Elona fest

last night we had another meal in our now favourite taverna – fried aubergines, giant beans, village chicken, salad... and the fire was lit – first time this year the host said – in the handsome fire-place, it was lovely sitting next to it, as the day was dark and wet – mostly. However this morning all change! Back to the previous startling blue sky with sun – and got really warm again – maybe the prayers that we heard for hours yesterday and this morning for ours – interesting at first and very much like müzzeins – but getting a bit tedious after a while – were answered, so the walk with the saint's icon, accompanied by all schoolchildren (not all very enthusiastic) and the local priests in black robes /hats and black beards, followed by more important ones (3) in gold robes /hats and white beards, a band and some of the population were bathed in sunshine rather than rain. There was a long speech by the gold robed most important one with the longest beard, lots of serious smoke from the insence burners, and that was it. As the festival is 3 days long, we wonder what will happen tomorrow. All the town was out, we spent 2 hours sitting in our now favourite cafe, with lots of other locals, even women. Very good atmosphere indeed, kids and that dog (on the pic) running about – oranges above our heads. Even the priests (locals) dropped in for a drink in the caf. Some kissed the hand of the oldest – but mostly there were handshakes. And we noticed women getting handshakes. In Hungary it is dead weird – a new arrival in the pub shakes the hand of every – men and ignores the women. The rest of the day just resting – enjoying the views and the sun on the veranda, drying the washing, we might even eat in today – well, we had that nice looking snack at the caf – I have he local aubergines to cook with eggs...

and more:

and I forgot to include the pic of the oranges of the tree that shaded us from the hot sun during all those hours sitting outside of that cafe... the clouds did come back tonight, but I still manage sitting outside using the wifi with the usual retsina - which seems to be different in every taverna - this one I can drink - it hasn't got the bitter twinge. Alan says the doggie looks more intelligent than him...