Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th April - Easter weekend
Zacharo
KALO PASKHA
I am not sure how they make their money here in Zacharo but it looks to be a very prosperous spot. Everyone has hugely expensive fast cars with rear spoilers and fat exhausts and they drive them at speed up and down the local roads. Although the motel was very comfy we wanted somewhere with a bit more atmosphere. After further research we biked 1 mile along the coast and found a lovely family who let rooms.
It is a Greek tradition to dye eggs red and then have a sort of egg fight with them (a bit like conkers) before eating them. We were made to have a go.
Zacharo
KALO PASKHA
I am not sure how they make their money here in Zacharo but it looks to be a very prosperous spot. Everyone has hugely expensive fast cars with rear spoilers and fat exhausts and they drive them at speed up and down the local roads. Although the motel was very comfy we wanted somewhere with a bit more atmosphere. After further research we biked 1 mile along the coast and found a lovely family who let rooms.
It is a Greek tradition to dye eggs red and then have a sort of egg fight with them (a bit like conkers) before eating them. We were made to have a go.
Our hosts family showing us what to do!
We have booked in here for 3 nights so went off to find some food. Shopping is somehow more fun when you can visit little stores instead of supermarkets. We now have enough food to probably last us at least 4 days. The butcher was the trickiest as I only wanted some chicken breasts but they don’t really do those. After much sign language and pointing to parts of the anatomy we got the front half of the chicken. They were also disappointed that I only wanted 4 lamb cutlets as most people eat a whole lamb spit roast on Easter Day. Like Pyrgos the main square is the place to be and there were hundreds of people gathered in the many bars. Easter Saturday is when the wives/mothers bake all day and prepare for the big celebratory feast of tomorrow.
It is traditional for everyone to go to church at 11 pm tonight and when the candlelit service finishes they are each given a lit candle to walk down to town with. Those who have fasted then go home to feast on a soup made from the tripe, intestines and offal of the lambs.
Lambs, heads still on ready for the Easter BBQs
Offal for the soup on Saturday midnight
Most wholesome I am sure but we missed this as we had a bit of an early night. Since sitting on the bus back from Athens to Patras we have both had sore throats and colds so were tucked up by 10.30 which was a shame as it would have been lovely to watch the candlelit parade, but it was pretty chilly. Anyway at 12 midnight they started the fiesta which continued until the small hours. It was like Guy Fawkes night, Christmas and Easter all rolled into one. They love firecrackers and bangers which go off continuously. The noise was tremendous and every dog within miles was traumatised and barked hysterically. The young revved motorbikes and cars and drove around very fast and a good time was had by all. Fortunately our rooms were a bit off the beaten track so it could have been worse.
We looked rather brighter than most others this morning. Our host Theodore and his lovely family all speak very good English and were very hospitable today. We wanted to ring home to say happy Easter to the girls, and the only place the wifi works is on their verandah . We were a bit embarrassed about disturbing them on Easter Day but they were so friendly and we ate delicious cakes with the best Greek coffee, declined the red wine and learned a lot about the way they all live.
Our 'candlelit' lamb chops!
The Secatering apartments where we are staying
We have booked in here for 3 nights so went off to find some food. Shopping is somehow more fun when you can visit little stores instead of supermarkets. We now have enough food to probably last us at least 4 days. The butcher was the trickiest as I only wanted some chicken breasts but they don’t really do those. After much sign language and pointing to parts of the anatomy we got the front half of the chicken. They were also disappointed that I only wanted 4 lamb cutlets as most people eat a whole lamb spit roast on Easter Day. Like Pyrgos the main square is the place to be and there were hundreds of people gathered in the many bars. Easter Saturday is when the wives/mothers bake all day and prepare for the big celebratory feast of tomorrow.
It is traditional for everyone to go to church at 11 pm tonight and when the candlelit service finishes they are each given a lit candle to walk down to town with. Those who have fasted then go home to feast on a soup made from the tripe, intestines and offal of the lambs.
Lambs, heads still on ready for the Easter BBQs
Offal for the soup on Saturday midnight
Most wholesome I am sure but we missed this as we had a bit of an early night. Since sitting on the bus back from Athens to Patras we have both had sore throats and colds so were tucked up by 10.30 which was a shame as it would have been lovely to watch the candlelit parade, but it was pretty chilly. Anyway at 12 midnight they started the fiesta which continued until the small hours. It was like Guy Fawkes night, Christmas and Easter all rolled into one. They love firecrackers and bangers which go off continuously. The noise was tremendous and every dog within miles was traumatised and barked hysterically. The young revved motorbikes and cars and drove around very fast and a good time was had by all. Fortunately our rooms were a bit off the beaten track so it could have been worse.
We looked rather brighter than most others this morning. Our host Theodore and his lovely family all speak very good English and were very hospitable today. We wanted to ring home to say happy Easter to the girls, and the only place the wifi works is on their verandah . We were a bit embarrassed about disturbing them on Easter Day but they were so friendly and we ate delicious cakes with the best Greek coffee, declined the red wine and learned a lot about the way they all live.
We discussed the Greek financial situation which our host described as ‘Greece having a heart attack’
( hopefully not terminal) but he is very anxious that it may not recover. Any suggestion that if the black economy shrank and the legitimate taxpaying one expanded might have been misconstrued, so we kept quiet especially as we are paying cash. The occupation of 1940-44 is still vivid in their memories and although they like to be a part of the E U, they don’t like to be dictated to by their North European neighbours.
The rooms are in the middle of an orchard with lots of orange and lemon trees so we can squeeze delicious juice for breakfast. They run a taverna here too but sadly it doesn’t open for another month, so I have had some fun remembering how to cook again. We tried hard to wangle an invitation from somebody but failed so ended up cooking our cutlets ourselves and eating them on the balcony. We wanted to celebrate Easter so found one of the churches in town and popped in for a few quiet moments, we even paid for and lit a candle each – not sure why but it seemed the right thing to do. Afterwards we went down to the beach which stretches for about 20 miles. We walked along it for a while enjoying the sunshine and paddling in the surf – it was pretty idyllic really! As I write the firecrackers and fireworks have just started again so fear it will be another noisy night.
( hopefully not terminal) but he is very anxious that it may not recover. Any suggestion that if the black economy shrank and the legitimate taxpaying one expanded might have been misconstrued, so we kept quiet especially as we are paying cash. The occupation of 1940-44 is still vivid in their memories and although they like to be a part of the E U, they don’t like to be dictated to by their North European neighbours.
The rooms are in the middle of an orchard with lots of orange and lemon trees so we can squeeze delicious juice for breakfast. They run a taverna here too but sadly it doesn’t open for another month, so I have had some fun remembering how to cook again. We tried hard to wangle an invitation from somebody but failed so ended up cooking our cutlets ourselves and eating them on the balcony. We wanted to celebrate Easter so found one of the churches in town and popped in for a few quiet moments, we even paid for and lit a candle each – not sure why but it seemed the right thing to do. Afterwards we went down to the beach which stretches for about 20 miles. We walked along it for a while enjoying the sunshine and paddling in the surf – it was pretty idyllic really! As I write the firecrackers and fireworks have just started again so fear it will be another noisy night.
Our 'candlelit' lamb chops!
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