Easter in Lefkas

We arrived in Lefkas a couple of days before the Easter celebrations, the coach from Athens was full of excited relatives going home for what is the most important holiday in the year.   The town had a festive atmosphere with street decorations, shop windows filled with painted eggs and candles, plus a variety of special Easter breads decorated with bright red eggs.  Apparently the red eggs are a symbol of Christ's blood.

   

Local children were dressed in new clothes and many were riding new bicycles.   It's a custom to exchange candles with friends, some are plain, others highly decorated with flowers and ribbons or even little toys.  We might have felt quite left out of this family-like atmosphere but luckily Tor, Ben and family arrived just in time to help us celebrate.

Religious ceremonies start the week preceeding Easter but the most important ceremony is held on the Saturday night culminating at midnight with church bells tolling and candles being lit.  The flame is supposed to come from the church altar and gradually spreads amongst the crowd - you then return home with the lit candle which ensures protection for the next year.  Our flames didn't quite make it back to the boat!  We had heard that there would be fireworks, unfortunately the only sign of this celebration were very loud bangers which were let off in the town square.  They created a haze of dark pink smoke, and as a contrast to all the religious rites, these were supposed to 'ward off the grim reaper'!

Families traditionally spit roast a whole lamb on Easter Sunday - it's very much the day that everyone spends together.  

Easter Sunday
Gully in the campervan made short work of his 'proper' chocolate Easter Eggs much preferring them to the traditional Greek ones.........

Thanks to Ben Sheppard for the great photos...............

Surprise Visit on Easter Friday

Our 'surprise' and very welcome first visitors of the Summer - my goddaughter Tor, her husband Ben, Gully (3) and baby Noni (5 months).  They arrived at the marina in the 'Monster Wagon', their mobile home whilst in Europe this year.  They have taken time away from their home in Melbourne whilst Ben attends various art residencies in France and Italy (Ben is a sculptor).

The 'monster wagon' was quite at home amongst the boats at the marina.  It was surreal seeing the family here in Lefkas...... but very exciting for us.

Captain Gully B soon took charge of all matters nautical.

Meanwhile his sister 'stole the show' and was much admired wherever she went.  

Captain Gully B gave out his orders and had his father and Alan carrying out the more menial tasks on board.  Ben made a great job of sanding down the stern seats and foot rails.

Gully Tor and Baby Noni

Gully & Alan discuss the finer points of propellers and other nautical topics whilst Tor watches that Gully doesn't take a leap

to join the fish.

Sadly we said farewell to the Monster Wagon as Tor & Ben drove North to Igoumenitsu where they planned to catch the ferry to Venice and then onto Croatia.

LAUNCHING Moody B'Lou

Launching took place on Tuesday 26 April after the long Easter weekend which is the major holiday here in Greece.  The boat had been ashore at Lefkas Marina for the winter.

A huge 'straddle frame' approached the stern of the boat.  Alan untied the ladder which we had been using to access the cockpit and boat interior.  

The boat (all 13 1/2 tons) was secured by giant slings and then lifted off the stands - it looked incredibly vulnerable.

















The 'straddle frame' reversed down to the dock.

Some very welcome surprise visitors in the foreground (see more in next BLOG).

Alan watched anxiously as the boat was lowered into the sea at the dock.

All aboard for the first trip of the 2011 season - will everything work?















The boat, looking a lot less vulnerable, motors around to one of the marina piers.

ARRIVAL at Lefkas 20 April 2011

LEFKAS marina

After a lengthy 6-hour coach journey across Greece we finally arrived to a warm and sunny evening in Lefkas, an Ionian island just south of Corfu. Having spent a large part of last Summer here we were glad to pick out familiar landmarks, however the only landmark we really wanted to see was ‘Moody B’Lou’.

As soon as the luggage was ‘dumped’ we were off to inspect our nautical home for the next 6 months.  The boat was still very much land-bound, hoisted up on stands but displaying her new copper painted bottom and smart new paintwork on the hull, even better was the new grey upholstery in the cabins, a great improvement over the ubiquitous ‘turquoise green’ of last year!

Boat on stands with ladder at stern

New copper bottom + anchor chain

We plan to sail away from the marina on 28 May – lots of work and further refurbishment to be done BUT now we can make a start…………….