Itisallgreek2me

Monday 13 May-Tuesday 14 May 2024

Just as planned, at 0800 hours Monday morning, I visited the Ethniki Trápeza… National Bank of Greece, Kastéli branch, to seek help after their ATM swallowed up my CashPassport Card on Saturday morning. In short… no help, no card returned. Tried swiping my ANZ VISA Debit Card… “Your card cannot be serviced”. Tried logging into the CashPassport App… “Your card is closed and you can no longer access the App”. Tried calling the free number from Greece for CashPassport… “Couldn’t connect”. Sent an email requesting urgent help… still awaiting a reply.

Prior to this debacle, I had booked a ticket to go on the 4 x 4 minibus to Balos, departing 0930 hours, returning 1630 hours Monday. You can go by boat which also stops at Gramvoúsa, allowing you to walk up to the castle, however, I’ve done that trip before but hadn’t been overland.

From the ticket booth, where you pay 1 Euro per person tax, it’s a dirt road and a very bumpy one at that. Rent a Car insurance is not valid and no road assistance is provided on the Balos road. The bus costs 20 Euro per person return and takes about 35-45 minutes each way. The hike to the beach takes about the same amount of time, depending on how often you stop going down to admire the stunning views and to rest on the way back up to the carpark. The terrain is rocky and you can expect to see quite a few rather friendly free ranging goats. One even crept up behind me on the beach and tried to steal my food.

This morning I returned to the Ethniki Trápeza and spoke again with the same man as yesterday about my money dilemma. Still no help rendered… he couldn’t have given a rat’s arse. Two more banks and still no joy. Finally, at the Bank of Chania, a very nice sympathetic man, viewed my Passport, suggested I try inserting my ANZ VISA Debit Card into their ATM and assured me if it was swallowed up, he would retrieve it for me. So I did as he advised and all went according to plan. For now I have monies to hand but I have no idea how I can transfer the funds from my CashPassport card back to my everyday account.

Today was my last day in Kastéli. Spent some time making a very nostalgic walk along Kastéli beach, my spiritual home since 1981. It was very emotional as I’m aware of at least 3 reasons why I believe this will have been my last trip here. For years I dreamed of retiring to Greece, however, I now know that is not to be.

Continued on my way to the family home. Went upstairs to see Anna. Told her “S’agapo”… I love you, to which Anna responded, “kai egó”… and me. There was to be no further conversation… I kissed her cheek and went back downstairs for lunch. Katina had made Psarósoupa me Avgó kai Lemóni… Fish Soup with Egg and Lemon. So, so very delicious 😋

During every visit to Kastéli Kissamos, without fail, I make the walk up the hill to the Parthenóna… the cemetery where family members are buried, to pay my respects to those departed. I usually take a Gardénia as that was Costas’ favourite flower. However, today I didn’t find a Gardénia at the plant nursery, so instead, I took a white Geranium.

Back at the house, I waited to have 4 o’clock coffee with Katina and Anna. The weather did a complete turnaround and it started to rain, so after making the final sad farewells, Vasilis drove me to Vanna’s, from where I eventually walked back to my room. Tomorrow I leave my family here in Kastéli… first bus at 0700 hours to Chania and onwards.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 at 5:35 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.