On the Cheap

The Navy school on Poros is where K actually did go to school, at age 13, and then he served quite a few years here towards the end of his service.  During the year it has conscripts for the few weeks of their first training and during the hottest summer months naval personnel or retirees from elsewhere can apply to spend 10 days on holiday.  There is a nicely set-up beach with lifeguard, childrens' playground and cinema, cafeteria and canteen.

We are allowed to us these facilities too.  The canteen food is simple greek, self-service and clean-up and very, very cheap. 

We go down in the evening to eat and drink for just 11 euros.  That's with souvlaki and all the trimmings, a litre of wine and a couple of tins of plain soda so I can 'water' my wine down, making it into a spritzer.

Last night we took some of the grandchildren down to eat.  Four teenagers.  We had pork and chicken souvlakis (meat grilled on a skewer), kebab (which is a sort of meatball grilled on a skewer) lots of tzatziki, fried potatoes, pitta bread, greek salads and ice-cream to finish off.  Plus bottles of water, soft drinks and wine for us.  It cost us 35 euros.  A meal which would have cost over 100 at an ordinary taverna.

A table right beside the sea

The canteen.  A lot of the work on this canteen, especially the lighting and wiring was done by K when he was on active duty and Officer in charge of electrical 'doings' at the base.  A few years ago now

He still knows, of course, all the personnel here.  The officers.  Young conscripts come and go

We will be sitting at one of these beach side tables in a few days watching  the full moon shine  over the water.  

Grandaughter Poppi

Grandson Jamie

And Luli with the remains of the meal in front of her.  Most of the plates and glasses are recyclable.  All of it gets folded up in the paper tablecloth and disposed of in the bin by the bar.  Self service from start to finish

We count our blessings to have this place to eat at in the evening, when it is too hot to cook. They do lunch as well. The rest of the island is overcrowded just now, traffic jams, nowhere to park and the cheapest taverna meal is 20 euros a head