Pano Elounda is full of cats and kittens of every colour you
can imagine!
Well perhaps not blue or green! They are allowed to run their usual daily lives in peace. Their main preditor being the out of town tom-cat who decides that this kitten isn't his! The cats here are all feral, the nightly arrival of the toms ensures a night of loud tom-cat 'singing' and dancing! The Queen cats bring their new litter out for the first time and know where they will be made welcome. That is until there are too many all bouncing around and knocking things over! They then get chased off with a friendly waving of the ever present walking stick! I have named this 'Cat Corner', because this is a kind Greek couple who make sure the cat population here receives food, oftentimes I have seen fresh fish bought purely to give to the cats, it is a funny sight to see a kitten with a fish in its mouth trying to run off to enjoy in peace, the fish being almost as large as the kitten itself!
The Kafeneon (Greek bar) is still alive with chattering friends! A wonderful meeting place for Greeks, why not join in! Sip slowly on a Greek coffee, enjoy a refreshing portocolarda (orange juice) or try the local firewater 'Raki'. Challenge a Greek to a game of Tavli (backgammon) and experience a very lively game! The Kafeneon is not a place of hurry, it is a bar for discussion, raised voices, relaxation and to really discover the true hospitality of the Greeks, especially the Cretans.
In Pano Elounda there are many Kafeneon bars to choose from, all offer excellent Cretan hospitality, are inexpensive and you can get away from the usual bar offered in the noisy centre. Music is not usually played unless a Greek has arrived with his Bazooki and excellent singing talent!
Pano Elounda, where the 'stores' still come to the people! Fresh oranges are on sale, later in the day another truck will pass by announcing rather loudly that he has potatoes, onions or even pots and pans for sale!
