Contents
Spotlight |
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Epiphany in Rethymnon |
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On the morning of January 6th, locals start to assemble in the Venetian Harbour. By about 11 am the harbour is full-Rethymnon being Rethymnon, this means every bit of the of the harbour. People are perched on the lighthouse, and there is a veritable flotilla of small fishing boats, each one vying for pole position. The start of the ceremony is signalled - on water - by the arrival of the sea scouts who row into the harbour in traditional craft. On land, the band starts playing. The Bishop conducts a religious service and throws the cross into the sea. Fireworks erupt, the brave young men and boys who have been standing shivering at the water’s edge dive into the harbour and the race is on….This year, in a modern, gender-fair twist, there was at least one brave young girl who launched herself into the brink to try and retrieve the cross.Diving for the cross takes place three times, (of course!) after which the swimmers are blessed. The service finishes, and then the mayor performs his first real civic duty of the year (and with this new mayor his first real civic duty ever?!) by giving a short address to the people of Rethymnon. He wishes us all health and prosperity. People start to drift away from the harbour, and then the coffee bars start to fill up!
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Tourist-Free Zone |
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| Much though we value the contribution that tourists make to the local economy - and indeed, it could be said that the www.rethymnon.biz team, advertising local businesses as we do, are in the last position to be able to complain (note the promised merciless plug) - it is a real joy being able to walk through the Old Town in peace and quiet during the winter. This is the time of year when one can truly appreciate the beauty of the local architecture. |
A couple of hours walking through the backstreets in January,
and you’ll see the Rethymnon that most tourists never see.
Intricate carvings on doorways, Turkish inscriptions and secret
gardens are just some of the finds….
Rethymnon may be quiet, but it is far from being closed for the duration. So, on a fine day, you can explore at leisure, comfortable in the knowledge that there are plenty of sociable pit-stops along the way. |
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A little thank-you to the people of Rethymnon |
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| With Epiphany we are presented with new beginnings, yet on the other hand, Christmas festivities are brought to a close. I could, with a lot more wine inside me, go on at some length in pompous academic vein about the importance of ‘rites of passage’. However, given the somewhat laissez-faire attitude to weapon possession on this island (“I’ll show you my Kalashnikov if you show me yours”) this might not be the smartest move on my part. | Seriously, though, folks, we had the greatest time. For some of us, Epiphany signalled the end of a month-long round of partying - kicking off on December 9th with the now world famous Name Day Party for Anna. Everyone here knows how people party on Crete. And Rethymnon really gave us a party. But we are more than fortunate. Rethymniots have been our hosts, our friends and for many, surrogate families, all year round. | So, here at CMB we would like to say thanks to our friends in Rethymnon: For making us feel welcome, for including us, and for going the extra kilometre to try and help us out (even if we don’t speak the language properly). We would also like to wish you all the very best for health, love, peace and happiness in 2007. |
Pashmina Delafonte |
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