Contents
This Month
Epiphany and….Carnival Preparations!
Here in Rethymnon, unlike in some other parts of the world, the beginning of January is still very much the party season. New Year’s Day is Agios Vasilis (the Greek Santa Claus) and this is traditionally the day for people to exchange gifts, rather than on Christmas Day. On 6th January we celebrate Epiphany—and here in Rethymnon this is marked by a ceremony in the old harbour. Young men dive into the (chilly) waters to try and get hold of a cross that has been thrown into the sea, and the waters are also blessed by the local bishop. Epiphany is a public holiday, and shops and offices will be closed. The following day (January 7th) is the name day to celebrate John the Baptist, and many people treat this day as a holiday too! So not a lot of work happens during the first week, and it’s not a good time to try and do anything involving bureaucracy (I know what you’re thinking - is there ever a good time to do anything involving bureaucracy here?!) We have a couple of weeks when things calm down on the party scene, but then, just as we have all recovered from the excesses of the festive season, carnival is upon us once more.
Easter is somewhat earlier this year than it was in 2009. Apokries the three week carnival period before the beginning of Lent, starts on 24th January, with the final grand carnival parade being on Sunday February 14th. Another important date for the Old Town is February 4th ’Tsiknopempti’ or ‘burnt meat’ day, which is marked by a huge fancy dress party and music and dancing in the streets. For those people who are new to carnival here, it is seen as a really big event here, and Rethymnon has one of the largest and better known carnival parades in the whole of Greece. By next month we should have more details about this year’s program, in the meantime we will provide updates online as and when we get them.
Excursions with the Rethymnon CIC Group
In January the C.I.C group in Rethymnon will start monthly coach excursions to show people something more of Crete and to enable you to visit places that you might not know about. The coach excursion program has been designed by Albert van Elst. Albert has been working in the Tourist industry here on Crete for 19 years, 8 of them as a guide on a tour bus and 11 years in a Tourist office in Rethymnon on the beach road. Albert writes: The excursions will take place on the last Sunday of the Month and the cost will be kept as low as possible. However, please note that lunches, entrances and gifts to the guides are not included in the price. The minimum number we need for the trip is 20 people. The overflow of cash will go to Charity and on each of the CIC Coffee mornings at La Bamba bar, Rethymnon, all members can give their suggestions and there will be a vote to decide which charity will be the lucky one that month. Here is the program for January 31st: CRETAQUARIUM - KAZANTZAKIS MUSEUM - ARCHANES MUSEUM- BEE KEEPER ORGANIZATION B.S.D.O.A. We will start at around 9.00 am. We can pick people up from Georgioupolis,-Kavros,-Rethymnon, Misseria, Platanes, Adele, Skaletta, Panormos and even from Agia Pelagia, but only from the National Road. Our first stop will be at the new CretAquarium of Crete near Gouves. With our coach company we can get a good deal on the entrance price for the group - approx 5 euros per person. An expert from the aquarium will be on hand to give us a guided tour. The second visit is to the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum in Myrtia. Entrance here is 2 euros. Here will see exhibits about the life and works from the best known Cretan and we will be able to buy his books from the Musuem shop. Kazantzakis famous for being the writer of Zorba The Greek, but he wrote many other books too. We will be guided through the museum by the museum staff. Our third visit is to the Archaeological Musuem of Archanes, where the findings from the area and a Palace similar to Knossos are on show. We will see some of the oldest wine mill stones of Crete.
The village of Archanes was elected over a decade ago by the E.U. as the second best restored traditional village in Europe. On the wonderful village square we will have a typical cretan lunch for 10 euros per person. Our last visit is to Kostas Panagiotakis at his Bee farm and he will show his work and honey products—you can find out more about these on the www. bsdoa.com website. Between 5.00- 6.00 pm we will be back in Rethymnon and at the drop off. Cost for the excursion is 17,50 euros for non members and 15,00 euros for C.I.C members. You can send your reservation for places by email to info@winterincrete.com Or call 28310-56641. Tickets can also be obtained at the coffee morning of 7 January
28 FEBRUARY: ARKADI MONASTERY - MARGARITES POTTERY - ZONIANA CAVES-ANOGIA VILLAGE - IDEON ANTHRON PLATEAU.
28 MARCH KRITSA CHURCH & VILLAGE - AGIOS NIKOLAOS - SPINALONGA-LASSITHI PLATEAU.
Full details of these programs will be announced in the next issues of the Bugle’.
Bugle Outlets and Contact Details
Hard copies of the Bugle are distributed in a variety of locations around town.
These include: International News—Market (Square of Unknown Soldier), Satellite Tourist Services (Sof Venizelou 21, by the Marina), Tapas y Vinos (Melissinou 14), Galero Bar (Rimondi Fountain), Mediterraneo Bookstore (Paleologou), Octopus (Tsouderon 13), Stella’s Kitchen / Olga’s Pension (Soulion Street), Friends of Animals Charity Shop in Pigi, The Terrace in Platanes, Chaplin’s Pub (El Venizelou 52, beachfront), Fantasia Kinderland in Kavros and Restaurant Paradiso in Agia Galini.
To contact the Bugle, telephone Kate Brusten on 28310 54594 / 6942635515, or email editor@rethymnonnews.com – the deadline for the next issue is 23/01/10.
All previous issues have been archived on this site and can be viewed through the archive section.
