Crete Forum Offline

To let members and followers of Brits in Crete activities know that BritsinCrete :: Crete Forum as well as www.cretepropertyuncovered.com are currently offline.

The announcement from the webhost states:

8th June 2009 - 15:56
All of the Citruszebra network has been taken offline while we investigate some issues with the software used to control our hosting nodes.

The main website britsincrete.net is working normally as it is located on a different host server company.

Sorry but this is another one of those events to do with strengthening security.

Interestingly in the UK this week, the credit card companies are tightening security on online transactions. If you follow BBC News you will be aware of the publicity surrounding the closure of 150 scam websites related to car sales and other selling activities including removal and haulage companies. How you may notice the tightening of security is the double layering of an extra box to complete while carrying out an online purchase. Be prepared that your credit card company may be giving you a new card and number.

FYI

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Living in Crete :: Olympic Airlines Safety First Video

Living in Crete or just visiting, there is every chance that as a British or Irish expat at some point you will have to take an Olympic Airlines flight getting to Athens. To anyone who has flown from Chania or Heraklion Airports you will know the chaos (a Greek word) of it being rush, rush, rush, a scrum to get through Olympic Airlines check in, x-tra security - that means doubling back to put checked luggage through the x-ray machine after you have checked in, if you understand what I mean .. and then the snaking line going through personal security check at the x-ray screening departure point. You also encounter the throw away bin with a pile of hundreds of discarded plastic PET (not the four legged kind) water bottles and desperate looking guys clutching their belts in one hand, and trousers/jeans in the other. The guys noticeably quake on sighting the burly, dragoness guarding the security gate... and if they are lucky, their e-ticket bits of paper getting soggier by the moment between their teeth as they slowly inch forward to countess dragula.

Suitably adjusted and if no further discussion over the removed gels from the ladies bags there is the wait in the claustrophobic departure area before the fresh air of the tarmac.

After the split second of transit time of being bussed to the aircraft, you climb up the aircraft steps to get on board your flight. For the purposes of this dissertation, it is an "OA" not "OK" designated flight number prefix. The momentary relief at actually having got this far is quickly overtaken by the need to push past a well proportioned Greek mamma mia with facial hair notably in the nostrils and sported above the upper lip.

You clamber into your seat. Next thing you know you are off,wheels rolling but not before the Olympic Airlines Safety Video:






Your Olympic Airlines experience has begun. Do we Brits and Irish fly Olympic ever again in getting to and from Crete? You bet. We are all masochists at heart ..... especially those of us who are living in Crete. After all when we are away, we can't wait to get back to Greece for more of the same. Kalo Taxidi.

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Living in Crete :: Have You Packed the Teabags?

tea for one please
Originally uploaded by r.sakhrani

Britain's biggest home comfort when it comes to travelling is a nice cuppa of "tea", a survey has shown. Did you pack the teabags for Crete?

When it comes to Cups of Tea, if you come from Britain or Ireland or know friends or relatives who do, do any of the following questions apply to them?:

- Do they, particularly the "Mums", pack teabags when they travel?
- Is their PG Tips, English Breakfast, Darjeeling, Yorkshire, Tetley or similar leading Teas a "must have" when they take a trip outside UK or Ireland?
- Do they or do you take your own teabags with you?

If you do all or any of the above you won't be surprised therefore to know that a Holiday Extras survey back in the winter of 2008/9 questioning some 500 Brits found that nearly 70 per cent of those interviewed literally pine for a cup of tea when they travel or take holiday trips abroad.

Other staple British kitchen cupboard consumables such as HP sauce, Heinz baked beans, Marmite and Hobnob biscuits also are a "must" when living abroad or when travelling.

Are the Brits and Irish alone in this tea drinking stuff?

Timely to ask then: "Anyone for a nice cuppa and a biscuit?"

Put the kettle on then.... while that is coming to the boil perhaps you would take part in an informal poll of our own in our Brits in Crete Forum. No matter where you are in the world, please consider to take part in the poll.

If you are a tea nut or not, here in this blog space please leave your comment. It would be nice if you are tea drinker to state your favourite brand - whether its loose tea leaves or teabags; also, whether you take milk or lemon; or whether you drink green tea or other herbal teas; and if you are not British or Irish to state your nationality to show whether you are tea nutters, and can't live without the stuff. Tea is what makes the world go round for many.

The questions posed in the informal Poll on tea drinking habits are straight forward:

"When You travel or stay abroad, how do you ensure your supplies of Tea?:

There are 8 possible answers to choose from: If answers are a mixture or blend, choose the one that is most often the case:

- Have Tea Sent from Home
- Get friends to bring tea from home
- Buy Tea from Local Shops When Abroad
- Buy loose tea or tea bags online
- As a Priority, Pack and Take Tea with Me
- All or some of the above supply methods
- I drink tea but don't pine for it abroad
- I don't drink tea

Tea freak or not, let's share our views on drinking tea the "English" "Irish" or "British way". What is the best cuppa? Is it strong? so much so that a spoon will stand up in it, with two lumps (of sugar) and milk?

Go the poll page here:

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Living in Crete :: 2009 Battle of Crete Commemorations

Battle of Crete Plaque - Round
Originally uploaded by adambernard27

Living in Crete :: 2009 Battle of Crete Commemorations

Lest we Forget :: the role of the ANZAC's alongside the Brits and other Allies

Lest We Forget .... On May 20 1941, the sky over Crete filled with German paratroopers. Thousands of troops from various parachute and mountain divisions were dropped in the air raid. Although most of the allied anti-craft were destroyed the ANZAC’s were undeterred. The ANZAC’s delayed their fire and began shooting at paratroopers as they descended. Many Cretans using older, self - loading guns, attacked the enemy. With limited ammunition and manpower , Cretan villagers and ANZAC troops fought together gallantly , eventually containing the German paratroopers to three main areas of the island.

After seven days of continuous fighting and heavy losses , the Germans deployed more air power and managed to override the island, capturing strategic military positions near Chania, and Rethymno in the west and Heraklio on the eastern flank of the island. The ANZAC troops and Cretans continued fighting even though defeat was inevitable.

Lest We Forget .... By June the 1st 1941, the Battle of Crete was over. However, the eventual occupation of Crete came at a heavy price for both sides. During the ten days of fighting, 945 ANZAC troops were killed and 4794 captured. During the evacuation the Cretan people risked their own lives providing food and shelter for many ANZAC troops who remained on the island, hiding them from Nazi forces. These ANZAC’s continued on fighting with the Cretan Partisans. Germany lost many of its finest troops and precious time to prepare for Russia . Due to this loss the Battle of Crete made a significant contribution to Hitler’s Defeat in Russia.


The courage and friendship between the ANZAC troops and Cretan people must always be remembered. The Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand every year calls on all Australians and New Zealanders to participate in the annual Commemorations. Battle Of Crete in May 2009 marks the 68th Anniversary.


http://www.greekcity.com.au/

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Living in Crete :: Moscow Eurovision 2009 - Will Greece Win

Saturday 16 May is the night for Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow. While the Brits have had their noses wiped in the show too often in recent years, the Greeks are flying high. 2009 is no exception. Leading performer Sakis Rouvas is hoping to win with "This is Our Night" composed by Dimitris Kontopoulos with lyrics by Graig Porteils & Cameron Giles-Webb.

About Sakis -- After twenty top-selling CDs & DVDs, fifteen awards in leading Music Awards categories and two films, Sakis Rouvas is undoubtedly the ultimate pop star in Greece with great international appeal.

The Sakis video was taken from a Moscow Circus performance in Moscow on March 26, 2009 in an earlier Eurovision 2009 promotional tour.




Cheekily entitled, "This is Our Night" - the Sakis Greek entry, but will it win Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow?

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