One man and his blog - Part IV
- By Graham Simpson
- 19 Jun 2024
- Views and reviews
Part IV
Shaky ground: Graham’s 150-year-old renovation project in Crete throws up a few unexpected challenges…
"Well yet another year has passed since I last updated everyone on our adventures in Crete and the start of our new life at Diaskari in the remote south east corner of the island - still very much along 'the road less travelled'. It’s been a year of dramatic change for me personally, as I finally stood down as Chairman in March. As you get older, time seems to move faster, and it felt like the right moment for something new. In fact, Diaskari is not new to us at all, as we have known and loved it since the 80s and it already feels like home. Sealing the deal took some time however, and we did not take ownership until October 2023. Work started later that month, and we duly moved out and found suitable 'digs' a couple of miles away at the foot of the mountains. Our two cats Ellie and George were not best pleased, but have now settled into their temporary home with their usual stoicism; as long as they are fed and loved, they are happy. Having rented and lived in Diaskari for two years, we knew that it needed some tender love and care, but like all the best projects, there were quite a few surprises in store…
The property is a 150-year-old former warehouse, originally a storage space for local produce such as carobs, wine and olives. Being directly by the sea, cargo boats could collect the produce and transport it to Athens via the main port of Piraeus. Diaskari is a listed building, which limits any renovation work that affects its exterior. So far, so good, and we knew this from the outset - but what we didn't know was that there were no foundations of any substance, and the walls were made of nothing more substantial than tightly packed earth and stone. It had stood happily for one and a half centuries and survived several earthquakes, but there was no knowing when our luck would run out, with potentially disastrous consequences!
Anyone reading this who has renovated a house themselves might be wondering why we didn’t employ a surveyor, and the answer is that they don’t exist in Greece. All new builds are subject to strict regulations concerning foundations, but a building like Diaskari, which was not originally intended to be lived in, held no such reassurances. To cut a long story short, underpinning was required and this, along with various other works that also came out of the woodwork, turned a four-month plan into eight months and counting. Hopefully we will be in by the end of July - even if everything is not quite completed.
However, we are not quite finished yet - with Diaskari came an acre and a half of barren rock. It’s a challenge that might faze even the mighty Monty Don, but we are currently transforming it into a beautiful garden, using local Mediterranean plants that can thrive in all the summer heat, sea breezes and salty air that they will face here by the water’s edge. It gives me real joy to watch nature weave its magic, transforming a rough piece of ground into a colourful palette of Crete's finest.
We achieved this with our garden at Eagles Nest on Paxos, and the thing that tugged most at the heart strings when we left after 21 years was saying goodbye to this labour of love that had given us so much pleasure; I can only compare it to saying farewell to an old friend who's going on a long journey, and who you know you won't see again.
The landscaped gardens at Eagles Nest, Paxos.
The Diaskari gardens include plans for a stream and a small lily pond to be a home for a variety of local wildlife. There will also be an amphitheatre for the occasional concert, whether performed by my grandchildren, friends or local musicians, a shepherds hut for whoever wants to be alone, a yoga platform, a summer kitchen and even a vegetable plot. But no swimming pool: we have a huge pool on our doorstep where I swim most days throughout the year.
Alongside our Diaskari warehouse we also bought a rather ramshackle apartment next door. Not as old, but equally historic, apparently constructed by the Italian army who occupied Crete in the second world war and used it as their headquarters for this part of the island. We've named it Stargazers as a nod to the roof top skylight we installed directly above the bed, so you can gaze at the heavens before shutting the electric blind and sleeping soundly till morning. During the summer months there is a small beachside taverna just a few metres from us - not intrusive but very useful if you prefer to be served on your own terrace overlooking the sea. We may have to squat in Stargazers first before finally reclaiming Diaskari (not exactly a hardship), but we can’t wait to get back to our beach and watch the moon as it rises over the sea - a truly magical experience.
When will this be finished? Well, gardens are a continuous work in progress, but the overall design should be in place by October, and we’ll update the blog with pictures when we get to that happy point. The next instalment will also give more news on our progress in Pefki, where we are slowly restoring some old village houses. These will eventually be available to rent via Simpson Travel, along with Diaskari itself during July and August, once we are sure that it is indeed entirely earthquake-proof!
So as you can see, I have retired from Simpson Travel, but not from life. I still keep a close watch from afar of course, and I’m happy to see the company going from strength to strength. One thing I will never tire of is thanking all those who supported the business through some traumatic times; we only survived because of you, and I remain eternally grateful.”
Best wishes...
