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A House Somewhere: Tales of Life Abroad Edited by Don George and Anthony Sattin

Published by Lonely Planet

To my mind there is no point in setting off on a journey without having done a bit of reading first. It’s all about 'doing your homework'. I have learnt from bitter experience that it's a whole lot better to learn from someone else's mistakes rather than your own - and usually a whole bunch cheaper too...

In my twenties – more years ago than I am going to share with you – I found myself in Corfu, having hitch-hiked there with a friend plus a couple of American fellows. One of them was travelling with a typewriter (I know….what DID we do without computers?!!) and had several guidebooks to hand. I often saw him pouring over them, planning out what he wanted to see and where he wanted to go – and how to get there!

I later found out that, while I had been lying on the beach, he had visited the lovely church of St. Spyridon and indeed seen the Saint’s silver casket paraded through the streets of the town. Reading about the island in ‘My Family and Other Animals’ and ‘Prospero’s Cell by the Durrell brothers, I could have KICKED myself, reading about what I had missed …lesson learnt!

Of all the guide books available, I would have no hesitation in putting the Lonely Planet Guides top of the list. To find your dream property you cannot do better than take these guides with you on your journey of exploration. It will tell you the pros and cons of each place, list restaurants and things to see and do and, of course, how to get there – all things that may well affect your decision to purchase. There are many guide books, but in my experience none are as concise, as detailed and somehow as HONEST as these compact books.

The first was written over 30 years ago by Tony and Maureen Wheeler. They are still actively involved with Lonely Planet as directors of the company, and still both travelling and writing. And I think that’s the point: there is a genuine love of travel, a deep sense of adventure and a real knowledge of the locality that comes through the pages of these guides to the reader.

Today the company has offices in Melbourne, Oakland and London, with over 500 office employees and 300+ on-the-road authors. There are over 500 Lonely Planet titles, each one containing practical travel information plus concise background information on the culture and history of the countries.

They have yet again won the Wanderlust award for “Best Guidebook Series” this year – the fourth year in a row Lonely Planet has received this recognition. Just as importantly, we at the Overseas Guides Company award them 10 out of 10!

You will find Lonely Planet books if you click on:

Lonely Planet Publications

Learn Greek the Rapid Way...by my co-worker, Olga:

My co-worker, Olga, will be traveling to Cyprus soon. Although it's not a Greek island, the Cypriots do speak Greek. Olga's never been to Cyprus - or any Mediterranean country, so she's very excited. Last month when she discovered that she was going to Cyprus she decided to learn some Greek for the visit.

Olga offered to write a review on the Greek language set that she used, so here it is:

A month ago I didn’t know a single word of Greek and I didn’t really want to learn. Then I found out I was going to Cyprus and life hasn’t been quite the same since. Well, that is probably a slight exaggeration, but who wouldn’t be excited?!

As a proper tourist to be I went straight on the Internet and searched for language tools, books, CDs, software, dictionaries and anything even slightly related to the Greek language.

And I found something! This something is an audio CD called ‘Rapid Greek’ (who wouldn’t want to learn rapidly…?) by Earworms.

Earworms specialise in language audio CDs that are intended for listening to in a car, on the way to work on your personal stereo or at home. ‘Rapid Greek’ CD has 9 tracks, each of which focuses on particular phrases.

I press play on my personal CD player just as I leave home and set off for work. The CDs opens with soft and relaxing music. I walk down the road while Maria, a Greek lady who appears on the CD, translates Andrew’s simple phrases – he’s your typical Englishman.

By the time I get to the tube station I have learnt to say "I would like…" or perhaps I should say "Tha eethela..." The first track also includes those much needed British words "I would like tea with milk – Tha eethela ena tsai me ghala."

I’m originally Czech so I find my favorite words on the 2nd track called ‘To Order’ – Na barangeelo… where I learn how to order white wine! I believe this will be of some interest to Kim & Carol as well.

I listen to tracks 3 (‘Have you got…’) and 4 (‘To the airport…’) while I’m on the tube. The music is slightly different with every track. Maria and Andrew repeat each new phrase tirelessly. I assume they must know who they are dealing with in me…

The 5th track introduces numbers 1 to 10 and the days of the week. Andrew even explains how I might be able to remember each number better if I use his memory hooks. And you know what? They work!

The next two tracks, which are called ‘Is there…?’ and ‘Directions’, prove to be quite hard to remember especially if you are listening to the CD in one go.

I’m on my way home now and back to my Greek lessons. Track 8 focuses on telling the time.

Finally the CD closes with a track called ‘Problems, problems’! Perhaps this track should be the first especially for those of us who always run into trouble on their travels. You will learn how to say passport, wallet, plasters, mosquitoes, aspirins, bad stomach, I’ve lost my camera… which is pretty much all you need to put you off going abroad!

I highly recommend ‘Rapid Greek’ to anyone who doesn’t have the time to sit and stare at a Greek text book but has time to spare on their way to work. The CD comes with a phrase book so you can look up all the words whenever you need to.

You will not remember it all after the first listen but after a month or two you will be able to remember quite a few useful phrases. I certainly can’t wait to test some of them.

I purchased 'Rapid Greek,' on Amazon.

Le Convivial – not so much a hotel as a magic carpet ride…

On my recent visit to Xylokastro in the northern Peloponnese I had the enormous good fortune to discover the wonderful Le Convivial Hotel, about 125 km from Athens and 35 km southeast of Korinthos, or the Corinth Canal, take your pick – it’s all part of that endearing Greek tradition where every place has about ten different spellings and ‘k’s and c’s are interchangeable…!!

It has to be seen to be believed. It is the ultimate, not only in luxury but in really first class, unobtrusive but caring service. It’s not cheap, but if you can possibly treat yourself and spend a couple of nights here, strolling the lovely beaches and the ancient forest at the centre of this enchanting town, then I recommend that you do.

The luxury suites of Le Convivial are decorated with antique furniture, wonderful ornaments and works of art from all over the world, and furnished with fabulous fabrics…feather quilts, scented towels, candles, aromatic foam baths, and flowers add to the ambience of the rooms. You can enjoy relaxing massages from therapists from Bali and the Far East in your room with candles and aromatic essential oils…and when I came to bed they had….no, I won’t tell you – it’s a secret – go and find out for yourself!!

Breakfast is served until noon – I mean, how civilized is that? You can also have your breakfast served in your room and can enjoy a late lie-in. One of the blurbs I read said that the hotel’s clientele is almost exclusively limited to academics, archaeologists and historians who use it as a jumping-off point for ancient sites in the region, including Epidavros, Nemea, Mycenae, Ancient Corinth, Ancient Olympia and Delphi. It is really well placed to see these and many more of Greece’s archaeological treasures, but even if you just want to kick back and relax this is the place to do it. There is a range of massage and aromatherapy treatments to choose fro too...bliss

You can contact them on:

Website: www.leconvivial.com
e-mail: welcome@leconvivial.com

Le Convivial Luxury Suites & Spa
2 Vayena St, 204 00 Xylokastro
Tel: +30 27430 29103
Reservations: (+30) 210 4293854

Please tell them that I recommended the hotel won’t you?

The Bella Venezia – a touch of Venice in Corfu…

I was fortunate enough to stay at the lovely Bella Venezia Hotel in the centre of old Corfu Town, which is open all year round – not all hotels in Corfu are, as I found out when I needed to book one in winter.

Set one block back from the main square, in a quiet, elegant street, the Bella Venezia is a recently renovated neoclassical building of great historic importance a mere stone's throw away from Corfu Town's historic "Spianada". It is also within walking distance of the Liston, the two great fortresses, the museums, and Corfu Town's fine restaurants, shops and cafes.

The hotel's public rooms feature a fully stocked snack-bar, lofty, carved wooden ceilings, pink-and-white checked floors made of Ioannina marble and all the mansion's original architectural elements. In spring and summer, breakfast is served in the "Gazebo," a free-standing, airy sun-room set in the hotel's garden; it was raining on the day I was there, but I can imagine that it must be truly lovely once the sun comes out…the hotel comes highly recommended. Check it out at:

www.bellaveneziahotel.com

Having said all of this, one of the most attractive things about this hotel is that they have not lost sight of the fact that it is in Crete. The hotel is built of Cretan stone with lots of old wood and there are lovely touches everywhere – things like really old weaving looms, mosaic pictures and copies of Minoan murals. Actually, let me share a secret with you: I have an addiction to wall murals. So I was delighted when I found the most enchanting murals of the Greek countryside painted in wonderful naïve water colours all over the walls of the pub, located on the pool/ restaurant floor overlooking the sea.

Go to: http://www.gtahotels.com/hotels/hermes_hotel.htm

The Lato Hotel in Heraklion

The Lato Hotel in Heraklion really was one of my most pleasant surprises.
Firstly, as I checked in, my car was whisked away and parked. How can I explain to you how grateful I was for this? The streets in Heraklion, near the harbour, are narrow beyond belief and seem to work in some kind of intricate, one way system that I was never quite able to unravel. Suffice it to say that I was delighted that I could walk to all my appointments!!

As I reached my room there was a knock at the door and a carafe of Raki and some heaven-sent sweet sticky delectables arrived to save my life – I was starving! The hotel rooms are really beyond tasteful: a lovely, restful experience, with flowing, silky curtains and dark furniture of pure, uncluttered lines. It has a kind of minimalist look and a calm, serene feel. There was a separate lounge area which led on to a balcony with lovely harbour views, complete with a Venetian castle on one side and snow covered peaks on the other.

I had an informal business meeting at the little coffee room near the reception desk and nothing was too much trouble for the wonderful staff there. It just takes so little to be pleasant and polite but it makes such an enormous difference.

There are the usual amenities like the steam room, roof garden etc but the true joy of this hotel is its pared back beauty and the really magnificent service. Not for nothing was this hotel voted Greece's Leading Boutique Hotel in both 2005 and 2006.

Go to:
www.lato.gr/

and have a look….and here’s the really great part: they have offered all Greece Buying Guide readers a 10% discount…Just get in touch with me before booking and I will email my contact there to arrange this for you.

Caveliere Hotel in Corfu

I stayed two nights at the Cavaliere Hotel, an ‘A’ class hotel with immense charm. Originally a 17th century nobleman's mansion, it belonged to the family of a Count Flamburiari. It has been completely renovated recently, and is open all year around – not all hotels in the town are. It has 5 single, 36 twin and 9 maisonette-style rooms, with 24 hour reception service and friendly, helpful staff.

I had left London at 9 p.m. the previous evening and not had a wink of sleep – I was tired and a little grumpy, but what a sight met my eyes when I flung open the windows of my bedroom! I overlooked the entire old town – warm coloured old tiled roofs stretched out before me.

But that was nothing to the sight that met my eyes when I wandered up to the roof terrace. It was not yet open – too early in the year – but I literally gasped when I saw the view. It is an almost 360 degree view of the town, the fortress, ships bobbing far out to sea and even the mountains of Albania across the water. Every evening light meals, snacks, drinks and
fabulous ice creams are served in summer – what a simply wonderful sight it must be on a warm summer’s evening. Do have a look at:

www.cavalieri-hotel.com/eng/cavalieri.html

The hotel is central and right in the old part of the city - I highly recommend it.

The view from Hotel Nostos over Chania Harbour

The Hotel Nostos is a magnificently situated small hotel on the old harbour. Set in a beautifully renovated 13th century house in the old quarter of Chania, with its quaint and atmospheric narrow streets, the Nostos is a fine example of a Venetian building, and has 12 rooms for 2, 3 or 4 people.

All rooms have lovely wooden floors and beamed ceilings. Try and make sure that you get a room with a harbour view: it is well worth the extra cost. There are only 3 of them, so book ahead.

Waking up to the lovely view across the harbour to the lighthouse and going to sleep at night to the lights glittering on the water really has to be one of nicest hotel experiences I have had. The rooms of Hotel Nostos have a bathroom (well... a shower room actually!), air conditioning or heating depending on season, fridge and telephone. Be warned though that there is no lift, so you will have to climb the old wooden stairs, dragging your baggage with you.

There is also a quaint roof terrace where guests can sit and gaze over the rooftops of the town and across the harbor. The hotel also has a charming dining room, offering an excellent and varied breakfast and a welcoming reception area.

There are safety deposit boxes, available for a small charge, at the reception. The service is friendly and helpful: every morning the manager and I would pour over my map of the town, planning the route to my business appointments through the narrow, winding roads.

The position of the Nostos allows easy access to a wide choice of tavernas, restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as to the rich nightlife centered around the harbour. The town has much to commend it and you could spend weeks discovering its many charms. For those who long for sea and sand, a 15 minute walk beyond the harbour will bring you to the sandy town beach.

The airport is only 16 Km away. In October I was able to park my car up the side of the hotel, but I did rather wonder what the arrangement would be in the busy holiday season! To have a peep go to: http://www.nostos-hotel.com/

This is what I wrote after a winter stay there:
In Chania I stayed at the wonderful 600 hundred year old Venetian hotel called Nostos Hotel. The entrance is in Zambeliou Road, one back from the old harbour, and my room had a glorious view overlooking the harbour, waterfront and the old lighthouse.

The Tamam Restaurant, Chania, Crete

The Tamam Restaurant, nestling into the narrow Venetian lane of Odós Zambelioú, is incorporated into the old 16th century Turkish baths or Hamam, built during the Turkish occupation of the island.

Restoration has been carefully and cleverly done so as not to spoil the essential simplicity and the rustic air of the old baths. It was in fact one of the waiters from the Tamam Restaurant that ran and called the owner of my hotel, the Nostos, to deal with my The Tamam Restaurant, Chania unexpected arrival! That is all part of the charm and intimacy of this old Venetian part of Chania. Narrow cobblestone streets, lovely old buildings and colour everywhere make this a really enchanting part of the old city.

The cuisine is a wonderful mix of Greek, Levantine and Cretan dishes, with a really good choice of vegetarian dishes. I was there in winter, and someone told me that all the local people poured back into the restaurant after the tourists had left the island. In season it is advisable to put your name down well in advance I was told…even on a rainy October night it was full, but not overcrowded. I highly recommend it.

Eating in Chania - a bit more on the subject

I wanted to tell you of where I ate when I was in Chania, Crete, in November, the heart of ‘winter’. The evenings were a little chilly, and sometimes quite windy - I would set off for dinner at about 8 o'clock. I ate each evening at one of two places: either Taman, housed in a lovely old Turkish Bath just near my hotel Nostos, or in the waterfront restaurant directly in front of my hotel - sorry, the name was all Greek to me!

There is something rather strange and lovely about a Greek island in the winter. A few of us would sit, gazing out at the old harbour, protected by a plastic wall which allowed us to mistily gaze at the lighthouse, the old Venetian waterfront and the winking coloured lights, protected from the cold by tall, blazing gas heaters. So warm were they that I often had to move away and cool down!

There was an enormous sense of camaraderie, almost as though we were on an adventure together, and we all exchanged smiles as we ate. Outside, we could see people arm in arm, scurrying by, warmly wrapped up, and it was hard not to feel smug. By the end of my stay I was a welcome friend and greeted warmly as I entered…by both staff and the other ‘regulars’…

The Taman is totally different - a restored Turkish Bath, with walls of great blocks of warm-looking ancient beige stone. It is built on two levels and small enough to be really cosy. The food is superb – evidently the locals pour back in winter to eat there as it is packed out with tourists in summer. Certainly the night I was there at least half the clientele were Greek.

It deservedly has a glowing mention in the Lonely Planet Crete guide - always a good benchmark. The food was heaven – all Greek cuisine of course, with a number of vegetarian options amongst the lovely lamb and chicken dishes.