Guest Post & Giveaway - Emily Harvale's Love of Greece - Greek Week

Thanks so much, Rachel, for including me in your ‘Greek week’. I love Greece: the scorching sun, mouth-watering food and breath-taking scenery, not to mention the glorious, sandy beaches, the history…and the hot men. What’s not to like? 

I’ve been to the islands several times but I think one of my favourite trips was a sailing holiday in Porto Heli, a small seaside town in the Argolida district of mainland Greece, where fishing boats were tied up alongside luxury yachts, and quaint, white-washed, flower-draped homes nestled between gleaming glass frontages of a scattering of hotels.

My then-boyfriend and I, spent several fun-filled days on the water, sailing and windsurfing; rippling muscles on tanned, toned bodies were everywhere we looked. And I don’t just mean the men, either! This is me on a Hobi – sensibly wearing a T-shirt so that my back didn’t get burnt…again. I wish I’d been that sensible on day one!

Porto Heli is surrounded by hills and stunning scenery, so on one of the days we cycled through groves of lemon, orange, and olive trees, the fragrance filling our nostrils and tempting our taste buds, then wound our way down to a taverna on the shore for meze and a glass or two of ouzo before heading back to the hotel for a pre-dinner cocktail. 

Most evenings we sat on the terrace beneath perfumed bougainvillea, sipping coffee as dark as molasses and knocking back Metaxa brandy, sharing snippets of action-packed days with our fellow holidaymakers. Some spent their day with the heroes of the past, soaking up the myths and legends. Ancient Epidaurus, Poros, Ermioni, Mycenae and Nafplion were all within easy reach by car. Some travelled by boat to one of the many secluded coves, sheltered by lush green pine trees and rocky crags. They sunbathed on sparkling sand then cooled off in crystal-clear water. One found her very own, Adonis – although his name was Nico, I seem to recall, and I don’t think I should tell you how she spent her days…and nights, after that. The rest of us laughed and drank into the early hours…and I got bitten alive by mosquitoes despite the jungle formula insect repellent! But I absolutely loved that holiday.

One of my novels, Sailing Solo is set in Greece, and is very loosely based on my trip – although it was written a long time afterwards and mine wasn’t a singles holiday… unfortunately. In the book, Willa runs sailing holidays for singles, from her base at the beautiful, Argolis Bay Hotel. Like us, Willa and her best friend, Blossom enjoy a drink and that got me thinking. To help promote that book, I decided to have a cocktail invented for Willa. This was back in July 2013 and I carried out extensive research, let me tell you, and wrote about it at the time in a blog post called: Cocktail, anyone?

Luckily for me, the delightful, Tom and the lovely, Holly at my local cocktail bar, ‘Walkers’, helped me. After narrowing it down to two, the cocktail on the right was the winner.

Then I had to think of a name for it and after careful deliberation (and more sampling of the product) I came up with, Willashewon'tshe. You'll understand why if you read, Sailing Solo.

In the spirit of sharing and because the, Willashewon'tshe, is just so divine, I'm giving you the recipe:

Equal measures of:

Crème de cacao (chocolate liqueur)

Crème de banane (banana liqueur)

Liqueur de menthe verte (peppermint liqueur)

Shake, pour into your favourite cocktail glass then sprinkle finely grated chocolate on the top

Drink, and repeat the process (or just make a lot the first time!)

Do let me know if you try a Willashewon'tshe, and please feel free to share this recipe with your friends.   Perhaps I’ll see you in Porto Heli. After writing this post, I’m longing to go back and see if it’s still as wonderful as it was, all those years ago.

Well Emily if you do go back, please take me with you it sounds like a fabulous trip. Love the look of the cocktail but can we please swap the banana for something else! Thanks so much for taking part in Greek Week, and for the giveaway (below) too.

Emily Harvale 

To see more of Emily Harvale please check out her links:

www.emilyharvale.com
www.facebook.com/emilyharvalewriter
twitter.com/emilyharvale
www.amazon.co.uk/Emily-Harvale/e/B007BKQ1SW
www.amazon.com/author/emilyharvale

Giveaway - Win a signed copy of Sailing Solo  (Open Internationally)

I’m giving away a signed paperback copy of Sailing Solo, thanks to the wonderful Emily. 

Giveaway open Internationally, all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 4/6/2016. Winner will be announced on twitter and emailed, and they will need to reply within 7 days, or forfeit the prize, and I will re-draw for a new winner.  Good luck everyone.

Win a signed copy of Sailing Solo (Open Internationally)