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Hello there How are you? I can’t believe this weather – what happened to summer? One moment it was here and now…..it’s gone!! It doesn’t help talking to all my Greek friends either – their summer already seems well under way, lucky things! I have just watched ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ – I know, I should be ashamed of myself, it came out ages ago – but here’s the thing: Nicholas Cage. He just doesn’t do it for me – and that excruciating pseudo-Italian accent… However, what the film did have was a fair amount of historical information about the Ionian island of Kefalonia. As you may know, I have recently returned from Kefalonia, and looking at that lovely, tranquil island who would dream of the difficulties that the people on the island had to overcome? It really is a tribute to the human spirit that the island shows very few traces of either the war or the terrible earthquake that took place in 1953. Funnily enough, while I was there, an ‘earthquake’/ tremor took place that was 5.9 on the Richter scale, the same measurement that 1999 in Athens killed 138 people, left 30,000 unemployed and 70,000 people homeless. However, on Kefalonia this time there was very little damage and almost all the buildings withstood the tremor perfectly. It just shows that the anti seismic building regulations in place today are in fact ensuring, as far as is possible, that a disaster like this never happens again. Okay, so here’s what in store this week: • I continue my account of my recent trip to Corfu, giving you bits ’n bobs of where I went…and what I saw • A currency update on the Euro from the one and only currency guru, Charles Purdy •
A Top Tip - a very important piece of advice from someone living in
Corfu… • Le Convivial – not so much a hotel as a magic carpet ride… • ‘A House Somewhere’ – a book review… • Greece Buying Guide Forum • And, as promised, another Greek recipe… I hope you enjoy the newsletter further – and hopefully find some of it helpful as well as enjoyable. Happy reading and take care out there! Carol Mail me at:
Carol@OverseasGuidesCompany.com |
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I continue my account of my recent trip to Corfu, giving you bits ’n bobs of where I went…and what I saw
As I may have mentioned, I spent
a number of truly memorable days travelling around Corfu in March.
They were experiencing early spring and everywhere I looked were
brilliant purple Judas trees, carpets of brightly coloured spring
flowers, white daisies and cascades of purple wisteria tumbling
over fences and down trees. There simply isn’t the time or the space to describe each town or tiny village that I visited, so what I thought I would do is just give you a thumbnail sketch of the places that appealed to me, my own personal take on some of them and a few pointers and remarks made to me by the folk that were showing me around – the property experts and the people who actually LIVE on the island. That way, if you are starting out on your property journey, it may just narrow down the search area. You may already know and love the island of course and my remarks will probably just serve to confirm what you already feel… What one person did say to me was that it is advisable
to live within easy reach of the town of Corfu. Everything, including
the airport, is then more accessible – but it does push the
price up…You have to weigh up all your own needs here. If
you want to let your property out then perhaps you need to consider
that also. If you are planning to retire then perhaps you need to
make sure you are near a bus route or good shops…and need
not be so near town.
People I spoke to in both Corfu and Zante agree that with the decline of tourism to the islands, a new approach is needed and the coastal towns need to be upgraded for a more affluent and less ‘lager loutish’ set of visitor, which is good news if you are thinking of moving here. Then down to Gastouri, a lovely village near the Achillion Palace, a delightful palace built especially for the Empress Elizabeth of Austria. Orange and lemon trees were laden with fruit late in March – I have never seen such enormous fruit – and I come from the country of Outspan Oranges!! It was here that I saw my dream house: pale pink, set in this lovely rural village, down a drivable lane with pink blossom and an adorable little garden at the back – I can dream, can’t I? I saw some utterly lovely apartments in Spartilas with magnificent views…cheaper ones below and the penthouse on top, more expensive of course but with spectacular views. In Ormali there was an adorable olive press for restoration, with all the old olive press materials in it – almost worth the price just for those old wooden pieces. I loved the little town of Aghios Panteleimon. There were three apartments in a beautifully converted olive press in this hillside hamlet, just a few minutes drive from the beach and facilities at Acharavi. What a dream, for a family to buy all of them ….It is a lovely drive, set amongst olive trees very secluded and lovely. Back from the beach at Casiopi was a lovely villa that I fell in love with too... I will tell you more about my trip next time - I don’t want to swamp you with too much info all in one go. Remember, if you would like me to put you in touch with my property contacts in Corfu, or in fact anywhere in Greece, please fill out our property requirements form at: http://www.greecebuyingguide.com/property.htm
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A Top Tip - a very important piece of advice from one living in Corfu… Bring a humidifyer if you are planning on living in Greece. Humidity can get as high as 90% or more and my friend who lives there tells me she sometimes tips out as much as 50 litres a day if the humidity is high – hard to believe…but you get the point…!! |
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How the Greek Government is planning ahead for foreign property buyersIt is estimated – who knows how - that about a million foreigners want to buy holiday homes in Greece. One of the things that I admire about Greece is that they are determined to retain the character of their country and not to have it completely swamped by the dictates of foreign buyers as has happened in other countries. Ever read a book called ‘Voices of the Old Sea’ by Norman Lewis? It deals with exactly this, in Spain…and makes heartbreaking reading. There are of course a number of buyers who turn to Greece for the sun and a cheaper, easier lifestyle, but what I have discovered is that most people who relocate to or buy a holiday home in Greece have a genuine love of the country and its people. Environment Minister George Souflias is trying to strike a balance between over- development and the need for Greek tourism to make the most of the country's natural resources. It’s that old problem that I have experienced in travel – you find a piece of heaven: you want everybody to know how wonderful it is, you want the local people to benefit, but you don’t want it inundated with crowds of noisy people…know what I mean?!! The first and long-awaited tourism-zoning plan was unveiled on May 2 and sets the guidelines for the industry's development over the next 15 years. The plan aims to promote sustainable development while extending the tourist season, providing more tourist activities and increasing Greece's competitiveness in the tourism market. It splits the country into 10 categories, including already developed tourist areas, developing areas, metropolitan areas, protected habitats, archaeological sites and traditional settlements. "According to the experts, around one million Europeans are interested in buying a holiday home in our country," said Souflias. Holiday homes increase tourist development, the minister added, stressing that out of the 55 million tourists that visit Spain each year, 37 million have bought a holiday home there. This figure seems unbelievably high – but then, who am I to question a politician?!! Priority for large scale holiday home development will be given to the coastal areas of the western Peloponnese, Aitolo Karnania, Epirus, eastern Macedonia, Thrace, eastern and south-eastern Crete, southern Rhodes, western Zante and the wider area around Volos. Golf courses are going to be built in or near the bigger cities like Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Volos and Ioannina, plus on the islands of Crete, Corfu, Rhodes and Zante. The plan also wants to limit development in already overdeveloped areas. To make sure that these areas maintain their income from tourism, the plan outlines a host of measures designed to improve their appeal, such as parks and encouraging investment in smaller luxury four- and five-star hotels. I must say that when I was over on the Ionian Islands, especially on Zante, there was a lot of talk of changing gear from the ‘Lager Lout’ and ‘Bucket & Spade’ type tourism to a more discerning, upmarket type of tourist, one who comes because he loves the country rather than wants to party late into the night. Incidentally, I am including a review of the most wonderful hotel that I stayed at in Xylokastro, on the Peloponnese, and this is exactly what I am talking about here. The plan is to divide the islands into four categories. The first includes 44 small islands: examples given were Anafi, Donousia and Paxi. Souflias' plan allows for the creation of small hotels - 100 beds - in this category but limits the creation of new large hotels. In addition, no more than five percent of existing hotel beds can be added during any given year. Then Zante, Thasos, Milos and 32 other islands make up the second section, all perceived as developing tourist destinations. The minister said that every attempt should be made to ensure that the local economies of these islands do not become wholly dependent on tourists, but I must say this is a tricky one and I don’t envy his job here. It is so much easier earning an income from well-fleece tourists than any other way… Santorini, Corfu, Crete, Lesvos, Syros, Mykonos, Kos, Paros and Rhodes, all islands with well- established tourism industries, are grouped together in the third category. According to Souflias, they all face environmental pressures and their development needs to be curbed. The fourth division includes non-inhabited islands. Tourist development will be allowed provided that they do not make up more than 2 percent of the island. For the big cities like Athens and Thessaloniki, Souflias' tourism plan aims to restore their historical centres, further develop the seafront, protect and promote nearby attractions such as natural parks and provide incentives for the demolition of unattractive old buildings that "excessively offend the city's aesthetic". You may want to bear some of this in mind if you are thinking of buying. If a tranquil, isolated existence is what you fancy, it would be best to avoid the areas that are earmarked for development. If, on the other hand, you are a party animal or are considering investment options, then the developing areas may be more to your taste. Due to my love of
Greece, my many trips there and my constant contact with people buying
there I have acquired a fair amount of knowledge and information on
the property market. If you would like me to help you find a property
or discuss your requirements please just fill in the form at: |
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Le
Convivial – not so much a hotel as a magic carpet ride…
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Okay,
first up the east coast to Kontokali and Gouvia. Sadly both these
towns were wildly popular with tourists and the mass tourist annual
flood really poured in here…and it shows. The coastline is
an endless stream of rather unattractive restaurants and hotels
that have now fallen from grace, but have left the towns looking
rather forlorn. 
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| Le
Convivial Hotel
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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…!! ...read more
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?
If you need help planning that next flight to Greece please go to:
‘A House Somewhere’ – a book review…
A House Somewhere: Tales of Life Abroad Edited by Don George and Anthony Sattin Published by Lonely Planet
This is just the kind of book that one would want to dip into while relaxing on the beach, next to a pool or travelling on a plane to your holiday in Greece. Here are tales of life lived abroad by some of the world’s finest travel writers, put together by Don George, the global travel editor of Lonely Planet Publications, and Anthony Sattin, who is based in London but travels between Africa and the Middle East .
Jan Morris, Isabel Allende, Peter Mayle (of ‘A Year in Provence’ fame…) , Paul Theroux, William Dalrymple…a veritable who’s who of travel writing - it would hard to find a more illustrious group of travel writers. The stories all focus on that one place that exerts a magical pull – that once seen, draws you back time and time again.
As Don George says, travel writing has in fact morphed into a whole new genre, the literature of staying put and putting down roots in foreign soil – and maybe that is you if you have decided to take the plunge and buy a home in Greece. And if you haven’t – well, not all of us can afford to do this, for one reason and another, but we can travel through someone else’s experience and nowhere better than between the pages of this book.
There are 18 extracts and 18 especially written stories, some happy, some sad, some mired in the kind of problems we hope never happen to you (and that we at the Greece Buying Guide are trying to save you from…!!), some telling of wonderful experiences but all sharing the experience of leaving your comfort zone and trying to fit in somewhere else.
The book follows a progression of falling in love with a country, the purchase and move to a home abroad and the turning of the dream into reality. Breaking the language barriers, bonding with the neighbours…and then, just occasionally, the nightmares…it’s all here. Perhaps you will identify with one or two of these tales, but whether or not you do, they make wonderful reading.
The Greece Buying Guide Forum is back!
Many GBG readers have been emailing us due to the fact that they were not able to access the Greece Buying Guide Forum. We were in the process of moving it but now it's back again! Just follow this link:
http://www.overseasguidescompany.com/phpBB2/index.php?c=6
And it has a brand new look! We have managed to preserve all the old messages, including all my posts about Buying Land in Greece, Planning Permission, Healthcare, Education, Residence Permits, Buying Business in Greece and many more so please do check them out!
If you have any questions, stories or advice your input is always very welcome - post them on the forum so that we can all share them.
And, as promised, another Greek recipe…
Kotopoulo psito lemonata (Roast lemon chicken)
Ingredients:
- 2 kilos of chicken portions
- 100 ml olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Two lemons, preferably plump Greek ones, hand picked off a tree in
spring!!
- A small bunch of fresh thyme from the garden, finely chopped, or 5
ml dried thyme
- About 8 rosemary needles, crushed
- 3 ml oregano
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- About 8 potatoes, cut into chunks
- 2 cups of chicken stock (stock cube if necessary)
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade. Wash and dry the chicken
pieces. Grate the zest from one of the lemons into a big bowl large
enough to hold the chicken. Squeeze the juice of both lemons into the
bowl and combine with the olive oil, herbs and seasonings. Add the chicken
and turn several times to make sure it is well coated.
Arrange the chicken
in a roasting pan. Add the potatoes to the remaining marinade in the
bowl and stir them round gently to coat. Put them into the roasting
pan around the chicken. Pour chicken stock into the bowl with the remains
of the marinade, swirl round so that you don't leave any bits behind,
pour over the chicken in the pan and place all in the oven. Reduce heat
to 180 degrees after ten minutes and roast for about 35 minutes, basting
frequently and topping up the liquid if necessary.
Enjoy!! I am going to make it for my beloved son this weekend –
I will report back on how it was received…
That’s
it for now. PLEASE, I know I have said this before, but I would really
like your input as to what you want to read about or have me look into
for you. And of course if there is any way I can help you – you
have just to ask. Just email me on:
Carol@OverseasGuidesCompany.com
Carol.
Carol Dunning
Greece Buying Guide
The Overseas Guides Company Limited.
Mail me at: Carol@OverseasGuidesCompany.com