Monday 3 September 2012

In search of the Mochlos Labyrinth....

Well, here we are on our last few days in Mochlos - how did that happen?  On the one hand it seems to have flown by but then when we think back to what we did in the first few weeks that seems an age ago!
Dud does 'pick your own'

So, what have we been up to in the last couple of weeks?  Well, as usual when I've started writing it seems as if we've not done that much but when I come to look at our photos there are really quite a lot and we haven't been doing nothing after all.  So, we've continued to have our fruit and veg supplied fresh from the Mochlos Mare garden - infact we've now moved on to 'pick your own' status.  So, when we go to see Panagiotis he just tells us to go in the garden and collect what we want - at the moment small tomatoes, peppers, grapes and figs are all in season.  We 'found' a new taverna in the village on the recommendation of Panagiotis, called Dimitris (after the owner!) and have been there a couple of times and once with Panagiotis and Sterie which was nice.
what are those white things in the sky? !!

We've seen clouds (really!!) over the horizon but because we've also had the meltemi winds they were blown away quite quickly and soon replaced by clear skies again.  However, the winds have meant that the sea is very choppy, to put it mildly, but the breeze is nice for keeping cool.
this is the jetty that the boat (usually) moors up beside to
take people to the island - not today though!!

One morning when we went to see Sterie & Panagiotis they invited us back early evening because Sterie was cooking galaktoboureko (which is the cake she gave us for our anniversary, it's delicious - a bit like egg custard in filo pastry but much nicer!).  Anyhow, once there we ended up having meze supper of vine leaves, (baby) goat's liver, salad, potatoes, gavros (anchovies) and other seafood - it was delicious and even I tried the liver (before I asked what it was of course!).  Anyhow, everything apart from the seafood was from their garden (yes the goat as well) so definitely fresh and healthy (well unless you're the goat of course, then just fresh!).


once in a 'blue moon' - but we nearly missed it!
Another day we went into the village to meet Nick and Willie et al. for some lunch.  Willie's daughter and her partner were over to visit him and guess what ---- they live in Brighton !! (Mochlos is a small place and it's a small world too).  Oh and then we saw Willie & Liz at the next full moon and this time they had some friends with them who live in Bognor Regis (still quite close to us!) and he used to work in Steyning (even closer to us!).  Talking of the full moon, we were fortunate enough to be here for three full moons this summer - two of which were in August, so I think the second one is known as a 'blue' moon. 

cheers to the full moon (just visible at the top of pic)
Anyhow, as you probably know by now the moon rises up between the mountains and is a rather spectacular sight.  However, we nearly missed it at the end of August - we were sitting on the balcony having a pre-supper glass of wine and suddenly there is was popping it's head up.  So, I quickly grabbed the camera and took some shots.  When we got down to the village, Giorgis told us that it was a 'fast moon' that evening - he wasn't joking!

rock cut tomb with 'dromos'
(entrance way)
You're probably wondering if we've been up to anything archaeologically related recently (yes you are!) - well we 'discovered' some rock cut chamber tombs in Mochlos village.  We knew they were here of course but we hadn't been to see them before, mainly because we weren't sure exactly where they were.   There are 31 of them and they are 'typical' chamber tombs, most provided with a dromos (or entrance way), and an irregular chamber measuring 1.3 to 3 m across and barely high enough for one to stand upright. Each normally held one or two burials that were placed in terracotta sarcophagi or in pithoi, most of which were decorated. One particularly interesting point I read about the burials is that many of the tombs were used by male-female couples - with the tomb being re-opened and the first burial moved to make way for the second (they liked to move their bodies around did the Minoans or rather the Mycenaean as they were at time of this cemetery, late 15th century BC).
another tomb !

Actually we were looking for a 'labyrinth' - or rather an 'pavement' of one made out of local stones and rocks and resembling the one on the floor of Chartres cathedral.  Why ? - well one day we were sitting outside our apartment and an american (I think) stopped and asked us if we knew where the labyrinth in Mochlos was.  Well, we thought we knew most places here but clearly not - they had seen a reference to it on 'things to do' after a blog about a return to Mochlos, which strangely I had read but didn't see the reference at the bottom about a labyrinth (that blog is here if you are interested http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/travel/articles/travel-return-mochlos-crete-greece.shtml).   Anyhow, we couldn't help this person, but the next day decided we would try to find it ourselves - we failed but we did come across the Minoan tombs in the hillside. 


the labyrinth - or rather where it was, I've marked a circle
to show roughly its location
Now, we don't like to be defeated by anything so I emailed the person who had written the blog and asked where the labyrinth was.  To my surprise I got an almost immediate reply and so armed with instructions we set off again to search for the labyrinth.  Well, we found it, or rather we found what was left of it - unfortunately there is very little to see of it today. 

If you are interested (and this is in case the gentleman who asked us happens to read this blog) it's up behind an old winnowing circle on the road out towards the harbour, beyond the car park and just past a house that is currently being constructed (oh that'll be the 'villa' that is being built by our friend Nick!).  I took what photos I could, but I've had to put a 'circle' in to show you where the labyrinth is/was.  However, then I found one on internet of what it used to look like (Linda, if it's your photo I hope you don't mind me using it here).

the labyrinth as it looked in 2009

So, we've now had to start saying our farewells to those we know and those we've met for the first time this year.  Last night saw us down at Bogazi's tavern for the Sunday night live music with our new friend Vagelis, who on this occasion was accompanied by Angelos.  We had a request played for us - I have to confess I'm not entirely sure what the song is called (or what it's about !)  but we like the music and it has a chorus that goes paei, paei (I think it's about leaving and being sorrowful!).
Angelos & Vagelis playing for us
Dud made a new friend in Kokylia's taverna the other evening - one of the more healthy looking local cats seemed to be quite happy sitting up on a 'shelf' next to our table - sweet!  And talking of 4-legged friends, we've been very happy to met Leon and Nera, the dogs who belong to Katia who looks after the Bella Vista apartments behind us.  It's been lovely seeing them every day as Katia takes them out for a walk - and Katia is lovely too of course !
 
Dud and 'friend' at Kokylia
So, all good things must come to an end, but we've still got two more days and evenings to enjoy wonderful Mochlos - until the next time that is!  So, we are planning to have supper out at Dimitris this evening and then say our farewells to everyone in Kokylia on Tuesday.  Oh and somewhere in between I'll have to fit in the packing - half the battle of which will be 'relocating' all our stuff from the various places it has migrated during our time here.
Nera, Katia & Leon

We hope you've enjoyed reading about our time in Mochlos - we've certainly enjoyed writing about it and of course for those who will see us when we are back there are plenty more photos .........but for now I'll end this blog with (yet) another photo of the moon, which sometimes is even more spectacular a few days after the full moon has risen.
moonrise over Mochlos