Week No.3 on Spetses
By Helen Grubner. Filed in Uncategorized |
Open fire at Costas 17 April 2011
Halfway through my stay and I feel very grateful to be here … the one and only dampener – the frustration of not being able to overcome the cold, flu, bug or whatever it is I have that has refused to leave me for two weeks’ now. Today I started a course of antibiotics – I hope to be feeling better than this before Wednesday when I make my journey to Crete. Rest assured, I’m being incredibly well looked after.
With many late nights out in the bar, I like to walk whenever I can in the sun and fresh air – camera in hand, looking for any photographic opportunities. On one such day, starting on the waterfront road by The Poseidonion and statue of Bouboulina – the island’s heroine – heading out of town past The Anastis Church by the sea and the Anaryirios and Koulayanios College, the only working public school in Greece with numerous very large buildings, set amidst partially neglected park like grounds. The narrow streets of Spetses would be a town planner’s nightmare, however, they offer so much with the wrought iron gates and window grills and wooden doors and shutters … homes abandoned, others humble, standing alongside mansions.
Our lunch date on Thursday to meet Raymond and Heather went ahead but not at The Poseidonion … still not organised to open for lunch there and so it was we ended up at Phillipos for salads and pasta. Friday saw me taking a little excursion at 1055 hours on the Flying Dolphin XXIX hydrofoil to Hydra to meet my Canadian writer friend Anna. We enjoyed lunch at a quiet and peaceful Taverna a short walk up from the harbour to the back of town then said our farewells as she boarded the Flying Cat 2 catamaran, the beginning of Anna’s journey to Lemnos. Within an hour I was back on the same Flying Dolphin returning to Spetses around 1600 hours.
It is almost impossible to describe the atmosphere that prevails at Bar Spetsa. Friday evening I went there early, planning to come home early – jokingly Costas said, “What, 0430 hours?” It was one of those nights with a party atmosphere … kept company with Alex and two young Athenian women, here for a weekend stay at the Poseidonion and looking to have a good time. They had no prior knowledge of Bar Spetsa, walked by, came in and so it was Costas finally closed at 0510 hours and we came home to sleep. Last night being Saturday we expected things to be much the same, however, to the contrary, it was far more subdued … quiet drinkers, heavy smokers (the Greek Government’s latest bid to ban smoking in public places as of 1 September 2010 failed miserably) much conversation and as always, fantastic music. I left early around 1230 hours and tonight I’m at home. It seems winter has returned … as I sit by the open fire, it is very cold and wet outside.
Wednesday I leave on my journey to Crete to stay with my extended Greek family in Kastelli … probably my friends from Hania will also spend Easter there. Right now I plan to rest, keep warm and hope in another three days I will be feeling a great deal better and up to the task.