Last week before we come home for Christmas

Well as far as we're concerned the Olive harvest is over but there are still the noises and smells coming from every direction of other people getting theirs in. Sorry about the lack of pictures from the pressing but they went while we were in Lefkas for the day. We have however got our payment for the harvest a 15ltr tin of olives would you believe. These have to be steeped in water for about a week changing the water every day, this is to get rid of any impurities and make the bloody things edible, olives straight from the tree are really disgusting. After this they are then kept until required in a saline solution of about 75 grams of sea salt to 1 ltr of water cover the olives again and float a good layer of olive oil over the top to seal, after five weeks they are ready to be eaten but will last for months.

As mentioned earlier we had a day in Lefkas with our friends Tony and Liz, we went to deliver Christmas cards and pass on seasonal greetings which seems really strange with the temperature being in the high 20s all day. Anyway that all done we went out for a delicious meal at a taverna on the quay side in Lefkas town, very old and atmospheric but smashing grub!

On Friday Sandra went to pay a bill at the bank in Thesprotiko our local town. She was stood in the queue waiting to pay (no online banking in this country pal!) and an elderly woman in traditional black garb, started to hoist her dress half way up to her chest and then started secreting money in various pockets sown into her old fashioned long bloomers she must have had about 500 euros in all and obviously wanted it in the safest place she had available. When Sandra asked why all the old people where drawing money out that day she was told that they had to pay their heating oil bills so our friend George would be looking forward to them getting home.

George, Mantha and Sandra in the Taverna up above Soulia.


Sunday we had another mystery tour in the mountains with George and Mantha, he took us to a taverna high up in the mountains in an area which has two claims to fame. I. when the Turks ruled Greece this area, Soulia, withstood all attempts to subjugate them and thus became the only area in mainland Greece not to be ruled by the Turks. 2. the area is the home to breed of wild horses, we could see any of them but will return at sometime in the future to try and get a glimpse. Near the taverna they have built shelters and feeding stations for the horses as the area has considerable snowfall in December and January and soon there are going to be an hotel and apartments built for people to go up there on sort of alternative holidays. It will be a cold old place in winter though at over 1500 Mts. The view from the other side of the mountain is truly stunning the river that can be seen starts near Assos and travels underground and emerges near this photograph. This is taken from about 100 mts up. After this we went to Parga to say Merry Christmas to some friends we met on holiday there last year and then onto a fish Taverna down the coast for our meal. Beautiful setting next to a fishing harbour and very reasonably priced this is a place where we shall return when we get visitors to stay. We then finished the day with an evening visit to Lake Zorro where we had a nightcap at the restaurant there, again this is well worth a visit to walk around the lake and have a bevvy or two.

Monday and time to start thinking about getting ready for the trip home. In this picture Sandra is doing the laundry Greek style on the balcony at the back with our little camping twin tub washer. It's 8:30 in the morning and about 20 degrees so the clothes hung out under the veranda are all dry in no time flat.
We have got the bus tickets for our journey on Friday morning from Thesprotiko to Athens, the bus leaves about 8 o'clock and takes 4 to 5 hours, so we'll be leaving here about 7:15 to make sure we have plenty of time as we don't want to miss it. From the bus station in Athens we get another bus out to the airport ready for our flight which leaves at 9:20 in the evening. This gets us to London Gatwick at about 11:15 UK time Friday evening from where we have arranged an hire car to drive home. Hopefully we should be back in Yorkshire by 2:30 - to 3 am.

I guess the next update will be from the cold, icy, windy and wet northern regions.