The Long Way Home » Europe

Mr Nikos Mitsou

chantzis — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:20:05 +0000

Unfortunately I couldn’t get a photo of Mr Nikos Mitsou. He was whisked away in his wheelchair for his connecting flight to Melbourne too rapidly. Nikos sat next to us on the plane from Athens to Abu Dhabi and told us much of his long life story.

Born in 1910 in a village which from 1930 until today has been named ‘Ktistades’ after the occupation of most of the occupants (Ktistes – builders, or more precisely, stone masons). Nikos’ father was also a builder and owned two strong mules which transported stone and mortar to construction sites. In 1943, the Germans requested he load his mules with arms and munitions to resupply the military positions of the occupying forces. He refused and was knocked in the head. A strong man with a height of nearly two meters, he got back up immediately and retaliated, knocking two soldiers down to the ground. He was then escorted to a superior, who had him severely bashed and thrown in a shallow spring to drown. He wasn’t discovered until four days later by his family.

Between 1955 and 1959 Nikos worked building stone houses in Laconia and Messinia, in the southern Pelopponese. After this he gained employment with a large construction company based in Lamia. A few years later he was accused by the ruling military junta of being a communist and faced exile. Instead, he managed to get on a ship bound for Australia.

Nikos now lives in Noble Park near his children. This was his last trip back to Greece, he says – aside from his age, he found the place disgusting, full of garbage and cigarettes and smoke. His trade as a stone mason has been abandoned by the Greeks and is now belongs to the Albanians.

Perhaps we’ll bump into him in Melbourne…

Abu Dhabi

chantzis — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:21:04 +0000

Dates stuffed with roasted, peeled almonds and then dipped in chocolate. Tastes just like a chomp bar!! But much more delicious.

These guys weren’t interested in free cologne samples.

A man picking dates at the airport.

New Acropolis Museum

chantzis — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 08:03:35 +0000

The Acropolis museum, day and night.

View from the museum.

Ballet at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus

chantzis — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:30:19 +0000

Mum’s birthday present was utilised to take Martina to a show at the wonderful Irodio. This Odeon was built 1900 years ago in memory of Herodes’ wife Appia Annia Regilla Atilia Caucidia Tertulla (or Aspasia, as he called her). It seems strange that modern Greeks have only one first name, while back in the day it was the more, the merrier. Herodes’ full name was Lucius Vibullius Hipparchus Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes. He claimed lineage from Zeus… what’s certain is that he was a great benefactor for the city of Athens.

Lucius Vibullius Hipparchus Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes:

The Odeon seats 5000 people and originally had a wooden roof. I’m curious as to how the roof was supported.

The ballet was a tribute to Rudolf Nureyev with dancers from Europe, the Bolshoi, and other well-pirouetting sources. Anything one sees at the Odeon is fantastic but even I enjoyed the ballet, especially the second piece, a section of the dance ‘Elegy’ (I believe it is on Melbourne’s program at the moment).

Goodbye Militsa

chantzis — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:05:26 +0000

Cutting back the giant fig tree over the driveway – it was fed to Foti and Eleni’s goats.

Goodbye Militsa…

The front garden has benefited greatly from regular watering this summer. It will be missed.

Last visit to Pylos

chantzis — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 06:49:02 +0000

Skrombola wanted us to photograph an old French painting depicting the battle of Navarino.

The painting belongs to a centenarian lady who came from a wealthy family and whos house right on the famous square of Pylos has a large garden. Skrombola works in the garden there which is how we got in to take a tour and photograph the art. It’s also how he manages to secure boxes and boxes of ripe avocados – from the huge tree in the yard.

Another ‘Archontissa’ of Pylos – not quite a centenarian but definitely an original Pylotissa.

Lunch at Kefalovriso

chantzis — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 06:45:04 +0000

The spring which feeds water to Militsa and a number of other villages has some huge plane trees and a picnic bench. We took yiayia Despo there to meet Foti, Eleni, Soula and Soula’s grand-daughter for lunch.

Yiayia had a great time telling stories, reminiscing and laughing.

Photo search continues

chantzis — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 06:42:26 +0000

Last week in Militsa we checked out some more stashes of old photos.

Talk about Roald Dahl’s BFG – in these parts I bang my head on every door frame.

Martina with Olga and Diamanto.

My great-grandparents.

Metamorfosi, Athens

chantzis — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 12:10:46 +0000

Fotini ‘hanging out’ in Metamorfosi.

Sunday morning: Uncle Panagioti has set the table for two – him and me. Sardines, cheese, sausage, and eggs on the way. Oh, and a big bottle of ouzo Plomariou. (Editor’s note: this was followed by home made pastitsio, then a delivery of grilled chicken and chips. Switch to beer. And then wine… Help!)

God is our co-pilot

chantzis — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 16:51:09 +0000

Fortunately we had God onside for our bus trip from Kalamata to Athens. the downside is that this very bus broke down on the highway recently, leaving Lissa stranded in the middle of nowhere until God could procure a backup bus. We’re nearly in Athens now so it seems like the problem has been rectified. I’d feel better if there was a plastic Jesus on the dashboard though.

Rainbow over Tripoli but no rain in Militsa.

Crossing the Corinth canal.