The fanciest taxi in Crete

We planned to spend the day at the beach and called for a taxi. 10 minutes later a big, shiny, black mercedes roared up the street.
"Is that our taxi? Seriously?"
Leather seats, sheepskin covers up front, dvd screens in the back. We hopped in and wished our flip flops were stilleto's and that we looked like fhm models in our beachwear. This taxi was too fancy for little old us staying in a tiny quaint village.
The taxi driver Antonis was super friendly and had lots of advice to give us. He overcharged us, a lot, but we enjoyed his company so much that we called and specifically asked for him each day. When you are in Crete, in the Agio Nikolao area call Antonis Taxi.

I asked if I could take a picture of him and his taxi, he refused and said that he would first get the car washed and only then could I take a pic. Here's a pic taken the next day, he arrived and pulled out a chamois cloth for a quick touch up before I took it!

Each day Antonis had some advice and wisdom to impart on us, my favourite: "A friend is someone who buys you a drink, an enemy is someone who insists you drink", it sounds better in greek but I'm having trouble loading the video...


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An m'agapaaaaaas

This man is a god. This song has got to be the anthem for summer 2010. *sigh* I wish I was in Greece now

The cure for all of Greece's problems

I am certain that a long time ago some clever little salesman practised his speech and then addressed a bunch of greek housewives.... his miracle product would cure all sorts of ailments, it would stop husbands from straying, it would get kids to eat broccoli, it would ksematiasei you, it was indeed a miracle.

Fast forward to the age of civilisation and technology - nothing much has changed. Greeks swear by Depon. I tried to get some flu medicine, apparently nothing of the sort exists in Greece, everyone recommended Depon, they strongly recommended it, actually they kind of insisted more than recommended. After the fires in Athens during which my aunt's chickens narrowly escaped a crispy death, she would dissolve half a depon in their water daily, to help with the trauma. Curing traumatised chickens?! Chickens get traumatised?! That must have been some speech the clever little salesman gave.

Depon is the all powerful cure. In Depon we trust. I bet you the entire Greek government is overdosing on Depon daily and scratching their heads wondering why the debt crisis hasnt been sorted out yet.

So what is Depon? The greek equivalent of Panado. Seriously

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You don't know Jack

Try and order a Jack & Lime in Greece. At best you will get freshly squeezed lime juice, at worst concentrated lemon juice. No matter where I went in Greece there was no lime cordial to be found.
"Peite mou"
"Jack and lime parakalo"
"E??"
"Tzak me lime"
"Tzak me lemoni?"
"Oxi, tzak me lime, L-I-M-E"

*holds thumbs*
"Oriste, tzak me lemoni"
*sigh*

I've been back home for almost 6 months and only now stumbled across www.sastore.gr and what do you know they sell Rose's Lime Cordial! I would have gladly paid the 5,5 euro, if only I had known! The next time I visit Uncle Jack in Greece I'll be sure to pop past the SA store first.



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I'm on a roll - more published work

Have a look at my second published review. Now the pressure is on to keep writing them!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2558063/the_grand_bazaar_istanbul_turkey.html?cat=16

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Clever me - my first published article

Check out my first ever review published on the net:

Istanbul - a Greek South African's Experience
My Greek family insisted that I never step foot in Turkey as Istanbul rightfully belongs to Greece; none of us were to go there until the city was given back to us!
Read More

Lost in Travel Agent Translation

In order to go on the Athens-in-one-day cruise I had to get to the port of Pireaus and find my boat. Here are the directions from Niko the travel agent...



Wtf right? But despite my fears I didnt get horribly lost!