My Greek friend is getting married! Opa! And I got invited to her wedding in Greece! Double Opa. Follow along as I document the fun, craziness and confusion of being a foreigner at a Greek Wedding.
Good Morning, Poulithra
The soft golden sunlight creeped through the thin bedroom curtains of my suite. My phone marked 6:35am. I was still tired from my long journey, but I arose from bed anyway. As I pulled the thin curtains back, I blinked my eyes in disbelief. The scene unfurling in front of me is one that will be marked in my memory for many years to come.
It was like a nature painting. The sun the size of a gold coin floated above the waves of the Aegean Sea bathing everything in a warm, golden hue. The mountains framed the coast to my left and right. From behind a carpet of dark green olive trees, you could hear the waves. I sat on the balcony table, the skirt of my silk nightgown swaying in the light morning breeze. Motionless, I watched as the sun slowly ascended towards the thin clouds. It was one of the most beautiful dawns of my life! I whispered a small prayer to my creator, thanking Him for this small blessing.
After a while, the rhythmic sound of the waves lulled me back into sleep. I stepped back into my room and slipped back into the bedcovers, leaving the curtains pulled back on purpose.
A Perfect Breakfast
It wasn’t until 8:45 am that I woke up again. I was hungry and I recalled that breakfast at Byzantinon Hotel began at 8:30. I got out of bed, took a quick shower, and put on my swimsuit and a pale pink swing dress. I then headed downstairs.
At the reception, I was welcomed by the most wonderful of breakfast spreads. Christos, the hotel manager, greeted me most warmly and offered to walk we through the buffet. There were eggs, fried and scrambled, several kinds of cereal, Greek and French cheeses, cold meats, warm sausages and bacon, and then displayed prominently, a wide collection of local honeys and jams.
“You see those jams?” Christos asked me as he gestured to four of the six jams, “my mother made those.” With pride , he waived his mother over. In my limited Greek, I greeted her, and she offered me some toasted wheat bread so I could try her jams.
Christos found me a table on the patio. It was already warm and I was thankful that Christos had found me a place with sufficient shade. The sea was not visible from the patio, but from beyond a field of olive trees, I could hear the sound of the crashing waves inviting me hither. I asked Christos if there was a beach nearby and he recommended a beach club which was only a couple hundred feet away from the hotel.
A Perfect Beach Day
The term beach club might be deceiving for someone not familiar with Greece. It might invoke a setting of loud music and dancing. However, beach clubs are predominantly much more demure. They refer to organized beaches. Typically, beach clubs are restaurants or cafes which set up umbrellas on the beach and provide food and drink service. Depending on the club, you can pay to use one of their umbrellas or use it for free as long as you consume food or drinks.
Beach bag in tow, I walked down the street passing olive trees, chatty residents, and stray cats (so many stray cats in Greece). Within five minutes I found the small beach club named Café Paradise. The club was no bigger than a small house. The kitchen was located inside a small hut. It was surrounded by a spacious patio filled with tables of various sizes. The patio led to a rocky beach lined by two rows of straw umbrellas overlooking the beautiful, blue Aegean. I found an umbrella close to the water and quickly ordered a freddo cappuccino while I unpacked my towel, book and sunscreen so as to mark my spot.
Fully caffeinated, I walked toward the water’s edge. This was no small feat. Although the beach rocks were completely smooth, they felt painful and unsteady beneath my bare feet. Every step was a balancing act… and a painful one at that. The locals, however, walked, ran, and stood on the rocky beach like they would on land. I waddled further until the waves embraced my feet. Here, the beach stones were smaller, the size of pebbles, but much more treacherous. It was like standing on a bean bag chair. The pebbles shifted under my weight and my feet lost all balance. I resorted to sitting on the water’s edge and scooting towards the waves, like a child.
When the cool water splashed my body, I forgot about my balancing troubles and leapfrogged into an incoming wave. I swam further in and when I could no longer feel the rocks underneath my feet I spun around on my back. I felt so happy, so alive. With each stroke, with each paddle my stress melted away. I glanced at the winding mountains, at the white waves crashing against the beach rocks… Life is good, I thought.
I spent all morning at the beach club, dividing my time between swimming and reading my non-fiction book under my umbrella. I used my time in the sea to meditate. The refreshing, cool water invited my thoughts to set themselves loose. Thoughts about work, family, personal goals… but I didn’t feel oppressed by my thoughts. Rather, it felt like my mind was breaking free from the stress caused by these thoughts. They were slowly losing their grip, washed away by the waves. After each swim I felt renewed, lighter, fresher… happier! It is in this state of renewed emptiness that allows new ideas, new experiences to enter your mind.
I laid on my lounger reading The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre when I heard someone call my name. It was Aideen! I had met her the day before on the bus from Athens to Leonidio. She took the lounger next to me and we began to chat. We talked about all kinds of subjects: books, things to do in Poulithra, Greek food, the leadership at the EU, energy prices in Greece, thoughts on what a Greek wedding was like…
Around lunch time, Aideen and I parted ways. We paid for our drinks at Café Paradise, gathered out stuff, and said our goodbyes and see you soon since we would be meeting again in a few hours to kick off the wedding celebrations with a Welcoming Dinner that Maria was hosting in the evening.
I stopped at a sea side taverna for a simple lunch of Greek salad and a coke. It had been a wonderful, relaxing day. A beautiful beach, crisp water, and great company. Enough to reinvigorate the soul.
I walked back to the hotel so I could start getting ready for the welcoming dinner. Christos’ dad was on his way out of the hotel, a beach towel draped over his shoulder. “How was the sea?” I responded, “Perfect!” He laughed and said “I’m on my way!”
Let the Festivities Begin
Up in my room, I blew dry my hair, did my make up carefully, and wore a seafoam green body suit I had purchased in France with spaghetti straps and a sexy opening below my decolletage. As I strode into the hotel lobby on my high-heel shoes, Christos and his dad looked up at me with a smile. “You look like one of those women from the Mexican shows,” said Christos. “Esmeralda!” I beamed at the reference to the Soap Opera. I knew it well. It was an unexpected complement which gave me an extra confidence boost. “Have fun!” Christos’ dad said as I stepped on the patio.
I did the ten minute walk from the hotel to the taverna. Just as a was breaking into a light sweat, a refreshing breeze flew from the sea. I walked on a promenade next to the coast. As I went down a hill, I saw it… the Apanemo taverna. Empty tables were waiting for the dinner guests. Some family members were already there, socializing, and hugging each other in greeting. And from amongst this group of people, a woman in white stood out. My friend, Maria! The wedding festivities had started.
