Kastelakia 1

Zena II Warrior Princess

We arrived here in Rethymno at 6.30am at the end of the long journey.  The bus ride was ok and we were deposited in the centre of Athens at nearly 9.00pm after 12 hours, eventually found the hostel, a very nice taxi driver said it was too close to drive, only if you know where it is!  We had half a day looking around the next morning, after breakfast, or a coffee, with a nice Kiwi couple – similar age to us doing ‘The World’ the other way round. 

Athens was cool, definitely worth another look, after Mark & Raewyn have gone back to Oz.  Caught the overnight ferry to Chania or Hania and after little sleep fell on the quayside, 5.30am, and onto a bus to Rethymno.

Dragonflies

Little Red Rooster

So for the next three weeks (we have already been here a week!!) this caravan is our new home.  Our home is on an Eco park, we can here the frogs calling as I write this. 

 

In the Snake Pit

Sewing Lady II

Our day starts at 7.30am when we feed the rabbits, chickens (two eggs a day), Iguanas, chameleons and the white mice, the mice are dinner for the cretin snakes and the rabbits and small chickens are dinner for the pythons and boa constrictors some of whom only eat twice a year.  So as you know rabbits breed like rabbits so there are more than enough to go round, in fact they could be human fodder before the snakes get out of bed.

The Flopsy Bunnies

Cocktodoo and his harem

Moving On

Waiting for a coffee

 

After helping Jeni and Jordi to get a little closer to domestic and married bliss we were ready for a short break.  Veliko Tarnovo really hit the spot.  Hostel Mostel, is the best and the city is just the right size to get to know in a short time.   We spent 3 days there walking around the city and the best, a walk up into the hills and visited Abanasi.  Up through the trees and onto the limestone upland, hot, smells of flowers, wild herbs and the green growing of spring.  Lizards, a snake, red squirrels, lots of insects.  The flowers were numerous and we found lots we didn’t know, 3 types of orchid for instance.

Turkish Merchants House

Abansi is an upland village that has found fame – very commercialised but we visited an old house built by a Turkish trader at the time of the Ottoman empire, very interesting.  Then a very old church completely painted on the inside with old depictions of the life of Christ.

Orchid

Tsaravets Fortress Veliko Tarnovo

Everything here is 6 Leva (app £2.80) entrance, houses, churches, castles and exhibitions, anyone would think it was state controlled!!

Inside the fortress

The Old High Street

In need of TLC

Now we are sad and excited,  sad at leaving Bulgaria where we have had the most fantastic time, excited to start something new – a 12 hour bus ride to Athens then an overnight ferry crossing to Crete, we’ll keep you posted.

Palamartsa 3

Jordi & Jeni

Our time here in Palamartsa has been used in helping our hosts, Jeni and Jordi.  Megan has been making dresses for their wedding in July.  She has made one  bridesmaid’s dress, one for the maid of honour, and one for Viv, Jeni’s mum.

Sewing Lady

Whilst Meg has been sewing, I have been mostly decorating, but when the weather has been good I have done some work in the garden.

Painter man

 

Leo

The two J’s are involved in buying, selling and renovating the houses here in Palamartsa.  Jeni has contact with the local people here who want to sell, usually the houses are very run down and been in the family and when the older generation die, the younger decide to sell.  You can buy a house for less than £10K with land for a veg garden and outbuildings for chickens etc. Jordi is a plumber and electrician and works with the local tradesmen to improve the houses, which are bought by mostly Brits.  The two of them work In the local economy and think in Lev rather than Pounds or Euros.  In comparison to the UK things are generally cheaper, but working and being paid at local rates evens it all out.

Louis

They are so busy their ‘helpers’ from Helpx improve their home and help them function from day to day.  Whilst we have been here we have seen the culmination of helpers’ efforts by painting and moving them upstairs into their own bedroom leaving the downstairs room as a sitting room.

Dresses for the wedding

Mau

Ava

Zena (warrior princess)

          

                         

Here is a link to the houses for sale in Palamartsa -

https://picasaweb.google.com/lioappletree