In Panagula - the mountains above Mitikas

---

I finally found a way to download pics from my Sony onto the iPad! So here are some of my pictures from our few days of respite in the mountains before we hit the hard work of getting the boat spic and span and ready for launch!

The farmers work really hard to earn their living. They milk the sheep 3 times a day and the goats twice! This means walking up the mountain several times a day to herd the sheep and goats back to the pen, so they can be milked. And believe me, that mountain is no hill! They also have to cart several tons of water up the mountain for the animals. Once the milking is done they then take the cans to a designated point on the side of the road, where they are then collected by the dairy! Imagine leaving a can of milk on the side of the relse anywhere else in the world! ?

They earn more money for the sheep's milk than the goats'. But luckily the sheep also give a greater yield. We were given a bottle of milk straight from the goat. I was a bit dubious about trying it, but it tasted just like cows milk. And it was delicious! I did wait til it was cold though! And I was pleasantly surprised to learn that goat's milk contains the least fat, then sheep and then cows.

What a fabulous few days in the mountains.

---

Photos

UploadedFile0
Presch and a day or two old piglet! Some of the newborns still had umbilical cords attached! Too cute - bofe of 'em!

UploadedFile2
A drum, a boot and some flowers!

UploadedFile3
Lynne and Jerry's place with the yellowish roof. Church and mountain in the background.

UploadedFile4
Some very sophisticated olive harvesting machinery! ?

UploadedFile5
Lynne and Jerry's place. Pretty much built with their own bare hands - with the help of an Albanian builder! Lynne has learnt Greek in the few years she been living here. Pretty vital if you're building and living in Greece. ?

UploadedFile6
Sheep belonging to the local farmer - Alexy - having a nibble on Lynne's verge!

UploadedFile7
Lynne collecting eggs. Brownie and Fazie (which means pheasant in Greek - she has that colouring) enjoying some dinner.

UploadedFile8
Alexy the farmer very proudly showing us his collection of old sheep and goat bells! Isn't he a character?!

UploadedFile10
How is this for a bell!?

UploadedFile11
Kevin giving his best shot at milking the goat!

UploadedFile4
Young Alexy showing us his strength! Dad and uncle milking the goats in the background.

UploadedFile5
A novel way to store ones bikes!

UploadedFile9
The view over Kalamos and Kastos from Lynne and Jerry's lounge.

UploadedFile10
Dinner out at Marianthi's in Kandela, to celebrate Kevin's birthday. Kevin and Jerry and our specially ordered kokoretsi (offal). Yum yum!?

UploadedFile11
Lynne and one of the locals enjoying bit of Greek dancing.

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Great pictures.
Thanks for posting. Looks like a great trip.

[morag]

Hi Dave and Merry Jo. Thanks for having a look. We are so blessed. The Ionians such a stunning partof the world!

[Kel/Sue]

Awesome
You guys rock -- way to go! Enjoy

[morag]

Thanks for having a look! We are having such fun. And great doing different things too! See ya soon.

[Ali]

Saturday
The mountains look fab such a different life! We enjoying the Giro right now, Robbie Hunter doing well and easy to spot now with the SA flag on his jersey. Met El and T at Chateau Gateaux this morning for a coffee and snack. Gordon playing 36 holes of golf tomorrow so I have a me day in store! I made mousaka for dinner using brinjals from our garden! Keep the posts coming. Tell me your iPad is not the best thing on earth? Love me x