Thursday 4 May 2017

It's summer time and the weather is fine

Summer  arrived today, at 1.00 this midday.

I drove down the mountain wearing only a thin jacket.  Sunglasses were absolutely necessary. What made it conclusive was a rendezvous with friends at a seaside taverna.  And the taverna was open. And so was the one next door.  And the bar on the other side. The beach was full of sunbeds, if not sunbathers.  There may have even been a tourist shivering in the sea.

Time for a long  lunch with greek salads, local wine and cold beer.  And later siesta.  Well, it was true about the siesta.  I didn't dine with my friends because K back home had already whipped up one of his specialities with fresh fish. 




Panorama Taverna, actually it is called a 'restaurant',  right on the beach at Askeli Bay, the main tourist haunt of the island but also home to a lot of the natives.  My english friends have an awesome house there, up a very steep hill to be sure but with the most magnificent  panoramic views of the bay below, mountains and the deep blue sea 




All ready and waiting for an invasion of tourists, Greek and foreign


This shows it's location, the sea and sunbeds just a wobble away after a long lunch


The tall and cheerful waiter Vangelis.  I have known him since he was in Primary school.  He has grown somewhat in the last 17 years and his english is excellent




Some of the gang have arrived and are ready to order their greek salads and moussaka.  Welcome back Steve and Judy.



WE however are eating fresh fish stewed with tomatoes and potatoes and lots of boiled cauliflower.  Don't wrinkle your nose.  Steamed cauliflower or broccoli go perfectly with any sort of fish.

Vagionia..........
for Kirrie



Meanwhile, back in Our bay, tall grandson beats an octopus on the rocks so it is tender enough for a quick turn on the grill



Our local, Vagionia Bay, is open and this last long weekend was full of holidaying Greeks.  This was the May Day long weekend.  5th June is yet another long weekend.  This one called Agio Pnevmatos in Greek.   The feast of the Holy Spirit I think in english.  40 days after Easter.

May to October.  Sunshine and heat.  Crowds. Warm seas and watermelon.  Mosquitoes and flies.   I CAN do this. Again.




25 comments:

  1. Looks wonderful. Lovely day here too yesterday.

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  2. It was a wonderful warm summers day, one which invites you to sit out with a glass of wine and sigh with pleasure. Wish they were all like this in the summer

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  3. Sounds like bliss to me!
    Might have to come back to the homeland for another holiday me thinks lol

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    Replies
    1. You live in a paradise too....we'll have to do a house exchange lol

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  4. Sounds just lovely Linda!Love the photos! xoxo

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    1. At this time of the year it is perfect. Warm weather. People have time to chat. No crowds. Wish it was this way all summer

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  5. Oh ye gods and little fishes as you say.
    I am on that deck chair!. It is mine, mine mine!.
    Such a beautiful place!.
    It was me swimming in the sea!.
    Don,t need a book or music, just being looking at that view is heaven!.
    Thank you!.xx

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    1. Sea is still freezing but a book and a coffee on the beach ....wonderful

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  6. Arrived on a moped with bread ,cheese, tomatoes, plastic bottle of wine and a huge watermelon. Nothing else needed!.
    The beach is mine!. No one will get a deck chair next to me as I will say loudly l,m your new best friend ,laugh like a witch n pass wind😂.

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    1. Huh in a couple f months you might not find a deck chair or a piece of beach to yourself

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    2. Ah but no one wants to sit next to someone who appears anti social or unwell, so beach is mine. Perfected this on the bus to work. Muttering flu and handful of hankies works!.I,m bad.!.

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  7. Oh how I wish I was one of those annoying tourists right now! I would love to sit outside at that restaurant and look out at the water and have some wine and wonderful food. -Jenn

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    1. Mmmm sitting in that taverna yesterday would indeed have been wonderful!!

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  8. Can I steal the Vagionia deckchair photo?. I would like to take it to the photo shop and get it put on canvas n hang it in my bedroom.x

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  9. Heavens, it's yours. Dream on

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  10. Agio Pnevmatos is Corpus Christi here, body and blood of Christ celebration of the Eucharist, and Christ in bread and wine. We used to get the day off school from my convent but I think it has now been moved so that it is always on the nearest Sunday to 40 days after Easter, so no days off for the Catholic children any more.

    I hope the restaurants get lots of tourists.

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    1. The island will be full for sure because the weather will be even warmer. It will be a good injection of money for the locals. Time for a few months of hard work here!

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    2. PS thanks for the explanation. Even with Google sometimes I'm not exactly sure about these church holidays.

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  11. Every thing looks so beautiful,to live on a greek island looks like a dream to me.(i know life is not always easy, every where, so if we have to live somewhere, a greek island is one of the best choices.)

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    1. It is certainly peaceful and the weather is pretty good. As long as you have enough money it is a good life. We have nothing to complain about!!

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  12. We watched an episode of the Durrells on Sunday night and thought of you. That house is to die for. Super blog pictures!

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    1. We love it too and are enjoying the second series.

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    2. I love the Durrell's. Totally different from the book. The characters seemed too different in the beginning and I was prepared not to like it but I enjoy it for what it is..... A funny enjoyable adventure of foreigners in Greece...and forget the book.

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