Wednesday 30 October 2019

It's New to Me

When visitors come to town they frequent places, tavernas,beaches
that for one reason or another are not on our list of  where to stay or eat, probably because none of our friends go there or the family that runs the place isn't our family

They do things differently, experience the island in their way, not ours.  It's always interesting to visit with them and try, usually not successfully, to answer their questions.

Why does the island have so many eucalyptus trees.  Those gum trees are native to Australia, not Greece.
Well. Wolf, first of all the name is from the Greek 'kalytpo' meaning 'to cover', secondly 'I don't know why the hell they're here'!  Which is what I said at the time.  Even google didn't help.  
Obviously they love the environment.  Poros has dozens along the sides of the roads and when they're trimmed every few years there's a fight for the wood.  They are terrific for burning on a wood stove.

Another question I remember (not from this lot) was 'do you still have to put used toilet paper into a bin and not down the loo?'
Yes.  Our plumbing gets clogged up by toilet paper and it's a 'hands-on' job to clear the damn drains.  Don't do it.  Though in the big modern hotels they must have sorted their plumbing by now.



The entrance to 'Anasa' beach.  A shallow sandy beach perfect for Mums who can let their kids dig in the sand, wade through the sea.  There are no waves and no sharks and the canteen has iced coffee, beer and even a greek salad




You can order an omelette for breakfast at our favourite 'Green chairs' cafe.  Not something we would ever order.  If we want something to eat with our coffee we bring our own cheese pies or pop across to the big supermarket (which looks like a mini market to out-of-towners) and buy a sesame bread ring.  The only thing we would ever eat there would be a plate of nibbles (meze) to go with an ouzo or raki


Roof terrace at sundown.  Haven't done that for months.  Didn't go up there all summer.  Too much hassle hauling all the food and drink up the spiral staircase and then hauling it all down again at the end.  Takes a visit from family to get poor Elli and Kyriakos up there finding cushions, seeing if the fridge works (can't have warm beer and the deadly sangria definitely needs ice), sweeping up a years detritus.  It was more than worth it, magical for first timers, watching the sunset and all the activity in the harbour and the old town below
  


Niki's village
It has been many many years since I went in here.
Just luvly.  It was full of German tourists having their breakfast around the pool and to our amusement there was a group of germans learning greek from a woman who spoke to them in english.  They were doing very well
Our own Niki stayed here.  It's not far from beaches and town, there is a bike hire shop virtually next door and in the summer there are 3 tavernas just a hop and a skip away.  The sea is right there in front of the hotel, not for swimming but idyllic to sit on your balcony and watch the fishing boats putt-putting out in the early morning and evening and just watch the activity (of the germans) below




Saga Hotel
I haven't been in here for donkeys years either.  It's in  back street, very close to the beaches, town and tavernas.  The family that run it are extremely friendly, always on hand.  Breakfast around the pool under the bougainvillia, whatever you need provided with a smile

Both these hotels have not been on our list of places to recommend to visitors but they'll be top of the list now. 


This is a view of our main back-drag in the centre of town.
I haven't been down here for a while obviously because all sorts of shops seem to have opened and there is a laundry, craft shop, clothes shops, electrical shop, scrummy bakery and the fish and meat market are on one side.  Oh, there's a great taverna with local food as well.
Used to be only tourist shops and then over the economic crisis years most shops closed up.  It's full of life now.  A sign of more prosperity, at long last!  There is even a municipal lending library for tourists!  Well done Poros


So, that's just a short photo trip
Till next time

16 comments:

  1. It’s good sometimes to do the tourist thing in your own back yard. It’s amazing the things you find
    A new appreciation of where you live for one.
    It looks beautiful

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    1. I have no problem with staying and seeing the old and the new!

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  2. You live in an amazing place, and it's true that guests make you see the place a little differently sometimes.

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  3. I know exactly what you mean. Same around here.

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    1. Nice to hear other people's ideas on the place and see it yourself!

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  4. Another one here agreeing with all that's said. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes is all that's needed to open our own:)

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  5. Looks like so many things to see and do here, I think it's good to have visitors trying to learn the local language. Here in NZ there are many people wanting to learn te reo (maori), it's important to learn the language as well as the culture.

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    1. These kiwis, and all that visit amaze me with sounds to me like proper pronunciation of Maori place names and language. I'm still the old school who grew up chewing up Maori words

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  6. I love that last photo with the big pots etc. It's how I imagine all Greek towns and villages to be.

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    1. Now and again I take a decent photo. This is how the islands should look!

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  7. Fun tour!!!!

    Have a Happy Halloween and Blessed Samhain.... If you do such things, on your island.

    Doubt it, the Old Church would "get its panties in a twist'! -grin-

    ๐Ÿ˜Š ๐Ÿ˜Š ๐Ÿ˜Š ๐Ÿ˜Š

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    1. They have plenty of other days to commemorate the dead....and plenty of other festivities!!!!
      Have a happy one yourself!!!

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