On advice from her Podiatrist in Sydney, Sal headed for London and got it all sorted within a week. Well, sorted in that she now has the wherewithal to continue our adventure and hopefully eventually fix what is apparently a common ailment 'at this age' a Ruptured Plantar Plate.
She had a quiet time in London... a little shopping, three west end shows, some cheap eats.....You know, keeping it all in perspective.....
'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red'
These are individual ceramic poppies, one for every British life lost in the First World War. That is 888,246 ceramic poppies! Each one hand made planted or placed by volunteers, the last one to be put in place on the 11th of the 11th at 11:00am
Probably worth a Google if you get the chance.
But I digress....Sal made it back in 6 days. Enough time for me to get thoroughly sick of Cretan music at 2:00am!
The kids were able to get thoroughly sick on Willy Wonker chocolate and all sorts of goodies to make them genuinely happy to see Mum home.
I got two pairs of jocks.....
At 12:00 on the 11th August we cast off and motored to Rethymnon. It is different, but not dissimilar in character to Chania. It has a substantial new port large enough to accommodate huge car ferries but it was built specifically to take advantage of the growing number of cruise ships plying the Med. Unfortunately they haven't seen a cruise ship here in two years. This is surprising because it is a far more interesting town and a gateway to more interesting sights than the ports we have seen cruise ships docked. Word is, it's political?
We managed to go alongside in a space reserved for 'big boats'. At 44 feet we don't fall into that category, but we were pleased to be permitted because it is so much easier. No anchors, no reversing, just straight in, tie up, connect up and you're done.
Sunset/cocktail hour from the helm. Another place, another breathtaking view and as always that ever present question... "how can this be"
Deep in the back of the new harbours, tucked up into the bib of the old town is the ancient Venetian harbour. So quaint. A tiny bay surrounded by restaurants with tables to the water's edge. Small fishing craft nosed in cheek by jowl around the perimeter to add to the genuine feel of the place and so much sea food on display.
Lobsters, Atlantic prawns (Mozambican I would have said), Sea Bass, Snapper, bugs and bream...
We were joined by our dear friend Kerry Stern who just happened to be touring in Italy and thought 'what the hell'. Here dining in one of those aforementioned restaurants on some of those aforementioned sea creatures.Kerry had arrived the night before this and as always provided the excuse for us to go a little overboard... literally. After giving the Greek wine makers a fair shake, Sal had gone to bed, defeated. I was not far behind and I left Kerry to a last fag and a tidy up.
Just dozing off I hear this plaintive "Help me... Help, help, help"
Champaigne corked myself out of the depths and onto the deck to find Kerry in the water between the boat and the wharf! She had decided to get rid of the garbage and didn't make the gap.
This is that gap... I measured it, it was 35cm wide!
How she didn't smack her head on the boat or the dock on the way down remains a mystery, but had she done so, Sally and I would not have heard a thing. I would have been making a rather unfortunate phone call to Andy back in Sydney the next morning. Never mind the substantial pile of paperwork I'd be dealing with right now!
As you see, she survived fully intact. Here I'd left them to finish off the last drops of wine at the restaurant before coming straight home, both accepting that after the previous evening it was home to bed for an early one..... yeah!This is some hours and several Raki's later. Will they ever learn?
Wow great stories & glad Kerry is ok too xxx
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