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Greek Orthodox Easter.
This week every day is a Holy Day. Every evening there are services in all the big churches and many prefer to worship at a monastery where devotions seem more spiritual.
These first few days are for spring cleaning, preparing the home and the body for the miracle of the resurrection. The fasting becomes even stricter. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday oil is also forbidden. Meals are plain and simple. Boiled vegetables or lentils, tahini (sesame paste) and olives.
In the olden days ie ten years ago, all the neighbourhood was out white washing the walls and sidewalks around the houses. Council workers whitewashed the many steep steps, weeds were cut on the streets and the narrow lanes and harbor were generally given a spruce up.
White washing seems to be a thing of the past, as is street sweeping by the housewife outside her domain. The harbor is given a fresh slick of paint, the big rubbish bins a rinse out and the flower beds renewed at the end of May so the town that is visible to visitors is presentable for the annual boat show.
These first few days are also the time to buy presents for the god children and take them their lambatha (decorated candle) for the Saturday midnight mass.
Grandaughters' lambathas
The weather is cool but perfect for coffee in the sun. We took an hour off from shopping for easter Sunday supplies and sat at the 'green chairs', a 'K-approved' café and watched the world go by.
Down by the water's edge. The 'green chairs'. Notice all the greeks are wearing heavy jackets but the tourist thinks it is summer in his short sleeve t-shirt.
Down by the water's edge. The 'green chairs'. Notice all the greeks are wearing heavy jackets but the tourist thinks it is summer in his short sleeve t-shirt.
Hot coffee (filter coffee, also known as 'french' or 'american' coffee) or frappe (iced coffee) and the traditional greek morning snack, the sesame 'bagel'. And always a glass of water.
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