We had a very nice weekend thank you, not that I much like the word, ‘nice,’ but you know what I mean. “You’re not good, you’re not bad, you’re just nice…” (‘Into the Woods’). We went into the valley, the Pedi Valley, with the family and friends and had a fabulous walk and explore, taking in the ancient fortification Drakos, Pedi, and later, lunch at Niki’s Kitchen. I’ll drop in more photos during the week, but here are a few from yesterday and one of just now.
Our walk started when we all met at Kampos and set off up the hill, dropping down to the left just past the famous Mediterranean oak tree. As we have had no rain to speak of since… May(?, I can’t remember) the ground, grass and scenery is very ochre in colour, with some trees still sporting greenery and others in the autumnal colours of red/brown. Grasses are spindly and have lost their flowers, and the ground is hard underfoot. Overhead, we have a collection of migrating and resident birds including ravens, warblers, and various hawks. We have a couple of robins in front of the house who always turn up at this time of year.
The company was lovely, of course, with some keen jokers among us, a teen interested in shotgun cartridges as well as history, an older brother interested in the plants and wildlife, and some middle-aged people interested in the archaeology, everything else, and the next beer stop. That happened when we reached Pedi and called into Kamaris where Neil went inside to use the loo, and where the owner came out to explain to the rest of us that they were actually closed, oops. So, we had a drink at the Blue Corner and then walked up to have lunch outside the Junior School at Niki’s Kitchen. This included a huge plate of pork reared and slaughtered locally, and served by family. A classic, Sunday afternoon in Greece home-cooked lunch, followed by too much wine with the squares in the bar, I mean at the bars in the square.
And so, a new week begins with writing work, a piano lesson and a quiet night in. I hope.
