Ah…the drachma, clock ticks

OK…..it’s official in my mind.

Let’s be clear, I have been known to make a bet or two, ….mainly on the gee gees.

Ladbrokes are taking bets.

Wait for it….that Greece will revert to the drachma before the year is out, and giving odds of 6 to 4 ON.

It’s a sure thing my friends.

So, get down the bookies and have a punt.

The countdown begins. 6 months to go.

Wish us luck as you wave us goodbye.

Choices, decisions, which way to go?

The people’s choice, there seems to have been a rush on different elections recently. I feel strongly that people should use their vote, however they choose, but to not vote, as a female, seems to me to be a crime against all the suffragettes who fought for the right for women to vote in the early 19th century. Some even gave their lives to the cause.

Everything changes, nothing stays the same.

Greece could be about to ask it’s people to vote again as their first decision didn’t fit the box. Conservatives and Liberals in local UK elections are feeling the voters sway towards Labour, in France too, the frogs are revolting. Decisions as to whether cities have a mayor, only Bristol said yes. London’s people chose Big Boris over Red Ken as their mayor, and I feel sure that the turn out of voters would have been enormous if a general election had been called to decide the England football manager.

Initially unsure as I had little knowledge of him, I’m now backing Roy Hodgson. Maybe the people’s choice, Harry Redknapp bless him, did a great job at family favoured West Ham, does a great job at all the football teams he manages, but Roy has the experience of managing national sides and will be a quiet but steady influence. A welcome change to the hugely inflated egos of football personalities.

And do football supporters have the right to influence whether a manager stays or goes following defeat? There can only be one winner of a championship, and if a team is relegated another team is promoted. That’s how it goes.

Beat that! Latest news in Pelekas!

OK, so for those sparky loyal followers – the subject, at the minute, is the delicate firefly.

It’s a sure sign of Spring, after the recent and current chill, great news. Bring it on.

Amazingly, first seen 5 minutes ago in Pelekas.

A very welcome and sweet firefly on the roadside up past Jimmy’s taverna.

Hurrah!

Now, how’s that for an early surprise……beat that!

Friday 13th

Only just realising today’s date, thought I’d check why some folk might be in irrational fear for these 24 hours and it’s all a bit odd, ha.

In 2012 there will be 3 of these dates, wierdly 13 weeks apart. Spooky eh?

There are a variety of apparent connections with roots in religion and politics. One powerful masonic reference is to the fascinating Knights Templar, 100s of them were arrested in France on Friday 13 October 1307 falsely charged with heresy, immorality and abuses, very topically Jesus is said to have died on a Friday, legend also says that if 13 people sit at a table to dine, one will die within the year.

In Greece and Spain the date of fear is Tuesday 13th. Wedding couples used to feel so relieved that I never organised Corfu marriages on a Friday, but were unaware of the look of fear on locals when ceremony dates fell on Tuesday 13th.  Ignorance is bliss.

LONDINO 2012, 121 days to go!

Cor blimey! Where is this year going? It’s nearly the end of March, a quarter of the year has just vanished…and only 121 days ’til London Olympics.

Before then, the swallows have to arrive, then the start of friends arriving, we have to squeeze in Easter, Big Week and Orthodox Easter including the Grand National, May Day, then tour operator repettes and start of the summer season in Corfu, the subsequent charter flights, then the arrival of the fire flies, Ol’ queenie’s diamond jubilee, the wonderful tennis, boat race, it just comes and it comes!

Phew, fantastic!

Best enjoy it all, before we raise the union jack to support and cheer our British Athletes!  Good luck to them all in their Olympic quests.

We’ll be watching the big screens, not in the luxury of a superyacht at Canary or Swan Wharf, more likely in the company of friends either at the Hawaii pool bar or down at Spyros taverna on Pelekas beach, so much cooler and relaxed! See you there!

 

 

 

Mr Blue Sky

The Corfu sky is a totally different blue to the paler Indian version, it’s a beautiful, clear, deep colour. Easter comes first I know, but gathering flowers for a May 1st wreath is a delight. Finding a field of cornflowers one Corfiot spring, is a lovely memory of the wonderful nature of this island.

Blue hues are quite a spring colour here; tiny grape hyacinth; delicate honesty; sweet violets; scented rosemary; soft mallow & bristley borage.

Cornflowers are my favourite, the blue gems featured in my glorious wedding bouquet. Nick’s been reminding me…19 years ago! Tempus fugit.

More tea vicar?

Mornings start best with a lovely cup of tea. Being in India, the world’s largest tea drinking nation, the states of Darjeeling, Assam are not far away. Afternoons are complete with a delicious, refreshing masala chai, tea infused with aromatic spices, cardamom, cinnamon even black pepper.

In the run up to today’s important state election in Goa, the authorities have enforced very strict measures to avoid civil unrest and maintain local peace, as in Greece, the subject of politics can raise the blood. It feels like a curfew at night, shops, bars and restaurants have closed early at 10 and, wait for it….a total ban on alcohol started on Thursday.

Being totally oblivious to this, as the sun set we naively set off on our bikes to our favourite eaterie, Pedro’s for pre dinner drinks and a game of Scrabble. We find that whisky & soda is a perfect accompaniment to curry.

Ashok, a characterful Nepali, who is almost our personal waiter there, and in my opinion I see him as our protective Nepalese ghurka, saw us pull up on our trusty steeds. Like all good waiters he knows our ways and always serves our drinks quickly. This night, he came up to us and whispered the problem he faced regarding the alcohol ban. Naturally, we were somewhat thrown and rather dismayed. However, he said that he would try to find a solution and after speaking to the proprieter Thomas, Ashok then appeared with a heavy tray carrying china cups and saucers, sugar bowl, spoons and tea pot. Not quite sure what was going on initially, he lifted the tea pot lid to reveal what looked like iced tea, that ‘water of life’ iced tea! With my Scot’s Hebridean heritage and adoration of the old Ealing film “Whisky Galore”, I had to chuckle. “Oh Captain Waggett, there can’t be a ceilidh without whisky!” Oor proud ghurka would have made a “braw chookter”.