On that Apkreo Sunday of the 90s, we have been invited to rejoice Sikoses at aunt Androula's. Arriving at their home, uncle Artemis along with Theodotos have been already turning the spit within the yard, the place smelled of musk and the goose reached as much as the heavens.
The useless are resurrected with this type of myrodkian” mentioned the grandmother and after we ate some millouda and a chunk of sausage that our uncles gave us on our ft, sipping on a glass of zivania, we sat in the lounge. The aunt had already laid out the lace tablecloth, her china set of gold-cob plates and silver-plated flatware on the massive eating room desk. On the lengthy buffet, suzukas, kouppias, cannelloni and different scrumptious dishes, made with love by her palms, awaited us.
The crystal chandeliers sparkled, giving one other glamor to the lounge with the carved velvet sofas. Every part smelled of carelessness, pleasure and celebration. You lifted in the present day! Aside from the large day, we have been celebrating the arrival of cousin Lakis who was finding out drugs in Norway and we had so lengthy to see. He had additionally introduced a professor as a visitor, to point out him round his sunny homeland. February and but spring had already arrived on the island. The center-aged Norwegian, white because the snows of his homeland, had already burned his face sitting within the solar since morning. When the grandmother, who couldn't see that effectively, noticed him in the lounge, she ran to him, kissed him, grabbed his cheeks and his beard and whereas pulling them mentioned to him:
“My mom, my Laki, however your masks is sweet, did you put on a geruin? It would take some time for me to grasp you. You’re very profitable ptu ptu ptu.” And she or he continued stroking his gray-blonde hair whereas the omigiri folded with laughter couldn’t react. Luckily the cousin entered the lounge saying:
“Grandma, I'm Lakis!” Grandma requested confused. “My instructor, the place is Norway?”
The Norwegian had resigned himself to grandmother's caresses and tuggings, after which after we made him sit like an official visitor on the head of the desk, he raised his glass with command in a toast and a protracted speech, a speech in English, from what the northern peoples are used to, with all solemnity, whereas we greet one another with a clinking of glasses and a want: “Jai kullou Sikoses” or “Jai good time in Tzeryneia”. He even requested his cousin to translate into Greek so that every one the visitors, particularly the grandmother, might perceive:
“I’m sixty years previous, I’ve traveled and labored in hospitals in Europe, Asia, America and Africa, I’ve met all kinds of individuals, however for the primary time I’m receiving such heat Mediterranean hospitality as in the present day. I sincerely thank Lakis, his mother and father and all of you who accepted me as certainly one of your personal. However I needed to precise particular because of Grandma Despina who made me really feel like a baby once more, together with her spontaneous welcome. As my scholar defined to me, that is how previous folks welcome overseas guests to point out them intimacy. Though I’ve to confess that this ritual appeared considerably unusual to me at first, it was extraordinarily fascinating from a sociological and anthropological perspective. They deal with you as certainly one of their very own and whereas we northerners are so sparing in our gestures even in direction of youngsters, I spotted as soon as once more the cultural variations that our northern Scandinavian nation has with a Mediterranean folks. I spotted how physique language can result in communication between two strangers who don't communicate the identical language. For the primary time I used to be at a celebration with such spontaneous and unbridled laughter among the many visitors. Thanks very a lot. I’ll treasure these moments in my coronary heart.”
As he spoke everybody applauded. The grandmother saved repeating “kaisin that we’re struggling” whereas laughing together with the others. How joyful have been these Sikoses with uncle Artemis, the daddy, the cousin who grew to become a fantastic pediatrician and settled in Norway, the Scandinavian disguised as a geruin, and the grandmother who had seen for the primary time in her life somebody so blond, so yellow, with pores and skin so white and pink that he mistook him for mascara.
“That is Limassol! Right here in Limassol! / We invite you to a loopy carnival… / Right here in Limassol! Right here in Limassol! / Let's throw our arms round his sweetheart / Let all our bitterness go, our soul that envelops, allow us to get pleasure from life! / Depart your worries behind, with us you’ll snicker madly. / Let's dance, let's all turn out to be whirlwinds to open the wings of our hearts / Chuckle, neglect, the time that passes is golden…”
(Lyrics: N. Nikolaidis, musical composition: E. Louvris, interpretation: Kantadoroi Giorgalletou)
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