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Published: December 11th 2011
Second Travel Blog
Tuesday 6
th Dec
Today is Nicholas’ Name Day. Name days are more important than birthdays here in Greece and you celebrate the Name of the Saint you were named after. For those people with a name not belonging to a saint, such as Elizavet, there is a specific day during the year where all those people celebrate their “name” day.
On 7
th Dec we went into Salonika to visit Michael’s cousin. We had to catch 3 buses; the public buses, although the prices have gone up, are still very affordable for us, but perhaps not for people here out of work. The 90 Euro cents ticket could also buy a litre of milk or a loaf of bread. There were also two bus ticket inspectors who got on the bus to check our tickets. Ours was fine, but they nabbed two people and Michael said a whole lot of people got off at the next available stop, as obviously they did not have a valid ticket. I think the fine is 30 Euros for not having a valid ticket.
Wed 8
th It rained most of the day and Mama used the washing machine-
wrong day to try and get clothes dry-the house looks like a Chinese laundry with the heater going and clothes drying. I had a little rest in the afternoon, as it was just that sort of a day. We went for a walk after tea, as we had not been out of the house today. It was quite windy walking next to the beach. Many beach side restaurants were opened, but not many takers. Usually very quiet in winter, but even more so in these economic times.
Thursday 9
th Dec
The water in the bucket near the chook shed had shards of ice in it, so must have been quite cold overnight. I put the wheat heat pack in the oil heater oven and forgot about it till I could smell smoke and it had blackened one end and was just about to catch on fire. So the little oil heater can really throw out some heat. I read on the computer that many Greeks are viewing oil heater use to be a luxury- costing about 1 Euro a litre, but next year it will get parity with diesel fuel, so will rise to 1.50 Euro. A lot
of families have gone back to wood as a heating fuel. There are quite a few wood merchants around here in Pereas. There is an electric whipper snipper machine here at Mama’s, but no power at the nearby vacant block that she also owns. Very overgrown. Went on the bus to a big hardware store about half an hour away this morning to buy a petrol driven whipper shipper We also bought it, a petrol can, two metal whipper snipper blades, ear muffs, eye protection and leather gloves, plus some other few random items for the workshop. So doing our bit for the Greek economy. Stayed there at the block doing some clearing for about 1 hour after lunch before the wind picked up and the machine must get overheated and so did not want to start again after it had been refuelled.
Friday 10
th Dec
Went to the Nea Epivates street market this morning. Michael did not have his big stick and those 3 dogs enroute always like to annoy him by barking and showing their teeth.
6C at 8.30pm when I put the thermometer outside. But getting up to about 16C during
the day. In the afternoon we had another session cutting the grass up at the block.
The garden hose in the bucket of water had frozen water around it this morning, so a bit of a frost and pretty cold.
We bought a new 5 litre fuel container for the whipper snipper use and put 5.8 litres in it- 9 Euros. 1.56 Euro a litre-fuel has a 23 percent GST; food has 13 percent GST.
So Australians should not complain about the cost of petrol.
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Valerie Mayer
non-member comment
Wonderful!
What a wonderful picture of life you are painting here, Gwen. All good wishes to you and Michael and your family as you travel, work and celebrate with your loved ones. Happy Christmas and all the best for 2012. Love, Valerie