Apartment Hunting

After meeting with Elenie at her apartment in Chania for my Greek lesson, I drove into the city center to wander around and see if there were any "room for rent" signs that might lead to something suitable for me. Driving downtown is always a stressful event for me, as I'm in constant fear that I'm going to take out someone on a scooter or turn the wrong way down a one-way street, but I was rewarded eventually by finding a great parking space near the naval museum and the harbor.


I came across a sign on the door in the center of this picture that advertised a harbor view apartment and listed a phone number. Upon speaking with the guy on the other end of the line, I found out quickly that I couldn't afford this place (850 euros per month) but he said he had another apartment near the synagogue in the Jewish quarter, and that he'd send someone over to take me to see it. I thought sure..why not? I've never lived in any "ethnic quarter" before, could be cool!


I was actually just trying to take a picture of the street that I WOULD have maybe lived on if I could have afforded it, when the woman who came to take me to the other apartment appeared around the corner.



She took me to this place, which I could afford (450 euros). And there were things that I definitely liked about it. It is three levels...kitchenette and bathroom on the first floor, sitting area with TV on the second, and the bedroom on the third level, all connected by a very cute, wooden spiral staircase. However, it was DARK inside. And there are no screens on the windows, so if I were to open all of them to let in enough light to keep me from sliding into deep and total depression, my cats would surely make a run for it through one of them. Also, I didn't notice any laundry facilities and there is no internet. I was told that they could have that installed for me, but when I take into account the cave-like interior, I just don't feel it's right for me. Oh well, no biggie...it was the first place I looked at, carry on.

I stopped here to have lunch...rabbit in a white wine sauce with potatoes.

While still at Elenie's place, she went over the classified ad section with me. We circled some apartments that looked like they might be appropriate for me, and once I was back home this evening I gathered up my courage and my opening line in what I hoped would be understandable Greek, and called the first one. I don't recall exactly how the exchange went, but I heard "Oxi" which means no, and the words that Elenie showed me mean "no foreigners" and I said "Efharisto" and hung up. When Elenie originally showed me that phrase, she said that she thought they were primarily referring to Albanians "and the like". She thought that an American might be OK, I'd just have to ask and see. Well, apparently not in this case. Or who knows...maybe I mentioned that I had two cats and she was telling me that they didn't take foreign cats...I don't know.

Anyway, I'll call some more numbers from the listings over the next few days and we'll see what happens. I've still got some time, and if all else fails, I suppose I wouldn't exactly mind seeing my nephew Ben at Christmas:-)