I know today is a holiday in Greece. The day we said OXI (no) to the invasion by the Italians. Yesterday we said yes to the European banks writing off 50% of their Greek debt. I doubt OXI will change to EFXARISTO (thanks). My father spent many OXI days making speeches at schools and churches…
Conversations about Watermelons
The tragedy in Greece is reflected by the tragedy in Turkey. Not financially. Of course, all the financial tragedy is Greek. Before the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens there was great debate and concern about where the Muslim athletes would worship. Would a temporary hall suffice, or should they build a proper mosque? Meanwhile, in…
Conversations on Ablutions
I was quite impressed as a young teenager, to be sitting on the first flush toilet in our house in the village in Greece. I was even more impressed when I pulled the chain on the cistern and steam appeared from the bowl. The village plumbers who had installed the geyser and toilet had no…
Conversations about Pictures
When my father was at school and varsity he used to develop and print black and white pictures in the bathroom at the old house. The prints were smaller than a postcard and were contact prints. He placed the negative over the paper and exposed it to light. No enlarger. At home these prints were…
Conversations with a Priest
This was no ordinary priest. Not one whose voice resonated in incense filled churches. Not one to confess to. Not one to ask to marry, baptise, nor bury you. Tou Papa, The Priest’s Place, is the other side of Tripolis. My father had spoken of him with reverence as with all priests, and with some…
Conversations on Early Mornings
My father always started his day early, but on Sundays he slept in and read all three Sunday papers: The Sunday Times, The Sunday Tribune and Die Rapport. Other days he would get up to exercise. First he would wake my mother with tea, then work out on the treadmill or bicycle in the spare…
Conversations on Poetry
I remember having to wear a white pleated skirt with 300 pleats to honour the years under occupation by the Ottomans. I remember having to recite poems in high Greek on the stage. I remember they sounded good, but I do not remember any of the poems. We recited the poems to feel patriotic and…
Conversations on Awards
Life with my father always had expectations but was not based on achieving awards. Yet, when we received awards he was visibly proud of us. I remember him saying on those occasions: “You have set your own standards now.” He was implying that we had to strive to be better than ourselves. He received many…
Conversations on Wines
My father preferred to drink wine out of traditional Greek wine glasses: simple small glasses without a stem and about twice the size of a shot glass. Even when he had parties at home in South Africa he eventually had enough of these to go around so he did not have to put out stemmed…
Conversations on Chairs
My father’s favourite chair was no doubt the plastic garden chair on his veranda at the house in Greece. He would sit there in the evenings and watch the light change over the village. People would come and go, visit and talk. I have a really good picture of him in a green and white…
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