Contents
Around Town |
|
Fire Hazards |
|
Well, to pardon the pun, after the recent heat wave and subsequent fires that have been raging throughout Greece this should be flaming obvious, but nevertheless we’re going to repeat the appeal that has come from the Chief of the Rethymnon Fire Brigade. Please, everyone, be super-aware about potential fire risks. Although there is extra seasonal cover the Fire Service is overstretched and under–resourced. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to work out that summer is a particularly testing for fire fighters. This year, conditions have been exceptionally difficult. There have already been several serious wild-fire outbreaks that have destroyed large areas of land within the Rethymnon Nomos. Soaring temperatures in June were a contributory factor, of course. However, in recent years there has been an alarming increase in incidences of ‘arson as a route to property development’. Forested land has protected status and building regulations are very strict. However, once land is ‘deforested’ as the result of an ‘accidental’ fire the whole picture changes - regulatory bodies are effectively powerless in terms of stopping an unscrupulous property developer from moving in. Enough of that particular rant. But please be careful—every day we are losing more and more of this beautiful island for no valid reason, and I happen to like Crete. For those of you who don’t already know here are the emergency telephone numbers :
|
Summer Sport: Track, Field, Beach, Road, Water-Polo…. |
|
The football season may be over for the summer, but there is still plenty of sporting activity going on here. For example , NOR, the local male water-polo team is doing well. What? You didn’t know that Rethymnon had a water-polo team? Maybe not that much of a surprise, as they train and play in Athens. The reason why? There isn’t a pool in the Rethymnon area that complies with water-polo competition regulations. Anyway, despite this apparent handicap, NOR are currently in second place in the ‘β’ Division which means that they have managed to secure a place in the next Round Robin six-team tournament. This competition will establish which two teams will be promoted to the Α2 Division. Unfortunately, though, the women’s water-polo team has been demoted from A1 to A2. In July, Rethymnon will host a variety of important sporting events. Between 2nd July and 21st July there is a beach volleyball tournament involving 14 local teams: the final will take place on July 21st at 21:45, after which there will be an exciting fireworks display. All games take place on the beach (this might be stating the obvious, but it is a very long stretch of beach!) opposite the Haagen Dazs café. On 18th July there is the 23rd Vardinoyannia International Track and Field Meeting at the Athletics Stadium in Galou. This event has been upgraded to EAA Premium Status. Then at the end of the month, between the 20th and 29th July there is the European Under 16 Basketball Championships for men. Odysseas Savopoulos, who we feature on our Spotlight Page, will also be organizing a number of cycling events for young people towards the end of the month. All this and more! To keep in touch with sporting events in the region, check out the sport page on the www.rethymnon.biz website. |
Cute New Lifeguards!
Or so they say, at any rate. Rumour had it that the number of lifeguard stations along the
beach had been increased this season. Our roving photo journalist who went out to check
wasn’t entirely sure, but thinks that some of the stations may have been given a makeover.
From reading the paper, though, it would appear that lifeguard coverage for the season has
been extended to a considerable degree. In our view, beach patrols have always been pretty
good here—the policy being ‘better safe than sorry’ when making a decision about which flag
to fly, and the lifeguards we have observed have been conscientious and quick to react.
Depressing to relate, then, that some tourists still seem to think they know better….
