Watching the Olives Grow Read online

  WATCHING THE OLIVES GROW

  By STAVROS ALLANOPOLIS

  International Best Selling Author

  © STUART ALLAN 2013

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  About The Kindle Book Format

  This book was originally designed to be produced as a paperback with photos inserted. The Kindle Book formatting sometimes changes the layout because every reader adjusts their point size of print to suit. Often, in the Kindle Book format, not each page appears as originally written. So, please allow for the ‘gaps’ as they occur!

  WARNING!

  If you have already read ‘It Started With An Ouzo’ written by Stavros Allanopolis, please be aware that some pieces from that book are repeated in this book. They contain the original ‘background and positioning’ information for any reader who has not read about the ‘adventures’ of Stavros Allanopolis, and how he moved from the United Kingdom and went to live permanently in Greece.

  So, for those readers who have already read ‘It Started With An Ouzo’ the Author suggests you skip the PROLGUE and start at the chapter headed ABOUT WATCHING THE OLIVES GROW. Also, later on in the book, you may want to skip the pages that describe how the ‘Dream’ house became known as Meerkat Manor as you will have already read about it.

  Notwithstanding, “Hello! Welcome, and thank you for deciding to read my book.”

  UPDATED – NOVEMBER 2013

  Stavros Allanopolis is the pseudonym of Stuart Allan. This is the second of three books that he has written about the ‘adventures’ that he and his wife Valerie have experienced living their lives in The Mani Region which is situated in the South Western mainland of Greece. They moved there from the United Kingdom to live permanently in Greece in April 2008.

  This book, ‘Watching The Olives Grow’ is the ‘second chapter’ of their ‘adventures’ and covers the 12 months from December 2009 until December 2010.

  The first book ‘It Started With An Ouzo’, is the first of the three that Stavros has written, and it describes their ‘adventures’ from the moment they decided to move ‘lock, stock and barrel’ from the United Kingdom and to go and live permanently in Greece. He records their ‘adventures’ as they happened in the first 20 months of living in Greece; from September 2006 until December 2009. Search Kindle Books and click on Stavros Allanopolis for further information.

  The third book, ‘To Cut A Long Story Short …’ will be available in Kindle format at Amazon throughout the world in 2014. This book is all about their continuing ‘adventures’ from December 2010 and up until November 2013. There are plenty of tales of real Greek life! Search Kindle Books and click on Stavros Allanopolis for further information.

  If this is your first acquaintance with Stavros Allanopolis, please read on. This book ‘Watching The Olives Grow’ is the sequel to ‘It Started With An Ouzo’.

  It is the ‘Second Chapter’ so to speak. It is the on-going story of life and living in The Mani Region of Greece. Enjoy the ‘adventures’ experienced over the 12 months of 2009 / 10 as Stavros goes about his full time job; ‘Watching The Olives Grow’.

  If you do enjoy it, then why not download my first book, ‘It Started With An Ouzo’ to find out how the ‘adventure’ originally started?

  Notwithstanding, “Hello! and welcome, and thank you for deciding to read my book.”

  Stavros Allanopolis

  PROLOGUE

  For those readers who have already read ‘It Started With An Ouzo’ the Author suggests you skip the next few pages as some parts of the prologue are similar; intended by way of ‘setting the scene’.

  For those readers who have not read ‘It Started With An Ouzo’ (also available in Kindle Books) ........ ...... you should know that before we met, Valerie and I had spent holidays and time exploring cities, towns and villages in Asia, South and North America and Europe.

  We got together in 1998 and since then we have travelled extensively in Europe and North America sharing a variety of holiday adventures together. Our travel ‘pattern’ tended to consist of a two or three week ‘adventure’ holiday around Easter or early May, and a one week ‘chill out’ break in September.

  The main ‘adventure’ holiday was usually a ‘fly and drive’ holiday touring North America in a Winnebago motor home. The ‘chill out’ break would usually be a package holiday destination, somewhere in the Mediterranean where we knew it would be hot, and we could lay in the sun everyday just reading our paperbacks and relaxing; doing absolutely nothing but eat, drink, read, swim and sleep! In between those holidays, we were fortunate enough to have the time and the money for a ‘sprinkling’ of weekend City Breaks in Europe, for their historical and cultural interest.

  During the eight years between 1998 and 2006, we had spent time together in some quite remarkable locations, however, there have only ever been two places where we had said to ourselves “one day, we could live here.” These two places are San Francisco in California and Agios Nikolaos in the The Mani region of the Peloponnese Peninsula, South Western Greece.

  San Francisco would have been chosen to live and work and eventually retire, and Agios Nikolaos would have been to semi-retire before full retirement age. Like many couples before us, we had become disillusioned with, and tired by, the work ethic in the UK.

  We rose at 6am every Monday to start our working week, and it finished on a Friday evening around 8.30pm. In the time in between we travelled, worked, travelled, ate and slept.

  We hardly saw each other for those five days. Saturday would be spent shopping, cleaning, washing and ironing and on Sundays we always tried to do something together that gave us some relaxation and enjoyment; a respite from the ‘treadmill’ until the Monday morning came around again.

  It was whilst we were on a desperately needed ‘chill out’ break in September 2006, that we decided that we had finally had enough of the routine, and for us what had become a ‘non-life,’ and we made a decision that would change our lives forever.

  We had lazed away the days; reading, sunbathing, eating and drinking, and an occasional walk along the coastal path between the village of Stoupa (where we were staying) and the village of Agios Nikolaos; our favourite village in the region. The break had been just what we needed; to get away from work and the dull weather in the UK. Once again, we had enjoyed the laid back atmosphere that permeated the small villages in the region.

  We had been to Greece many times before but, this region, The Mani, and this village, Agios Nikolaos, was our favourite destination. Throughout the week, everywhere we walked, the locals welcomed us with big smiles and cheery waves; the ‘Maniots’ are such friendly people. This was the third time in 18 months that we had visited The Mani region on the Peloponnese Peninsula of South Western Greece. We had returned yet again because we found the landscape, the people, the way and the pace of life to our liking, not to mention the wonderful climate and the food served in the tavernas, which is always made from fresh, local ingredients.

  When we made the decision to leave the UK for good, ‘lock, Stock and Barrel’ as the early Pioneers of the Americas used to say, we were sitting at a table overlooking the harbour, having just ordered our Ouzos. It had been the last day of the holiday and we were at the local Fishermen’s bar wanting to make the best of our last few hours of our ‘chill out’ break, here in what seemed like ‘Paradise’ to us.

  I should point out that this was not a hasty decision; it had been coming for some time. We liked Greece and everything Greek; the sea, the beaches and the mountains; the people and the food. Also, as we had visited this village many times, we were beyond the initial emotion of “let’s live here” that can sometimes be generated by finding somewhere nice to take a holiday break. We felt �
�at home’ here. The locals had even begun to recognise us from our previous visits and wave and say “Hello!” and “Welcome back!” as we strolled around the village!

  Whilst we waited for the drinks to arrive, we looked around us. Located right on the corner of the harbour, and on the main street, this was the not only the local Fishermen’s Bar and the centre of the village, but it also happened to be the coach stop! We were waiting for the coach to take us to Kalamata, and from there to take a taxi to the airport and catch our flight back to the UK.

  As we sat there in the sunshine, we were looking at the fishermen unloading their catch on to the marble top of the table on the water’s edge of the harbour. The table is the ‘shop’ from which they sell their fish.

  We also looked beyond them and around the little harbour and we could see all their boats on their moorings right in front of us, and we were listening to the gentle ‘hubbub’ of the local people going about their everyday work; no hurry, no rush.

  Although they all had their work to do, they all had plenty of time to stop, have a coffee and talk to each other; friendly and caring.

  Mostly the conversation is about last night’s football game or the size (small) of the catch being unloaded in front of them! As I am writing this, I can still see us now; the memory is quite vivid, and after a while, I remember saying to Valerie,

  “You know, I think that I could live here. What do you think?”

  A few minutes went by and then Valerie took her eyes off the throng of men gathered around the display of fish on the marble

  slab on top of the table and turned and looked straight at me.

  She was smiling, and said,

  “I do too.”

  So, there and then, at that time, at that table, we had made a choice to leave the UK. A choice that would change our lives forever! We had chosen to discount all thoughts of ever living and working in San Francisco, as we once had.

  Seemingly, we had chosen to leave the UK and live in semi-retirement, and a life of adventure in Agios Nikolaos, this delightful and pretty small fishing village in a remote part of the Peloponnese Peninsula in South Western Greece, in a region known as The Mani.

  We didn’t know it then, but we were destined to become quite poor from a financial point of view, but very rich in terms of self-fulfilment and overall happiness.

  We duly returned home, and as soon as we had landed in the UK, we set about turning our dreams into reality.

  The ‘Exit the UK’ plan was developed during September 2006 and, stage by stage, we implemented it during the following 18 months.

  The plan was finally fully actioned on 10th April 2008 when Valerie and I moved into Meerkat Manor; our house located in our very own ‘Paradise’ situated in an Olive tree grove within walking distance of the village of Agios Nikolaos.

  After we had been living in Meerkat Manor for 20 months it occurred to me that others might be interested in the ‘happenings’ and our overall adventure to date, so I decided to write a book. That book was entitled ‘It Started With An Ouzo’, and it ventures beyond the initial description of how it came about that we decided to leave the UK and start a new life living in Greece. It records our ‘adventures’ of those first 20 months. In it, I recount the ‘highs and lows’ and the emotional experiences that making that fateful decision to leave the UK for good provided us. It can be described as the ‘First Chapter’ of our first 20 months of living in this fairly remote part of South Western mainland Greece.

  ABOUT ‘WATCHING THE OLIVES GROW’

  This book, ‘Watching The Olives Grow’ is all about the following 12 months of living our lives in ‘Paradise’ and of literally ‘Watching The Olives Grow’ on the trees in our garden. It is the ‘Second Chapter’ so to speak. Once again, there are ‘highs and lows’ but never any regrets.

  As you turn the pages, you will read and understand that ‘Watching The Olives Grow’ is in fact a full time occupation, but it does allow some time to undertake other activities!

  As you will also discover, I got myself this full time job; ‘Watching’.

  I can tell you that ‘Watching’ can be very hard work indeed, and particularly ‘Watching The Olives Grow’. However, someone has to do it, and thank goodness that around here it is me!

  It all started on 1st December 2009 as I sat on my terrace, sipping my Ouzo wondering what to do next.

  I first came across the expression ‘Watching’ (for a living) in the year 2001 whilst on holiday on the island of Tobago in the West Indies. I was on a walk near the shoreline close to the airport when I came across a man sitting on a chair at the entrance to an airline hotel.

  He was comfortably seated, sheltering from the intense heat under an umbrella, and sipping a beer, staring into the ‘middle distance.’ This was clearly his chosen spot, although it was the entrance to a hotel, where they were building a new and very large car park. When I asked him what he was doing, he replied,

  “Why sir, I’m just doing my job; I’m ‘Watching'. I am ‘Watching The Concrete Dry.”

  At the time, I thought that it was an unusual occupation and a strange way to earn a living! It transpired that he was doing just that; being paid to sit there ‘Watching’. Watching The Concrete Dry. Whilst it did (dry), he was guarding the area to make sure that nobody drove into the car park and on to the newly-laid concrete, which would spoil the surface before it was properly dry. He was ‘Watching’.

  The ‘Watching’ expression stuck with me from all those years ago.

  It was one day whilst I was sitting on our terrace at Meerkat Manor (sipping my Ouzo) that it came back to my mind. I was staring out across our garden and into the ‘middle distance’ across Olive tree groves leading down to the village, when Valerie (who had been reading her book) looked at me and said,

  “What are you doing?”

  I thought for a few moments and then I looked up at her and said,

  “Well, I’m just doing my job; ‘Watching’; Watching The Olives Grow!”

  This book describes just how hard it is being employed in this way! It covers the 12 months that I have spent ‘Watching’ from December 2009 until December 2010; just doing my job! It starts and ends with the annual Olive harvest in and around the area of Agios Nikolaos, including our own at Meerkat Manor; our ‘Dream’ home in ‘Paradise.’ It contains stories of our travels around The Mani in the 11 months in between the two events. It also introduces you to the places we have visited, the people we have met and the ‘adventures’ we have experienced living here in The Mani.

  The Mani region is steeped in history. In previous Centuries, the Maniots had a reputation for being fierce fighting people and they had learned how to repel all-comers. They were also mercenaries. It seemed that they would never surrender to the invading forces of other countries seeking to conquer and dominate them, and plunder their homes and their land. As part of their defence system, they built ‘fortress-like’ homes to live in that would always serve as look-outs and places of refuge at times of invasion. These buildings are referred to as Mani Towers and, in their day, they often stood four storeys high, and with their castellated ramparts they looked like small castles.

  Today, many examples of the Mani Towers still survive; some derelict and some restored, and they serve as a permanent reminder of the times gone by.

  Over the last 10 years, many new houses have been built in the region as replica Mani Towers and some, like ours, have small towers attached to their main traditionally-shaped building in memory of those days gone by.

  The towers (ancient ruins restored or newly built replicas) serve as a constant reminder of the history of this region and the people.

  Nowadays, the people of The Mani region are reputed for their friendliness, and we are privileged to be recipients of that warmth and generosity, and we experience it everywhere we go. This book recounts some examples of Valerie and my own experiences of living here as part of the local community.

  So, enough of the preamble!


  Now is the time to recount the last 12 months.

  DECEMBER 2009 – ‘WATCHING’ COMMENCES

  Imagine that you are in fact seated in a peaceful and secluded spot under an Olive tree. Imagine that you are sitting in the shade and out of the burning sun as it shines down to ripen the Olives growing above you.

  If you are able to imagine this location then you too will understand what it is like to be ‘Watching The Olives Grow,’ but if not, then the pages of the story will help you.

  You will soon appreciate that it is a hard job, but somebody has to do it, and, as you will read, I work harder at it than most. I take my job very seriously!

  Once a month, I take a photo of the Olive tree growing right in front of me; referred to as the tree. It is a record of its development over the 12 months from harvest to harvest, and it proves that I take my job of ‘Watching’ very seriously. I vary the time of day for my monthly photo of the tree as ‘Watched’.

  I may take the photograph first thing in the morning as the sun rises from the East and shines on it directly below me, or later. I may also take the photo after mid-day when the sun has moved round and is shining directly on the tree from the South, or even nearing sunset time. There again, I might even take the photo at night when there is a full moon. Whenever, the record is all about how it is slowly growing as the days pass by, and proof that I am doing my job. ‘Watching’!

  It is the afternoon of Tuesday 1st December 2009 and Valerie has gone off to her Greek Dancing lessons in the nearby mountain village of Neochori.

  I am sitting on the upper terrace of our house; Meerkat Manor. I am hard at work sipping my ouzo and enjoying the warmth of the bright sunshine and doing my job; ‘Watching’ – ‘Watching The Olives Grow’ and ‘Watching’ one tree in particular.

  Photo: Meerkat Manor With Terrace Top Right.

  This terrace is where I sit to do my job of ‘Watching’ - ‘Watching The Olives Grow.’