6th September 2018 - Don't Worry - Be Happy

Thought for the day:"I thought about having a continental breakfast - but I couldn't manage a whole continent"

Found some quite nice photos from the past today ...  by Harry Bryce - the photographer who caught my pirate portrait that hung with pride at my mother's for so long - and now is in my living room ..

 This woudlhave been in May 2017  - Curious PAstimes event no 1

Meanwhile - back in Crete, I am not a great one for taking pictures of food - but the presentation at Patriko's yesterday was worth a mention.  Firstly the Tsaziki was delicious but I thought htat the carved cucumber with olives made a really fine touch for the way it was brought to the table...

And the piece de resistance was the salaa - a Cretan salad I believe - but it was in its own hard baked bread bowl - which looked really impressive..

Of course to eat it properly you have to crush it and spread it - but I though it was a delight ...

Which then brought me to other thoughts about Crete and Greece and the times we have been coming here over the years.

When we first came here it was noticeable that almost all the men, young and old, would have  what I called "fidget beads" or "worry Beads" - sort of rosary style beads upon a thong that went around the wrist - or was held in the hand and twisted so that you could take a bead and then swing the rest around the hand -

You could see the old men at the Kafeneia with their strong coffee and glass of water swinging their hands as they sat looking into the distance or played backgammon - the younger men with a beer in a small glass - cigarettes everywhere. I recall trhe day that the smoking ban came into force in Agios Nikolais...  it lasted about four hours and the bars and restaurants saw that they had not had a customer for four hours and moved the ash trays back inside... They were called Komboloi in Greek and Wiki tells me that it has been part of Greek Culture for many years - and similar to the Rosary - but they have  no religious significance...

But this time around it is noticeable that the fidgets are no longer in regular use - indeed I cannot recall seeing one in use this trip.... I also remember that all the shops would have them for sale - indeed I bought one myself several years ago to stop a habit of fiddling with my fingers which looked like a nervous habit.   

I thought about this for a while - and then came to the conclusion, as I look around, and see that everyone has their smart phone in their hand - there is no room for another thing to "fiddle" with... The phone has taken over from the fidget bead ... 

I cannot speak for the old men at the Cafe houses - I shall look as I go a past today - but they have been clear in their absence...

The modern phone has much to answer for ...

Yamas