A Cool Walk followed by a Warm Lunch - eaten outside!!!

It is fair to say that it was a very chilly start to the day and our girlies Tuesday walk.  We met Rachel and drove to the Kathikas 'picnic spot' and parked up to start our walk which took us across towards Theletra and then cross country so that we did the bit that we call Machu Pichu because of all the terracing.  There were a few soggy bits but on the whole the route was pretty dry after all the rain we have had.

Everywhere is looking remarkably green and there are definite signs that spring is in the air.  Some of the early flowering almond trees are in full blossom and there are wild orchids and anemone flowering and there is birdsong overhead.  It is good to get out and get some fresh air and exercise because before long we will be complaining that it is too hot to walk!!!

Today we managed a little further than we have been doing recently - this was more like 7.5km with two or three quite strenuous hills.  I think we are all willing to push ourselves a little more each week which is good because now this is the only exercise I get.  We are all definitely fitter than when we started during lockdown but maybe not as fit as we had been when we were walking two or three times a week but as restrictions have relaxed Nicky and Rachel do not have so much time on their hands.

Our plans for this afternoon were to go to the doctors for my test results and then do a bit of shopping and then go back home but we were contacted by Jurgen and Elvira who are back for a week from Germany doing more fact finding and they wanted to catch up with us.  We have several things on this week so suggested lunch today would be the only opportunity and they agreed.

I had not realised quite what the test was that Dr Manolis had ordered for me - just as well really otherwise I might have really worried because I collected the result and went in to see him.  Dr Manolis checked the paperwork and simply said "it's negative which is good because that means you don't have an ulcer or cancer".  I am not sure how he would have delivered the news had the result been positive.  What he does think though is that I have an hiatal hernia - deep joy but it makes sense because often this and chronic hives go hand in hand and GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) is aggravated by much of the same foods as I had to avoid for the hives.  I feel I have taken one step forward and several steps back as I am going to have to be careful with foods for ever more.  Over the next few months I am on some special medication which even under GESY is  more expensive than what I was taking before and I have to sleep propped up - if nothing improves I will have to have a camera put down my throat and that isn't something I am looking forward to.

It was nice therefore to have lunch as a distraction.  We were the only people in Moustakalis eating.  John and I haven't eaten there for some time because if we do go to Polis we tend to do so for a special occasion and eat at Finnikas (which is across the road).  Moustakalis is a nice traditional taverna and our waiter Leon was attentive and Jurgen and Elvira had eaten there when they came out before Christmas and liked it.  

I chose moussaka with chips and salad.  The moussaka was very nice but the portion proved too much for me so I only managed about three quarters of it.  We sat outside which isn't bad for February!  In the sunshine it was very pleasant indeed but once the sun had gone over and we were in shade it felt chilly.  We still haven't been able to convince them that this winter has been cold though!  The remainder of their week is taken up with property viewings and meetings with architects.  We still think they are a very long way from making a decision about whether they actually move but in the meantime we are more than happy to meet up with them and answer some of their questions.