The Elia Hotel is owned by George Digridakis whose grandfather played an important role in the Resistance after the German invasion in 1941. Today we are en fête and will celebrate Easter under his gaze.
A lamb is barbecuing on an electric spit and the bread oven in the dining room has been fired up.
George’s family and friends are gathering for an al fresco lunch. Robert and I took a circular walk around the villages for a couple of hours to get out of the way and work up an appetite for the paschal feast. The table has thirty-two place settings.
Because the weather on Saturday had been uncertain another lamb was cooked in the oven with potatoes – delicious. There were lots of pastry filled snacks and salads and a cornucopia of puddings. We sat with an English and a Dutch couple who are staying but most of the other guests were Greek.
People are either camels (me) or pythons (Robert) either drinkers or eaters. We behaved stereotypically at lunch. It was an honour to be part of such a family occasion.
Your Crete trip sounds lovely. Bits of it sound rather grander than we have managed (quayside Chania too lacking in seclusion, my dear). We were very taken by the museum in Chania, but didn’t see the war memorials and should have. The monasteries you saw, absolutely. We strolled in one gorgeous gorge. “The Cretan Runner” was a very good souvenir. Your paschal lamb experience looks splendid: positively Rick Stein, Ottolenghi or Andrew Slater.
Now that is what I call a great day. Rarely have I wanted, so much, to be be part of something.