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"There's always a plan, but unexpected things happen and we just go with the flow. Though I do believe that fate and destiny often play their part"
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Before heading back to Malta and the boat a significant birthday (mine) came and went - not without a little merriment of course. The cake, courtesy of my daughter, was tres amusing and kinda summed up how we like to roll when we're away in the Med. But as our minds focussed on getting back into life aboard after a year's break the Beast From The East attacked us big time and in our neck of the woods we were trapped in the village for a few days until a nice farmer with a snow plough carved a groove wide enough to escape. Just in time too - our vino stock was getting perilously low! And so the day finally came to head off. We arrived in Malta on 5th April ready for a week of hard graft preparing the boat for re-launch on 11th April. Much work had already been done in the preceding months including all mechanicals fully serviced, new batteries, new pumps, gelcoats chips repaired, new loads of other bits and pieces (too many to mention), 5 coats of gelshield below the water line, antifouled, polished and cherished to the point of looking like brand new again. Comino is in mighty fine order, glad to be back afloat and rearing to go! What's next you ask - well...we're finally heading for Greece at long last. More of how we're planning to get there in a minute. Our first priority was to catch up with all our very dear Maltese friends who have been just amazing to be with over the past few years. It was an excuse for more party, party party both on dry land and on our boats. The highlight was a trip to the Island of Comino with Jane aboard, which is, of course, a very special place for us (see About Us pages for the story). Rafted alongside Ray's new 46 footer our whole gang did what we do best - eat, drink and laugh till it hurts. It wasn't all fun and frolics - with Valletta being the 2018 European Capital of Culture a visit to the much refurbished city was a must and one evening a few of us met up for a good look around. WOW!!! - that's all I can say. In fact, I'll say it again - WOW!!! Valletta has always been a piece of medieval splendour carefully protected against any kind of modern development. But the truth is it was dying as people left in their droves for more modern homes elsewhere on the island. The major tourist attractions were broadly kept in a good state of repair but behind the facades it was a city crumbling away. The result was a sad and eerie place largely deserted and the decay was really depressing to see. Not any more - Oh good lord no. Heaven knows how much money (mostly EU funding) has been spent bringing Valletta back to life and in my opinion every penny has been well spent. This is now a magic place, fully restored, full of architectural magnificence, stunning forts and palaces and wonderful ancient housing all packed into less than a square mile. Hats off to the movers and shakers behind this awesome renovation project - it is truly one of the most stunning places to visit. What's more, an abundance of uber cool bars, restaurants, cafes and shops have all come alive and this has brought back thousands of tourists and locals creating a buzzing, vibrant atmosphere. So......where are we at right now. Back at home in the UK for a short while before I head back to Malta to set off for Greece with my great pal Alfred joining me for the four day voyage via Sicily, Southern Italy and then across to Corfu. He'll then fly home and I'll have a couple of days to get everything ship shape before Nicki flies in for the start of our very own Greek Odyssey! We have a 12 month berth booked at Gouvia Marina, giving us an ideal base from which we can meander around the Ionian Islands at our leisure. Are we excited......I should say so. We last sailed in Greece as part of a flotilla fourteen years ago and we promised ourselves we would return one day in our own boat. It feels like a dream is about to come true.
2 Comments
Lynne and Roger
14/5/2018 05:55:13 pm
Well its about time!! As we have sailed Vis to Greece and the second boat "Surprise" to Greece and then had a few seasons of hedonic sailing around the Inland Sea since we last saw you both!!!!!
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A FEW PICS OF COMINO Click a photo to enlarge and use side arrows to scroll through. COMINO IS CURRENTLY HEREDID SOMEONE SAY SEAFOODOn our journey from Portugal to Greece we enjoyed amazing seafood almost everywhere we stopped. Finding the local fish market was always a priority because seafood was so plentiful and so reasonably priced. And, the displays were a feast for your eyes.
Locating a market sometimes meant pounding the pavements in searing heat, but if you kept your eyes peeled, you often came across a little clue. The pic below was a rather less than subtle advert for a fish market - it was eight feet tall.
Freshly cooked onboard, a plateful of giant prawns, baked in wine and garlic, washed down with a few glasses of local vino, was like heaven. Watching the sunset on the boat eating a meal like that was the epitome of "living the dream".
Now we're in Greece we've another favourite to savour. I'm talking about fried Calamari. It's usually good, but every now and then it's off-the-scale fantastic. At Natalie's Taverna on Kontokali Beach in Corfu, it was nothing short of epic.
We're based in Lefkas now and It's been a bit of a mission to find somewhere just as good. And we have. Rakias is a mere ten minute walk from the marina and this little fish market, with its very own taverna attached, is quite sensational.
Oh...and it's also worth mentioning that, on occasions, a bit of barbequed Octopus is on the menu at some of the tavernas we frequent. Can I resist....no. SUNSETS AND DRAMATIC SKIESNo filters, or any other monkey business, have been used to enhance these images.
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