Azogires - The Alpha Kafenion: April 2012

Easter started rather special this year. In the beginning of Easterweek a Blues man showed up, he entertained us every night of his stay, playing blues on our old guitar together with his lovely wife. His name was Bogard and he had a heart of gold. I only wish that our very own brothers Carl Wyatt and Archie Lee Hooker were here to play along with him. I guess I can't have every wish come true, but it does not mean I stop dreaming. Then in the middle of the week we had strange customers eating the tabletops from our tables? Yes they were horses, 2 beautifull little creatures visiting us every day. And every day they broke free from their masters rope. Joanna loved them and so did I. We do miss them, at the same time though we are glad they are gone for 1 and only reason; that our tabletops get to survive another summer. Then came Easter friday, a quite sad day for Orthodox Christians for it symbolises the death of Christ. The women of the village all gathered in the morning with flowers, wild blossoms and thread and come to the monastery to dress the symbolic grave of Christ, which is an ark like box. In the afternoon arrives the priest who places an icon symbolising Christ in the middle of it and the worshippers one by one pay their respects. Then he takes the icon and the village youth carry the ark 3 times around the church. Then they hold it above the door and the worshippers pass under it, considering themselves blessed. The grave then comes back in the church, the priest reads little papers written by the people with names of their dead loved ones. According to religion it is the open hour were an Angel comes down, takes these names straight to God, where He gives a better position to them in heaven. Afterwords the priest asks the people to take the grave flowers home for blessing, good luck and to burn away evil. Before we went to the church though my good neighbor Horst and myself were to busy driving up and down the streets with binoculars trying to rescue some really nice people that got lost on the Azogires- Anidri path. So I made it to church just in time for the ceramony. Then on saturday at 22.00 in the evening the priest came to the Monastery to burn Judas, bringing us the holy flame to take home to bless our houses with. This is done by making a cross above our doors and to bring Jesus back to life. It is a very strong ceramony that finishes with fireworks. The energy is unbelievable. Then on Easter sunday all the meat comes on the table and the families sit down to eat. Some days later we finshed partying with Arthur's birthday. Yes, he was 29 again. A man who's presence is essential to Azogires. For those who know Arthur will understand why his birthdaycake was made from Mythos beer. A very special thank you to Horst Schaab and his wife Annamaria for the lovely easter Rabbit and Lamb cake. Her cakes are amazing, so amazing that we have desceided to have easter every sunday. I hope she reads this, cause I'm getting hungry again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3W1HxB7xtU&list=UU95bx15Ykqv3A_btH356GtQ&index=1&feature=plcp