We got back to Lakki from our northern voyage on Tuesday 21 May. The boat was filthy and we had masses of washing to do so we stayed in Lakki doing repairs, cleaning, washing and catching up with friends. Ray and Carol were still here and came for a drink on Tuesday evening before setting off for Arkhangelos and Lipsi on Wednesday morning. We also caught up with Anna in Lakki marina, where we saw Bob and Lin, who were setting off next day for Turkey. We had dinner aboard, an early night and a long sleep.
On Wednesday Keith and Louise came for a drink and we had dinner with them at Skippers. They had not been able to come from Australia last year, so their motor yacht had been in the yard at Agmar (now Moor and Dock) for almost two years. They had an enormous amount of work to do, painting, varnishing and general maintenance, and their batteries were dead, so they had decided to spend almost three months in the yard working on the boat (and seeing their many friends in Lakki), so that everything would be ready to go next year.
On Thursday we got a taxi over to Xerokampos and had dinner at Aloni with Simon and Christiana. Lefteri was very harassed - the whole taverna was being run by him and his wife, Evelyn, who has a bad back, made worse by an operation over the winter. Their daughters are no longer around and he says that they cannot get staff at the wages they can afford to pay.
On Friday we had lunch at Poppy's with Steve and Nia, who were leaving on Saturday, and in the evening got a taxi to Platanos to have dinner with Jad and Julie at the grill in the square. This was not such a good idea - the mayor was having a rally before the election on Sunday, so there was a massive racket from the ghetto blasters in the town hall, firecrackers and rockets going off and the mayor wandering around kissing and hugging his supporters. This was followed by a long speech from the mayor. All our friends are desperate to get rid of him, but he is a populist, who goes to all the wedding and funerals and hands out largesse to his supporters, who dominate in the smaller villages. (He topped the poll on Sunday, but then faced a run-off with the second candidate, Australian George, who says that he is so rich that he does not need to steal. Our friends cannot decide which is the lesser of two evils).
We had a quiet day on Saturday, doing lots of shopping because most shops would be closed on Sunday, election day, and we intended to leave on Monday morning. On Sunday, May 26th, Lin wanted to go and see Patrick and Margaret in Artemis boatyard in Partheni, at the other end of the island. Patrick and Margaret are flying home, giving up sailing and putting their boat up for sale. The bus was not running on election day, so we decided to cycle via Gourna, which involves getting over two big hills, up most of which Lin got off and walked, so it took us over an hour and a half to get there. Lin had thought she would not be able to get back on the bike, so wanted to take a taxi back, but after a drink with Patrick and Margaret, she decided to give it a go. We took a slightly easier route, via Rakhi, and, despite a lot of pushing up the hills, we got back in good time. For dinner we had a delicious roast leg of Leros lamb, which provided lunch for the next two days as well.
On Monday, May 27th, we set off for Palionisos, on Kalymnos,
and tied up to the inmost white buoy.
Philipe and Concecao, with their dog Scuba, arrived soon after us and we had dinner with them at Pothitos' taverna, Kalidonis. The water was warm, 21.5 degrees, so it was a pleasure to swim at last.
On Tuesday we walked down the rough path to the little cove, where we swam before walking back for lunch.
On the beach a baby goat had lost its mother.
There were hundreds of beautiful little blue butterflies along the path, moving fast, which made them difficult to photograph.
On Wednesday we gathered herbs to dry - Oregano and mountain tea. In the evening Lin went to bed, while Simon went to watch the Europa League final with Philipe and Concecao. We all went home when Chelsea went 3-0 up and Pothitos looked as though he was ready to close up and go to bed.
We had planned to go to Xerokampos on Thursday, May 30, but Lin found that she had chipped a tooth, so we decided to go straight back to the marina in Lakki for her to see the dentist. She went off to the dentist as soon as we arrived and the dentist ground the sharp bit off her tooth, told her that it would be OK until she got home, and did not charge her anything.
On Friday May 31st we cycled over to Pandeli to have dinner with Al and Kitty at El Greco. After the usual excellent meal and a lot of wine, we cycled back towards Lakki. Lin ground to a halt on a short hill, stopped, declared that the bike was not working, and fell over in the middle of the main road, grazing her back and bruising her leg. This probably sobered her up a bit, because the rest of the ride back was uneventful.
On Saturday, June 1st, we did a lot of shopping ready for Lin's brother John's arrival on Monday (the shops would be closed on Sunday for the run-off mayoral election) and had lunch at Poppy's with Keith and Louise. After dinner, Lin went to bed, while Simon went back to Poppy's to watch the Champions' League Final. The match was no better than the Europa League Final, but it was more exciting because closer.
We spent Sunday chilling and doing some final cleaning before John's arrival on Monday morning.
On Wednesday Keith and Louise came for a drink and we had dinner with them at Skippers. They had not been able to come from Australia last year, so their motor yacht had been in the yard at Agmar (now Moor and Dock) for almost two years. They had an enormous amount of work to do, painting, varnishing and general maintenance, and their batteries were dead, so they had decided to spend almost three months in the yard working on the boat (and seeing their many friends in Lakki), so that everything would be ready to go next year.
On Thursday we got a taxi over to Xerokampos and had dinner at Aloni with Simon and Christiana. Lefteri was very harassed - the whole taverna was being run by him and his wife, Evelyn, who has a bad back, made worse by an operation over the winter. Their daughters are no longer around and he says that they cannot get staff at the wages they can afford to pay.
On Friday we had lunch at Poppy's with Steve and Nia, who were leaving on Saturday, and in the evening got a taxi to Platanos to have dinner with Jad and Julie at the grill in the square. This was not such a good idea - the mayor was having a rally before the election on Sunday, so there was a massive racket from the ghetto blasters in the town hall, firecrackers and rockets going off and the mayor wandering around kissing and hugging his supporters. This was followed by a long speech from the mayor. All our friends are desperate to get rid of him, but he is a populist, who goes to all the wedding and funerals and hands out largesse to his supporters, who dominate in the smaller villages. (He topped the poll on Sunday, but then faced a run-off with the second candidate, Australian George, who says that he is so rich that he does not need to steal. Our friends cannot decide which is the lesser of two evils).
We had a quiet day on Saturday, doing lots of shopping because most shops would be closed on Sunday, election day, and we intended to leave on Monday morning. On Sunday, May 26th, Lin wanted to go and see Patrick and Margaret in Artemis boatyard in Partheni, at the other end of the island. Patrick and Margaret are flying home, giving up sailing and putting their boat up for sale. The bus was not running on election day, so we decided to cycle via Gourna, which involves getting over two big hills, up most of which Lin got off and walked, so it took us over an hour and a half to get there. Lin had thought she would not be able to get back on the bike, so wanted to take a taxi back, but after a drink with Patrick and Margaret, she decided to give it a go. We took a slightly easier route, via Rakhi, and, despite a lot of pushing up the hills, we got back in good time. For dinner we had a delicious roast leg of Leros lamb, which provided lunch for the next two days as well.
On Monday, May 27th, we set off for Palionisos, on Kalymnos,
and tied up to the inmost white buoy.
Philipe and Concecao, with their dog Scuba, arrived soon after us and we had dinner with them at Pothitos' taverna, Kalidonis. The water was warm, 21.5 degrees, so it was a pleasure to swim at last.
On Tuesday we walked down the rough path to the little cove, where we swam before walking back for lunch.
On the beach a baby goat had lost its mother.
There were hundreds of beautiful little blue butterflies along the path, moving fast, which made them difficult to photograph.
On Wednesday we gathered herbs to dry - Oregano and mountain tea. In the evening Lin went to bed, while Simon went to watch the Europa League final with Philipe and Concecao. We all went home when Chelsea went 3-0 up and Pothitos looked as though he was ready to close up and go to bed.
We had planned to go to Xerokampos on Thursday, May 30, but Lin found that she had chipped a tooth, so we decided to go straight back to the marina in Lakki for her to see the dentist. She went off to the dentist as soon as we arrived and the dentist ground the sharp bit off her tooth, told her that it would be OK until she got home, and did not charge her anything.
On Friday May 31st we cycled over to Pandeli to have dinner with Al and Kitty at El Greco. After the usual excellent meal and a lot of wine, we cycled back towards Lakki. Lin ground to a halt on a short hill, stopped, declared that the bike was not working, and fell over in the middle of the main road, grazing her back and bruising her leg. This probably sobered her up a bit, because the rest of the ride back was uneventful.
On Saturday, June 1st, we did a lot of shopping ready for Lin's brother John's arrival on Monday (the shops would be closed on Sunday for the run-off mayoral election) and had lunch at Poppy's with Keith and Louise. After dinner, Lin went to bed, while Simon went back to Poppy's to watch the Champions' League Final. The match was no better than the Europa League Final, but it was more exciting because closer.
We spent Sunday chilling and doing some final cleaning before John's arrival on Monday morning.
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