Interflora Kos style

Only in Kefalos.It's a tourist's 25th wedding anniversary today and staying at Kamari Bay Hotel. He's ordered some flowers 'Kos style interflora' and they are coming on the 2 o'clock bus. what can you say?

Tickling octopus

My first introduction to Octopus was sitting at Sunlight Bar one night with Nikos waiting the birth of Eleni his first child when Soula and friends disappeared. It was the sort of night when the sea was like a millpond and not a ripple could be seen. I wondered where they had gone to.  Nikos said they'd gone to get me Octopus it was the perfect time to sneak up on them and tickle them and that was the best way to catch them. I don't know whether that is true or not but when they came back towards me carrying something in a bag I ran off screaming. I also learnt that the best way to tenderise them was on the Spin Cycle in the washing machine. Hearsay or true I don't know, but whatever I just love to eat BBQ'd or grilled octopus and I really enjoy octopus keftedes particularly at Agios Theologos or Limnionas. Nostimos.

 

Lovingly restored

 

This lovely little church part way up the hill to Kefalos has been lovingly restored by Manolis and family.It is quite stunning and beautiful.
Every August the priests can be heard on the loud speaker system as the sound resounds all around the hillside as they read from the Bible and many local people can be seen going in to pray and leaving with the traditional bread.
It's really moving and so different.

Sunrise and Sunset

The colour of the sky here at sunrise and sunset reveals all the colours of the rainbow gently melding into Blue or Black. The night sky is so black, illuminated only by the stars and moon, but last night the moon forgot to show, an eerie experience looking out across the black sea of Kamari Bay. The full moon of last week was such a contrast with it’s friendly face clearly visible and so large.

 

There are so many places to see the sunrise and sunset to best effect, be it from up in Zia, at Agios Theologos also known as sunset wave or anywhere you're prepared to stop and stand and stare. Always take your camera. Awesome.

 

 

Honey is Magic

August is the honey season here on Kos. A time to celebrate the year’s creation .The honey is a melting pot of sunshine, fresh herbs and wild flowers and no pollution. Honey with everything, yoghurt, crepes, freshly baked bread, baklava, ravani, cakes, pastries and savouries. It’s the colour of warm, transparent ,liquid gold. Everyone here makes the best and I’m not going to argue. Thank you Nikos for that lovely jar of Honey you gave me on Magic beach. (nostimos/ delicious )

The honey festival is the opportunity to try before you buy and celebrate this awesome product while enjoying Greek music at the same time.There are plenty of places to buy honey and many local families are proud to supply you theirs. If you are just visiting Kefalos for the day you can always visit the Honey shop.

 

Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the Midday sun

Many years ago my white skinned, red headed son went down to the beach for the day and spent all the time safely under the umbrella, unfortunately he didn't realise his protective brolly had little perforations like a tea strainer and the pixelated effect was not only rediculous to look at ,but the effects of sun burn were very uncomfortable.The quality of brollies has moved on since then.


With so many lovely beaches on the Island and so many sandy beaches within a stones throw of Kefalos it's not long before tourists and locals alike get down to the sea, strip off and do what people do in the sun.Sunbeds and sunshades are well worth investing in, and this year on some beaches the humble umbrella has been replaced with beautiful bamboo shades.

The sun is always there and not so true in the UK. So why do so many people expose themselves in the midday sun? Not to be recommended, but so many do and evidenced later that night with red, peeling sunburnt bodies exposed for the first time after the cool, rainy climate of the UK. The days are plenty and the daylight hours are long with enough time to catch the rays. The breeze is cooling, but dangerously deceptive while it gently toasts you. If you forget your after sun then Greek yogurt has many uses and is very cooling on sunburn.

Fruit and Veg are awesome

OMG this is the time to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables.

Forget pre-packed ,polythene wrapped uniform tomatoes and peaches and ruler straight cucumbers. Now is the time to try ripe, fresh, delicious, succulent, misshapen fruit and veg that tastes out of this world and even blindfolded you’d know what it was just by the aroma.

It’s the season for melons, figs, peaches, plums and apricots and I’ve just, much to my surprise eaten Blackberries. Awesome!

And as the Autumn approaches the time for families to harvest Olives is swiftly approaching.

 

Hitchhikers guide to Kefalos

Anybody staying in Kefalos will know that the walk up or down to the village is a major feat. Early morning and evening are manageable if you are not used to walking, but in the heat of the day an absolute no no for me. There is a train and a bus if you are prepared to wait a bit. But it is the only place in the world where I feel safe to pick up hitchhikers for a lift up to or down from the village.

It’s such fun returning old Greek ladies back up to the village after a swim and bringing another down to start work in the supermarket .They don’t speak much English, but with enough gestures and a little understanding on my part for left, right and straight on we manage. The language of Hitchhiking is universal. Would I pick someone up in the UK? I doubt it, but then I don’t see many OAP’s standing on street corners with their beach towels.

 

'Crete is full' Thank goodness otherwise I'd never have found Kefalos

‘Where are we going?’ said Ron. ‘Some place called Kefalos, Crete is full’ I said. And 25 years later we’re still going to Kos. You get hooked for life once you go to Kefalos. It’s quiet, it’s peaceful, it’s friendly, it’s a place where you get to say Kalispera everyday and get an answer back. It’s safe, it’s laid back.

Is it beautiful? I think so, though maybe not in that breath-taking sort of way, more in that comfortable, familiar way, especially when you drive into Kamari bay from the airport and see Agios Stefanos in front of you. It’s a place that has so many hidden gems to offer and once you get to know the locals they will be pleased to share them with you. It’s also a place where anyone of any age can go and feel safe and welcome.

 

 

Why on earth did I believe that Crete could be full when there were only two pages of Hotels in the brochure? Well I'm glad I believed them then otherwise I would never have found the magic of Kefalos.