8/4 - Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday starts early in Greece, despite the lateness of the previous night. The lamb needs to be put on the rotisserie early in order that it be ready for lunch or at least the early afternoon. So around 8am George and Stavros headed over to Kamari to get things started, while we had a sleep-in till 9am when Marika came back from making a transfer.

Then it was over to Yani’s restaurant for us to see how preparations were going (all was looking and smelling very good) for the 20-odd people that would be having lunch. With everything in order, and us as guests, we were encouraged to go for a walk and explore Kamari beach.

Kamari is one of the three famous beaches on Santorini – famous as their black beach. For aussies this might sound like a “dirty” beach, but in fact is composed on half-fisted sized pebbles down to fine sand that are chiefly black volcanic stone. It is quite beautiful, particularly when looking out at the perfectly flat sea; though walking on it for any distance is more tiring than our sand beaches. Maria made a number of easter calls back home at this time and (of course) the kids went for a wade.

Then, at 11am, Marika whipped us back to the village of Pyrgos to witness the shooting of Judas. A life-sized effigy (sort of a doll) of Judas had been hanging from the telegraph/power cables in the village square since at least the day before. Arriving there we found a collection of tourists, locals, and teenaged boys with firecrackers, waiting for the main event to start at midday.

We sequestered ourselves at a café table and were able to watch, over the next 40-minutes, as locals arrived with their shotguns, and various firework “battles” took place between different groups of boys – only ocasionally having one detonated close to us. At midday a local authority, on the roof that the “hunters” possessing shotguns were using, roused the crowd against Judas. Then the shooting started and the doll danced as the shots tore into it, slowly tearing off clothes, then limbs, the wig, head, torso, etc, till nothing was left hanging. The funny thing is that the sound of the shotguns (about 10 in number) firing was “small potatoes” compared to the detonations of the fireworks. Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising as George tells me that the fireworks are constructed using not black powder (as our fireworks have), but rather the contents of dynamite. With the doll down on the ground the boys moved in close and we were “priviledged” to another crescendo of fireworks; till the dummy was ablaze.

Then Marika whipped Stavros and us back to Kamari – more than a tight squeeze in her little 2-door car. More guests had arrived – extended family, a friend or neighbour or two, and even a travel agent from Athens that Marika was currently hosting. The meal began in dribs and drabs as various “samples” of different meat being cooked (I recall at least 5 types) were placed on the table for those sitting there, but before long the meal was in full swing, including the traditional easter eggs (dyed red and used in a competition where you each try to smash the other person’s egg by striking it hard with yours), salads, wine, etc. By the time the lamb arrived we were full – but “bravely” we found room for it. It was a great and very casual atmosphere sitting outside on a tiled pergola area, with a covering of vines above.

As the meal wound down we learnt that Stavros’ group of boys were playing soccer again that afternoon, so off he and Grant went with George. Zoe, Mari, and I took another stroll along the beach; with Zoe, as is her want, getting somewhat more wet than intended. Then back to the Kiwi Restaurant (with Zoe getting to talk to Sabrina on the phone – something she loved) to find Marika waiting for us and everyone else gone. Opps. Back home everyone crashed from a combination of lack of sleep and lots of food and drink; before we had another extended chat with Marika about family and life while she ironed (she seems to love ironing and find it very calming). What a day.