APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 1 www.theagiot.net Tel: (0030) 26610 58177 AgiotThe 54th Edition

This Month The Steve Gibbons Band - Steve Gibbons - Agiotfest 12. Headline Agiotfest 12 Page 1

9th Losers’ Cup. Steve Gibbons: many bands including The Mann TT Races and it's a Page 2 Who, , E.L.O. formula that has won him Village News. and Lynard Skynard. In tremendous respect from Page 3 1981, SGB responded to fellow musicians. These an invitation from the days Steve is as busy as When Nitsa was Young. German Democratic Re- ever with appearances as a Page 3 public and became the solo artiste, with SGB or first western rock band to touring with pianist Phil News from the North. Page 4 tour the major cities of Bond, guitarist PJ. Wright East Germany. With a and 's Aunty Lula’s Love- huge repertoire of original and Gerry Con- Bites. Page 4 material to draw on, way as The Dylan Project. Steve's set list is always In 2004 Steve was invited Corfu Weather Statis- Born in Birmingham, fresh and surprising. He to join the legendary tics. Steve first came to promi- draws the audience into a Scotty Moore on a live Page 4 nence as the leader of The musical world with its own show filmed and recorded Two Easters. Uglys, an uncompromis- special history and culture; at Abbey Road to cele- Page 5 ing outfit at the forefront in his hands rock & roll is brate the 50th anniversary

Percy Williams & the of the City's burgeoning a magical force. It's a for- of 'That's All Right Mania', Sacred Ibis. 1960s music scene. By the mula that works in venues 's first release. Page 6 early 1970s he had formed as diverse as Ronnie the five-piece Steve Gib- Photo Gallery. Scott's, Madison Square Page 6 bons Band which enjoyed Garden or the Isle of success in the singles Christmas 1938. charts during the decade Page 7-9 and has been perennially Monthly Joke. popular on the live circuit Followers of Agiotfest ……… Page 9 ever since. With a huge please try this link:

The Economy international following, Page 10-11 Steve's long career has en- http://youtu.be/vUpj8MGkKCg compassed 15 albums. OCAY Villas. Along the way he has Page 11 worked and toured with

APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 2 it, so it can be 9th Losers' Cup inscribed. A big thanks By lished until the to all the com- Andy Player Committee has petitors and their supporters, and The 9th Corfu bought a rubber. to Tony Bloch at Losers’ Cup Chrissy also Croquet, who took place on made a claim for actually could play “The power of March 31st. champion Boules and knew the Tom” There was no but rule 87 sub- rules. Boring. Cup in 2011, section 3.1 states A wondrous slap-up meal at Mrs as it was de- that if the scorer has a chance of Anna Taverna’s Pie Shop put a seal cided to small time glory he will take on a great occasion switch the it...... Lula also showed significant Hope to see you all next “ Russ identifying insect event from the potential in the Golf nearest the year....evidence of the scoring found by Sue” Post-Christmas pin, (watch out method has now period (far too cold for our little Tiger), and of been destroyed, tootsies) to a course Lionel's much milder support and com- Keep Training Springtime. mon sense in in- Paul & Paul And, the terpreting the weather, though rules throughout cloudy, held. The the day was fully Organising Com- appreciated, as al- “You don’t have to “The crowd goes mild” mittee has to say ways. Lionel be- be able to see to play this game” it was a fantastic came the first day, and everyone “Sue returning blind competitor to try golf. Peter was awarded 10 at one stage or an- insect to twig” “No coaching points for man of gentlemen please” other was a the match!! "Winner"; Nine Thanks to Rich & events were Karen for the flags included in the and Paul M & day.....plus Lula for the cup drinking. (both of them). Individual “A champion in Mr Quilter is po- the making” events score litely requested to “Alex asking his mum breakdowns are return the trophy to HQ when he “The Feast” what the insect was” not being pub- has stopped polishing and admiring

Positions and Points; 1st Rich Quilter 117.5 (1st in both Golf events & Pool) He was the only non-drinker. 2nd Alex Ferguson 105.5 (consistent throughout all events, and at restraining himself from murder at Croquet) 3rd Paul Scotter 92.5 (1st at Boules, and creative scoring) 4th Karen Quilter 92.0 ( if Paul S hadn’t been the scorer he might have been 4th!! TOP Lady of the day) 5th Russ Conway 91.0 (1st at Shove halfpenny & only "hole in one" of the day). He also did a fine medley of tunes at the taverna. 6th Tom Schafer 89.5 (Great at pouring Tequila, and should have won on that alone, must try harder at Darts). Top non-Brit this year. 7th Fonda Grammenos 86.0 (1st at Bowling with 282 points, and hassling, 3 times winner had no chance). 8th Paul McGovern 85.0 (Founding member retaining top 10 for the 73rd year). Would have come higher if able to stand. 9th Tony Barker 83.5 (Strength in Putting and contender for 2013.....note all the positions 3rd to 9th within 9 points) 10th Adrian Batten 69.5 (Strong first performance of new Agiot villager). Fell asleep whilst talking to Lionel at banquet. 11th Kostas McGovern 58.5 (Sorry Kosta for not letting you practice at golf ....Paul S feels guilty, but only a bit !!) 11th Sue Barber 58.5 (Boules and Putting strongest events, wins for most smiles of the day) 13th Alex Vasilakis 54.0 (Croquet excellent performance, massive sandwich may have hampered later events) 14th Spiros Revis 53.0 (Late arrival hampered a top ten spot, but still 2nd in darts with 80, and peaked around 21.00hrs)

APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 3 died. She often used to help at the known Lula and Anna as pretty taverna when it was busy, but for schoolgirls. He also renewed his Village News many months had been ill, confined acquaintance with Alekos whom he By to home and hospital. remembered as picking up tables Dr. Lionel Mann We experienced a little seismic with his teeth. Alekos has since jolt on Independence Day, nothing given up that hobby – no teeth! The frequent roar of aircraft en- much, only 4.9, and many did not gines has announced the start of an- notice it. I was still in bed, not hav- other season. As well as Easyjet, Ry- ing been told of the start of Summer anair is now operating inexpensive Time, and thought that Aspros had direct flights from U.K. airports. jumped on, but then I remembered Already some visitors have used this that he was outside trying to teach new facility. Bonnos better manners. I was ready with my big stick to thrash the brute “Lionel in his new house” if need be. Paul Grove and Micky Clarke are Happy Easter visiting. They will return here with others for Easter. to all our readers! Harry, last here in 1973, 1975 and 1976, lives near Stansted Airport and “Eletheria” took advantage of the new flights We apologise for being 2 days from there to pay a short visit. He late owing to I.T. problems. Eletheria, known as Crazy Nitsa, noticed a number of changes having the wife of Spiros Threewheeler, has

the island to be drowned at sea When Nitsa was Young off Kefalonia By a haystack afire. Everyone awoke and and Zakinthos. Lord Biro Ioannis was scurried to get the nearby children always in the Chapter 3: Transition away. The flames spread quickly and “Mountain Infantry” it took all the villagers and the Ital- thick of things. One day the Italian soldiers per- ians with buckets of water drawn One day the Germans roared in to formed a search in the village and from the well and a spray machine, search the houses. They were not as they herded several political suspects to subdue the inferno. Part of one easy-going as the Italians had been. towards a van, for they were to be home was burnt out but nobody was However, luckily for Ioannis he hap- interrogated in town. Nitsa’s little hurt. This incident frightened young pened to have a framed photograph brother Prokopis [ now in Time-Out] Nitsa greatly. It was suspected that of the Kaiser [ from the Achilleon] fainted during the commotion. His the fire had started from a discarded on his cabinet. The soldiers soon Mum Sofia called to her husband, cigarette butt, tossed by a worker spotted this and immediately stopped who was being led away. He tried to sleeping in the haystack. the search of his home. get to his son, and the Italians raised In September 1943, the Germans Finally, the Germans too de- their rifles, but were sympathetic to became the new masters of Corfu. parted, as the tides of war changed. the plight of the child.…..After one On the 13th of that month they There were celebrations over their day of interviews all the suspects were bombed the theatre, then came their retreat but they were short-lived. A released un- army. They landed near Lefkimmi. Civil War was brewing, which ex- harmed. On Nitsa’s father Alekkos and a few vil- tended hostilities in this small corner another occa- lagers went down as far as Benitses to of the globe for another three years. sion in 1942 repel the invaders, but the size and In 1946 Nitsa’s father died, so Ioannis was power of the incoming tanks made young, from appendicitis. She re- sleeping out- them beat a hasty retreat members her and her siblings trun- “German Patrol” doors at night, The Italians had changed teams, dling off to the rich Estates to gather in the heat of and the Germans were not amused. olives to supplement their shrunken the summer. In the dawn he noticed 3500 Italian troops were taken off income.

APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 4 good!!!!! News From the North Lovely weather the tourists are hopefully coming, everything is look- ing a bit rosier. I would like to thank By Uncle Bulgaria most of the clerks would have sent the many people who sup- Contributing Editor me away again to do the paper cor- ported Little Al and myself with rectly. So, THANKYOU that EKA our Utube Video, Well I would like to start with a clerk for your help and considera- We did make a follow up, very well done. Earlier this month along tion. You are one in a million. tongue in cheek if your interested in with thousands of others I had to You know it makes me sick every seeing it, its on Corfuals renew my EKA book for my wife and time I watch SKY or freeview TV the UTube channel. We had good feed- I. Any person that went to the EKA amount of so called charities begging back from the first film some people office at this time would have ob- for money, Save the bear , were not coming here for holi- served the heaving mass of people cheetha, the lion , the elephant , the day, now are , and a producer from acting like animals. I observed a lot monkees , the child in every third ITV has expressed an interest in the of abuse aimed at the EKA officers. world country, pay for digging wells, subject when they make a series After 2 days when I eventually got to Cancer research , you would about Corfu later this year so all the window having waited for about think after 50 years of research and good stuff. 6 hours each day , I was given a form millions and millions of pounds sent The street light outside my has to fill in (totally in Greek of course) by the public they would have got has not worked for nearly a year, de- and told to bring it back next somewhere with cancer , and when spite many complaints to the Demos. day together with a long list of docu- they do, although the public paid for I might as well hang a sign outside mentation. I mentioned that I had it whos going to make huge profits my house to the burglars (Ive been been patient for two days and at 70 out of the cure, and who is going to done twice) saying "come on, break years old found the thought of a be paying for that profit. I digress, in here its nice and dark noone will third day of waiting distressful! This the point is we rarely see charities for see you" kind lady said dont wait just bring our own children and if we sent I Love the new Corfu market the documents round back into the money how much is squandered in really great, but I reckon a public office and give it to her direct. Which "Administration" costs and how toilet would be nice, or if there is one the next day I did. She checked every- much would actually be applied to (and I cannot find it) why dont they thing briefly and said come back the the care of the subject? Frankly rather put a sign up. Typical!!! following week. Well the good part is than cough up about 100 quid a Well on that crappy note, that's at 8pm one evening this lady phoned month to all these so called charities me on her own time and expense for it. I would rather treat a fellow expat the answer to just one question, this down on their luck direct, with a cou- I am and always will be. is above and beyond the call of duty, ple of beers which will do more Obnoxious Al. Corfu Weather Aunty Lula’s Love-bites Statistics Go: Cheese Pudding March 2012

1. Place the bread in a basin, add Ingredients cheeses and whisked eggs. Maximum Temperature - 22C

Minimum Temperature - 3C 225g Fresh White Bread (cut 2. Heat the milk and pour on to into cubes, crusts removed) the bread mixture. Season and mix Average Temperature - 13C 150g Grated Edam Cheese well together. Windspeed - 42km/h. 50g Grated Kefalotiri Cheese Gust-speed - 61km/h. 3 Eggs (whisked) 3. Pour mixture into a buttered 1 Rain – 20,6mm 500ml Milk litre soufflé or pie dish and bake at A little Salt & Pepper approximately 190°C for 45 - 50 A pinch of Cayenne Pepper minutes. Bon Appetit!!

APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 5 Two Easters

By the Liturgy, Nick Metallinos read- Simon Baddeley In the village yesterday, the ing an interpretation of the An- Eastern celebration of the prayer them, after which the congrega- to Mary in Ag.Giorgos Church, tion passed the icon of the Virgin referred to as Akathistos, on pilgrimage ...This isn't a satis- Ακάθιστος, meaning 'not sitting'. factory translation of Thanassis' The church is bright, the anthem words on the village web. At least one of jubilation, the congrega- I'm not trying to translate the ac- tion standing to rejoice… tual Anthem which contains rhe- torical devices that defy transla- tion' with an alphabetical acrostic for the first word of each web. , and its stanzas - οίκος, house - and the lines beginning ‘Rejoice!’ full of internal rhymes that work in Latin Palm Sunday ~ 1 April 2012 Ημέρα του Ακάθιστου Ύμνου Greek. η χθεσινή για τα εκκλησιαστικά We "Amy's went to the hospital μας και στον Άη – Γιώργη ******** at 3.00. They sent her home. ξεκίνησε από τις 7 το απόγευμα η Then we went in again at 7.30" Ακολουθία των «24 Οίκων». Η Phone call to Lin from Guy just would have set out tonight but φωνή του παπα- Κώστα after noon "You have a grandson" we''ve postponed travel to Greece απλωνόταν έως το περιαύλιο του awaiting our grandson. We'll not ναού, με τα επαναλαμβανόμενα be in Ano Korakiana until the «Χαίρε…». Νίκος και Τάκης middle of Greek Easter - a fort- Σαββανής θα ξεχωρίσουν στην night after the Latin; as Mark said απαγγελία του «Άσπιλε» και του when I e-mailed him. «Και δος ημίν Δέσποτα» "Well you will just have to throw αντίστοιχα, ενώ προς το τέλος your bags through your door and της Λειτουργίας, ο Νίκος play catch up on the booze and Μεταλληνός θα αναγνώσει food, on arrival." κείμενο με την ερμηνεία του Oliver and grandparents at Good At nine this morning Guy Ύμνου και στη συνέχεια το Hope this afternoon phoned. εκκλησίασμα θα περάσει

We said we'd to go and collect μπροστά από τη μεγάλη εικόνα Cookie dog to feed and stay with της Παναγίας για προσκύνημα… us. It was Akathistos Anthem Day "So we're going to have two yesterday celebrated at Saint Easter's" said Lin George's, the sequence of '24 Stan- zas' starting at 7 pm. The voice of Father Costa spread through the church, with the repeated call "Rejoice ..." Nikos and Takis Sav- vani reciting the 'Immaculate' prayer and the Lord's Prayer 'Give us this day our daily bread', respec- Oliver Sebastian Hollier tively, while towards the end of

APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 6 Percy Williams and the Sacred Ibis

By big wagon to deliver a consignment “I could tie a 56 lb weight to this Dai the Nant of something or other in Tangiers. bird and it would find a way to fly When I moved to Wales, almost They were gone for a fortnight, and off” he shouted at the Twitchers. the first person that I met was a 70 when they came back, Tom was Very red in the face he was too. year old character called Tom Rob- soon regaling all and sundry in The “It could have been brought by a erts, otherwise known as “Tom the Crown with his adventures. Arthur High Wind from the Sahara” said Logs” and also “Tom the Ticket”. asked him if he brought back plenty Tom later “I have heard of such The first because he supplied the of cigarettes and tobacco. Appar- things” village with all their winter fuel, and ently not. You couldn’t move for And then he went all maudlin the second because he was always Customs men on the lookout. “If again, thinking about his old com- raising money for charity by selling we had filled the wagon” said Tom, rade in arms: “A good man was raffle tickets. “they would have been on us like a Percy, always kind to others, he Everybody got their logs from flock of Vouchers” looked out for me and I looked out Tom although they were always Shortly after we moved to the for him.” A deep sigh, and then: ringing wet. I once asked Gerry Wil- village I asked Tom if he would “But we will all meet again, in the liams landlord of the The Crown if help me with some foundations for Great Erection” Tom’s logs were likely to be soaking a garage. We were halfway through Dai the Nant again this year: “he’s had the hose- digging the footings out when two pipe on em all morning” replied significant events occurred. First of Photo Gerry cheerfully. Tom, of course, all Percy Williams died, who had served in the same unit as Tom dur- Gallery sold all his logs by weight. nd Accounting for his income from ing the 2 World War, and second: both sources was a bit of a problem the village was invaded by bird- because Tom couldn’t read or write watchers. although he could handle small The bird-watchers had turned up change. The big job of drawing up a because a Sacred Egyptian Ibis had schedule of takings was left to Han- landed in a field opposite the foot- nah, his lovely wife. Despite being ball pitch. Tom was on to this in no time “that bird has been blown unable to read, Tom in an earlier Aeglis Cake Simon Baddeley life had run a haulage business and here by a high wind from the Sa- had delivered goods all over Eng- hara” he stated. Actually this wasn’t land and Wales. He couldn’t read as stupid as it sounded as I can re- the signs so I expect he developed a member being in Leeds when 30 very good memory, as most illiterate tons of Sahara sand had come people do. down on the city and collected in Another bye-product of his lack the gutters. What with nipping up to check Abby (was Lucinda) enjoy- of letters was his frequent habit of ing life with new sister. mispronouncing words and names. on the Ibis, and getting ready for For example, he always called Con- Percy’s funeral, Tom was not much rad, who lived next door to The help with my footings. In fact I did- Crown: Conrod. This irritated n’t see him until after lunch on the Conrad so much that he always Sunday. By that time, Percy had avoided Tom when drinking in The been buried, and Tom, in his best Crown, and he eventually moved suit was piping his eye over a bottle away from the village. of Guinness. Also a policeman from Anglesey had turned up (he And one from- On another occasion, Mervyn “Corfu Life” asked Tom to go with him in his kept exotic birds) given the Ibis a Canada good slap and thrown it in his van

APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 7 St. Nartin’s tomorrow,” as he was was potted and, together with most Christmas 1938 being rushed for emergency surgery. of the holly and mistletoe, stored in By Still aged only twelve, I duly played, a corner of the scullery. Roy took Dr. Lionel Mann became master of a choir of twenty- home some of the holly. four boys, some older and bigger I cannot remember how I passed Part Four: than I, and was set on my lifelong that afternoon, but I was never

How is it that I can remember so career. I had no trouble; they were short of something to do, As well well that Christmas long ago? It was locally famous, drawing overflow as playing viola or piano I was a vo- absolutely unique in my experience, congregations, determined to re- racious reader, visiting the local the last in peace-time while I still main so, made sure that I quickly public library at least weekly as well lived in the village of my childhood, learned my job! Six years playing as finding interesting material on yet the first when I lived with my and chorister experience also grandfather’s well-filled book- grandparents and was old enough helped me. shelves. Also I had been given free to go shopping in the city without My new closest friends became access to the large workshop at the adult supervision. The panorama the Head Chorister and his deputy end of the garden, until recently of late afternoon with the brilliant that I inherited, both in the same used by grandfather’s builders for lights of the displays in the shop form as I at school. I still ex- their woodwork. All the builders windows and market stalls, soon to changed pleasant greetings with had now been taken for Govern- be eclipsed in wartime blackout, I Roy whenever we met, but in the ment work and I had full use of a can still recall in my mind. Too, hierarchy of the school he was my treasury of tools, equipment and a that was the last Christmas of a gra- senior and also in Science whereas I big stock of cut-offs for the con- cious era, one of politeness and was in Classics; great rivalry, mainly struction of models of all the latest consideration. friendly, existed between the two. R.A.F. aircraft, from a small Spitfire It also marked the end of my On Friday morning, two days fighter to a big Sunderland flying five-year close friendship with Roy. before that memorable Christmas, boat. Great fun! In the absence of Early in the New Year our dear old Roy and I, dressed appropriately in electricity the lathe and drills were vicar died, replaced by a young shal- scruff gear, wheeling handcart and pedal-powered and I could just low, cheesey-smile-and-Brylcreem well equipped with tools, went to reach them. The gas lighting was cleric. Our young keen organist left the woods with grandfather and his permanently turned off so I was to join the rapidly expanding elderly part-time gardener. For the able to work only in good daylight. R.A.F. Roy ‘retired’ from the choir first time we entered legally when That evening, smart again in uni- and I also left to ‘turn pro’ from a grandfather unlocked the gate, in- form, I went with Roy to choir prac- twopence-a-week choirboy to a ten- stead of through a hole in the tice, the final rehearsal of all the shilling-a-week singer warbling alto fence, the access of all children Christmas music. Boys’ practice was along with three young contraltos, coming to play in that wonderland from 6.30 to 8.00 while adults over- six sopranos, four tenors, four and local residents seeking fallen lapped, arriving and leaving later. basses in the west-end-gallery semi- timber as firewood. Roy and I The nearby Public Library, on professional choir of a well- helped to rope in the branches of a our way home, closed at 9.00 so we endowed city church; great experi- young fir tree to facilitate digging always called in there after practice ence for a twelve-year-old. After around its roots before we set off in to change books. I had been going Sunday Evensong the organist, who search of holly with plenty of red there regularly for five years and the had been my first piano teacher, berries, leaving the adults to their staff had become friends, recom- handed out the next week’s music spade-work. mending reading and finding books and woe betide anyone who had It was clear that others had been on subjects in which I expressed not mastered it by the following there before us, but when we went interest. At Christmas we always Friday practice; Mr. Rush was not deeper into the woods we found received a cheerful greeting and a overly patient and had a very sharp plenty to fill the cart. Grandfather bar of chocolate or a little bag of tongue! This elevation lasted only came looking for us and led us to sweets. We were not disappointed eight months before my school Mu- an old oak tree upon which grew this time. sic Master, also a church organist, mistletoe. We cut a few sprigs of gasped, “Phone Mann; he’ll play at that, dragged the cart back, loaded the fir tree and went home. Tree Continued on Page 8

APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 8 Christmas 1938 - Part Four mother went out to them to make son, but my grandparents preferred Continued from Page 7 last-minute purchases. When no to deal when possible with the house had a refrigerator such an tradesmen who came to us. The next morning, Christmas opportunity to buy daily except We received two postal deliveries Eve, Aunt Louise and Uncle Lionel Sundays fresh perishable provisions daily and I was deputed to intercept went to work, leaving visiting Aunts was very important. Moreover the the postman that afternoon to hand Bessy, May and Lily to put up the vendors would impart items of local him his half-crown “Christmas decorations. First the tree was car- news about Mrs. Jones’s baby, Mr. box”. Four years later, when war- ried into the lounge and there was Smith’s uncle, farmer Giles’s sheep. time shortage of staff placed a strain an indication of things to come They would exchange cheerful ban- on coping with the Christmas when each of the trio had a differ- ter with their customers and were postal flood, I served as a temporary ent idea of where it should be enveloped in merry laughter. If the postman and found it very lucra- placed. Grandmother came to settle goods were heavy they would carry tive, even after sharing equally my the dispute and we unroped the them into the house to leave them gains with the regular postman who branches leaving them to spread. I where required. In those days, be- remained in the sorting office and had been conscripted to assist by fore “the acquisitive society” and bundled all the mail in the correct climbing the stepladder whenever politicians’ “divide and rule” fos- order of delivery. anything was out of reach from be- tered envy, greed, malice and dis- I had been told that presents low as none of the three was par- honesty, it was unthinkable that should be left at the foot of the tree ticularly agile. Life became full of anyone should steal from an un- in the lounge to be handed out ups and downs as none could agree tended van. when everyone had returned from where the paper streamers should Our front gate was just five yards church on Christmas morning, but go until Bessy and Lily retired with outside the city boundary and there- I privately resolved to be optimistic hurt feelings, leaving domineering fore we were usually the first stop and to hang a stocking anyway. May to do the job. I had appar- for those merchants. From us they Part of the afternoon I passed in ently been forgiven my amusement circulated around the housing es- wrapping my presents for others at her clock cleaning; we worked tate, the new part of the village, and then placed them as required. pleasantly and soon had lounge, much of it grandfather’s creation, Father arrived in time for din- hall and dining-living room fes- before going out into the quaint old ner, brought to the gate by a “leave- tooned with a variety of brightly village surrounding its beautiful bus” from the airfield where his coloured paper streamers while the little medieval church where I had team was erecting hangars. Later he disaffected pair showed good sea- first been a six-year-old chorister. read my school report and ex- sonal spirit in returning to place Apart from the later installation of pressed himself well pleased, yet I sprigs of holly above every picture a small organ and choir stalls the detected some reservations regard- and upon every convenient projec- building had remained unchanged ing my position first in Music and tion. Aunt May and I decorated the for more than five centuries. That my many musical activities. tree, taking great care to attach can- part of the village had a small gen- Though himself a very competent dle-holders firmly in positions eral store selling everything from musician, organist of a city church where the candles would not pose a pins through potatoes to paraffin, until recently called away by the fire hazard. All this took up most of but those visiting suppliers pro- Ministry of Works, he had always the morning and our first taste of vided a most useful additional ser- been opposed to my ambition for a Christmas was the hot mince pies vice. musical career, especially one in with which grandmother rewarded From time to time a knife- church music, although for more us when we reported the end of our grinder, a tinker, a ‘Spanish’ onion- than three centuries our ancestors labours to her in the kitchen. seller would also come round. Ac- had been church musicians in and In succession throughout the tually there were a number of shops around the city and even further a morning we had heard the distinc- within easy walking distance of field. “You don’t want to get into tive cries of the baker, milkman, home, at the top of the long hill that; you’re always at the mercy of butcher, fishmonger, grocer, green- into the city, including a hardware ignorant parsons and even more grocer, coalman as with their horse- store, haberdashery and a very ignorant congregations.” drawn vans they made their last popular fish-and-chip shop run by a rounds before Christmas. Grand- big jovial Dane with his wife and Continued on Page 9

APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 9 Christmas 1938 - Part Four ‘Popery’ so none of us attended. I ‘stocking’, listening with amuse- Continued from Page 9 found it rather amusing that little ment to their whispering. I always

over a year later when I became or- had a torch under my pillow; find- However he was hardly ever at ganist and choirmaster of the ing and lighting the gaslight in the home now and grandfather was en- ‘spikiest’ Anglo-Catholic church in dark was very difficult. Having couraging my music. Father was the city, arriving home after every waited a minute or two for the elves later proved right, but by then I was Sunday and Saint’s Day service sur- to be a safe distance away I slipped well established, able ro ignore ec- rounded by an aroma of incense out of bed to inspect what Father clesiastical pettiness. and candle-smoke, he was very sup- Christmas had sent. Two books, Having hopefully hung my pil- portive and always asking of our some chocolate and sweets was a lowslip ‘stocking’ I went to bed. doings. promising start as I knew that there There was no Christmas Eve Mid- The creaking of the door and would be more under the tree. night Mass at the church where I the two wooden steps down into Happily munching I went back to sang and, though there was one at my bedroom awakened me, but I bed. the church a mere hundred yards kept my eyes closed against the glow from home, staunchly-Protestant of torchlight by which father and To be continued ... grandfather reckoned that suck ob- Aunt Louise were filling my servance savoured strongly of

Joke of the Month - sent in by: John Christie

A man is driving down the road and breaks down near a monastery. He goes to the monastery, knocks on the door, and says, "My car broke down. Do you think I could stay the night?" The monks graciously accept him, feed him dinner, and even fix his car. As the man tries to fall asleep, he hears a strange sound; a sound like no other that he has ever heard. The next morning, he asks the monks what the sound was, but they say, "We can't tell you because you're not a monk." The man is disappointed but thanks them anyway and goes about his merry way. Some years later, the same man breaks down in front of the same monastery. The monks again accept him, feed him, and even fix his car.. That night, he hears the same strange mesmerizing sound that he had heard years earlier. The next morning, he asks what the sound was, but the monks reply, "We can't tell you because you're not a monk." The man says, "All right, all right. I'm dying to know. If the only way I can find out what that sound is to become a monk, how do I become a monk?" The monks reply, "You must travel the Earth and tell us how many blades of grass there are and the exact number of sand pebbles. When you find these numbers, you will become a monk." The man sets about his task. Some forty-five years later, he returns and knocks on the door of the monastery. He says, "I have travelled the Earth and devoted my life to the task demanded and have found what you had asked for. There are 371,145,236,284,232 blades of grass and 231,281,219,999,129,382 sand pebbles on the earth. The monks reply, "Congratulations, you are correct, and you are now considered a monk. We shall now show you the way to the sound." The monks lead the man to a wooden door, where the head monk says, the sound is behind that door. The man reaches for the knob, but the door is locked. He asks, "May I have the key?" The monks give him the key, and he opens the door. Behind the wooden door is another door made of stone... The man requests the key to the stone door. The monks give him the key, and he opens it, only to find a door made of ruby.. He demands another key from the monks, who provide it. Behind that door is another door, this one made of sapphire. And so it went on until the man had gone through doors of emerald,… ...silver, topaz, and amethyst. Finally, the monks say, "This is the key to the last door." The man is relieved to be at the end. He unlocks the door, turns the knob, and behind that door he is astonished to find the source of that strange sound. It is truly an amazing and unbelievable sight....

... But I can't tell you what it is because you're not a monk.

APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 10 The Economy By a quick blast of a hair-dryer to keep pay 600 euro (£500) - the basic Paul Kidner warm. monthly salary in Greece - for a

They can’t afford expensive die- 'solidarity tax' a couple of months Greek MPs finally voted through a sel-powered heating systems any ago. At first the government said it controversial austerity plan in return for more. It also begs the question of was a one-off payment but there are a £110billion EU bailout as rioters why we even use diesel in a land of fears it will be demanded again. clashed with police in the streets outside. wind, sun and rich geothermal en- I earned a respectable salary last Without the cash injection the coun- ergy sources? year but left in order to start my try would have faced the prospect of own business which still isn't profit- defaulting next month when it ran out able. But I still had to pay this tax. of money. After that there came a 'special But what is it like living in a society tax' for anyone who owns property buffeted by all this turmoil? – it is worked out according to the Born in Athens to a Greek mother area in which you live and how and English father, PAUL KIDNER large your property is. [ no relation of Paul Scotter, Paul Ed- I own a small flat, so I 'only' had wards, Paul Grove or Paul McGovern] An Athens cinema set on fire by protesters op- to spend a further €500 (£419). But returned to the Greek capital four years posing austerity measures - like many others - I found it hard ago after 14 years working in various to pay my mortgage as well as pay- countries around the world. He recently But we do, the state-owned elec- ing this new bill. started up a business and here he gives tricity grid still uses lignite – known And it adds to a sense of unfair- Yahoo! News a personal insight into the to be one of the most inefficient ness that I have to pay an addi- crisis gripping his country. fuels. And that is indicative of what I’ve stopped watching the news. little change takes place here. tional, brand-new tax on top of Every day feels like Groundhog Things never change – except for other property taxes I’ve already Day. We watch the same drama on the worse. paid. The way it was implemented our screens – crisis, default, the Since the austerity measures shows the government knew how drachma, unemployment, down- kicked in one business is closing unpopular it would be. So the prop- ward spiral – and it is getting in- after the other. Unemployment erty tax was taken through your creasingly depressing to watch. jumped from 11% last year to a cur- electricity bill. For those living outside Greece rent level of 21% and rising. Anyone who didn’t pay would the footage of rioting in the streets Among my immediate circle, I have their electricity cut off. What is in complete contrast to the cul- know of three people who have lost one side of the fence calls austerity, tural imagery handed down since their jobs, and another who has another calls extortion. the 1970s. Older women dressed in remained unpaid over the past black, men playing backgammon in eight months. He’s finding it diffi- cafes, black coffee, ouzo, delicious cult to make ends meet and moved food and beautiful beaches. to a smaller flat with his girlfriend And now? What have we to to cut down on costs. show for the 'fast-food tourism' Now one of the three has found which developed from our cultural a job but that involves taking a se- brand? Very little apart from vast vere pay cut. 'I’m back to where I debts and an all-pervading sense of was in the 1990s,' he says. One gloom. friend who owned a printing busi- Clashes in Athens have seen fireworks launched at riot police. To give an indication of how it ness is now working as a security guard for €600 (£500) per month. affects our daily lives, to keep bills down people have taken to switch- Many are thinking of emigrating. ing off their central heating. One On top of this there are the tax friend told me her family even uses bills, one after the other. I had to Continued on Page 11

APRIL 2012 SINCE AUGUST 2007 PAGE 11 The Economy tions’ has ever been punished. The queues and umpteen civil servants Continued from page 10 sense of injustice infuriates the pub- to stamp one piece of paper. lic. But the current measures on offer The middle-class feel they are The problem is that there is no are seen as simply harsh, unfair and constantly the ones who have to light at the end of the tunnel. unsustainable. front the bills. We are the easy tar- Greeks feel that there are little pros- As people’s wealth is being get, the people who can’t hide from pects and no plans for growth. And eroded so is their silence. Greece is the tax system. The rich move their there is little to choose from the going to begin to roar and its credi- money to off-shore accounts, while political parties. tors are not going to like the conse- small businesses don’t issue bills If the EU was really concerned quences that this instability will making it impossible for the tax- about Greek debt, why are we not bring. man to track their earnings. talking about cutting our defence Our leaders and the EU also A friend recently moved to a flat spending? Greeks believe this is be- bear responsibility for this need to which needed work doing to it. But cause EU countries benefit from communicate to the Greek people neither the painter, the electrician lucrative defence contracts. how they plan on making things nor the plumber would issue a writ- Most Greeks would agree that the better, how they will create jobs, ten bill. country needs fiscal re-structuring, efficiency and clamp down on tax So we get hit each and every that the tax system has to be auto- evasion. time. mated to reduce graft, that bureauc- There is a Greek proverb which Taxes erode the middle class, racy needs to be minimised and a says 'hope dies last' but if we are while leaving systemic failures un- business-friendly environment ever to survive this collective an- touched. On top of that, despite needs to be introduced. One that guish we need to find a source of many political scandals, no one doesn’t require two weeks of hope - and quickly. with large pockets or ‘good connec- ocay villas quality holiday accommodation in Corfu, Greece

Villa Theoora Villa Aphrodite

GREAT DEALS AT OCAY VILLAS

Hello Campers,

With the summer not far away- you would not think this if you were looking out of a Corfu window today [Jan has just told me the wind has got up. I asked her if she has seen the doctor about it] -we would like to start to fill our vacant summer weeks

Prices on Villa Theodora and Aphrodite were already reduced, to help people with the current financial doldrums, and now we would like to fill our few remaining weeks with as many of our friends and visitors as we can. It seems such a shame to have spar- kling blue pools and cloudless skies without the sounds of splashing or squealing.

So, there is a further 10% discount to website prices for you mailing either here or by going to www.ocayvillascorfu.com

Please note there are no further reductions at present for Villa Persephone, Noy or MouseHouse, as these villas are already dis- counted.