Evia - Labo(u)r Day Weekend

The Sunday before school began all the "oldies but goodies" got together at Dwain and Miah's new house (which is so much closer to me, thank goodness) and we were discussing what we could do for the long Labor Day weekend.  I throw out the idea of asking Mary Kou (the first grade teacher) about her place on the island of Evia - I had heard that she has a camp ground.  Long story short, she agreed for all of us to come.

Being the social planner I am (and the fact I wasn't working)  I coordinated the 3 rental cars, directions, money collecting, etc.  Because there were 14 of us who went.  8 of 9 of us "oldies but goodies" and 6 of 9 of the "newbies."

We left Saturday morning (as some of us went to the U2 concert the night before). The 3 drivers went out to the airport and got the cars and everyone else met us at ACS.  We were on the road by 11:30.... it was about 1.5 hours straight north on the toll road and then we took a car ferry for 45 mins. and then just 15 mins once we landed on Evia.  I had to drive backwards up the ferry ramp onto the boat - I thought I was going to wet my pants!  Ask me to parrallel park any time but reversing - yikes!

Miah and I playing Cribbage

So we arrived at Mary's about 2ish.  We were shown around her camp grounds and property - huge for Greek standards.  She has 4 tents which sleeps 3 people each - the tents are large and have electricity and room for two beds and a small table and chairs - each tent has a small porch as well.  Then there are 2 cabins with bathrooms - each room also sleeps 3 people.  Then Miah and Dwain and Harper had the red house - they wanted a little privacy so Harper could sleep and her cries wouldn't wake anyone!  The other 2 first grade teachers were also there - my good friend Christina and a new teacher Ioanna.  Then Mary, her husband Vassilis and Vassilis "second" mom - Debby.

Mary, Catherine, Christina

Saturday night we had a delicious fish dinner with everyone there.  Vassilis had caught the fish - tsipoura (a

sea bream gilthead variety).  He grilled all 18 fish on the gas barbeque - while some people played cards, some helped Vassilis and some helped Mary make Greek salads.  It was an absolutely beautiful evening, delicious food, new company and good conversations. 

Mary told us about how her husband's family acquired the property in 1923.  Vassilis grandfather purchased all the land in Neo Pryseos (the village we were in) from the French government (he was a government official) and then sold it to the people and kept this plot of land for himself as it had the point, was on the water and had the house.  She told us about how the Germans took over the red house as it had great vantage points to see those coming across the waters.  There were stories shared about while the Germans were in the house, they had British pilots secretly hidden where the tents are now - dressed as Greeks doing farm work.  There were stories told about a belt filled with gold coins hidden somewhere in the red house and when Vassilis mother was still alive and there was some construction going on in the house, she sat in a chair and watched all the workers working and would be there if the belt resurfaced.  Because her dad had hidden it and no one knew where it was.  They are still keeping an eye out for it today!

Debby - the second mom of Vassilis is still there on Evia.  She wasn't a blood relative but when she was 10 years old (she's probably in her 80s now) her father and brother died in the war, her mother and sister died of starvation and she was sent to live with her aunt.  When Vassilis family would come to Evia for weekends and summers from Athens, they got to know her and she had kind eyes and was a friendly little girl.  Her aunt was stressed with feeding her own family and took her stress and frustrations out on Debby.  So one day Vassilis parents asked if she would like to come to Athens with them and she said yes.  After a while, the aunt told Vassilis' parents that she wanted Debby back or give her money to keep Debby.  After some legal dealings, Debby became  apart of Vassilis' family - when Vassilis was born he called Debby "mom" before he even called his real mom "Mom!"  Vassilis' father said that Debby could take their last name but she decided to keep her own because she was the only one left of her family.

In the northern part of Evia, where we were, it is green and mountainous.  So Sunday - we went for a hike.  We were heading towards a waterfall but when we got there there was no water - it was the end of the dry season!  So everyone else hiked up another hill 3 km to the top - and the Confers and I headed back for a swim and some relaxation.  It was quite unfortunate that the weather wasn't all that great.  It was about 80 during the day but no sun - just complete grey cloud coverage.

Sunday night we all went out for dinner and then played Catch Phrase for a few hours - good times!  Monday, Dwain got his snorkel gear and went out to collect sea urchins.  He was only to pick the females as you eat the roe.  So how do you  know if it is a female?????  If the sea urchin has things stuck to it like seaweed or rocks or other water debris.  Dwain did a great job - got about 25 sea urchins.  It took him a good hour to clean them and then got a small dish of roe.  Vassilis was a great teacher.  They mixed the roe with olive oil and lemon and served it on bread.  Dwain was proud of his hunting and gathering for the day!We got on the road around 12:45 to catch the 1pm ferry - then each car went on their way.  

Vassilis teaching Dwain how to clean a sea urchin.