15 th August

Summer shutdown time for the big cities. 15th August is the day of the most important religious festival of the year.  A day for solemn worship and a tradition of celebration going back centuries

 This day is the commemoration of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, when she 'went to sleep' and ascended to heaven.  Every village, hamlet, islet, outcrop of rocks has a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, tiny blue and white, huge sprawling cathedral or Monastery.  There are half a dozen on Poros or close on the mainland.

There will be church services on the eve and the morning of the 15th.  Services, which are well attended by locals and visitors.  Then the celebrating begins. Many fiestas will include dancing, food, sometimes cauldrons cooked over a fire and handed out to all those present, abundant wine and traditional music which can go on for days.    Dancing is central to all celebrations and everyone joins in, very old, very young, foreigners, black scarfed women and gnarled old peasants.  This is the high point of the year.  There is much laughter and joy in this yearly socialising, embracing family members who may live and work far away, uniting with friends, connecting with the wider world.  

K has not eaten meat since August 1st.  This is a 15 day fast  which some have kept strictly, eating no dairy, fish, meat or eggs. 

It is also a name day for many people.  Maria, Mary and all the alternate names for the Virgin Mary, Despina, Panayiota and for the men Panayiotis.

Here on Poros the day begins with a church service at the main cathedral, the handing out of sweet cakes, spiced bread and Holy bread. Then morning coffee with friends and family who are celebrating name days.  

It's too hot for midday feasting. Gatherings at homes and tavernas take place in the evening, continuing on till later in the cool of the night

There's no big fiesta here, just private celebrations. Still a lot of food, drink and noise though

K and I usually attend a family name day celebration across on Galatas but it's not taking place this year because of a death in the family.

He has ordered a half kilo of pork and potatoes and some lamb from a taverna. I'm making an authentic greek salad and tzatziki. We've got plenty of wine, white and red.

We will be quite happy to sit quietly midday on the terrace away from the craziness unfolding on the rest of the island.

The meltemi is blowing from the north, causing cancellations for those travelling by ship but bringing us slightly cooler days. 

It also brings road blocks preventing all and sundry from entering the forest area.  These high winds bring an extreme  fire alert.  We've been through the block 3 times. It's OK when K is driving. He knows all the volunteers. Not so easy when I was alone today.  They wrote down the number plate and then asked for my name so they could record it.  I know who they are, they know who I am but they have no idea what my name is. I'm just the foreign wife of K.  This afternoon it was obvious just how much of a foreigner I am even after 50 years. I had to say Linda, pronounced the Greek way, Leeda, about 3 times. Then came the surname. I suppose they were expecting a foreign name, not Ks family name.  They asked me 3 times.  I suppose it's my kiwi accent as well. I almost had to spell it out letter by letter, in greek, before the light bulb switched on. 

Kali Panagia 

Happy 15th August