Highlight this Week

 An English birthday party. With real English, maybe British is more correct, men, and women, a couple of Scandanavians, a South African born and a kiwi born.

We meet at Babis Taverna, Galatas, across the waters, right by the car ferry. 

So handy when going across to the mainland. The taverna is right in front of you when you reach the other side of the strait. On the return journey the ferry is only a few steps away and it's a case of roll on-roll off. 

This winter the taverna has been painted, cleaned and the loos have finally been refitted, refurbished, redecorated. 

There are 2 loos now. One for men and one for women.  That's a huge 'hurrah'. They're nicely tiled, the doors lock and the light comes on automatically. Just one word of caution. If you spend too long in there the light turns itself off. Be quick about your 'business' otherwise you'll be pulling things up and groping about in the dark.

Here we all are, at the end of the meal

Babis has a traditional Greek menu and you chose from a showcase of baking trays. 

Stuffed tomatoes and peppers, aubergines stuffed with feta and onions, moussaka, roast pork and chicken with lemon potatoes. 

Here we are trying to decide what to eat. 

I'm still on my carnivore kick so my choice was easy, a big beef patty stuffed with cheese, bifteki in Greek. 

We had plates of tzatziki on the table, Greek salad and toasted bread with olive oil and oregano. 

Wine, water or a cold Alpha beer.

I brought a box of chocolate cakes and someone brought a heavenly cream and caramel cake with a candle. The taverna doesn't mind storing it in their fridge till its 'afters' time and they provide plates and spoons.

There were rumbles of 'where's the pudding? Rhubarb crumble and custard'? 

Not here

We sang Happy Birthday. It wasn't my birthday thank goodness. 

It was my English friends birthday and it has become somewhat of a tradition for us to gather at this taverna. 

Most of us have lived on the island for years but we stay  in our own circles and hardly see each other except for a brief chat in the grocers shop or a wave as we pass on the road. 

It's so nice to catch up on all the news, in a language that flows easily and is understood by all at the table. 

It ends up at around 15 euros a head. A very reasonable price. 

Of course we all say we've got to meet again soon. Some do but I don't. I'm usually tied up with family and our Greek friends. 

Never mind. We will do it again next year.