The Ionian September 2013

The Ionian September 2013 Volume 4. Issue 6 www.theionian.com COMPLIMENTARY/∆ΩΡΕΑΝ Please recycle: give to a friend or neighbour when finished.

Greek Café Culture

Traditional Greek Music

Page 9

Page 8

Architecture on Lefkas Island Page 10

The First Two Months Page 7

A Legacy for a Village Page 6

Saying Good Bye The Art of Waiting…

Page 12

Page 5

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The Ionian Contact us: Website: Email: Founding Publisher: Publisher: Managing Editor: Advisory Board: Layout: Printing: Advertising: Subscriptions:

www.theionian.com admin@theionian.com Justin Smith Barbara Molin Barbara Molin Yannis Dimopoulos Ryan Smith Barbara Molin Graphic Arts Barbara Molin Barbara Molin

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The Ionian is published monthly approximately on the last day before each month. Publication is for informational purposes only. Although The Ionian has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions it may contain. The opinions expressed by the contributors are not necessarily held by the publisher.

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Cover Photo: Sokratis Nikolos, bouzouki player in Lefkada. Photo by Barbara Molin To purchase any of our photographs or to submit your own for a cover shot consideration email us at: editor@theionian.com

A little bit of culture ...

One of the main reasons why I love Greece is the culture. When I

arrived back in spring, the first things I did the next morning was to indulge at my favourite seafront café. Where else but in Greece can you get a plate of loukoumades and a glass of ice cold water with your perfectly made coffee served in a real cup on a saucer and delivered to you by a smiling waitress who remembers you? No more waiting in line to pay first and then having to fill a Styrofoam cup (unless I bring my own from home) with lukewarm brown mud from a thermos on a counter, and having to even clear my own table, like in some countries I won’t mention. And so this month we dedicate this issue to Greek culture.

First, we have on page 5, The Art of Waiting… by Barbara de Machula. We all know that to live in Greece is to learn patience, but what better way to wait than in one of those kafeneions we find on every street corner.

Next, Sharla Ault writes about an artist, who is working to preserve the culture of a village in A Legacy for a Village on page 6.

And what is culture without music and night life? And so, we have Traditional Greek Music on page 8 and Greek Café Culture on page 9, both by Marianna Tsatsou.

Designing homes that fit in harmoniously with the local environment and existing buildings is one of the challenges for an architect and an engineer.

Architect Erwin Heimgartner and engineer Nikolaos Boursinos describe the process on page 10 in Architecture on Lefkas Island.

We have a sailing story as well - sailing being the best way I know of travelling throughout the Ionian to experience the local culture first hand. Bill Andrews continues with the saga of his new yacht, Lover, in The First Two Months on page 7.

And finally, back at the kafeneion, on page 12, Robin Lamb is Saying Good Bye for another season to some of his Greek friends.

Enjoy reading... ~~~_/) Barbara Molin

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plants. After three years of patience, I picked them with a feeling of victory, you may remember the cows that ate my first year's plums? And the year after, when the tree needed recovery? 180 plums I counted this year, and the jar of jam is pure gold!

We were waiting for the damp and wet winter to give way to the summer, and there it was, hot as ever, and now every day we wait for the sun to set and give a bit of coolness so we can do some work outside, while the brave among us work even in the heat and sunshine.

I am also waiting for a beautiful autumn, beginning with September; maybe one of the best months in the year. The water of the sea will still be warm, and a fresh breeze will cool us down. The evenings will be so comfortable and ideal for de Machula barbecues.

The garden is waiting for a big cleanup to make it ready for late crops and winter planting. My greenhouse will be full with interesting vegetables, I have to learn what the payment will come. to grow during the wintertime, and for sure In the meantime we try to wait as my hot peppers will be comfortable there. comfortably as possible, which is probably Fishing with a rod is also a way of in some taverna. Our taverna can be like waiting, but waiting with a purpose seems better than waiting in vain.

The surroundings of waiting are very important, as well as the props.

I don't complain waiting for anything when I can enjoy the sea at my feet, a cool drink and good company, or even being alone with my thoughts and plans in a hammock. We all have something sooner or later to wait for, let's work on our patience in the best of circumstances. This way I look at the Greeks in the taverna. They are not lazy, out drinking, no they are waiting. Exercising their patience with the best props available, an ouzo or a tsipouro, they watch life pass by and wait for anything that might happen. Change is life. Yamas!

The Art of Waiting‌

By Barbara

W

e all have our moments of

frustration, waiting for something to happen or something to stop happening. We expats, probably spent a fair amount of our time waiting in traffic jams, before we moved to Greece. Most of us hated the wasted time, each day on the treadmill of clogged roads, traffic lights and stress.

In our present part of the world, the Ionian, it is hard to find a traffic jam. Sometimes in the cities the traffic can be chaotic, but that's it. Waiting seems to be happening in a different part of our lives in Greece. We can spend a fair amount of time waiting for a phone connection to our house to be made, waiting in an office to get some stamp from a gentleman with a big moustache, if he is not away just that day or on strike when we show up by his desk in a remote city.

A Greek bank is also a great place to wait - you get a number and then go for a coffee around the corner. By the time you finish your coffee, your number is probably called. The lady at the counter may be in a good mood to help you, or your visit ends in a babylonic confusion, but at least you spent some time in the kafeneion for a good reason.

Nowadays, a lot of people in Greece are waiting to be paid. And it is a domino effect, we all wait for each other. The phone companies make good business, as we are all calling each other to ask when

an office, we wait there for work, or new idea that we can immediately share with others. Sometimes waiting is great!

The other day, there were falling stars in the sky. Every year in August, the Perseides take care of free fireworks. We did not have to wait long to see them shoot through the sky with long fiery tails. We made wishes, that are waiting to be fulfilled, though we may not have much to wish for anymore.

In the garden, I was waiting for my plums to get ripe in order to make a wicked jam. I checked the tree every day while watering my tobacco

Barbara de Machula is an artist living on a farm on a side of a mountain near a monastery in Palairos. www.paintingholidaygreece.com

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Bart has created 33 portraits to date, and a documentary was made of the moment when he presented the paintings to the subjects. The comments were not always complimentary.

“You made me look horrible!” complains Fotini, an 80-something woman who was portrayed with a headscarf. She then proceeded to talk about her joyful youth and how she used to sing in the fields

By Sharla Ault during harvest season.

Dimitra doesn’t like her portrait either.

The gruff woman talked about her arranged marriage that was totally against her will. Dimitra recalled her emigration to Germany where she was treated as a second-class citizen and where her best friend was a Turk (scandalous!). Each portrait brought out comments and created a rich dialogue about the old days.

“That’s exactly what I was getting at,” portraits, especially says Bart. “The whole idea was to connect of the old people in with the past. These people don’t see happened upon an the village, as a sort themselves as I depicted them, in their art exhibit in Preveza minds they are still young and they are of tribute to them, Bart Elfrink with his paintings where Dutch artist Bart so that they can live eager to tell me their stories about those Elfrink displayed a series far-off days, as if they were yesterday.” on in some way of gigantic portraits. The A group of men joked with each other even after they are gone”. project, still incomplete, has taken about And so the project began. Using a series about who looked better. “You did my five years since its inception. hair all messy!” says one. “You made my of photographs, Bart created the portraits “It all started in this village where husband look better than me,” says in his studio in Holland, using oils. The Caroline (partner and fellow artist) and I portraits initially seem black and white or another. have been living every summer for the past sepia, but there are actually layers of Others, however were silent, because fourteen years,” said Mr. Elfrink. The they had passed away. But now the colour underneath. village, Ano Kotsanopoulon is located in widows (as it’s usually the men who die “ I wanted to create portraits that were the mountains about a 20 minute drive first) have a tangible legacy and their almost devoid of colour to create a from Preveza. partners will not be forgotten to the world. harmonious collection,” says Bart. The “We bought an old farmhouse and And neither will this special village. technique works: some of the paintings renovated it, and in the process have have an ochre undertone that become friends with all the villagers. comes through and breathes life into Portraits of Dina, Dimitra and Vangelis Some of them were quite elderly and we the portrait. The faces have could see their traditions fading as the expressions that are immediately older people passed away. These people communicative. “Since I know them had lots of stories to tell and because all well, I was able to capture their Caroline speaks perfect Greek, we were spirit in their expressions,” says able to learn a lot about their lives. The Elfrink . idea came to me to create a series of

A Legacy for a Village

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the channel in uncertain winds. We decided on Sivota and our wonderful boat behaved magnificently in winds of over 30 knots, but we had some harrowing moments.

I sent a text to friends who we'd arranged to meet in Sivota and they asked "Do you need help?" I replied "maybe when we get in the bay." Although we tacked almost all the way in we were very grateful when Vicky from Sailing Holidays offered to tow us to the quay with their rib.

Amazingly they had a second-hand gearbox which they sold us and Simon of

By Bill Andrews Sivota Yacht Services rebuilt ours using parts from theirs and installed it within two days of our arrival there. What service!

We also had a problem with the furling system on our new genoa, which we utting our teeth or having teeth thought would mean the front stay which runs from the top of the mast to the bow drawn. It depends how you look at it. would have to be replaced. Way Point of We've certainly had a good time on our Lefkas managed to sort the problem out new yacht, Lover, but there have been quickly and cheaply with some grease and trying moments and we have had to put our a specially made spliced cord. hands deep into our pockets. This hasn't Anther improvement we've made is to the been as painful as it might have been as we electrical system, so we have sufficient bought a yacht well below our budget price. power to run all our gadgets and the power One of the reasons we wanted a boat here hungry fridge with a second solar panel, a was to share the wonders of Greek boat life modern controller for the two panels, a with friends and family and we had at least booster device on the alternator device and seven groups coming this year. Two a display so we can see what charge is friends arrived only three days after we'd going in and what charge is going out. bought the boat and stayed with us for We have been very impressed with the two weeks. They were experienced speed with which we have been able to sailors so we learnt quite a lot from them. get everything done and how pleasant Anyway, the problems. Firstly we had everyone has been.

I don't think we'd to have our spray hood re-stitched and have had the same experience in the UK. our genoa repaired. The fierce sun plays All that hassle must sound like your worst havoc with the threads and the material nightmare but we've had a fabulous time and the repairer of the genoa said they in spite of the problems. We've had Sue's had done their best but really it was time sister and brother in law for a few days, for a new sail. I made enquiries, met up with friends in Parga, sailed as far obtaining quotes from English and as Ericoussa Island and back to Nidri, Chinese suppliers before deciding to played lots and lots of bridge and shared Bill and Sue (right) with friends purchase locally from Jsails of Preveza. some delicious meals with our friends They measured every possible, relevant Dave and Viola either on our boat or distance and fed the measurements into a and ordered a replacement. This took a theirs. laptop computer programme which while to arrive but meanwhile, our second One of the highlights was sharing Lover produced a 3D image of what the sail lot of guests bought us a cheap camping with my son and daughter-in-law and their would look like. It is magnificent and was stove. three children for ten days. The children, delivered to Parga very rapidly to comply After that we were fine for a few days aged between 5 and 13, splashed about in with my request to have it for my until the gearbox blew up. We had had a grandchildren's visit. pleasant sail down the Meganissi Channel the water for hours, caught two fish which we cooked on the beach and generally had Secondly we were persuaded to buy a but hit strong winds at the southern end. more modern anchor as we tend to spend We were headed for Sivota. We reefed the a whale of a time. My son, an expert wind most nights at anchor. At the same time we sails but the old genoa did not perform well surfer, loved helming. Two of the children slept in mosquito nets in the cockpit so asked for our tender to be repaired and so we made the decision to motor. Sue again we were told we needed a new one. then discovered that the engine didn't seem there was plenty of bedroom space for the other five. In between visitors Sue and I The seams only last five years in this to be working. It revved up OK but we have had peaceful, quality time together climate and they were shot. We bought weren't moving. I went to inspect and and had some wonderful sailing. both in Lefkas and sailed to Palairos to found the main drive shaft of the gearbox digest how much we were spending. There sticking up out of the oil fill cap obviously Bill and Sue Andrews bought their first we had a frightening experience - a cooker unworkable. yacht, Lover in May 2013 when Bill was fire.

So we either had to battle our way to Sue, who had offered to make a cup of Sivota, which was closest, or head back up 69. You can read that story in the August 2013 issue of The Ionian. tea, shouted "There's something wrong with the cooker."

I said "Let me have a look" and foolishly tried to light the burner.

There was an explosion as the escaped gas ignited.

We threw a fire blanket over the flames but the fire continued to burn. I dashed out to turn off the gas in the gas locker, leaving poor Sue inside. We both struggled to set off a fire extinguisher, but when I managed it, the white powder put out all the flames but in the process covered the whole of the interior of the boat. We were both very shaken but miraculously there was no damage to us or to the boat, the fire had been contained in the cooker space which is lined with metal.

After a few tears we put all the boat cushions on the quay, where we brushed and beat them clean. After five hours of hard labour, the boat was habitable again.

A kind Dutchman brought us hot water for tea that evening and next morning tested the cooker and regulator out on the quay.

The burners were so rusty we didn't trust it

The First Two Months

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September 2013 www.theionian.com The Ionian 7

Traditional Greek Music Marianna Tsatsou of paniyiria can be found all over the Preveza, there is a village called Papadates. Papadates is well-known country because Virgin Mary is one of the most prominent figures of Christianity. for its annual 'Kagelari' festival one week after Easter, when locals gather Most modern paniyiria last two or three days and apart from the music, there is in the central square and dance in a circle for many hours. They know all also a bazaar.

A piece of advice: if you want a Greek the lyrics and melody by heart even person to love you, especially the older without being accompanied by any reeks have many ways of celebrating instruments. ones, mention that the sound of the clarinet is the smoothest, sweetest, best sound We should not forget to mention the or grieving, and all of these social events you've ever heard! annual paniyiri festival of every village are accompanied by some form of In a country where migration has always and city of this country.

Especially in traditional Greek music. If it's Monday, we been present, this social change has listen to music because Mondays affected our music as well. Population are blue, if it's summer, we listen exchange between Greece and Turkey to music because it's sunny and in 1922-1924 forced several former we are happy about it. Even when Turkey-based Greeks to move to someone dies, residents of Greece and vice versa.

Preveza's villages mourn about A Mediterranean person would die if the dead person singing laments. someone banned music from their life Unfortunately, the laments have and thus, these Oriental migrants nothing to do with music played introduced “rebetika” to Greece. At on an organ or sung by a choir in first, this type of music was regarded any Protestant church. I was as inappropriate, since it was shocked when I first attended a associated with a particular funeral ceremony of a young subculture. Alcohol, illegal marijuana cousin of mine in my father's and fights were part of rebetes' (people village. There were about five who listened to or played rebetika) people including grandfathers and everyday nightlife and thus, it was uncles singing a lament so quite inappropriate music for depressing that everyone started “civilized” Greeks. crying even if they hated the However a few decades later, person who had just passed away. musicians such as Tsitsanis or In ancient times, Greeks Vamvakaris convinced Greeks to organized meetings, especially listen to their music. for men, called symposia. The Despite the fact that Preveza is a symposium was a party which small town, there are several keen was attended by renowned Greeks musicians playing many music styles to discuss important issues (let's in the local taverns. Have a walk say this was the official reason), Zorba Dancer: around the city's alleys and you'll meet but mostly, to party with large Nikos Skepetaris some singer or a band playing rebetika amounts of wine and women of ill ©Lies van’t Net or some folk songs of Kazantzidis. A repute. bouzouki and a guitar is all they need Modern Greeks inherited this to stay awake till dawn and sing together Epirus, from where many Greeks have pleasant “tradition” and always seek “Oli oi rebetes tou dounia,” translated as migrated to other, richer countries, opportunities to party. Alright then, not “every rebetis of the world.” paniyiria is the hot event of the year for with women of ill repute perhaps, two main reasons; there is much food although they would really love to, but (mostly soup of beans called with wine, ouzo, tsipouro or retsina that fassolada or boiled goat with everyone loves. And of course, music. carrots) and too much alcohol, First of all, there is the fundamental Greek folk music, which includes a variety but it is also the ideal of ethnic Greek songs. Most of these songs opportunity for villagers from have been sung over the course of time by all over the globe to meet each thousands of illiterate people. As a result, other once a year.

Since Greeks are Orthodox after decades or even hundreds of years, Christians, they organize someone decided to write down these paniyiria in honor of some lyrics. However, the elderly know them by saint. As a result, on the heart.

Assumption Day, Aug. 15, For example, a few miles away from wherever one goes, hundreds

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A friend asked me how it is

Greek Café Culture

possible for us, Greeks, to stay out till late many times a week after working all day. I tried to find something clever or funny to say but I didn’t actually know how we finally make it - most Greeks work, raise kids and go out at night at least four times a week without feeling anxious or exhausted about this habit.

The truth is, I don’t really know how it happens but let’s have a look at the facts.

Staying out until morning needs three important things: money, free time and good mood. Greeks have always been outgoing and enthusiastic people, so having fun is part of our culture. Of course, some tsipouro or wine helps our smile hang on our face for some more hours.

As for spare time, obviously we cannot claim we have any super powers. Taking into consideration that in most cases Greek employees work even on Sundays (without even getting paid any extra money for it), especially during summer, free time is like a privilege to us, like to every other person in the world. So, usually late evenings are the only time we have free. And besides, in summer, it’s the only time when it’s not too hot to dance!

However, we don’t mind feeling like a zombie while at work after having stayed up late the night before. Moreover, living in a small town, people enjoying themselves at a tavern or kafenio - a

Marianna Tsatsou traditional Greek coffee shop - do not have to worry about the way and the time we get home since our houses might be only 3-4 minutes away by bicycle!

Apparently, spare time or fun is not a big deal; the only thing left to discuss is money. I could accept that meeting the same friends over and over again at the same taverns means that regular customers, friends or the owner of the tavern might treat you to a free drink. So, even the days of the month you are broke, you can easily enjoy yourself! The next time your friends have no penny, it is your turn to return the favour.

To a reasonable, northern European this might seem that all these people, having no money or only enough needed to pay their rent, would stay in at night, would go to sleep earlier, would spend their money more wisely and would wake up early in the morning to seize the day. But no!

Greek people have gone through many ordeals, such as invasions, military junta, wars, starvation, and so on, and have listened carefully to the elders’ stories about deaths, poverty, dictators and misery. So they need to have fun and have friends in order to balance their lives, to forget the past, in order to banish it. If they

didn't do so, they would probably commit suicide.

Staying out till the morning is like a rebellion running in our veins. It’s about sharing the night with people who face similar problems and have the same needs as you, who are as happy (or sad) as you, who do not worry about tomorrow for a few hours, who feel the bond of a community. The night is our psychiatrist: we talk, we cry, we sing and dance. You don’t feel lonely when you have people around you, even if you don’t know each other.

After three years of serious financial problems, the situation has not changed a lot. We go out fewer days a month than we used to but our houses are always full of friends. We meet at midnight, when many of us finish work, and stay together till late (or rather early).

We cannot spend as much money as in the past, but we know how to have a good time for very little money. We treat our friends to home made pies - what’s better than a home-made meal in one’s living room discussing our “must” subject: that we don’t have any money to spend?

So, my dear friend, I hope this answers your question. And now, I’m going to bed because it’s morning!

Marianna Tsatsou is a freelance translator and editor for www.greekreporter.com and www.turkishgreeknews.org.

Photos both pages courtesy café owners, B. Molin, M. Tsatsou. and L. van’t Net

September 2013 www.theionian.com The Ionian 9

Architecture on Lefkas Island

By Erwin Heimgartner and Nikolaos Boursinos

conform to the original building license. building spacious basements to augment the permitted 5% footprint, i.e. on a plot of Although the amnesty legislation has n the island of Lefkada, building 4,000 square metres only 200 square expired, there is a good chance that a metres is permitted to be used as building similar law will provide a further amnesty has never been easy for the residents.

- mainly because of the current economic space.

Earthquakes and difficult terrains forced craftsmen to develop a With modern technology, we can build houses that specific way of building, using the available materials - stones and appear to fly off the cliffs or that are excavated into wood. The techniques that evolved the ground, invisible before you step into them! are a unique example of anti-seismic architecture in Europe.

Around the 1950’s, as modern materials situation. became available, the ground floor usually The use of these basements or any This law does not apply to new buildings. construction which has not been licensed had stone walls based on a foundation and Very strong regulations prohibit work that by the authorities for living is illegal.

Up strengthened by the “szenage� - a ring of does not conform to current building until June 2013 amnesty legislation reinforced concrete above the windows regulations and the engineers will be held provided the opportunity to legalize these and doors. Wood was mainly used for the responsible for conformance. During the constructions.

Today legislation prohibits upper floor because of its resilience to construction process the authorities inspect the sale of a building that does not violent movements and this was clad with the colourful, painted, corrugated metal which efficiently protects the house from weather in a cheap and easy manner. You can see this type of construction in the traditional town of Lefkada.

On the island of Lefkas, there are two villages where this building tradition is protected by planning legislation: Ag. Nikitas situated on the northwestern coast and Sivota in the south of the island. The general building laws prohibit modern architecture inside the town planning areas and allow it only outside the villages.

In recent years it was quite common to build two-storey villas similar to the historical house of the famous poet Valeoritis which is located on the beautiful island of Madouri just opposite Nidri. It was also common Combining old with new practice to enlarge the construction by

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three times and the final license will not be stamped if there is anything not according to the authorized plans.

Nowadays, foreign investors and individuals look for unique architectural designs that accommodate their lifestyle, culture and needs. The sophisticated investor knows that only a unique villa will give them the investment value they expect.

For an architect enamoured with contemporary architecture, the relaxing of traditional building restrictions is challenging and relieving. In areas prone to earthquakes, such as Lefkas Island, with modern materials, the statics (safe grounding , walls that stay straight, roof that remains in place) are not a problem, even with much larger homes. Furthermore, in spite of the current economic situation there are still opportunities for creating really amazing projects.

With modern technology, we can build houses that appear to fly off the cliffs or that are excavated into the ground, invisible before you step into them! We adapt the construction to the type of land that we build on and the environment that we are to build in. The results are inspiring - the environment and the construction standing before you as an integrated whole.

The construction process is interesting and creative. It is followed closely from the beginning until the end by both the architect who is giving his professional instructions to the craftsmen, and also by the client who sees his and/or her dream home growing into reality.

B-H Design + Engineering is an architectural and engineering company located in the harbor of Lefkada close to the old town.

The company does not follow the philosophy of standardized designs, but provides professional advice and support to the client through specific integrated steps, which guarantee a successful accomplishment of the client's expectations. Most of the company’s clients are foreigners and the goal of the architect and engineer is to adapt the design to the clients’ culture and needs as well as fit the building harmoniously to the unique environment.

“The creative process starts with the land,” says architect Erwin Heimgartner, “I ask myself, what is the best that can happen on this particular land, how to create a construction that seems to grow out of the nature..”

What is even more interesting from a point of view of originality, is how to keep some of the characteristics of a traditional building in a modern and comfortable home. Some of the projects of B-H Design show in a superb way how to integrate the openness and light of the modern design into the frame of a conventional building.

According to Mr. Heimgartner, the process of creating a design adapted to the surroundings in this case is even more challenging as he also needs to adapt his ideas to the already existing building. But we all know how creativity thrives on intricate challenges!

Erwin Heimgartner, Dipl. Ing. Engineer, Bachelor and Master of Architecture, has long term experience in urban, residential and industrial design. He studied in

Switzerland, Germany, California and Brazil under Frank Gehry, Sir Norman Forster, Prof. Niemayer and Joseph Beuys and worked together with famous architects, such as Luigi Snozzi, Aurelio Galfetti and Mario Botta. Heimgartner speaks German, English, Italian, French, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and RhaetoRomanic fluently and is the leading architect of the team.

His partner, Nikolaos Boursinos, is a civil engineer and leading company partner who studied at the University of Patras.

He has professional experience in earthquake statics and realization process.

Expect a highly motivated team of well educated engineers!

B-H Design+Engineering Nikos Boursinos | Erwin Heimgartner Petros Filippa Panagou 18, 31100 Lefkas-Harbor Tel: +30 26450 - 25650 / 23789 www.b-h-design.com

September 2013 www.theionian.com The Ionian 11

Dionisis, Georgio, Dionisis, Aristotelis, Makis and Statis

I’m in Frikes, on Ithaka Island, a

question. Tzantenos hosted the celebration at the Ulysseus. He had spit roasted two lambs and his wife Barbara had prepared gavros, cheese pies, and numerous other dishes for 120 or 130 people. The celebrations were still in full swing at five thirty when I woke up in the morning. The last guest left at seven.

I felt it time to move on. The problem was that I had had a couple of drinks brought me and felt I ought to have contributed. I called over Nektarios, who with his wife Poppy runs the Rementzo and speaks good English. “Look, can I pay my share?”

He spoke to Aristotelis and Dionisis and there was a fierce exchange of Greek.

“What are they saying?” I asked.

Nektarios explained to me: “They shouted you over, so the drinks are their responsibility. It is not like in England where you buy your rounds… now it’s his turn, now it’s your turn... In Greece if you have shouted someone over, then you pay. No further obligation.”

“Endaksi… so… avrio,” I suggested to Aristotelis and Dionisis.

“Ah well,” says Aristotelis, “if your sensitivity will be offended then perhaps I will have a drink with you.” So we had another.

Later, I felt I really ought to leave. “Will you explain to your friends,” I started to say to Nektarios, “that I enjoyed their company but I started off walking around the harbour to see a friend on a boat over the other side and to buy something from Kiki, but now the friend has sailed off to wherever he is going to… and I quite forgot what I was going to buy from Kiki!

I find Frikes difficult to leave… but it maybe kinder to my liver if I do.

Saying Good Bye

favourite place. I’m on my way back to Aktio to have my boat lifted out next week, so I wander around the harbour saying bye to a few folks. I hear “Yassoo Robin.” I look over and there is Aristotelis and Andreas sat under a tree outside the Rementzo with someone else I don’t know. I go over. “You like a beer?” enquires Aristotelis (who I think they call Telis).

I sit with him and soon a large man in a dark T-shirt joins us. It is Dionisis, Telis’ cousin. He patiently tells me ‘Dennis’ is the English equivalent of his name after I struggle with the pronunciation of Dionisis.

“He captains a cargo vessel 350 metres long,” Aristotelis tells me.

By Robin Lamb

Tzantenos

Nektarios at the door of the Rementzo “A 38-foot Bavaria.” I tell him.

“A what?” he asks.

“Look there, it is over there,” I point to my boat moored in splendid isolation at the end of the new quayside. “It is a bit shorter than yours.”

He looks at it: “So it is. So it is.” And he laughs uproariously. Meanwhile, Stathis arrives and winks and chinks glasses with me “Yammas” and starts telling everybody how bad the fishing is compared to twenty Kiki years ago.

Makis, joins us. His band had been part After a confusing exchange of Greek of the celebrations the previous evening. between Dionisis and Aristotelis, Dionisis The celebrations were to do with a young turns to me and says, “I understand you are man getting married, or about to get a captain too.” married, or maybe thinking of getting “Ah err yes,” I reply hesitantly. married sometime. I never fully “Oh, what sort of a boat?” he asks. understood though I met the gentleman in 12 The Ionian www.theionian.com September 2013

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FOSTER AND PERMANENT HOMES NEEDED URGENTLY FOR STRAY DOGS. PLEASE CALL LEFKAS ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY (L.A.W.S.) IF YOU CAN HELP: 697 851 0671.

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