Things are definitely calming down now. The day boats have all but stopped, several businesses have closed for the winter, while others remain open until after next weekend, which is the Panormitis Festival. Pilgrims have already started arriving, and I expect the cells/rooms at the monastery have been booked up for months. We still see visitors wandering through the village of an afternoon, shorts are still being worn, and there are still private yachts in the harbour.
Meanwhile, the council contractors continue to work on the new marina at Petalo. I was told that the marina will stretch a fair way along that side of the harbour, and the work will include widening the road along the way, and putting in some kind of boardwalk so it’s safer/easier for people to walk into town. Yeah, all sounds very nice, and why not pamper the rich who can afford to sail into a marina? But, for my part, I only hope there are also plans afoot to improve the core services these new guests will use, and that there will be plenty of water for them, electricity supplied and all of that, and the roads will be properly maintained for them, and the street lighting, and I hope they pay well for it so it doesn’t fall to the islanders’ to pay for it under our local taxes. Hm? There was a brief debate during the summer about charging a tourist tax, but I am not sure where we’re at with that.
Anyway, that’s me blathering off the top of my head while I decide what I am going to do today. It is Tuesday, isn’t it? Good. Otherwise, I’ve got an appointment at 11, but that’s tomorrow, so plenty of time. With nothing else to report, I’ll sign off by thanking Miss P for today’s photos.
