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Paros Shepherd Newsletter for November 02Published 10 Novenber 02 To get current issues please subscribe by sending an email with Subscribe as subject.
Hello (Yassou!) from Paros......
October has brought some nice things:
Picking sage on my walks. These bouquets are hung
upside down in various rooms, making for delightful aromas upon
entering...Passing fields on my way into Pariokia where baby goats frolic
- tinkling bells accompany their playful antics....Going to a beach
taverna for a quiet ouzo and book read and having the local dog choose to
lay at my feet rather than join his doggie friends for a beach
run.....Canaries passing time by singing their hearts out....and finally the
Beautiful cats of Paros...found everywhere in most tavernas, busy primping and
keeping a watchful eye for tidbits dropped to the pavement.
Yesterday (Sunday) Michael and I went for an afternoon
walk out to the end of a peninsula on a very rocky beach. It was quite
windy and wild, with clouds flitting across the sky. While on the
walk we watched a father and his son beating octopus on the rocks in order to
tenderise them (a typical scene), and some other children playing along the
seashore. On our way back we cut across the peninsula on flat ground,
through various fields crossed with stone fences. In these fields were
many trees for children to play and climb in, as well as lots of free
space to run. We made the comment how safe children are here on
Paros...they can roam for miles without any fears. They can be free
the way children should be. We have some Israeli friends who moved here
for that reason alone. It made us wish all children in the world could
know such a life, and their parents could relax as well.
On that same walk home, we stopped for a thirst quenching ouzo
in Aliki. While we were relaxing, a bright red helicopter flew overhead,
circling quite low over the taverna and beach. Then he flew to the beach
next to this one (around the corner) where there is a nice flat hard packed
dirt parking area and landed. We wondered what was up, as it seemed to
be an emergency helicopter. Then in about 3 minutes an official looking
man in uniform walked up and asked a question, laughed and then a couple more
came. It appeared they wanted nothing more than lunch! They
cruised low, looked around, saw people sitting at the taverna, and came to see
if they were serving food! How about that? Nice to choose this
island, or that island, huh? Whatever is open and appeals! That
simple, even for helicopters!
One day last week, when out on my scooter, I noticed that
we are really not alone out in the middle of this big blue Aegean Sea!
During the summer months when the humidity is high, we do not see so far out
to sea...but on clear autumn/winter days when the humidity is considerably
low, viola! There was the island of Ios, just a hop and a skip away!
And Santorini, a slightly bigger leap! I could almost see
houses on Tinos, and saw actual mountains on Mykonos! How utterly
amazing and reassuring to see the other islands. Of course the two-times-a-day
airplane arrivals here in Aliki should remind me that there is a world out
there...but still.....
We are very slow at the moment....in fact we are probably the only
ones open for business in Aliki! And that is because we live
here....in the building...so naturally we want to continue taking guests.
Being novices to this business, we have been brainstorming and come up with
these ideas to entice customers to Paros. Michael has included more
details at the end of this newsletter.
Come to Paros in November and December for olive picking.
Stay with us, and we will introduce you to a nearby farmer who will teach you
the art of transforming olives on the trees into bottles of
pure fresh olive oil! He will show you how this is done by
"raking" the olives in the trees on to a sheet spread below.
Then you take the olives to a local family run olive press where you see
the ancient technique of crushing the olives in a press and gossip with
some old Greek gentlemen while waiting. It is quite a fine
thing to walk in with a container of olives and walk out with a bottle of
first class olive oil! Note: We even supply you with
personalised labels and bottles...(from the Paros wine you
drink/or the ones that we have already drunk for you and
saved). How is that for recycling?
Another idea is to have a Christmas Singles Gathering. Many
people would like to experience the holidays without the hype of
commercialism, have a need to relax, and/or are alone during this holiday.
Christmas in Greece is different than the States and most of northern
Europe. Those interested in particulars can check out these links:
We have many ideas to make a week's stay fun for you by
tying these Greek customs with our home country traditions.
Since the weather could go one way or the other, we
would have videos, games, puzzles, and books. Also perhaps learning to
make Greek pastries in our big kitchen, or just plain Greek meals.
Christmas Day dinner would be a special menu while other meals would be
shared--like family! For the good weather days: a walk around
the peninsula on a path by the sea...with a thermos of coffee or ouzo!
Picnic lunches...scooter rides on sunny days to explore. I hear it MIGHT
be nice enough to take a swim...so I guess that should be on the list of
possibilities!!??
Another idea that we are putting out on the internet is looking
for compatible couples to share the building in the winter and spring when we
are otherwise empty. This would be on a cost only basis and would most
likely appeal to retired people. Do you know any adventuresome souls?
I strongly suggest springtime for photographers and
painters because of the flowers and intense colour. Michael is putting
together a plein air painting class (for next year) with a US painter.
Anyway, we must challenge ourselves with ideas...and so we are.
By the way, if YOU have any ideas please pass them on. We want to give
people what THEY want...and hearing from others what they think is the
best avenue to success.
Now for the local news and gossip! Weather wise...it is
still fabulous. Michael took (what he claims) is probably his last
swim...on October 31. Actually the water is still 21 C (68 F) however
if there is a breeze it feels cooler. For the record, we did swim all of
October. The weather reports for this week are forecasting thunderstorms
that will bring yet more changes.. but for today - it continues to be very nice.
It is a bit chilly in the morning when we get up, but then we sleep with only
the shutters closed, with the windows wide open. By 10:00 AM it is hot
on our balcony....that lasts until around 4:00 PM when the sun starts to go
down behind the hills. We are experiencing nights at about 15 C (58
F) degrees and days about 24 C (69 - 70 F)! Not bad for November
4th!
On a scooter ride a few days ago, we saw that the
hillsides and valleys are becoming very green, so that combined with the
stone walls going up and down the mountainsides, we feel like we were back in
Ireland. (Until we read their weather!) Also lots of
heather, (not tall busy heather like in Ireland), but short and hearty,
being more adapted to Greek soil. It was blooming all over the
lower hills and roadside making an extensive purple carpet. Even
our little garden outside our balcony is fully in bloom: red, blue, pink
flowers making a mixed bouquet without having to pick them. Although I
did cut 3 beautiful roses for the table this morning. One lone lemon on
the lemon tree is still green, perhaps he does not know what he is suppose to
do...so he does nothing. I can relate to that! I am waiting for
another rainstorm (promised for tomorrow) to pull the ton of weeds that seem
to have popped up in these last few weeks. Did I ever mention that I
made a Celtic circle out of white stones Michael and I carried up from the
beach? It is right in the centre of our garden and looks very nice when
looking over the top railing upstairs. But now the weeds are starting to
hide it.
Construction noise is booming all around us at the
moment.....new buildings in various stages from just starting to finally
finishing. A digger has been pounding our brains out these past few
weeks as he digs up an entire field of rocks. Now they are finished and
by the looks of it, another house will be going up. Everyone, it seems, is
out on their site doing something. Another pillar and arch here, new
doors or floors there, etc. One thing about building here: there are
no bank loans for this, therefore people have to do it in stages, as the money
comes in. That is the reason so many construction sites are all in
different stages. It would appear then that autumn is the time to
work on these sites, because they now have their summer incomes available
to do a bit more work. (I personally like that idea...the downside is that it
takes forever, but the plus side is no one goes into financial debt). I
admire their infinite patience to complete a project. Now
we know the reason they party for days when it is finished! I would
too!
I will close with the Greek word for good-bye,
Andio,
Karin
(Please note that as of November 3 2002, all Greece
numbers have added a 2 in the front of the old number.)
So our number from outside Greece is now
+30-22840-91323. From inside: 22840-91323
Now for those of you who would enjoy helping us with marketing
the ideas Karin has mentioned in her letter. I will include brief
descriptions we have used elsewhere on the internet. The best form of
advertising, however, is word of mouth. So please talk to your friends
and colleagues about the joys of Paros. We have also found little
notices on cork boards at work or the coffee shop have produced good results.
Any help in spreading the word is most appreciated by us.
PRESS YOUR OWN OLIVE OIL
Greek Olive Oil has been called the Elixir of
Life
Now --during November and December-- you can
harvest and press your own. . .
On the fantastic isle of Paros, Michael & Karin Shepherd of
Aliki Pension have arranged with local farmers to help harvest their olives in
exchange for half of the first pressing.
You can share the experience with
us and supervise your own olives, your pressing
and your bottling--then print your
own label!
All while experiencing our village and island in the usually
delightful weather of November and December. Our guesthouse has a large
central kitchen, ideal for learning new Greek recipes using your fresh olive
oil. We also know which local tavernas and restaurants have the best
chefs.
Come share our piece of paradise on Paros!
Please email for specifics and visit our web site: www.ParosParadise.com
Yours for fun and health,
Michael & Karin Shepherd
Email: paroshep@otenet.gr
CHRISTMAS/NEW YEARS SINGLES GATHERING
In the delightful village of Aliki on
the fantastic island of Paros, Greece Michael
& Karin Shepherd are opening their guesthouse for a singles gathering.
We have yet to finalise any details for the
Christmas/New Years period because we are waiting to customise it for the
people who register. Greece, we are told, tends to be an oasis from
Christmas commercialism but is alive with traditional customs. We hope
to mingle these traditions with local customs from our guests'
various home countries. More later!
Since we are informal, casual people, our
ideal is to provide a casual, informal atmosphere in which each person can
partake of what suits them. That is we will not have a fixed program of
activities, we will have a list of suggested ideas for like-minded people to
join with each other.
While we are orienting
the gathering to singles, it is not a match-making event, rather we
envision opportunity for otherwise alone people to have companionship
during this special holiday season.
The only fixed rate will be for the room at
€20 per night or €120 per week. Christmas and New Year's Dinners
will be at a set price; other meals can either be shared at actual cost or
taken at local restaurants as each person decides. Transportation on the
island will be shared at cost.
We can help find low cost air fares from
various countries; give details of transfer to Paros; and meet everyone at
the airport or ferry port here.
Please ask any specific
questions about the gathering, Aliki, Paros and Greece. We love to
share our piece of paradise.
Yours in Christmas Holiday fun,
Michael & Karin
Email: paroshep@otenet.gr
Share our Piece of Paradise on Paros. Click on www.ParosParadise.com
SENIOR RENT SHARE
We have an empty guesthouse on Paros and are looking for other seniors or
mature young people to share it on a cost only basis. Email for details:
paroshep@otenet.gr
We are in a quiet village 15 minutes from the main town. Beautiful view
just 2 minutes from the beach.
Learn more about the location at: www.ParosParadise.com
Our motto: Think young--seek adventure.
Michael & Karin Shepherd
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