Well I’m back from Greece. J and the kids are still there enjoying themselves and drinking all the ‘happy-hour’ cocktail bars dry.
As you may have read from previous postings I was last in Agios Stefanos 17 years ago and though lots of things have changed, the overwhelming friendliness of the people still stands out. Within 15 minutes of arriving at our hotel I knew the owner’s background (Dunfermline), how she came to be in Greece (met her husband to be on the 2nd day of a trip to the island), how she helped build the hotel and now runs it with her in-laws and generally everything about the place and her life. And all said with a genuine smile.
Our trips to Agios back in the nineties saw us frequent a particular hotel/bar/restaurant. It was run by three brothers, Stefanos, Spiros and Stavros and over the years we became very friendly with them, and it wasn’t just that we spent a lot of money at their establishment, we genuinely felt that it was just good-natured friendliness on their part.
Stefanos in particular was always our favourite and as we walked down the main road in Agiois last week, past the biggest, loudest and best bar in the resort, a grey-haired Greek man ran down the steps of the bar, grabbed me by the hands and said, ‘Tom – Bloody Nora’.
It was Stefanos. After 17 years he’d recognised me walking past. Over a few drinks he told me that he and his brothers had sold the Golden Beach and he’d started the Condor Club and was now its proud owner. He also introduced his son and wife and pointed out the jewellery shop his wife owned. They’ve obviously done very well but as the Condor Club was packed out every night, I’m not surprised.
Needless to say, after we met, we frequented the Condor Club quite a lot but as it was significantly better than anything else in town and was also the best/cheapest place to eat and drink, it was a no-brainer. J is probably there every night this week, doing her Abba karaoke. Thank goodness I’m home and in no place to be embarrassed by her rendition of ‘Knowing You, Knowing Me – Aaaaaaa Haaaaaa’.
See picture above of the 1992 Stefanos and the 2009 version.
1 comment:
I think it's fabulous that after all that time Stefanos still recognized you! You must have made quite the impression on him :) I'm quite jealous that you got to spend time in Greece - it sounds so fantastic and is definitely on my list of places to visit some day!
Glad you're home safe and hope that J and the kids have a great remaining time there!
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