I’m back, sunburned and relaxed, from a holiday in Greece. Not that unusual you say but it is for me. First holiday in nine years. Yes, nine years! A combination of poorly dogs, rescue dogs that couldn’t be left and lockdowns meant any foreign travel was put on hold. And, as we live by the seaside anyway, it seems daft to go away in this country. Also, please see above comment about a rescue dog. Since we adopted Ralph, lovely though he is, it’s limited what we’re able to do.
We celebrated thirty years of married life back in August. Not sure how this happened as I’m still only twenty-three. Just before we got married we had, what was and has remained, the best ever holiday of all time. We went to Zakynthos, a Greek island best known for its party scene. However, we stayed in a tiny village on the southernmost peninsula. Avoiding the nearest beach which had tourists bussed in for the water sports, we strolled in the warm shallows to the deserted Banana Beach. A sunbed for a drachma or so a day, a cheese and ham toastie and a Lemon Fanta in the beach shack and we were very happy. The shack played an eclectic mix of German pop music including a song boasting the lyric, ‘Can you spell ashtray?’ In the evenings, we’d walk up to Harry’s Bar which served the best, most creamy tzatziki in the whole of Greece. Locals would often give us a lift up the hill. Halfway through the two weeks we had a few days in Athens to get our city fix and then it was back to retsina and Greek salads – and sitting in a tranquil sea watching tiny fish nibble our toes. Over the last thirty years we’ve been very lucky to have some fabulous holidays but that one stuck in the memory and has never been bettered. It was magical.
When we planned a holiday to celebrate our pearl wedding anniversary, we wanted as least hassle as possible. A local airport limited the choice of destination but we knew we wanted Greece in September when the sea is warm and the weather is over the worst of the broiling summer heat. Having been to Crete and Rhodes we considered Corfu but couldn’t quite find the right resort or hotel. Then we spotted The Bay in Vassilikos in Zakynthos. We remembered it as the luxurious hotel we wandered past thirty years ago when we envied its guests lounging by the pool! Tempted though we were, we had reservations. Zakynthos would have changed and become busier. It’s only natural. After all, we’d changed just as much! Did we want to risk spoiling the perfect memories of that idyllic holiday all those years before? The dates were right, we craved luxury for our celebration so we risked it.
Greece has had a hard year. A chilly and rainy May spoiled the beginning of the tourist season, fires rampaged through its forests (who can forget those scenes from poor Rhodes?) and heavy rain flash-flooded Skiathos, and Zakynthos too. Like the rest of the world, its economy is struggling and its people beleaguered. There were quite a few worrying niggles at the back of my mind as we flew out.
I needn’t have worried. The famous Greek welcome of strangers, the philoxenia, literally translated as ‘friend to a stranger,’ and which is one of its gifts to the world, was in full evidence. We didn’t do much. Relaxed by the pool and read (such a luxury to have time to read without feeling guilty) and enjoyed some good food and pampering. If I’m totally honest, while it wasn’t quite as magical as that holiday thirty years ago, it was very acceptable!
On the day before we were due to leave we received news of a possible Greek Air Traffic Controllers’ strike which would paralyse air traffic in and out of the country for forty-eight hours. Although longing to get home to see the dogs, we were content to stay an extra few days in the hotel if needed. However, we’d been advised to leave for the airport as planned and didn’t fancy spending all that time on a hard metal seat stuck in a departure lounge should the strike go ahead. It put a bit of a dampener on the end of the holiday.
Wandering around off the beaten track I spotted something long and pale green on the path in front of me. I stopped. It stopped. It resembled a grasshopper with a long body, large back legs and a small head. As I bent down to peer more closely, the insect slowly turned its head and its enormous goggle-like eyes stared into mine. I swear it stared right into my soul! It was a curiously profound and spiritual moment. At this point I became a little freaked out so scuttered off hoping the insect would do the same. Googling later it transpired it wasn’t a grasshopper or a cicada but a praying mantis! In ancient Greek mythology they are believed to guide the lost traveller back home. They’re also believed to be a sign that you should trust the universe to sort things out.
Thank you, lucky (if slightly sinister) praying mantis. The universe sorted things out, the strike was cancelled and this lost traveller got home with only minor delays.
Thank you, also, to the staff at The Bay Hotel Vassilikos and the people of Greece. Part of my heart stays in your truly wonderful country. I hope it’s not another thirty years before I return.
Efharisto!
Love,
Georgia x
PS If anyone knows what the German pop song is that’s obsessed with ashtrays, please tell me what it is. It’s been driving me mad for years!
