An Eventful Weekend

Kalo Mena (Good Month) to all. At the beginning of each month, Greeks wish each other Kalo Mena. As far as 1st-of-the-months go, May 1st is the most heralded. If it had fallen on a weekday, school would have been cancelled (surprise, surprise). In my experience, May Day doesn't get much love in the States, but in Greece it is yet another reason to celebrate. One of the second year students, Nikos Bertsimas, invited Emily and me to spend the May Day weekend in his village. This blog is full of stories featuring lengthy travel delays which are always worthwhile upon arrival thanks to incomparable Greek hospitality, sumptuous feasts, beautiful scenery, etc. My trip to Karavomylos was no exception, however I'd like to present the weekend visit in a fresh way. I'll give a stream of conscious account of the village trip. Here we go:

Friday

main road closed - three hour bus ride becomes five - ridiculous beach views along road - sitting next to creepy old man in fishing vest (what was in all those pockets?) -he sleeps with eyes open staring at me (or was he just awake and staring at me?) - either way no blinking - arrive in Karavomylos - on the sea / in the mountains - best of both worlds - arrive at Niko's house - kind parents, killer view, feast, three angelic older sisters - am I in heaven? - Niko's dad is the olive King of central Greece / sweet mustache - evening stroll through the village - every house holds a relative - whole village joins our march - promenade along the beach

Saturday

May Day! wake up - pumped full of sweets for breakfast - tour one of Mr. Bertsimas's olive orchards - visit massive cookout at local church in mountains/ source of fresh water for whole village (allegedly was visited by legendary Persian King Xerxes back in the day) - pigs, lambs, goats, being roasted everywhere - Papa Bertsimas shaking hands, kissing babies - move along to family cookout - lamb roasting, 20+ people eating homemade spanikopita (spinach pie), tiropita (cheese pie), and of course eliopita (olive pie), sausage, lamb intestines, meatballs, - sipping homemade wine - what? that was just the appetizer? - lamb finished roasting - lamb tongue, lamb brain ingestion - FEAST - desserts - can barely move but convinced to attempt Greek dancing: quasi-successful - play cards with all of the siblings/cousins/friends - play 5v5 soccer for three hours - discover exotic mystery fruit: mousmoula - go out to neighboring village for small dinner/dessert (yes, dessert again) then sit at beachfront cafe - quite possibly the perfect day

Sunday

sweets for breakfast? po, po, po. if you insist - hang at village bakery - say goodbye to new friends and angelic sisters (Don't cry, sweet angels. Maybe one day I'll be back for good.) - goodbye to parents - presentation of gifts and key to the village, sign autographs, main street renamed Leoforos Edeline (Edeline Avenue) - train home

Only six more weeks of this. Don't cry, Greece. Maybe one day I'll be back for good.