O kareklas ke o papas (the chair-maker and the priest) |
The priest of Odhou |
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...More than thirty years later I found myself in Cyprus, location hunting for a B.B.C. Television Drama Series. It was lunchtime when we reached the tiny village square and the coffee-shop where I used to make my payments at Odhou. To my astonishment and great pleasure the owner of the coffee-shop pointed a finger at me and said: 'You must be Mr. Renos.' I replied: 'And you must be Mr. Pantelis'. From that moment on it was as if thirty years had not intervened. Whilst we were having a simple meal of fried eggs, chips, halloumi and Zivania (pure alcohol made from grape residue) the news of my visit spread. Old friends, men and women, brought trays of apricots and cherries for which the village is well known, and when my colleagues said they liked Zivania we were offered some bottles to take to England. We tried to pay for our meal, our coffees, drinks and the bottles of Zivania. Mr. Pantelis and Mr. Polycrates would have none of that. Zeus Xenios was at work: Genuine Cypriot hospitality to remember for ever! |