Kronia Polla!!!

 

After some rather unpleasant autumnal weather we have returned to having sunshine but now there seems little strength in the sun and the accompanying wind has quite a bite and down on the coast you can see that there are some impressive white horses galloping onto the shoreline.  Still this is infinitely more satisfactory than rain, thunder and lightning.

My friend Sheri has returned to the other side of the island but not before she stopped off at the Tala Monastery Charity Shop (where Mum used to work) to get herself a Calendar for 2021 and in so doing left her purse there.  Fortunately the shop found it and put it safe and contacted her and so she is making a return trip with her friend to rescue it.

Today is Argy's birthday.  Her real, official birthday and not what is on her birth certificate or is it her passport? I am confused because I had it down for a couple of days' ago!!!  Anyway we were taking her and Lakis out for a meal tonight.  This had been in some doubt pending the announcement earlier this week regarding Covid Restrictions so we had booked and then had to wait to make sure that we would be able to go which we were providing that (a) we wore our masks in public places and when we were traveling in the car together and (b) were home before the curfew starts at 11.00pm.  We complied with it all - in fact we were home and tucked up in bed before the curfew kicked in.

We had a lovely evening.  We went to Finikas in Polis Square which we like for special occasions.  It is now an ultra modern, comfortable and sophisticated restaurant with a menu which is about as fine-dining as we can afford.

John had decided it was his turn to drive tonight which meant that he didn't get the chance to sample the wine which Lakis chose - Grifos 1 from the Vlassides Winery which is really very nice as was the Grifos 2 (white) we had previously.  These are almost on a par with the wines from Vasilikon and if we are ever in that neck of the woods we will definitely call in and get ourselves a stock of both the red and the white (depending on the cost of course).

The food was excellent - as it always is and John said I ought to try and order something a bit different as I always have the same thing so I did exactly that and wasn't disappointed.  I had fresh mushroom soup to start which was absolutely delicious and followed that with lamb shank on a bed of 'gigantes' - big butter beans.  The lamb shank was HUMUNGOUS but so tender and flavoursome and went beautifully with the beans.  John had the scallops to start and then a pasta dish with beef which he said was fabulous.  Lakis had a squid starter followed by the pork fillet and Argy the mushroom soup and the pork fillet which they both said were lovely.

I hadn't planned on a pudding as I couldn't eat all my main course and was feeling rather porky but the restaurant came with a birthday gift for in the shape of a mojito cheesecake complete with flaming roman candle.

Lakis and John had each chosen a pudding so it was down to Argy and I to make a dent in this as it had been so kindly brought out for her.

We were just about to ask for the bill when they then produced brandies and amaretto drinkies and a platter of local fruit.  I think it is fair to say we were well and truly stuffed by the time that we made our way back up the hill to Droushia.

We finished off our lovely evening with a cuppa (for me and Argy) and Lakis and John shared an ABF (absolutely bloody final) zivania before we donned our masks and scuttled back home before curfew.  It was a bit chilly outside - but nice and warm when we got back home - the conservatory seems to be keeping its heat better now that we have that film on the windows.