AH SURE AZURE

Category: Greece

  • Ropa Valley/ Ermones Walk

    First Weekly Walk of the Season 2020/2021

    The first of the season’s walks with the intrepid Hilary Paipeti, author of the Corfu Trail, kicked off today along the Ropa Valley, starting from the Dizi Bar where we met for coffee.

    We wound our way in to the back of the Theotoky Estate, admiring the vines and olive trees, so beautifully tended. At this time of year, the olives are not yet ripe, but the grape harvest is in full swing.

    At every step is a flower you never noticed before, wild mint or aniseed flavouring the air or a lizard disappearing into the undergrowth. The Walnut and Quince trees are laden this year, with Persimmon still too green to pick.

    It was a warm day with a balmy breeze, the ground dry and easy to traverse. Conversations flowed as old aquaintances were rekindled and new ones made. About half the group repaired to Nafsika restaurant for a lazy lunch on the verandah, watching the waves roll on to the beach as a strong breeze started up. The sun shone with a brilliance on the undulating green/blue of the sea and the waves thundered in. Everyone left looking forward to next week’s walk from Sinarades. 10.30 meetup at the square, for an 11am start.

  • Heartbreak in Italian

    Agios Markos

    14th August 2019

    I heard someone’s heart break last night – in Italian. 

    I didn’t understand a word, but I understood the pain.

    She sobbed and choked and turned her heart into syllables of agony with a rhythm and beat of emotion as she drew breath and again sent out words from a well of grief.

    In the middle of the night, no other sound, but her phone call of despair.

    Like an Italian aria, whose words you don’t know but  understand completely.

    After a long time, she calmed and the gaps between the sobs were longer and I fell back to sleep.

    Next morning someone threw a cigarette butt down from the balcony above. 

    I called up from my garden and the voice that came back was the voice from the night before – ‘sorry’.

    She was with friends, she was having a cigarette. She was okay.

  • Singing and Plastic

    Singing and Plastic

    Agios Markos

    10th August 2019

    Where I hear life as I lie on my bed. 

    Women calling out to one another  how are you? How are the children? Are you going swimming?

    Where at the local minimarket I  see an old woman sitting on a plastic chair in the cafe with plastic walls singing old traditional tunes with no accompaniment. Men murmur their approval when she stops and children stare fascinated wondering when they will get an ice cream or a sweet.

    Where a grandfather swings his grandchild on a plastic swing on the terrace between the lanes and sings in his lilting, rich voice a melody full of love and childish rhymes. The child joins in on the familiar words in an innocent warble to the delight of his serenader and it all ends in joy and laughter.

    Community life at the cafeneion
    Yiayias (grandmothers) talking
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