A couple of the stories that Reinhardt told us were just priceless and highlight the very casual approach to life that Greeks have. Nothing is ever rushed, tomorrow is just fine and they probably get my nomination for the, "She’ll Be Right” award.
The council in Glykovrisi had been promising their constituents for years that they were going to buy a proper garbage truck for the region. Finally the big day arrived and after various speeches and a long lunch at the taverna the gleaming new truck was officially put into service. Two days later on the Saturday, three of the councillors decided to take it for a spin to a nearby fishing village to pig out at the local fish market restaurant. They ate and drank for half the afternoon and on returning managed to put it over an embankment, rolling it 3 times. Luckily no one was injured seriously. As Reinhardt pointed out at least the word “garbage” on the side of the truck pretty much summed it up. Three very red faces in the village. They got around the problem by building a cage trailer and attaching it to one of the councillor’s tractors. They rumble around the district heaving plastic bags over the 3-meter high cage with those bags failing to make it, exploding on the road and being left behind for the dogs and rats to clean up. Nothing is ever wasted here. This happened 9 years ago and the tractor is still hard at it and the local dogs and rats grow steadily obese.
At the top of Reinhardt’s block is a natural spring which is where the village derives it name (Glykovrisi = Sweet Spring), which provides all of his house water and farm irrigation. It also feeds a large concrete cistern half way down the hill, which is the village water supply. Although there is a cyclone fence and double gates surrounding it for security, they are never locked and it is quite normal to see the shepherds taking their goats and sheep in there for feeding on the surrounding grass. As I mentioned the local area is predominantly limestone and hence they get quite a build up of calcium on anything connected to the water. The village council decided to clean out the water cistern as water pressure had dropped somewhat and they thought it may be in the valve or feed pipe at the cistern. It is buried many feet into the ground with only the top 3 feet showing above ground. When they drained it they discovered several goats in various stages of decomposition. Obviously they had gotten in through the access panel in the top, whilst leaning over trying to get a drink of water, they had fallen in and eventually drowned. The carcasses were removed and thrown in the yard of the piggery across the road, the tank scrubbed and scraped and refilled. For weeks afterward the council had a steady string of complaints from people saying that the water didn’t taste right anymore and what had they done to foul it up. I guess it would be different without the essence of rotting goats. I am glad the cistern feeds the town below and not Reinhardts place.
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