A postcard from Crete

The middle aged lady sitting next to me pulled a face and turned away when I offered her the delicious dish of green beans stewed with tomato and garlic that had been placed on the table in front of us “I like my beans green and served with a knob of butter,’ she said. ‘not messed about with.’ End of conversation, as she turned her back on me and made no effort at all to make conversation.

We were a group of people staying at a small Greek hotel. Not for us the Greek version of English food. No chips and burgers, just honest local food. Our meals were served at a long table, and it seemed only polite to attempt to make conversation, as delicious food, with fresh vegetables from the garden were served, all cooked Cretan style.

I slipped out of the hotel, away from the other guests, and wandered down the unmade track that led to the sandy beach. Fat frogs called from the muddy ditch beside the track making a curious chorus in the darkness, with the tinkling bells and bleating of the sheep in a nearby field.

Suddenly the distant sky lightened and a river of silver stretched across the milky sea as a full moon rose slowly over the water… This was magic indeed. I took my clothes off, feeling the warm sand between my toes, and entered the water, swimming in the silver sea, and splashing the water into a million diamonds.
After my swim, I sat on the beach to dry off and looked at the twinkling lights of the nearest town. By now, there would be music and dancing at the hotel. English people trying to master ‘Zorba’s dance, tripping over each other while attempting the complicated steps.

As I returned to the hotel, I was approached by one of the guests who had been sampling the cocktails. You missed the dancing’ she said .” I feel like a proper Greek now”.
“Have you seen the full moon?’ I asked her. She looked somewhat confused. And shook her head “I think I’ll have another cocktail” she said, and staggered off in the direction of the bar.