Family! First episode

When downunder comes up north every day is a fiesta, and it's nothing to do with the church.

Last year it was pig on the spit and offal.  Lots and lots of offal.

And fish heads.

Hi Katy!   Chief fish head eater. Katy crunches on the fish eyes as well.  Kapai wahine

This year we had nephew Mark.  He shaved those mutton bones.  Your can see my bone on the right.  There's enough meat there to feed a clowder of cats.   Give one of  Mark's bones to those cats and they'll be hissing at you in disgust.

  

We picked up our klowder of kiwis from Athens airport and immediately showed Greek 'competence' by getting lost in the carpark .  After fifteen or twenty minutes dragging heavy suitcases (full of marmite) from one end of the parking area to the other in the midday sun we finally made it out and on the way to our exotic Greek island

First stop the Corinth canal.  Completed in 1893, 6.4 kilometres long.  Now mostly used by pleasure boats.  Time for the first photos.  Bungy jumping optional.

Their introduction to greek hospitality, a large baking tray of moussaka.  We seemed to be eating it as an 'appetiser' for the rest of the week.

Our first 'date' was coffee the next morning at the 'green chairs' cafe right on the waterfront.  Time to meet all the family and try the freddo capuccino and a spinach and feta cheese pastry.

Cousins meeting for the first time.

And Pascale, always on duty, always with a smile

The NZers came bearing gifts (marmite, pineapple lumps, booze naturally) .  And the gifts kept on coming,  from the supermarket.  Something we had never tried. One of a dozen bottles of 'exotic' beer. 

This one is  Volkan beer from the island of Santorini, made with lava rock filtered mineral water.  Nothing special I think was the general agreement.  Maybe to be properly appreciated it has to be drunk on the edge of the Santorini volcano watching one of their famous sunsets

A classic family dinner.  The 'before' photo.  A clean table.  Meat on the bbq.  Time to enjoy the family from far-away

Now that's more like it.  A platter of meat, a beer in hand and a glass of local red

Happy faces and a plate of bones.  Time for talking

Some classic dishes on the table.  Giant beans and a plate of small fish fried whole, heads, tails and all.  Beans eaten with a fork in one hand and a piece of bread in the other to mop up the juices

Stuffed tomatoes and peppers

Another classic meeting/eating place, family rooftop terrace with views of Poros and the harbour below.  Brother and sis-in-law

Last year's family visit. Same table.  Another brother

These two seasoned travellers at our old house.  Brother and sis-in-law.  

Here they are again on a mid winter visit in the new house around the big old 'monastery' table.  Another long afternoon of eating, much drinking and finally singing of national anthems and Waltzing Matilda.  Family from Perth always bring toblerone and a big bottle of Baileys.