Guy Fawkes Night on Spetses
By Helen Grubner. Filed in Uncategorized |
“Happy Birthday Dear Helen”
Monday 5 November 2012 – the Closing Night Party now over, Costas arranged for Tea to meet us at the Bar at 12 noon to begin the massive cleanup from Saturday night’s celebration. Part way through the exercise Costas said – Helen, come with me. The day was, of course, also my birthday … I was taken to a jewellery shop and left there to choose a ring – what a lovely surprise.
The evening came and by 1930 hours we had walked to Paradise Beach on the outskirts of the town to witness a fireworks display scheduled for 2000 hours. We were the first to arrive … we sat on the beach and waited for the rest of our party to get there. Last year we had our fireworks on the beach by Nektarios Restaurant, however, this year Ray and Heather had purchased fireworks direct from the wholesaler and they were far too big to let off in a built up area. Unbelievable! On a par only with something I have seen before in organised shows put on for the public and these had been bought back from Scotland by Ray and Heather especially for the occasion.
For six of us it was then a walk back to the Old Harbour and like last year, dinner at Nektarios’ Restaurant. The other eighteen people all mounted their bikes and quads … naturally, we were the last to arrive. We all shared plate after plate of yummy Greek dishes with house wines until there was room for no more … except a slice of cake. Yes, once again, just like last year, Costas had ordered for me a wonderful birthday cake … with seven candles, six for each decade and the seventh I pushed in further as after all, it counted for only two years, not ten! Inscribed “Happy Birthday Dear Helen” … after everyone sang Happy Birthday, most of us found room and devoured a piece of what was a very nice cake.
Not yet ready to go home, a few of us headed back into the Dapia for a few drinks at Votsalo Bar … Costas and I going on from there to Boggi for our final drinks of the night. This is where we both so enjoy listening to Greek music, especially songs of Nikolaos Xylouris, to which Costas is always compelled to sing along … a wonderful end to the evening and a perfect birthday.
The following night we met Ray and Heather, also Andy and Lesley, for a quiet meal at Filippos. Andy and Lesley would be leaving to return home to the UK on Thursday and we, of course, were setting off with Ray and Heather the next morning for a three night stay in Galaxidi near Delphi. This had been our fourth night out on the trot and there were another three to follow … it makes my life back in New Zealand look rather boring by comparison, however, I feel blessed to be able to live as I do in two countries on opposite sides of the world.