rather spoilt the beach walk. I took the road back through Xirosterni and saw two places where rubbish had been dumped by the side of the road - one household and one builders rubble. Must make sure that the proper people know about it. The animal welfare group has planned its next meeting - Agenda  There is also a lovely dog looking for a new home . Work has been authorised to repair the damage at the amph...

.. Well Monday was not a bank holiday in Greece. Sunday, being the first of May,  wreaths of flowers were hung on the doors of the houses and posies on cars! Monday was back to work. One of my first jobs of the day was to chase the person in the council responsible for getting the backdrop for theVamos amphitheatre fixed - it will be used for Vamos Art Week in about three weeks time!  Got my essay plan sent off for the Uni course and started work on some new web pages for animals and environment on the website  Had a conversation about the removal of the glass outside the factory in Kokkino Horio, where it has mounted up and become an eyesore. Lots of people in the town hall this morning and many meetings going on and things happening! Have an invitation to a seminar at the Environmental Education facility on Monday but unfortunately have a previous appointment. Very windy today it started rainy but is now quite warm. About time the weather settled down.