'That' festival.......

[fatcat]

Every time we visit Halki we always seem to be there to enjoy the festival (of St John the baptist I think- really should know :.

Lat year when we moved house we took the opportunity to look back over our old Halki video recordings and seeing the boat with the childrens band playing always put's a smile on our face, the 'tune' is always the same.
We have only once been into the church (after the service), but not understanding the service left us all slightly confused.
Enjoying the evening is wonderful, the packed harbourfront, trying to get a table to eat AND drink, the dancing, the music and if you are lucky, a small stick of dynamite or two.......

We have never made it beyond 2am, but always amazed that when we get our bread in the morning, the whole place is cleared and cleaned.

[Liz]

It is the festival for John the Baptist -I have some pictures somewhere of the headless icon being paraded around the harbour front .
One year we did try our luck at the dancing ...was just thankfull no one was steady enough to take a picture

[fatcat]

I know what you mean about pictures....... we have a dodgy video somewhere with Jane and our friends Mark, Katherine and their children trying to attach themselves onto a long line of dancing islanders, their dancing.... instead of looking like something 'greek' ends up looking like something out of the 'hoockie koooockie'.......... you put your left leg out, in, out - shake it all about..... terrible stuff really, even scared the kids

[Liz]

LOL ....My OH ended up being the 'lead man with the hankie' .....he thought it meant he had to marry all the women in the line....in his dreams ;D
The next morning I was cringing incase we'd offended half the village

[carol]

I am never brave enough to try joining in the dancing although nearly got dragged up by Bob ( ex Laskarina ) one year, the nearest we ever got to dancing was when Nick had music at Ftenagia on saturday nights and Jane Sheila and some of the Greek ladies showed us how it should be done.We have photos somewhere, will see if I can get Graeme to post some of them. Two years ago we were there for the festival and the celebrations in the square were on our last night, we went to bed at 5am and were on the boat at 9am, absolutely shattered but we had a fantastic time, roll on this years festivities ;D

[lisa]

We've never been for the festival, perhaps one year, just worried that it would too hot for us...we are whimps.