Crisis? What Crisis?

If there's a "crisis" out here in Greece, then nobody's told the delightful seaside village of Haraki. It's Sunday evening July 15th at around 9.00pm and the place is buzzing. We park the car in the car parking area behind the village and stroll along to the front, passing Da Vinci's restaurant to our left and then the tiny church which it situated to the left as one approaches the sea front along the short lane from the road behind. The last vestiges of daylight have gone and, as we arrive on the seafront the lights are all twinkling on the perfectly still waters of the bay.

Seems like perhaps there had been a wedding today, if not, then maybe a "yiorti" (a festival, not a yogurt, that's a yiaourti, please try and keep up!) or something. Hardly a weekend passes without some festival or other taking place at some village somewhere on the island. There are small white stones placed around lamp posts and a pile of what looks like bread with something white topping it resting out on the pavement near the road. Arriving on the "promenade" we're delighted to find that the place is alive with people. Sunday night in Greece is traditionally "volta" night. A "volta" is an outing of any kind, but in this context it's the Sunday evening stroll that brings out families all over Greece to walk along the front or down to the square, greeting all and sundry, catching up with friends and neighbours. It's a social phenomenon which we always delight to observe.

We're heading for Bottoms Up to experience one of their excellent smoked salmon salads, which is always plenty enough for two people. That along with a plate of patates tiganites (chips! OK?), a draught beer for me and a cocktail for my better half, comprises the perfect end to a rather hot day. We love to sit in the Bottoms Up Bar for several reasons. Chief among these is the family who run the place, Despina, Vasili and their teenage son. Plus, as far as we're concerned, it's situated in the perfect spot, along toward the end of the bay, thus affording anyone who sits there a superb vista of the horseshoe shape of the seafront, at the other end of which is the rather imposing mount which is capped with Feraklos Castle, the last fortification to be occupied by the Knights when Suleiman the Magnificent drove them from these islands in 1523 or whatever (that's nearly half-past folks!).

At this hour we're surrounded by Greek voices as the great and the good of the local villages of Massari and Malona all turn out to socialize and enjoy the ever-so slightly cooler air of the evening after another scorchio July day when it's exceeded 40ºC for most of the daylight hours. The Greeks, children and all, turn out from around 9.00pm onwards. The tourists, predominantly the British ones, tend to all go out to eat from around 7.00pm and so we find that by this time they've finished eating and begin to vacate the eateries and wander off, often in search of another bar. The Greeks arrive by the family and soon rearrange all the tables and chairs in whichever bar they sit to accommodate their ever-growing groups. Soon they're filling those tables with a variety of drinks and some of the younger ones are stuffing crèpes into their mouths while talking excitedly about the latest pop sensation or perhaps the concert that's taking place in a couple of weeks time at the football stadium in Rhodes Town. Mobile phones and bunches of car keys litter the table tops among the bottles and glasses.

Down in the twilight of the shingle and sand beach below the promenade some enterprising types go for a dip in the darkness and small children dart around between the now unoccupied sunbeds and umbrellas. Their parents probably don't have a clue as to their offspring's whereabouts, but they don't care either. They know that they're quite safe and will soon turn up, heads ready to loll into mum or dad's lap when sleepiness gets the better of them and their parents chat on as it approaches midnight. A lazy cat drapes itself over the top of the series of steps leading down to the beach from just in front of Bottoms Up as we arrive to seat ourselves. A couple of hours pass, during which we indulge in an orgy of people-watching and exchange a few brief words with Despina, who's far too busy to stop for long. We don't mind, we've plenty to fill our faces with and no shortage of fodder for the people-watching session either.

Finishing our meal and drinks at some time around eleven, we leave plenty enough money on our table to cover our bill and wave to Despina and Vasili as we rise and begin a short stroll along the front. They've been working their socks off for most of the day and will steal a few hours rest when they've finished clearing up at some unearthly hour of the morning before starting the whole process again tomorrow, and the next day until the season ends at the close of October. Luckily for those of us who live here, they'll still be open for most of the winter, except for a couple of weeks when they'll take a well-earned vacation. Any sunny Sunday lunchtime throughout the winter and you may well catch us sitting here enjoying the fine, bright sunshine whilst eating Despina's exceedingly good-value fare.

Strolling along the front we're struck by the sheer number of people now populating the tavernas and bars on Haraki front. Nowhere looks like closing any time soon as people slap their seated friends on the shoulder as they approach to start a chat, others tuck into Greek cuisine at any one of the clutch of tavernas along the front and everyone seems to be enjoying this Sunday evening volta. There doesn't seem to be a spare seat anywhere as the vivid sparkling stars puncture the inky black Rhodean night sky as we stroll along Haraki front before returning to the car for the brief ride home.

We could stay out later, but there are things to do on the morrow. Never mind, there's always another night. As we walk back through the be-darkened side streets toward the car and the sound of a Greek TV channel wafts out from an open window, we find ourselves remarking on the fact that, if you didn't know that Greece was in a hell of a fix, a night out on Haraki front during a warm July evening wouldn't give anything away.

Photo courtesy of RhodesGuide.com