Friday 27 September 2013

AEGINA, GREECE TO BELGRADE SERBIA

MORE TRAVEL THAN WIFI THESE DAYS


20th Sept 2013

As travel chance would have it, we made a seamless series of no wait travel connections from Aegina hydrofoil to Athens airport bus to plane to hostel in Belgrade Serbia.  Remarkable luck but it happens sometimes.

Two nights in Belgrade before an eight hour train connection to Zagreb. First night dinner at an intimate quirky delicious vegetarian restaurant. Dinner two at a long standing Belgrade institution where the elderly waiters are products of the communist system and everyone smokes their heads off in the restaurant. Good hearty beef and potatoes, don't mind the surly waiters.

Everyone smokes in Europe, but particularly in Serbia. Mums, Dads, kids, uncle and aunties, grandma and grandad. Smoke anywhere you like, don't worry about the non smoking signs. The non smoking message is a little emphysemic over here.

Whilst in Belgrade I just had to stand in front of the army headquarters in Belgrade that were bombed by the NATO forces in 1999 and haven't been touched since. I always keep an eye out for a postcard of a Dalmatian dog to send to Cooper, my neighbour's Dalmatian dog that Anne and I are rather fond of. After slim pickings, in lieu of a postcard, I held up my sign greetings to Cooper in front of the bombed out missile targets that I saw aflame on TV back in 1999. Little did I think back then.

P.S. The slideshow only works when you are online on the blogspot site. Not on your cutdown email notification.


MARK AND NICOLE'S YACHT, RED HEADSAIL AMIDST THE FESTIVAL TENTS



AEGINA HARBOUR ENTRANCE

AEGINA OLD TOWN

ANNE AT WORK, AEGINA

ATHENS AIRPORT, BYE BYE GREECE FOR A MOMENT


BELGRADE 1999 NATO MISSILE INTERVENTION ON ARMY BUILDING
HELLO COOPER FROM MISSILE DIRECT HIT, BELGRADE

SAME SPOT BACK IN 1999
ANNE,  BELGRADE FORT
BELGRADE BUILDING
BELGRADE

GOOD HEARTY TRADITIONAL FARE

Tuesday 24 September 2013

POROS-ITY



STORM OVER POROS ROLLING DOWN TO LATI AND ANNECAM
19TH SEPT 2013

With such a busy schedule of swimming and doing nothing in Poros, it wasn't until day six that we managed to hire bicycles. Anne and I were riding down by the quay when I recognised the Beneteau yacht of the Aussie couple that I met back in Dubrovnik marina. Mark, Nicole and daughter Mckenzie were on board and much catching up on adventures ensued. While we were talking, another Aussie yacht went by looking for a space to squeeze in to. It was Steve, someone that Mark had previously met and helped. We waved him in alongside with a further reunion.

The camaraderie amongst yachties is fantastic. They all face the same issues and are quick to say hello or lend a hand no matter whether the yacht be large or small. It's a special community and being part of it has been such a unique pleasure and entree to adventure for us.

Anne and I were planning to make our way north to Piraeus and Athens. Steve the Aussie yachtie friend offered to take us to Aegina on his 50ft. Jeanneau where we could continue on the ferry. We happily accepted and had a great day's buddy sail with Mark and Nicole to Aegina.

We arrived at Aegina at peak hour, being day two of the four day Fistiki Festival. The Pistachio Festival. Aegina is famous for it's pistachios and if you've got it, flaunt it. They were full flaunt and it was a fun little place.







TOUGH LITTLE SUCKER









LAST DINNER IN POROS

MOUSTIKA AND ALMOND THINGY, YUM.

QUAYSIDE PUSS
MARK AT FULL STOP WAITING FOR FERRY
AM I ON THE WRONG BOAT?
MCKENZIE THE FISHING FAIRY AND ANNE ON STEVE'S BOAT
MARLY MARLY UPS ANCHOR FOR AEGINA
46FT BAVARIA FUN RACE IN TOWN
GREAT DAY'S BUDDY SAIL WITH MARK TO AEGINA
HAVING A HOOT ON STEVE'S 50FT JEANNEAU

Sunday 15 September 2013

ACTUALLY HAVING TIME FOR SCRABBLE


MUSTN'T GRUMBLE BUT...


Greek wine, I am afraid to say, leaves a bit to be desired. Well, the stuff they serve as house wine and the stuff you buy in the supermarkets anyway. The food is delicious but the wine. Mmm....

The lifesaver came when Anne and I got a one Euro ferry across to the mainland and discovered 'Lidl' which is like an Aldi store. They had imported Australian Chardonnay and French Merlot for $3.70 AUD. The merlot together with some dark chocolate made the perfect accompaniment to a game of scrabble. Our first ever game of scrabble together so we must really be on holidays.

POROS FROM THE FERRY
ANNE & CATERINA AT THE SECRET ENTRANCE TO OUR APARTMENT
YUM

REDOLENT BUT NOT REALLY














AT THE END OF OUR BEACH

GREECE DOES THINGS TO A PERSON
IN THE OLD DAYS THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A KODACHROME MOMENT

STILL SOME MONEY IN GREECE

 









POROS OLD TOWN FROM THE FERRY

DARK GREEK CHOCOLATE TO BEAT YOUR OPPONENT BY
ANNE'S COOKING TO RIVAL THE BEST
I SO MISS WORKING





















Saturday 14 September 2013

SOMETHING AMAZING

NEWS FROM BLIGHTY


 Now, I know I'm out of touch. I don't see, hear or read much media these days, but I came across this.

I've been doing a bit of holding my breath, swimming underwater and surfacing, so there is a little bit of simpatico.

 Nice to know someone is out there so comprehensively upsetting the dominant paradigm and holding a light to one or two things. On you Russell.

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/sep/13/russell-brand-gq-awards-hugo-boss

If that didn't appeal there is always Captain Kirk.

http://youtu.be/k6Lb3kFwJRQ

POSTCARD FROM POROS

ANNE'S ADOPTED JELLICLE CAT AND CATERINA'S CHOICE

I've been getting lots of sun. And lots of rest. It's really hot.
Days, I dive by the wreck. Nights, I swim in the blue lagoon.
Always used to wonder who I'd bring to a desert island.
Days, I remember cities. Nights, I dream about a perfect place.                                                                  LAURIE ANDERSON

 Friday 13th Sept 2013
The island of Poros relies on tourism and to that extent it is buffered slightly from the economic crisis. Well, at least it is for four months of the year. Some restaurants have told us their season is from 24th May to 22nd September and that's it. That means a lot of them close next week. Many tall, all in one accommodation, restaurant, cafe concerns are closed down already in the Askeli beach holiday strip where we are staying.

The weather is changing, the water is cooling, the days are not as hot and rain is even predicted in a couple of days. We're seeing the season's tail end mix of eastern European, American, Russian, English and Italian tourists under the hotel run beach umbrellas showing off a fascinating range of physiques and plastic surgery in shades of white, crimson and tan.

The ubiquitous Greek pussy cats are here as much as every other place in Greece. Anne, who does not call herself a cat person has taken a shine to one particular moggy who slouches about outside our apartment. She does seem to have a bit of character and a turbo charged purring apparatus. The cat that is.

Greeks manage to pile the family on their scooters all without helmets. I even saw one dad on a scooter, a babe cradled in one arm, the other hand on the throttle while the other kids sat fore and aft of him. The island is refreshingly free of any work place health and safety or litigation concerns or particularly strict rules about anything except flushing toilet paper down the toilet. There's a fuzzy feeling of benign indifference with social cohesion.

Walking down the old town quayside restaurant strip at night is a buzz. There are lots and lots of restaurants, most more empty than full but still lots of people, both tourists and locals. The yachting/luxury launch fraternity keep these restaurants afloat. It's a walk at the boat show to wander home after dinner past them all, backed in, Med mooring style, showing off their interiors. There's still some money in Greece.

Annette and Campbell have headed off on Annecam while the Alleways are still here having repaired their anchor winch. Louise and Caterina visited us and charged up computers while they had a swim and hot showers.

Anne and I, for those that actually read this far, are in a holiday rhythm of swim, saunter, swim. To avoid getting too relaxed I do long distance admin with insurance policy loose ends, blocked credit cards from donating to my neice's charity, over servicing rental agents and other reality checking background events necessary for supporting this seemingly floating existence.

TIP. Click on a pic for the slideshow.

    
THERE IS, OF COURSE, GREAT BEER IN LIFE FOR THOSE WILLING TO TAKE THE JOURNEY
AND YET MORE FOR THOSE WILLING  JOURNEY TAKERS


  













MOONSET, POROS
LOVE A GOOD LED SILICONE CANDLE
STEPPING OFF JANNER FOR ONE LAST DINNER TOGETHER
THE ROMANCE OF TRAVEL
MORE ROMANCE OF TRAVEL
ANCHOVIES BY CANDLE LIGHT
A RED AND A WHITE BOTH COLD GREEK WINES
A BLINDFOLD TASTE. NOTHING ON THE NOSE
ONE SIP OF THE RED AND I CONFIDENTLY DECLARED IT THE WHITE
NOT MUCH BETWEEN SOUTHERN GREECE WINES


GOOD STRAIGHT BACKS RESEARCHING AIRFARES