Tuesday 31 January 2017

Parts of Poros life

Looking out over the Lykeio and one of our two Primary Schools


30 January is a school holiday.  It is the fiesta day of The Three Hierarchs, Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, patrons of education and learning. 



The tortoise shell which has been hanging in the olive tree for six weeks now.  The meaty part has dried up and fallen away.


Time for small boys to clean and find a place to display their trophy.





Bulls balls, testicles.   Known also as Prairie oysters to the unsuspecting and in greek as ameletita.

We don't get hold of these very often (lol).  A friend brought us a kilo or so of already cleaned testicles, delicious when fried and finely sliced.  They have a tough membrane on the outside and are difficult to clean



Finger lickin' good



A back alley way in the old town


We were woken this morning by the jingle of sheep bells.  The shephard whistles and the flock of sheep trot away in great haste bleating up the road behind him.  They come every few days to the empty paddock next door and feed on the tall weeds and green clover.   Unlike goats they do not scrabble up and damage the olive trees and are welcomed as lawn mowers.   Today there was a small lamb leaping and skipping along behind it's mother.  The poor thing has two months and then its easter.  


One of our heavy old fashioned TV sets.

  The television of the maiden aunts across on Galatas has broken down and we offered to bring this old set over.  We already have three of these bulky dinosaurs.

What I did not realise is that their television has been broken for over a year now.  Their brother died over 18 months ago and they do not watch TV or listen to the radio in their house as they are in mourning.  The two year memorial is coming up in May and then we can gift them our old set.

I was bewildered as I know they watch some of the greek tv serials.  Apparently they can watch the TV in their nephews house next door but not in their own.




The very traditional maiden aunts. 

 Wonderful women who will go out of their way to make any guest feel welcome, and will not permit anyone to leave their house without partaking of food and drink.  They have hens and a couple of goats, make their own bread, including their amazing fried cheese flat bread. 

Eleni on the left is over 80.  She and Tasia make  traditional sweets and dishes for all the large extended family.  They keep the family together and the traditions and rituals alive.





8 comments:

  1. I love that they live together. I am not sure I could live with my sister...

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    1. Three sisters and a brother and families live in a small family compound, including the nephew. You couldn't get much closer than that! But they all just love the closeness. Have to be greek!

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  2. Typical Greek. There is always a loop hole
    It will be nice for them to have their own telly again
    I think it would be lovely to spend an afternoon with them eating, drinking and hearing old stories

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  3. Lol...I was really surprised it was for two years. My sister in law turned off her TV for 40 days when her parents died. Her heathen alien sister in law just kept the sound on low!

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  4. My brothers all worked together and lived within yards of each other and mum in the farmhouse for over 50 years. I moved away at 17 because I couldn't stand it and for them it was only just beginning! I came back eventually but even then I couldn't stand it. My brother who I am closest to told me the other day if he had his life over again he would not do it. It is not unusual in the farming community here and still goes on.

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  5. Claustrophobic....for me it would end up with me being on bad terms with them all. I lived in a similar situation here for years...family compound, thank God we moved away to the hills. My daughter lives in that house now next door to aunt and cousins and loves it

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  6. Our daughter and her family live just across the garden. It works because we respect their privacy and don't go into their house uninvited, plus we provide an excellent baby-sitting/childcare service as required! No lambs around here at the moment but it won't be long before the local farmers are going around in a daze of exhaustion after an all-nighter in the lambing sheds!

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    1. Respecting privacy....here they can't understand why anyone would/could want privacy. Your house is my house...literally.
      This is the first lamb I've seen here but no doubt they'll be springing up all around now.

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