Village Gossip

A rural Greek village would not be truly authentic without a hefty supply of gossip (κοτσομπολιά / kotsombolia) permeating every nook and cranny, every little steno (alleyway), and every taverna and cafeneion. With no shortage of back-stabbing, off-color comments, petty rivalries, and outright envy, Finikounda is not much different that your average village in eastern Maine.

Following their afternoon siesta, Jonathan and Lucia usually make their way down the mountain to Finikounda by 9 p.m., ponder where and what to eat until 10 a.m., and then find an eating spot by 11 p.m. Sometimes the fare is simple—a pork gyro or chicken souvlaki with grilled bread—or more complete. Among their favorites is the very simple, relatively inexpensive, and traditionally Greek “To Steki” (literally “the haunt”), where Lucia has singled out the mousaka as especially delectable.

A few nights ago our friend Taki phoned J. and L.

from the sweet shop. “You must meet me here, as soon as you can, you will not be disappointed.” The first reaction to his enthusiasm was utter glee at the possibility that the police had apprehended the thieves who had stolen Lucia’s camera and i-Pod. Alas, it was not to be. On the other hand, it was worth the immediate diversion, for Jonathan met a women (Taki’s father’s cousin’s wife) who shared his same Cretan name. Her family hailed from the port city of Iraklion, Jonathan’s from the port city of Hania—cities separated by more than one hundred kilometers, so a direct family connect (or at least a recent one) seemed unlikely.

The Boys in the Hood

Lucia has meet a veritable crop of boy-admirers, most of whom J and L remember from the family’s winter/spring residence back in 2009, when she and they were pre-teens and students at the local village school. They are nice boys from nice families, yet they are all vying for the attention of a pretty and gracious Greek-American girl. Then there are the foreign boys, a bit more urbane and bilingual and equally eager for summer romance. It has become a tug of war between the northern European “gods” and the local mortals. Father and daughter, with their heads screwed on tight, walk a careful line—with father keeping his distance…but not so great a distance.

Work on the House and Property

Jonathan continues to make small home improvements in advance of the coming week’s plan to install a kitchen and paint the exterior of the house. He and Lucia choose two colors, a light yellowish ocre for the bottom two-thirds, a darker brownish-ocre for the top third. First the mason needs to return to repair a section of exterior wall where the plaster did not adhere properly. Some negotiation will be involved. Additionally, Jonathan is working with a local carpenter to construct a veranda roof that will protect the front door from the winter rains and provide much-needed shade in the summer.

Yesterday Jonathan killed five scorpions (a large “mother” (?) and four babies) while consolidating yet more rocks with the pickax and shovel. Thank goodness for leather gloves and borrowed boots!

Village Dance Company

Traditional dance is a vital part of life throughout Greece, even more so in the rural Peloponnesian villages that dot the landscape. Dance is a part of life, along with religion, the perivoli (garden/orchard), and endless socializing. Last night the annual summer dance festival occurred in Finikounda and was attended by many hundreds of people from the nearby local villages. Many of Lucia’s friends, dressed in traditional regional clothing, performed in the village’s outdoor theater by the waterfront. The performance is open to all, free of charge, and it followed by a long table of free wine and sweets.

A group of resident foreigners also performed traditional dances. Afterwards the larger audience joined with the dancers. See the video clips below. Can you find the Greek-American girl with the long brown hair?