Autumn Festivals in Dunkeld (1)

Decorated Wheelbarrow Procession

The Decorated Wheelbarrow Procession is part of Dougie Maclean's Perthshire Amber Festival. Wheelbarrows representing local business, community groups, families and individuals, were pushed from the car park opposite the Taybank music pub, up the Boat Road, right into Bridge Street and then left into The Cross (High Street). The parade was led by the wonderful Edradour Pitlochry & Blair Atholl Pipe band.

This year's event was compered by Fiona Richie of The Thistle and Shamrock fame, and participants were interviewed before demonstrating the maneuverability of their decorated wheelbarrows by driving them through a figure-of-eight course.

Here's our take on the first part of the event. Enjoy!

Gerani, Rethymno, Crete

Gerani or Gerani?

There are two Geranis in Crete. This is a fact well known to locals (a taxi driver mentioned it when we first arrived) but has clearly been missed by many folk uploading videos to YouTube. We were based at Gerani Rethymno which is about 7km from the city of Rethymno. The other Gerani is near Chania.

We found Gerani Rethymno ideally situated for visiting Heraklion (and Knossos) to the east, Chania to the west, and for crossing the mountains to reach the south coast. There'll be more about our travels in Crete in later posts.

Our first couple of days were spent getting to know our immediate surroundings, including Gerani village (up the hill from Camari Garden Apartments where we stayed) which is a real Cretan village despite its restaurants and tavernas.

Down the hill beyond Gerani Bridge there's a wonderful sheltered beach which is favoured by the locals. It has a real family atmosphere and a sandy area from which it is safe to swim. Next to the beach is Kamari Taverna with its free sunbeds, excellent seafood, and local wines and beers at sensible prices.

Gerani Rethymno is a very relaxing place to be.

Moulin Walk, Pitlochry, Perthshire

We love this walk – it's an easy one for a lazy Sunday afternoon and the scenery varies from woodland to more open views towards the mountains, including the famous Ben Vrackie. On 6th October these views were spectacular, with the trees taking on their autumn colours and the sun shining despite ominous clouds. A great day to have my video camera with me.

I'd advise you to buy the Pitlochry Path Network map from the Tourist Information Centre. It only costs a pound and includes seven other walks around Pitlochry. From the Tourist Information Centre the Moulin Walk starts just a couple of minutes down the road at the left turn-off just before the railway bridge.

This brings you around the Atholl Palace Hotel and through the woods by Kinnaird Burn. You can then visit the remains of Caisteal Dubh (Black Castle, circa 1326) en route to Moulin. The C12th Crusader's grave at Moulin Kirk is a "must see", and as you'll have worked up a thirst there's nowhere better to quench it than at the historic Moulin Hotel, which has its own wee brewery.

Knossos

You'll kick yourself afterwards if you visit Crete and don't get to Knossos.

Genie and I had done a little research before heading off to Crete in August and realised that if we wanted to get any footage of Knossos without lots of other tourists in the way we'd have to stay overnight in Heraklion and get to Knossus first thing in the morning, just as they opened the gates at 8:00 am.

Consequently on 10 September 2013 at 7:15 we found ourselves the only passengers to get on the bus at Heraklion. There's little traffic at that time of day, and the journey took less than 15 minutes. Time for a continental breakfast at Minotavros Cafe with freshly squeezed orange juice – just the thing to spark me up.

A coachload of visitors was already milling around when we arrived at the entrance to the site (a minute's walk from Minotavros Cafe). These poor souls continued to mill around for another 20 minutes, hindered as they were by their official guides who were determined to have their say before leading the way in. Genie and I headed in and split up, determined to get as much footage as we could before the inevitable invasion. For the first 40 minutes in Knossos we felt as if we had the place to ourselves.

I felt like a little kid. I was the first person that day to tread these paths and with a little stretch of the imagination I was the first person to tread these paths in thousands of years. The colours used in the restoration are those that the Minoans are thought to have used – no faded shades here when it comes to columns and wall panels. Replications of colourful murals of mythological beasts, hunting scenes and rituals decorate some of the walls. The originals can be found at the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, which is well worth a visit.

Nicaragua

Managua, Matagalpa, Guadalupe

In the year 2000 Genie and I had the opportunity to visit Nicaragua with our good friends M and C, and their adopted children A and M. We'd be away for six weeks and I had no idea what to expect. We booked our flight from Amsterdam to Managua and back and tried to learn some Spanish in the meantime.

Many of the people we were to meet were Sandinists, and I will be using initials for names throughout this post, but the first thing I want to tell you about is the journey. Our flight included a change at Miama, USA. If you want to visit Nicaragua do not take a flight that will leave you waiting for your connecting flight in Miami. I can't begin to describe the horror of the "accommodation" there for folk destined for Nicaragua. It is inhumane and there can be no excuse. Enough said.

After a stay with friends in Managua, we were dropped off at a coffee plantation in the jungle near Guatamale. This was one of the real highlights of our journey. We stayed there for two weeks and got to know R, who managed the finca, and his family, who were really accommodating. They didn't have much, but what they did have they were happy to share. R and family lived in what I can only describe as a shed with a corrugated metal roof. We had the run of a large villa, which seemed rather incongruous. However, this didn't stop me from chilling in a hammock on the balcony and reading the first Harry Potter book (in Dutch). It did encourage me to make more contact with the folk that were actually keeping this place running in the absence of the owners, though, and we had great fun together.

Every morning at dawn the chickens, which had been sleeping in the trees, seemed to drop and crash-land onto the metal roof of R's family home, creating a tremendous racket. A great wake-up call for a farmer, maybe, but something to which we had to adjust.

R and I got on well. He'd just got a Winchester rifle, which was bought more for protecting his family than for shooting game, I learned later, and we shot at cans until we'd practically run out of ammunition. Genie suggested we should buy more bullets, which would involve a trip to Matagalpa.

The next day we head for Matagalpa. From the finca the bus stop is a 20-minute walk over the hill. It's a rocky ride on the bus. As we're approaching the terminal in Matagalpa there's the theme from "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" playing on the radio. At the terminal there are men in cowboy hats, youths tossing and catching machetes, donkeys, horses, and dust clouds blowing in the wind. One of those impossible moments when the sound on the radio provides the perfect soundtrack to real life. With a sense of humour.

I made these video slideshows in an effort to represent our stay in Nicaragua. The photos are all Genie's. Enjoy!

Kyleakin, Isle of Skye

On our first full day at Kyleakin (my birthday, 7 June 2013) we got up at 4 in the morning and headed out towards the harbour in order to be there before sunrise. The previous day during our drive up to Skye the weather reporter on BBC Radio Scotland had mentioned that it would be a clear sunrise with no low-lying cloud, a message which seemed to be directed specifically towards Genie and me. But especially towards me. I had every intention of filming early the next day but there are many sayings about good intentions and we were there to celebrate my birthday – always a good day for bad excuses.

The night porter at our hotel was surprised to find anyone up at that time of the morning and said as much as he unlocked the door for me. "Dawn!" I said. I'd have said a lot more but was still half asleep and struggling with my video camera and tripod. Dawn is the magic time when no shadows are cast and everything has a certain golden tint. If I was to film anything this weekend it would be just before sunrise on this my birthday and it would be at the harbour because I love watery landscapes and I'd already checked the place out the evening before. It was going to be grand.

Cold, though, standing on the pontoon at the harbour with all that water around. I was soon fully awake and started to notice the wildlife. I saw an otter swimming towards me but by the time I'd adjusted the camera he'd decided to dive. There was a grey heron that I also missed. Genie joined me at the harbour a bit later and we've included some of her photos from that day in this little slideshow of Kyleakin Village. The movie I made is just of the harbour at dawn. Both short movies feature the music of Tracing Arcs. Enjoy!

Quad Bike Hire on Zakynthos

There are several places where you can rent a quad bike in Alykes. We'd passed them often enough to get us thinking about actually renting one, although I'd never been on one and had not yet driven abroad, so I was in two minds about it. Then I realized I hadn't brought my driving license with me anyway, so maybe the whole idea was a non starter. The Thomas Cook rep had also put a bit of a downer on it, saying you didn't know with some of these firms whether you were actually insured or not. Oh yes, and they were dangerous weren't they, these quads? Hmmh...



About a week into our holiday (this was in October, 2011) we happened to be walking in Alykanas and dropped in at the local rental place there which was run by an Australian man. We got talking about insurance, driver's license, the local police, and the different types of quad bike you could hire in general. A mine of information! Here's what we picked up. All I had to do regarding my driving license was to phone the DVLA and ask them for my license code (and later, back at the hotel, a couple of minutes online was enough to find the phone number, 0300 790 6801, and the call was made). We also got a lesson in torque. If you want to go inland, which we did, you need a quad that will get you up some very steep hills, rather than one which is designed for running around on the flat. It's all about torque, apparently. We were also reassured about insurance and given a form to read and sign the next day when we came back to pick up our quad. We thought we'd try it for a day and see how we got on.



We rented it for four days in the end. It was so much fun, and great to visit proper Greek villages inland, not to mention some great beaches and cliffs that we'd never have seen without a vehicle. At first I found it weird to be overtaken on the left; this quad bike wasn't built for speed and we were overtaken often enough to soon get used to it. And it got us up the hills with cameras, picnics, spare clothes and towels, reading material, maps – you name it, it all fitted into the built-in back pannier, which was also handy for shopping.
I mentioned the local police. There's no crime to speak of here but the police will fine tourists (€300, I heard) for not wearing crash helmets. Most locals never wear them and seem to go unpunished, but hey, I'd never get on any kind of motorbike without a helmet, and neither would my wife, so that wasn't a problem for us.



We would definitely do this again. There's nothing quite like wearing shorts and a tee-shirt, sitting on a comfy seat and letting the quad take the strain while you do your best to get lost. Wonderful. One day Genie shot this footage from the back seat of the quad and I've edited it into a form that I think gives an idea of the Quad Experience on Zakynthos. Enjoy!

Hotel Koukounaria, Alykes, Zakynthos

In September 2011 we booked a last-minute trip to Zakynthos (or Zante if you prefer) through Thomas Cook for 2 weeks in October (self-catering). This was our first ever package deal and we didn't know what to expect, although we did take the time before booking to use Google Maps to check the location of the hotel in Alykes, the Koukounaria. From the satellite view we could see that the hotel was surrounded by greenery and just a short walk away from the centre of Alykes and the beach, so we went ahead and booked. It was so cheap that it still seemed too good to be true even for off-season.


View Hotel Koukounaria in a larger map

We were impressed by this hotel. The staff were friendly and helpful. Our room was spacious and clean, with great cooking facilities and a private balcony which overlooked the swimming pools and offered great views of the surrounding countryside. In fact Hotel Koukounaria is currently ranked number 1 out of the 16 hotels in Alykes reviewed on TripAdvisor, which comes as no surprise to me.

There's a supermarket just around the corner which is handy when you're self-catering. The local produce is excellent and far cheaper than in the UK. As we enjoy walking we often walked up to Katastari to shop there.

Here's a short film I made at the hotel, mostly from our balcony, so you can also enjoy the views.

The River Glomma in Norway

In July 2007, when Genie and I visited friends in Norway, we spent our first week in a cottage at Skjeggeby, near Sarpsborg. It rained every day. Or rather, it poured.

We contented ourselves with reading and visits to the local supermarket. During the short sunny periods we explored the local area, which is very green and heavily wooded. There's also a mass of water that I took to be a fjord and immediately fell in love with. I spent hours filming clouds reflected in water, trees reflected in water, rain splashing on water, that kind of thing.

Genie fancied a boat trip and we decided we'd try to hire a motorboat from our landlord, who ran the local activity centre. The weather seemed to have settled into a pattern, and we reckoned on sunshine, or at least no heavy rain, for at least a few hours each day.

No it's not a fjord, we were told, it's the River Glomma, also known as Glåma in some parts – the longest, biggest, baddest river in the whole of Norway. How much experience did we have with motorboats on dangerous rivers, anyway? Not a lot, admittedly, but we succeeded in hiring the motorboat after long instruction, promising to take all necessary precautions. We'd wear the lifebelts, we'd follow the excellent maps which showed clearly where not to go, and we'd bring the boat back safely.

We were true to our word but that's not to say that the trip up the Glomma wasn't without incident. When the rain did start it was light and gave us sufficient time to turn back before it really started. The scary moment came because I was so involved in filming the trip that I asked Genie to slow the boat right down and the engine stalled. We were alongside an island and the gap between it and the mainland was, by Glomma's standards, rather narrow. With rocks on one side, bigger rocks on the other, and a powerful current after all the recent rain, we started to go backwards.

The funny thing is that in those first few moments I didn't think of my own safety, nor that of my beloved wife. What scared me most was the thought that if we scratched this boat we'd really be in trouble!

Needless to say we survived. Genie managed to spark up the engine after I'd tried and failed, and the oars came in really handy against the rocks (sorry about those oars). Here's the movie I made of our wee adventure.

Rail Journeys in the province of Catania

Giarre to Taormina

Rather than take the bus, we'd usually walk from Torre Archirafi to Giarre railway station. Check the map first, though. Giarre station is on the outskirts of Giarre, and if you walk there via Riposto you'll end up doubling back on yourself and adding 20 minutes to the walk. The trip to Taormina-Giardini is one we've made often. Taormina has been a famously popular resort since Lord Byron stayed there and has many attractions indeed, but Giardini has a wonderful sandy beach and it's well worth spending a day there.



During our visit in June 2005 we visited Taormina twice by train from Giarre as the film festival was on. They had the world premiere of Batman Begins and the town was really buzzing. We met Malcolm McDowell, one of my favourite actors (mainly through the films he made with Lindsay Anderson), who was there to collect an award. I made a short film at the time which you can see below.

Around Mount Etna

On the outskirts of Riposto (on the Torre Archirafi side) you can catch the Ferrovia Circumetnea train around mount Etna. There are many stops on the way to Catania, and we usually get off at historic Randazzo, on the northern foot of Etna, to have lunch and explore. We'd then take a late afternoon train back to Riposto and walk back to our apartment in Torre Archirafi, maybe having dinner in a fish restaurant or collecting a pizza en route.

Out and About from Torre Archirafi

Carruba

Carruba, a small town at the foot of mount Etna (municipality of Giarre), is less than 3km to the southwest of Torre Archirafi. It's a pleasant walk down Strada Provinciale 173 as you are soon surrounded by lemon groves and there is very little traffic on the road. At the junction you turn left for Carruba along the SPi-II.

Riposto

Genie and I love to walk along the promenade (Lungomare Pantano) from Torre Archirafi to Riposto, although you can also take the inland route down Strada Provinciale 173 and then right onto the SPi-II. Apart from the splendid marina, Riposto has some great markets (fish, meat, fruit and veg). There are also some specialist shops that have been really handy when I've wanted, for instance, a lead to connect my camera to the apartment's TV, DV tapes or batteries. It goes without saying that there are some very good restaurants here, especially if you like fish.

Our favourite place to shop is the pasticceria opposite the park, which makes the best Amaretti biscuits Genie and I ever tasted. We usually bring as many home as possible.

Torre Archirafi (II)

L'Ancora Restaurant

L'Ancora restaurant is one of the seafood restaurants in Torre Archirafi that I mentioned in the previous post. It's a friendly, family-run affair with two kitchens, one of which is strictly Pizza. We sometimes like to get a pizza takeaway in the evening and to eat it on the balcony of our apartment, watching the bats. My favourite is their Americano pizza, which is basically the pizza of your choice topped with chips (French fries)!


Fresh fish on display at L'Ancora restaurant.

One evening in June 2005 I was allowed into the pizza kitchen in order to make this short video. I think it gives a good impression of the place and I love to hear the soundtrack again with all that lovely clipped Italian being spoken.

Related Posts

Torre Archirafi

Torre Archirafi

My partner and I are lucky to have friends living in the Province of Catania in Sicily. When we visit we often rent their holiday apartment in Torre Archirafi – a home from home.


View Torre Archirafi, Province of Catania in a larger map

Torre Archirafi is a quiet fishing village which we have found to be a good base for exploring the Catania region. Acireale, Giarre, Riposto and Taormina are all easily reached by local bus and train, although we usually choose to walk along the promenade (Lungomare Pantano) to Riposto and Giarre. We'd take the train from Giarre when visiting Taormina.



We tend to alternate our days of exploring the region with stay-at-home days. Torre Archirafi is great for lazy days such as these. We'd normally shop for fresh bread, cheese, tomatoes, marinated olives, and then breakfast on the balcony to catch the morning rays. Once we'd had enough of the sun we'd read under the shade of the trees in the garden, or I'd busy myself with a video camera waiting for something to happen – like the lizards coming out to play.



At some stage we'd go for a walk around the village and maybe stop in at the butchers, buy fresh veg and fruit from the greengrocers or from the van that comes around at certain times of the day, or we'd plan to eat out later at one of the fish restaurants, and instead of shopping have a drink or two and snack on orancinas at the bar on Via Marina.

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Torre Archirafi (II) – L'Ancora Restaurant

Our Garden in Birnam

Let it Snow

I love the snow. I fear the snow. In 2011 the snow piled up against our car-port gates and before I'd had a chance to clear it away (again) it had turned to solid ice. I couldn't get the gates open for a couple of months – until the sun can clear Birnam Hill there's no sunlight to melt the ice on our dirt-track street – and by then the car battery, having frozen in the meantime, had to be replaced. Ouch!

Still, I love the snow. It transforms the view and deadens the noise from the traffic on the A9. Here's a movie I made of our garden in the snow on the 22nd of January. The music, by my friends Tracing Arcs, works marvelously well with the visuals, I find. Enjoy!

Christmas Day in Birnam and Dunkeld

Genie and I had a quiet Christmas at home in Birnam. Very quiet. It's probably the only day of the year that the pubs are shut, and either folk are away visiting family and friends or they are celebrating at home. The streets are deserted.

Unusually for the time of year there was no snow to be seen here. The heavy rains of the previous days had melted it all. We decided to walk to the Hilton Hotel (Dunkeld House) in the afternoon for a couple of drinks, and I took the new Sony HDR-CX730 video camera – my Christmas present from Genie and myself. In this short film you can see the River Tay from Telford Bridge, The Cross in Dunkeld High Street, Dunkeld Cathedral, and the river walk from the cathedral to Dunkeld House.