Eight Feet and Two Weeks On Crete Part One contd By Steve Rudd

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You then resume work around 5 o'clock for three or four more hours. During the afternoon 'siesta time,' a large proportion of men can be found hanging out in these wonderfully charming tavernas, some of which literally are the front rooms or front porches of people's houses. Such tavernas are usually open-fronted affairs, with a smattering of tables and chairs scattered out front to initiate an altogether welcoming air. One or two of the tavernas in Gerani seemed used to holiday-makers (i.e., foreigners) heading into their jurisdiction from the nearby Camari Gardens complex, largely because the location of the apartments meant that the village was the only place to which you could adequately walk without the threat of being flattened by a coach, truck or wayward automobile on the main highway.

Tavernas are essentially a cross between a café and a pub. On our first morning there, we all asked for a beer each, and four Amstels soon followed. But a plate of food also came our way, without us having ordered any. Strange, we thought, what's this going to cost us? But when we came to pay there was no charge for the food whatsoever (which consisted initially of tomatoes and cucumber - and which was later bolstered by a plate of small pieces of dried bread and stuffed vine leaves, surrounded by the inescapable presence of olives).

Over the course of our stay, and the more times we visited various tavernas in Gerani and got to know the locals, the more they served us food and drink without charge. They were simply showing their unsurpassed hospitality, which will no doubt prove to be something of a culture shock to many Brits who fall under the Greek spell. In our economy and society, very little comes cheap - let alone for free. But for the majority of the Greek people that we met, especially in the small rural villages, money means very little to them. Their largely subsistence lifestyles see them through, and so long as they can put food and drink on the table for themselves, what's a little extra for a few new friends?

To be honest, that little extra is a lot to them - but still they go out of their way to make strangers feel welcome in their own homes, and such generosity is a rare trait these days.

One thing's for sure, the villagers of Gerani that we did befriend will never be forgotten. Even if the local spirit that they served in shot glasses, as though it was water, did often obliterate short-term memory. Yes, when in Greece make sure you brace yourself for raki, an extremely strong spirit that will take both your throat and stomach by surprise if you let it. Raki is seemingly served everywhere and is often impossible to escape. So just drink and be happy, and let the Greek way of life work its magic. For sure, there's plenty to go around...

Continued ... Part 2

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