Carnival day

Last night was the village carnival and the locals have been fundraising all week to pay for the festivities. The programme started at 3pm with the childrens activities including a bouncy castle with slide, a clown and a magician.At 7pm the Cretan music with professional dancers started and at 9pm it was the main carnival. All the drinks are free and needless to say, most people enjoy one or two (or maybe more!).The sound has to be experienced to be believed because as you may notice on the photograph the whole church front is covered with speakers and the lighting rigging. There are souvlaki (kebabs) stands and a really big bonfire in the middle of the square to keep everyone warm. Most people dress up or if not at least wear silly wigs. There are people working the carnival who go round and black everyones face with burnt cork (all the workers are volunteers and wear an orange uniform). It is estimated that around 5000 people attend the carnival in Mochos as it is the only one still running in the local area. Many only start to arrive around 12 or 1 in the morning. Mochos carnival is actually held the week before the main carnival at the end of Apokries as this is when everyone goes to Rethymnon for the National carnival parade. Here are one or two photos to give you an idea, but as I was partying I didn't manage to get too many good ones once it got started for some strange reason!!!!

Tsiknopempti

Today is Tsiknopempti and marks the Thursday of the second week of Apokries, where everyone eats meat. Tsiknopemti means tsikno = smell of burning, pempti = Thursday. This is the day everyone cooks meat in thins strips until is is crispy and starts to smell burnt. The whole village smells of cooking meat. yum yum.

Apokries

In Greece the carnival possibly started to worship Dionysos, God of Wine and Feasting. Apokries (sometime spelt Apokreas) means goodbye to meat Apo = from, Kries/kreas = meat. The latin Carnival means the same Carne = meat, valle = leave
Today is the start of Apokries which is the three week period leading up to Lent and this year runs from 26th January to 18th February. This week starts with the opening of the "Triodion" or three Holy sacraments.
The next few weeks are very important in Greek tradition and are followed very actively in the village. Keep watching for further posts!

Oops.....

I just realised how big the photos go when you click on them, will have to try to work out how to do them properly.

At least you won't need a magnifying glass! :-))))

They finally got the new Doctors surgery

After much hard work and pushing by Doctor Michalis we finally got a new surgery in the village. It is just round the corner from the post office in the newly renovated old village square. The two priests to the left of the first picture are Papa Nektarios (wearing all the gear), the main priest in the area, and a colleague from Heraklion. On the right wearing the red shawl is Papa Vangellis from Stalis and wearing the Gold shawl is Papa Emmanouil (Manolis) from Mochos. After prayers were said, Holy water was sprinkled on the cross using Rosemary branches. Everyone then kissed the cross and were sprinkled on the head with Holy water too. After that it was the speech from the local mayor and then a party with lots to eat and drink.

First Timer !

Hi everyone,
This is my first time at this so please be patient and feel free to get in touch and comment on anything here. I am looking forward to keeping everyone in touch with village life.

Peace, Love and Light

Epiphany

Today was Epiphany and being a total heathen, I have no idea what it is about. I am sure some of you God fearing folk will enlighten me though!

Anyway, the Priest (Papa Manolis) and all the villagers go to church and then go down to Mochos lake. Then Papa Manolis throws the cross into the lake three times and usually the young men of the village jump in and race to be the first to retrieve it. Of course this year it was cold, so nobody jumped in. Sorry girls, but no exciting pictures of young men in swimming trunks. They all went to swim in the sea in Stalis and Malia apparently!