Penny, April 8 2007

 

Hi, I was reading your website about Matala, and wondered if you have had any replies from people who were there is the 60’s. I was living there is 1968 it was a long time ago but I do have some memories of that time. If you are interested reply to this email.

 

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April 9 2007

 

I guess my first reaction to your website was the fact that you said that the people there were mainly American (or was that something that you got out of an American magazine). I was there in the summer-autumn of 1968 or 1969 and most of the people I knew were European, there were some Americans but they were not predominate.
I was travelling with a Canadian girl at the time and she knew about this place, so we went there. It was only tiny at the time, but it did have 2-3 restaurants and a shop and that was were we got our daily supply of bread, cheese, tomatoe. There was one American who had been there for a year or more and he would met the bus when it arrived, he lived by his wits and would get to know new arrivals as they were the ones with money. It was the accepted norm that you would share what you had, but you didnt just hand it over. I must say it was a good life, very daring but a bit like ‘Lord of the Flies’.

I will stop for now if there are any questions about this lot of info, let me know and I will fill you in. There is lots more to tell but with all good stories they are to be savoured.

 

Penny