Doing business in Crete

The arrow points to my balcony  in the Pergola Hotel, from which the tiny beach in the foreground can be seen. 

My first impression of the Pergola Hotel is mixed: the room is tiny, but pretty, with a balcony looking out over the sea (and the sun panels and water tanks on the roofs in between). The reading lamps over the bed and desk don't work, but the bed is comfy with plenty of warm blankets. The shower is a bare trickle - no water pressure to speak of.  For breakfast I was first served instant coffee, white toast with plastic cheese, plastic  jam, and a hard boiled egg. But just as I was composing a less than complimentary report for Trip Advisor in my head,  old Yiannis brought fresh pressed orange juice, a couple of greek pastries and a bowl of yogurt with honey.  So all in all, a perfectly satisfactory breakfast, during which I studied a map of the town, discovering that the center was in the opposite direction from where I had wandered in the dark yesterday evening. So after breakfast I made my way down the stone steps and along the waters edge, listening to the waves breaking on the sea wall, past several beaches to the Marina, to the offices of Crete-Homes.

Crete Homes in Agios Nicolaos.

This morning then, I have had a taste of Cretian business life. The people are informal, friendly, yet efficient and proffessional. I was given cookies and coffee at the realtors, tea at the attorney's, and a cretian pastry with juice at the notary's. It was the notary's nameday (which I am told is more important than the birthday even),  and people kept dropping by with flowers and congratulations, and she would offer  pastry and  brandy. I also had a longish conversation with Manolis, architect, partner at Crete-Homes, and current owner of the house I'm  buying. We looked through a book of traditional cretian architecture, and talked about how he had included such details in the restoration of "Kritsanna" and also his ideas for the adjoining stable, which happens to be for sale as well. Minolis is a treasure: not only is he an architect, with special training in restoration, he has an artists eye. The office is filled with his artwork: paintings, furniture, sculpture. It is fantastic!  So now I have a Greek bank account, and a lawyer with power of attorney , to act on my behalf regarding the purchase.