Coff coff coff Coffee Time

After many weeks, maybe months we visited a harbourside coffee shop for a coffee and some people watching.  The weather was  sunny and warm but we sat in the shade as one does here, wrapped up in our jackets.  April is not summer unless you're a visitor from the frozen north. 

Our old haunt, the T-Cafe has been taken over by the younger generation and re-vamped .  It is now the 'Retro' Cafe and is advertised as serving brunch.  Why the Retro cafe I don't know.  I don't know what they're serving for brunch either.  The cafe is now run by the son and daughter-in-law.  K went to school with the Dad who retired in November.  As an  old friend, and very good friend,we always got special service and often special prices here.  Now the Dad is off tending to his olive trees, gardening and tending his land as he has wanted to do for years.  We pay the price which is printed on the menu.  The prices were fine though, especially considering recent inflation.  3.20 euros for a freddo espresso and 2.50 for a double greek coffee. 

But the atmosphere is not the same without the old familiar company.  Old customers have drifted off to other cafes during the 4 months it was closed.  Old customers who came every day but sat for hours over a greek coffee and brought their own 'brunch' with them, as we often did, a sesame roll or a cheese pie.  We won't feel so comfortable bringing our own 'brunch' anymore.  And our company has gone.  It will be interesting to see if this remains a 'K approved' cafe or whether we will move on as well.

The inside of the cafe looks wonderful, light and bright and there seems to be much more room.  No boxes of supplies in the corners and crates of old bottles.  Not yet anyway.  I haven't seen the loos but they were always nice and clean so that won't have changed.  The outside seating area is much the same though they have replaced the chairs and sofas with new ones.  Much like the old.  But now on one side is a wide screen tv.  It's on all day tuned to one of the sports channels.  That's a plus for me.  It's something else to watch when greek mens' conversations get long winded and boring.  Unfortunately it was showing motor racing when we were there.  Yawn.

One thing hasn't changed.  Poros is still safe and we are well known.  We see the price of the coffees, leave the change on the table, stand up and walk off without being chased down the street and accused of not paying.  We often do that here.  No-one will steal the money, hopefully, and the waiter knows that if he sees us leave then the money will be sitting beside the ticket on the table.  It's an old system which is slowly dying out, except perhaps in small villages or an island like ours where we are all known and trusted.

We wouldn't do it in mid-summer mind you.  Far too many shady characters wandering about