As you no doubt know, walking in Greece is one of the most enjoyable things you can do – I will be doing this on Corfu and hopefully Crete on my next visit and have a couple of wonderful books on the subject to review too so watch this space!
Some of the loveliest parts of Greece are those dedicated to the preservation of the flora and fauna. These areas would provide endless interest during holidays or indeed if you chose to live nearby. Less than 1 in 40 of Greece's islands is occupied, which in many cases means that nature has been left undisturbed and many rare animals and birds have too. Thousands of migratory birds use the islands as a stop-over point annually. They lie between Africa and Northern Europe and a huge variety of birds can be seen – a veritable bird-watchers paradise.
Incidentally – a quick tip here: get yourself a bird identification book in Athens if you are passing through. It may not always be possible to get your hands on one in smaller towns.
Here are just a few of the national parks:
Prespa Lakes:
This is in the northwest mainland and includes the two lakes of Mikri and Megalo. Statistics show that over 260 species of birds have been recorded here, including pelicans, storks and herons. The park also has brown bears, grey wolves, lynx and otto. I must say that it is one of my life’s ambitions to see wolves – perhaps I will include this in my next visit.
Pindos National Park:
This park is near the Pindos Mountains in North West Greece. Eagles, brown bears, wolves, wild cat, boar and red squirrels have been spotted here.
Vikos Gorge:
This is part of the Vikos-Aoos National Park in North West Greece. Here the concentration is mainly on flora, with maple, cherry and elm trees plus a huge variety of flowers and butterflies. The recommended time to visit is between April and November – any later and you risk snow.
Mount Parnassus:
Much of this mountain is part of a national park and has a wonderful variety of both flora and fauna. Birds abound and birdwatchers are in their element here.
Dadia Forest:
A stunning 36 out of 38 of Europe's predatory bird species have been observed here, including vultures, eagles and owls. The park is quite near the Turkish border.
Mount Olympus National Park:
Flowers such as orchids, tulips, violets and lilies and the many accompanying butterflies abound here. Also you may see deer and wild boar plus wild cats and squirrels.
Samaria Gorge:
I have driven alongside this gorge in Crete and can testify to it being a lovely spot. Along the 16 km walk you can see endless bird life, fauna and flora. Walks are arranged and include walks for most ages.
These are just a few of the many natural glories of Greece that you may want to check out next time you visit Greece. Enjoy!
Incidentally, I want to pass on an urgent warning: I recently spoke to a very annoyed and disillusioned GBG reader who has bought land in Greece. His purchase was a disaster as the land is not big enough to build on, although he was assured by his lawyer that it was. His advice: ALWAYS have a GPS survey done and get the borders of your property agreed to - and signed off by all your neighbours – BEFORE you sign anything or put down deposits.
We always recommend that you get yourself an independent lawyer, which this buyer did…but…the lawyer didn’t physically go out and actually measure the land. Pleas bear this in mind if you are going to be buying land won’t you?
All the best in the next week…
Carol
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Greecebuyingguide.com
Wednesday 26 January 2011
Thursday 20 January 2011
A trip down memory lane…
A few days ago I found my memory wandering back to a trip I took to Crete, some years ago now.
I had a particular interest in visiting a lovely small town called Tzermiado - it is on the plateau of Lassithi, surrounded by windmills. A friend and I stayed a night in a delightful pension there and had a wonderful time, making the acquaintance of the restaurant owner where we had supper.
I had been talking to him about John Pendlebury, the British fighter who had stayed behind to lead the resistance after the British pulled out of Crete during the Second World War. “Blebbery!” the young owner exclaimed – that was the name the Greeks had called him. Off he raced home to collect an old calendar that I just had to have (it had an old wartime photo of Pendlebury) leaving us in charge of the restaurant…only in Greece! I have the calendar still, all these years later…
We also took an absolutely unforgettable drive between Moni-Preveli/ Plakias/ and Frangokastello. Sheep milled about in the road, heads bending with the weight of the bells around their necks that tinkled as they walked.
We saw endless vistas of calm sea below, broken only by the wake of an occasional boat. Olive trees grow right down to the road, with black nets tied under them to gather the falling fruit. It was 25 degrees in early May and we didn't see another tourist all day.
Legend has it that at a certain time of the year ghosts walk the beach of Frangokastello. We had lunch on a painted, upturned wheel right on the sandy beach - but sadly no ghost sightings that day...!
The road from Vouvas is eye-popping: you look down on the road curling beneath you like a snake. As we spun by we noticed that lovely white villages have signs out with rooms to rent - note to self - come back and stay there!
We saw lots of lovely little churches with red Byzantine-looking cupolas, not the usual Greek blue domes - a hangover from when the Turks ruled. To view a really lovely Byzantine church close up we drove down a green, green narrow little lane with just two faint tyre tracks, lined with poppies and blue thistles. So narrow was it that we had to push the car mirror flat against the side of the car to get through to the church.
Cypress trees dotted the landscape like exclamation marks and the air was heavy with the smell of sage and rosemary. There were oleander trees in bloom everywhere, outlined against the blue, blue sea below...We caught glimpses of goats, perched on high mountain crags, gazing down at us from dizzy heights and eagles soared way above our heads. Once we rounded a corner and found three large exclamation marks painted in the middle of the road...someone with a wicked sense of humour!
These are the things one never forgets – are you planning a trip to Crete this summer? I am, and I am like a child again, virtually counting sleeps!
Best wishes with your travel plans – do let me know where and when you are planning to go…
Carol
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Greecebuyingguide.com
I had a particular interest in visiting a lovely small town called Tzermiado - it is on the plateau of Lassithi, surrounded by windmills. A friend and I stayed a night in a delightful pension there and had a wonderful time, making the acquaintance of the restaurant owner where we had supper.
I had been talking to him about John Pendlebury, the British fighter who had stayed behind to lead the resistance after the British pulled out of Crete during the Second World War. “Blebbery!” the young owner exclaimed – that was the name the Greeks had called him. Off he raced home to collect an old calendar that I just had to have (it had an old wartime photo of Pendlebury) leaving us in charge of the restaurant…only in Greece! I have the calendar still, all these years later…
We also took an absolutely unforgettable drive between Moni-Preveli/ Plakias/ and Frangokastello. Sheep milled about in the road, heads bending with the weight of the bells around their necks that tinkled as they walked.
We saw endless vistas of calm sea below, broken only by the wake of an occasional boat. Olive trees grow right down to the road, with black nets tied under them to gather the falling fruit. It was 25 degrees in early May and we didn't see another tourist all day.
Legend has it that at a certain time of the year ghosts walk the beach of Frangokastello. We had lunch on a painted, upturned wheel right on the sandy beach - but sadly no ghost sightings that day...!
The road from Vouvas is eye-popping: you look down on the road curling beneath you like a snake. As we spun by we noticed that lovely white villages have signs out with rooms to rent - note to self - come back and stay there!
We saw lots of lovely little churches with red Byzantine-looking cupolas, not the usual Greek blue domes - a hangover from when the Turks ruled. To view a really lovely Byzantine church close up we drove down a green, green narrow little lane with just two faint tyre tracks, lined with poppies and blue thistles. So narrow was it that we had to push the car mirror flat against the side of the car to get through to the church.
Cypress trees dotted the landscape like exclamation marks and the air was heavy with the smell of sage and rosemary. There were oleander trees in bloom everywhere, outlined against the blue, blue sea below...We caught glimpses of goats, perched on high mountain crags, gazing down at us from dizzy heights and eagles soared way above our heads. Once we rounded a corner and found three large exclamation marks painted in the middle of the road...someone with a wicked sense of humour!
These are the things one never forgets – are you planning a trip to Crete this summer? I am, and I am like a child again, virtually counting sleeps!
Best wishes with your travel plans – do let me know where and when you are planning to go…
Carol
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.Greecebuyingguide.com
Thursday 13 January 2011
How does your garden grow?
Perhaps you have purchased your new holiday home in Greece – or maybe you are still dreaming of doing so. Either way, one of the things you will need to think about is the garden. A visit to a holiday home, for either yourself or your tenants, should be a pleasure - relaxing and restful. The last thing you want to be doing are all those garden chores that you have left behind at home. Let’s face it, a property with a garden needs a bit of forward planning as to how you will care for it.
There are a number of options. You can either do it all yourself, get a local management company to take care of it or employ a local gardener on a part time basis - or indeed on a full time basis, depending on the size of the garden! What ever option you chose, you do not want a garden that requires hours of work on your part. If you decide to employ someone, you need to factor this cost into your budget incidentally.
Best case scenario would be a low maintenance garden that requires a minimum of attention, one that requires not too much upkeep generally and that will be fine with only a once or twice a year pruning or clipping and after that very little work for the rest of the year. The main thing really is to plant indigenous trees and local plants that are suited to the climate and that are not going to require constant care and watering. Plants that can withstand a drought are the best bet - things like perhaps Rosemary, Sage, Lavender and Agapanthus - perhaps even succulents?
There are bound to be many lovely gardens around you and gardeners like nothing better than comparing notes – lean over that garden fence and ask some advice: you may just make a new best friend into the bargain! Also perhaps you can pop into local plant nurseries nearby - they would be able to give good advice.
Try typing in 'Greece Gardens' on the Internet for a bit of input. I found a website that had a month by month analysis of what's going on in the Greek garden...I also found the following sage advice: “Gardening in Greece has many advantages: mild winters, lots of sunshine and an active garden all year round. But along with the plusses there are some minuses, such as: no rain for at least five months during the hottest part of the year, incessant weeds, and the need to have a continuous floral display somewhere in the garden throughout the year. In order to accomplish this, the garden has to be heavily planted up with:
- Drought resistant plants
- Bulbs to extend the flowering season before and after the summer
- Vines, shrubs and trees to offer shade to plants less able to cope with the strong sun
- Ground covers to reduce the temperature of the soil, maintain moisture in the soil, and to control the spread of weeds”
Just remember however that there may be a rainy winter around the corner...so make sure they can cope with that too...no one said it was going to be easy, did they?!! But I bet there are a few gardening clubs there too...and what a good way to make friends!
Bye for now, and warm New Year wishes!
Carol
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.greecebuyingguide.com
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