More on Saturday

Our kiwi nephew and neice from London  arrived  late Saturday, just in time for a welcome drink on the waterfront.  The family gathered for the welcoming  Heineken, till they ran out so we tried to finish off the Fix (greek lager) as well.

Later it was still warm enough to sit outside on our own balcony and enjoy more drinks, ouzo and homemade Baileys.  The timer rang out at regular intervals reminding us to go inside and stir the easter soup, add the rice and whisk in the egg and lemon juice.






Baileys, a trial run, which was a huge success. Next time though I'll double the amount of whisky.  And hotcross buns, real hotcross buns, spicy, squishy.  The first I've tasted in over 40 years.  They were just as I remembered them!

In their suticases were cream filled easter eggs, pineapple lumps (only NZers can appreciate their taste), ginger nuts and alcohol naturally enough.

Simply marvellous.  The Easter Bunny blessed us this Pascal Season







At 11.30pm the family gathered along with a few hundred others for the receiving of the Holy Light brought via  Presidential jet from Jerusalem.

Just before midnight the first candle lit with the Holy flame (brought to Poros and surrounding islands by speed boat from the airport) appeared from inside the church and we all lit candles, the flames slowly lighting up the waterfront.

This year we attended the midnight mass at the church at the Navy Base.  We didn't actually go into the church, the flame came out with the priests and at exactly midnight the head priest called out 'Christ is Risen'.  Along the seafront the crowds  waved their candles, kissed each other and stood in awe as the Navy let off a shower of fireworks.

It was only half an hour later that we were pushing back through the  crowds of greek families all making for home and the easter soup, all carrying very carefully their candles with the Holy light.

Our first job on arriving home is to make a cross over the doorway with our candles .  Above our front door are ten black crosses from ten years of easter candles.

Then it was time to kick off shoes, open the  
 chilled NZ sauv blanc, serve the soup and enjoy the first of the Easter feast.

We lit tea lights and placed them in a metal lantern so the light burned for most of the night.  Un-fortunately, I forgot to blow out the  big candle on the table.  Fortunately, that also was in a metal container or we might have burnt more than the candle.  In the morning there was a big lump of candle wax on the table but the candle had extinguished itself without harm.

We didn't linger too long before going to bed.  Sunday is the big day