THASSOS ISLAND - cakes, surf and dishy Greeks all to ourselves, 1976

 Thassos Island and Keramoti on the Greek mainland were to be the inspiration for a disturbing incident in my novel OVERLANDERS (soon to be published as an e-book)

Ferry to Thassos Island

FRIDAY 15TH OCTOBER, 1976

Boat building

"Got the ferry across to Thassos Island - half hour trip (calmer than Skye crossing).  Fairly cloudly over island.  Landed at small town.  Wandered around streets with Neva and Sally - headed straight for cake shop.  Worked our way through apples, bicuits, pastries too! 

Various ruins in town - bits of pillar lying around.  Walked out along front, began to clear.  Saw men sorting their fishing nets and further along there was a timber yard with 3 boats being made - just the skeletons so far.  Lovely smell of freshly treated wood.  Also passed a shed with boy scout emblems on the walls - they get everywhere!  (Boy scouts not walls).

Nosed round small crafty shops, selling clothes, pottery, belts, jewellery etc.  Walked along past ferry landing, sat by the sea.  Met 2 English blokes who had been on Island for 2 or 3 weeks - we were quite an event as most tourists had left by now.  The really fat one said there were no jellies today - I nearly split myself when I saw his flabby belly - a bit incongruous!  They directed us in the direction (good English) of a nearby beach; so we stocked up on more food (a real piggy day!) - bread, toast, honey, cheese, yoghurt - Neva had another cake!

Neva and Sally on Thassos Island

We walked out of the village, up a lovely wooded hill road - great forests covering all the mountains.  Lovely leafy, sunny walk, very quiet and deserted.  Came down to a group of chalets, passed various open air dance floors and bars - everything closed down, so didn't have to pay, but made our way down to the private beach.  Fantastic breakers, so dashed straight in, whole beach to ourselves (only 1 little man in the distance).  Picturesque island just off the headland - Neva said looked like the Whitsun Islands.  Ate picnic and I snoozed in the sun.

Walking back, a taxi suddenly appeared and a man offered to take us in to the harbour - so got a free lift and reached the ferry in good time.  Met us with Bill and Shirley, Adrian, Chris and Hans.

Coming into Keramoti again - looked like South American swampy village, very flat.  Sally and I wandered around Keramoti - lots of hes and rather shabby plots, though houses were quite gayly painted.

Lovely sunset early evening - played with a football with a little local boy and Adrian - ball kept going into the flooded areas - my white trousers got an even worse coating of grime!

Keramoti beach bar

Most people had a meal out at the nearby bar - took ages to come.  I had 3 small fishes, tomato salad, chips and bread - washed down with plenty Domestica!  Bar filled up with Greeks - eventually we were all dancing.  I went and sat with some Greeks - 2 really dishy.  The Thessalonican medical student was a bit persistent, suggested a swim - eventually escaped saying my husband was waiting for me!  Hid in the bus.  Felt a bit down again - Mark cheered me up.
New girl finally caught up with bus - Mary (New Zealand)."