Hermits..... and then there is us!

The Photos:

The flags are being torn to shreds by the wind
That is Turkey in the distance!
Leuticia and Richard playing....
We get the sense that this might be a nice place to visit... in the summer...

For the past two days we have been closeted inside except for when we wrap up in our full wet weather gear over the top of every warm item of clothing we can find, and go for a bike ride. My woollen ice breaker leggings were lost in Istanbul and I am really missing them.

We are on a pontoon with at least four other boats with people living aboard. Do we see them? No not much and they don't see us either as we scuttle backwards and forwards going about our daily business. Leuticia and Speedy, the pontoon dogs are not around so much either and Speedy has a thick winter coat so he is hardly recognisable.

We get some huge soup bones from the butcher (he won't let us pay for them - they are only bones!) and make a massive pot of beef stock and lentils, then add all the fresh winter vegetables we can find, spiced up with garlic, cumin and paprika to make a thick and steamy soup. Leuticia who lives on the boat next door gets one of the bones to enjoy today as Speedy is not around. It vanishes in no time and she is soon back by our gangway with an expectant look.

Just when we think it is as cold as it is going to get, the wind comes up from the North, then the South then the West and now it is back in the North - and it howls non stop for days...It snows on the mountains of Kos close by, and the temperature goes down a little more.

Tonight Pippy feels we have eaten at home for too long,(or to put it another way it is Richard's turn to cook!). We take a small business card we have been given for a great Taverna and ride upwind through the darkened, gale whipped streets until we find it.

We discover we are in the last remaining genuine Taverna on Kos Island catering exclusively to locals, especially at this time of the year. They want to know what tourists are doing coming here in the middle of winter? "Antonis" is a small establishment and is full of well fed looking Greek fishermen (no women). By the time we get there the pots are piled up in the kitchen and the atmosphere is very smoky but totally friendly as we are welcomed and a table prepared for us.

One of the locals who speaks English (and Italian, Spanish, French and Greek) jumps up and translates for us as we order. Very soon the Greek salad (feta cheese, tomatoes and cucumber with lashings of olive oil), bread and wine comes out followed by a huge platter of various meats. We gorge outselves and wash it down with red wine until we can manage no more. The Greek coffee arrives and we pick it up but our friend who is translating for us says "No! You must wait for the 'dust' to settle then drink some water and then follow it with the coffee!" Mmmm it is good coffee and we linger over it.

Braving the elements again, we ride out into the howling night. Back on the waterfront and there is no need to pedal. Over by the fort at the harbour entrance we can see a large ferry ship trying to berth and we can hear the bow and stern thrusters working overtime to get it alongside in the gale. Freewheeling with the wind behind us under 'bare poles' back to the marina and the warmth of our cosy boat, we tumble down the companionway, hastily closing the hatch behind us but cannot close out the sound of the wind. It is still with us.