Sunday 31 August 2008

time flies...

I have A LOT of catching up to do... I just can't do it right now. Coming up:

The adventures of Liz in Greece.

The adventures of moving house.

The adventures of acute muscle spasms.

The adventures of Kat n Liz in London.

AND

The adventures of Zoom airlines going belly-up.

These are all things that have affected my life of late... with a lot of other little stuff in between. I promise a full account with photos coming shortly... life has just been nuts over here...

For those of you paying attention enough to write in on your calendars, I will no longer be landing in Montreal on the 19th of September... you'll have to wait until the 22nd now. More details soon. I promise.

Friday 22 August 2008

Greece and the Big Fat Greek Wedding!

It's been over a week since I got home from Greece and haven't posted because I've been laid up on diazapam for an acute muscle spasm in my back... But, here it is, at long last, the Greek post!


The flight out was long as I landed in Athens at 2:30 am Greek time (12:30 for me) and had to wait until 6:30 for my flight to Mytilene. Good think Ranya met me at the airport around 4:00.

I slept through the entire 45 minute flight to the island and when I woke up Ranya's fiancee Panos was there to meet us. It took us most of the morning to meander our way to Hrussos, our home for the two weeks I was there. His parents have a newly finished house right on the beach. I'd been to Hrussos on my 2004 visit to the island, but the house was nothing but a concrete shell the last time I saw it.

Hrussos in 2004

The same view in 2008

From our house

When we arrived we had seven days before the wedding to get everything organised and ready to go. There had been a lot of planning done, but this was the crunch and we had a lot of work. I still got to spend a few hours a day sunning myself on the beach, but we spent a lot of time driving around doing things like organising food, decorations, cakes etc...

Molyvos, Lesvos, Greece

We went out to Eressos a couple of times and visited Molyvos for a night, but most of our time was spent on Hrussos, one of the last little known beaches on the island.

Finally the day of the wedding came and it seemed like we'd never get everything done, but we did.

The venue

Pretty table

The ceremony was at Panos' uncle's house in Pothara, a few beaches over from Hrussos. The house sits on a cliff overlooking the beach and the sea. They've got it set up perfectly for events like this one as there is a large covered structure outside and a big open area for dancing and drinking. Too bad the pool was still being built! The house itself has six self-contained flats which worked out well for people to stay over. Though there were only a few that had that privilege (myself included).

Milling about before the ceremony.

The happy couple with his parents and the best guys and gals

The actual ceremony was on the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea, was short and sweet and all in Greek. Ranya looked beautiful - just like a blushing bride should!

The vows

The kiss

Signing papers makes it official.

After the official stuff was over with the party started and dinner was served - lamb, chicken, salads, bread, wine, veggies... and of course, cake, which was amazing!

The cake

The champagne glasses tied together

After dinner the DJ started pumping out the tunes, the bar opened and the rest, as they say, is history! and rather blurry for me... good thing I took pictures.

The first dance

The Greek dancing (only a few songs)

The day after the wedding was spent nursing hangovers and cleaning the house from the party - which took literally more than a day. I have never seen so many dishes in my life!

After the cleaning we were able to relax and enjoy the beach and the house in Hrussos for another few days before I headed back to the land of tupperware. My tan is/wasn't nearly as nice as the one I got in Thailand but I didn't havea base coat to start with and not nearly as much time in the sun... but it's nice to be browner than the Brits!

And here are some of my better random photos...

At the beach

Fresh grapes

The best mojito in Eressos


Dolphins?
Walking barefoot

lovers

Perfect timing?

Worshiping the moon

service?

Fresh octopus

Last view of Molyvos for a while

I love Greece. Every time I leave I cry. I have post-Greece-come-down for ages. I always wish I had stayed longer and this time was no exception. At least I have a place to go whenever I want to now, which is bound to be every summer for the rest of my life! Unless I find myself a nice Greek husband and can just go live there all the time! Maybe it should be my next destination?!?! hmmm...

Upon coming home I finally moved into my new flat - pictures to come - which I love and is beautiful and clean with three very nice flatmates. Unfortunately four days after moving in my back went into spasm and I have been stoned on diazapam (muscle relaxants) for the last four days. This also means I haven't been to work.

Tomorrow is my birthday and Kat is stopping by in London on her way back to Korea for a third contract. I'm finally starting to feel a better... hopefully it lasts and I don't make it worse again.

In other news, I will finally be in Canada on September 19th as I have my appointment at the British High Commission on the 22nd. I'll be doing something big in Montreal on the 27th... so if you haven't been invited on the facebook event, let me know!!

Hope that's enough for now! More posting about the adventures of Liz and Kat once she's safely on her way back the big K!