From Astoria, New York to Preveza, Greece

So I know I posted a blog last year saying it’s been a long time and hoping to get started again but....

Well I just couldn’t resist posting about Nicole and her smile making all our days brighter so maybe this will kick start the blog again.  Nicole reminded me why I started this blog in the first place - (first blog) - to promote the positive and say thank you to those doing their everyday job with a smile.

view of the commercial dock

So the boat was in Preveza. Preveza is a commercial port on the mainland of Greece on the Ionian sea and that's where I met Nicole.

Now we all know what a bad rap traffic wardens get and how it’s hard to hear a good word said about them.  Well in the boat world, the port police are a bit the same.  One goes into a port and the port police or their representatives come around to get the port fees each day.

Town Hall on the quay at Preveza

Normally this is the person everyone avoids.  Either they duck down below decks when the official is walking along and pretend they’re not there or one is just off the boat when they come by so they can’t collect the dues.

Not so with Nicole, (or Nicoleta as she is known in Greece).  Everyone I could see was making a point of catching her eye. Indeed she seemed to know most of the people by name and many people who didn’t necessarily owe any money, still made a point of stopping to talk to her.

view of Aktio from Preveza

Nicole was born in Greece but raised in Astoria, New York, returning to Preveza some years ago. 

Nicole and the "egg man"

When I asked her if I could write about her in the blog she said her cousin writes for People Magazine.  I pointed out this didn’t quite have the same circulation!  

When I took my pictures of her, she wanted to include “the egg man” and when I complemented her on doing her job with a smile, she referred me to her colleague Nick, who collects the money from the boats in the morning, telling me he’s just as nice if not nicer.  



Lovely self effacing 

A huge thumbs up to Nicoleta and I bet per boat moored she collects more money than other port police officer.  A few port police we know could take a tip!

I'd like to get this blog up and going again, so if you're reading this and you would like to say thank you to someone, to big up someone nice doing their job or just promote the positive, please do write in.  Don't worry if you don't know how to format for the internet or anything, I can help you do that.  All I need is your words about who it is and, if possible, some lovely smiley photographs.

Thanks for reading.