Volume 3, Issue 9, September 2009 Journalism as never before  

Contents

Front PageAround TownThis MonthMore MusicSpotlightLifestyleLifestyle TooWeird WildlifeFun & GamesCommunityEnterprising LocalsClassifiedClassified TooThe Back Page

Current Issue

Contact UsArchive

The Bugle only
Links

Around Town

Pedestrian Power

Rethymnon Coffee Morning Bugle - Pedestrian PowerIt’s never been easy for pedestrians in Rethymnon, and, as you can see from the photo on the right, it’s often difficult to know when, where and how to cross the road (make it to the flower bed and wait until spring?). At the beginning of the season there were several accidents on the ’periferiako’ road - the road that leads out of town from the old harbour around the fortress walls. This is an area that is very busy with restaurants and tavernas, and waiters have been literally taking their lives in their hands when they have been hurrying back and forth across the street to get from kitchen to table. So, finally, some traffic calming measures are going to be put in place. Apparently, due to the status of the road, ‘sleeping policemen’ are illegal. The alternative is to put in the type of pedestrian crossing where pedestrians have right of way (it makes sense here!). Two of these crossings are due to be in place (one by the Ideon hotel, and one by the entrance to the Fortezza) by mid September.

Market Mayhem. Rotten Tomatoes?

Rethymnon Coffee Morning Bugle - Rotten TomatoesOK. So the ones in the picture are fresh. We didn’t have an image of rotten ones to hand. Anyway, never mind. So where were we with the ‘relocating the market from the marina’ saga? Oh, yes, last month everybody was cheerfully optimistic that consensus could be reached. Not a bit of it (and for those of you who haven’t been following this, see previous editions of the Bugle to catch up with the episodes). The Municipality sent its proposal (moving the Thursday market to the same place as the Monday market) to the Prefecture. The Prefecture refused to approve it because the market traders had come up with a counter proposal. In the meantime the Chairman of the Harbour Fund got the hump and handed in his resignation. The Municipality refused to approve the market traders’ proposal. Then there was a new bombshell. Inspectors from the EU are coming to inspect the marina area to check that it conforms to ISO standards. Mayor says: ‘Market must go. EU can impose massive fines if the marina is not shipshape and Bristol fashion’. Market traders say: ‘We’re not going anywhere’. Mayor says: ‘Go to the Monday market location for the time being, and we’ll try and find a permanent location later’. Market traders say ‘No way’ (or something like that, but probably less polite) again. Stalemate. On the plus side, it looks as if this story is going to give us something to write about for some time to come!

Our Sporting World. The Season Kicks Off!

Rethymnon Coffee Morning Bugle - SportsThis month the season for local team sports starts up again in earnest. As ever, we expect thrills and spills and highs and lows! It’s all to play for, of course, but here are a few predictions from our very own pundit: Judging by the results from their pre-season friendly games so far, it could be a difficult year for Asteras Rethymnon, our local football team. The main problem seems to be that they are not playing as a team. This is perhaps not surprising if you see the list of new players that have arrived at the Sochoras football ground. But ‘team-building’ needs to happen and it needs to happen fast!

Gazing into the crystal ball we see mixed fortunes for our basketball teams. The youth team of OKA came second in the finals of the inter-regional playoffs. They only lost one game, which was against Ano Liossio, who have been the Greek champions for the last eight years running. The future looks rosy for OKA Arkadi! On the other hand, there has not been much news coming from the Rethymnon Aegean (AGOR), camp which may or may not be a good thing, given that no news is definitely not always good news here! But they’ve got all the players they need, and their twice-daily training sessions should see them prepared for the start of the season - currently scheduled for the 17th October. Difficult to read the coffee grounds /tea leaves / runes on this one, so we’ll hedge our bets and wish them luck! Draws for both the basketball and football fixture lists will take place on 2nd September. Once we have all the details we will upload them to the www.rethymnon.biz website.

Monumental Worries

Rethymnon Coffee Morning Bugle - Monumental WorriesThe Fortezza is in desperate need of some tender loving care. The greenery that has been sprouting from its outer walls is flourishing. Whilst the vegetation might look pretty, it is definitely in the wrong place and is causing serious damage to the structure of our most famous landmark. However, financing a proper survey to assess the structural condition of one of Greece’s largest monuments is beyond the limits of most local authorities’ budgets, and Rethymnon municipality certainly doesn’t have the cash to spare at the moment. So, what to do? Well, Rethymnon municipality and the Archaeological Department got in touch with the Technical University Hania who sent out students to photograph every section of the Fortezza’s perimeter walls (who says students are a waste of space?!). The photography project has been completed, and now local engineers can complete a preliminary study which will be submitted to the Ministry of Culture in a bid to fund restoration.