Cretan-homes, Crete property estate agents

A Greek tragedy

by Ann Lisney

Reality has a nasty habit of intruding, even on this magical island. Just when you have got into the habit of thinking how reassuringly peaceful it is, and how nothing much happens….. everything changes. 

Our village comprises about thirty people, including the two of us. There is one young married couple with school-age children, and the average age of the others is about 70.

Last month a 94 year old widow who had never had a day’s illness in her life suffered a slight stroke. She was taken into hospital where she suffered a second, massive, attack, which carried her off. The whole village turned out for her burial; everyone was in their best black and she lay serenely in her open-lidded coffin, surrounded by flower petals. The body was duly interred in the family vault in the local churchyard, with all the women in the village clicking their tongues. “It’s not a good sign when a dead person looks so peaceful,” they warned. “Someone else will follow….”

They were right. A second funeral followed within ten days. This time it was an 81 year old man who had been suffering from bone cancer. This funeral was particularly distressing as his widow was keening and tearing at her hair and clothes. Hundreds of people turned out from all over the area as apparently he had been a bit of a lad in his time …..

A week or so later, we heard that the only young family in the village is to split up. The father has been suffering a mental illness for some time and the strain has been too great on his wife and she is to leave the village with the children. The whole extended family is devastated and the village is shattered to be losing their only youngsters.

There has also been a mini-outbreak of gastro-enteritis – we darkly suspect due to the church service at Epiphany when the congregation had to drink the remains of the holy water that has been hanging around in the church since being blessed last January. As Rob and I were non-participants, we have escaped the bug. We had some given to us, but just splashed it around the house for luck.

Some luck! Twenty four hours later there was a huge earthquake - you may have heard on the news. Although traumatized, fortunately no-one in the village was hurt, although some of the derelict houses have lost a few more stones. It was pretty terrifying, with everything which should have been solid shaking like jelly.  Everyone dashed outside and the wife of our near neighbour was standing shrieking on the road - which in itself was very frightening! The aftershocks continued for a couple of minutes – but we both had wobbly knees for a lot longer. Our house seems to have survived well – the only signs were a few ornaments toppled over and pictures askew.

But, to look on the bright side, spring is only just around the corner. The almond blossom is beginning to show and already there are one or two early anemones flowering in the olive groves. On a recent walk in a nearby gorge we were privileged enough to be able to watch several pairs of eagles starting to collect nesting materials. They intend to raise new broods this year.  Life goes on.