Itisallgreek2me

Preparing Tsoureki - sweet Easter bread

With Easter still a few days away, business in Bar Spetsa indicates a busy time ahead for Costas … an ideal time for me to travel south and visit my family and friends on Crete.

Riding on the hydrofoil yesterday from Spetses to Piraeus … as I see any small island jutting out from the sea, I realise I am in love with the  rawness of the Greek landscape.  A walk under grey skies from Gate E8 to Gate E3 and a fairly normal for Greece queue-less wait to buy my ticket for Lane Lines ferry boat “Vitsentzos Kornaros”.  My observations over many years show Greeks do not believe in queues – they go to the front of the line – create havoc, or – stand in the queue and still, create havoc!

A hydrofoil ticket from Spetses to Piraeus currently costs Euro 37.50 for a 2 – 2 1/2 hour ride.  By comparison, a ferry boat ticket from Piraeus to Kissamos (Kastelli) currently costs Euro 26 for a 10 1/2 hour journey – good value!  I boarded nice and early then found an agreeable posy for people watching, should I feel inclined to do so and a very full ferry departed at 1500 hours.  The on board self service Restaurant opened for lunch a short time later, as it would open for dinner later on.  I made a start on Nikos Kazantzakis’ Freedom and Death – a fitting read for Easter week on Crete and a constant reminder of the strength and pride of the island’s people. 

First stop – Diakofti on the island of Kythira at around 2145 hours, saw an almost total disemboweling of passengers and vehicles with a skeleton number remaining – less weight – more rolling of the vessel.  0130 hours, tired and still a way to go – we would be late arriving.  Finally, the call came to make our way down to the Garage and be ready for disembarkation.  This was followed by at least 30 minutes of the crew desperately trying to dock the boat parallel to the wharf and to lower the massive garage door, allowing us to leave safely.

I became aware of my next challenge even before making land … I could see there were no taxis waiting – how would I make my way to the house, at this hour, with a rather nasty cold wind blowing and only a handful of people to target?  With no choice, I began to ask around “Excuse me, are you going to Kastelli?”  Fortunately, a lady being met by her nephew to be taken to her village of birth nearby – her nephew was happy that I could go along for the ride and be dropped off later in Kastelli. 

Now off the ferry but still unable to move on … my first experience of Police – meeting a boat, talking with various passengers and checking passports, then using a German Shepherd to sniff all our baggage but nothing found.  At last, free to go and my heartfelt thanks to the young man who dropped me off at 0245 hours where Katina was patiently waiting, surrounded by all she had made ready for a 0530 hours start today – Megali Pempti (Holy Thursday).  A large quantity of dough was made this morning, shaped later in the day into loaves of Tsoureki, a sweet Easter bread … eggs dyed red, symbolising the blood of Christ, placed carefully atop each one.  Anna, Katina, Maria (17) and Katerina (15) Katina’s grand daughters, had all been to church too and returned home before I made an appearance.

Tomorrow is Megali Paraskevi (Holy Friday) … a day of rest and fasting for the faithful.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 21st, 2011 at 6:20 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.