F apologizes to the community of Menidi for false review - we have subsequently found a third 'mini markt' or small general store (or fourth if you count the micro-market above which we currently reside), a barber shop, a butchers shop (or at least the shell of a butchers shop with a faded sign outside and empty meat display cabinets inside) and a small pharmacy. We have even seen the sign for a Dr (of medicine).
We also found a second bakery (of sorts).
Greek shops keep trading hours that befuddle foreigners. Some close for 'siesta' (no idea what they call it here) even in Piraeus. They reopen at 1800 for 2 or 3 hours.
Some don't.
Some towns have early closing 2 days a week (in Piraeus it is Monday and Wednesday).
Today is Tuesday. It was 1630 when we got back from Amfilochia and all shops are closed except that second bakery/cake shop which has virtually no stock.
The nearest big (regional) town is Arta. It is about 20km north.
We came here because F likes Amfilochias graviera best of all Greek cheeses and wanted to go to source. She couldn't find a pet friendly place for us to stay in Amfilochias so Menidi was a kind of second best. We visited Amfilochias today. It has an air of faded grandeur, of having seen better days. The tourism boom appears to have passed them by. They have no beaches, and the line of tavernas on the shore do a struggling trade in lunches for drive through tourists and hopeful (but disappointed) cheese aficionados. Behind the akti (esplanade) are tidy and colourful homes on narrow and sometimes steep streets, and a commercial street of boarded up shops and plenty of 'to let' signs.
People live there. People work there. Not so very many are making a living out of holiday makers. The surrounding countryside (and adjoining sea) suggests a rural economy based in olives, citrus, possibly some fish farming and, yes, cheesemsking. We just didn't get to see any cheese being made.
There are loads of vineyards/wineries close and north of here and the opportunities for tours abound, but no one has yet designed and advertised a cheese trail..... well not that we have been able to find anyway. We think someone has missed a trick: cheese tasting. It ought to be a thing. It ought to be a thing even bigger and better than wine tours.
Maybe cheese lacks snob value. (Oooowwwwhhhh did we just say that? Wine tour is Thursday.)
On the way back I practised rally co-driver. I sat on F's knees and did BIG leaning into the corners on the winding road. I'm really good at it. I just need a really cool crash helmet and I'm good to go - the faster the better.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteMOL I love that last image you left me with... cat in crash helmet wins the Dakar!!! But back to subject - what a shame about the lack at this place; kinda reminded me of Dunoon! A place that once was brilliant now simmers along. Although it does have its moments. I totally agree cheese tours ought to be a thing - especially as I eat cheese but do not drink wine. Though it needs to be vege cheese - no rennet, and that can be a challenge in such places as these. Hey ho... Anyway, thanks for expanding your view of Menidi's facilities! Hugs and whiskeries, YAM-aunty xxx
F said back in her country there used to be a motorbike bloke who had a cat that rode with him and had its own crash helmet. They were famous because they used to visit schools to teach something...I like cream chesse, does that count? Furrings and purrings Mr T.
Delete..oh yes, cream cheese can be most refreshing and delicous! Yxx
DeleteI have never heard of that particular cheese ~ not surprising since I don't live in Greece. But it must be fabulous for you to travel to get it!!
ReplyDeleteStrangely we can get it in the convevience shop a block from home but not here (we need to search harder). It's like a Kefalonia graviera with less salt; flavour that isn't overwhelmed by salt. Greeks can be a bit heavy handed with the salt in meat and cheese (meat in particular). They do have 'sweet' and 'pikantiki' cheeses, (from what we can deduce that's young and unsalted vs more mature and heavily salted), but on meat it's salt plus salt - and a pinch extra for luck!
DeleteOften the shops and cafes in small towns are in back streets or just not obvious. K just asks the local yokels for the best place to drink tsipouro and he's happy.
ReplyDeleteAt Amphilochia we found a cafe-ouzeri in a back street and on our infrequent visits always go there. Dark and dingy but it's cheap and has a great meze with the jug of wine.
It's certainly a place to pass through and not to stay.
K has the advantage of being a 'local'. Speakers of lousy Greek are instantly spotted as marks. Speaking of lousy Greek, F has been searching in English for cheese makers factories shops.... in her bad Greek for turokomiko (or something like that). Today she tried cheese TOUR , and guess what??? Three cheese factories with shops within 20 minutes of us. Guess what we are doing for the rest of the week!
DeleteI think a cheese tour sounds perfect
ReplyDeleteThey could add local wines and the snobs will come lol
A crash helmet for cats now that’s a unique idea
This cat loves speed: https://tiggerswee-blog.blogspot.com/2013/05/turn-of-speed.html
DeleteWine and cheese go well together according to my humans. They say you buy wine with an apple and sell it with cheese.
Now I have an image conjured of the knee surfing feline, swaying to the curves. I can see it in my mind and I love it.. you are certainly the most unique cat I know. I also love knowing you. and watching your life unwind. it sounds like you have all been exploring a lot and I like to do that in new places. sorry no cheese trail. the three of us all love cheese. of course now on the lowfodmap ibs diet there are only a few that I can eat.. the places that would not allow you to stay there did not know how good you are
ReplyDeleteMy humans have apparently found cheese. We spent today at a beach so they could do beach stuff and tomorrow...... Tell Beau I'd gladly send him my share of the cheese. I eat only cream cheese.
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