The little known festival of Aghios Nikolaos (St. Nicholas) at Mavrona Bay, is an annual religious service for the local community of Kioni and Raxi in the north of Ithaca. The leaders of the community grill pork and lamb from the early hours so that the congregation can eat when the Liturgy concludes at around 10am. I arrived an hour late, and in that hour, all the food and all the drink had almost disappeared. They're a hungry lot in Kioni. Food or no food, Ag. Nikolaos church festival always has such a wonderful family and community atmosphere which quickly and easily satisfies the soul, that I was at least filled up with good feeling, as were the others who attended and arrived late. The bay of Mavrona was a pristine blue and coloured with local fishing boats, the sun was warm and the locals were in good 'Kefi' form. |