The Greek Birthday Party Experience.

Last night we went to a friend's house to help celebrate her daughter, Dimitra's, 4th Birthday. We had a fabulous time and the girls got on and played as if there was no language barrier at all! The only moment of slight confusion for them was when everyone gathered to sing to Dimitra with her rather spectacular cake. Instead of the English "Happy Birthday to you" that the girls were expecting they launched into a poem:

Greek Text	Pronunciation	English Translation
	*na zIsis thanAsi*	(Long) may you live Thanasis
	*k'e khrOn'a polA*	and (may you live) many years
	*meghAlos na gh'Inis*	may you grow old
	*me Aspra mal'A*	with white (gray) hair
	*pandU na skorpIzis*	(May you) spread out everywhere
	*tis ghnOsis to fOs*	the light of knowledge
	*k'e Oli na lEne*	and may everybody say
	*na Enas sofOs*	there, (he is) a wise man

If you want listen it then you can go to the website I (well, actually Dad) found it on:

http://www.greece.org/gr-lessons/gr-english/birthday.html

Of course it changes when they are singing about a small girl called Dimitra and not a man called Thanasis however it is way too complicated for me to fathom as I have only a little brain that seems to shrink even more when faced with the Greek Language!

I was also witness truly the most spectacular tantrum I have ever seen (and as a mother of 2 girls with a lot of mummy friends, that is really saying something). Dimitra wasn't keen on sharing the noise makers or decorative tiaras and was happy to let the entire island know! I am told this is not a rare occurrence either. I think she is going to be set for the stage as a Prima Donna as she is a gorgeous little girl with a fiesty personality, she won't let anyone stand the way of her goals!

Clara, of course, charmed everyone with her cuteness, the Greeks appear to be totally enamoured of her cheeks (which are very cherub like). She totally fell in love with Dimitra's Daddy Yiannis (iAn-iss) who fell in love with her too and spent a lot of time feeding her Honey Balls (insanely delicious, choux pastry deep fried in a light batter and then covered with honey and cinnamon... yuuum) and cuddling her. I am told by my parents that he is not her only love on the Island after having charmed the local builder Yiorgo on her first day... something tells me I am going to be in trouble when they are teenagers!

Here are a few pictures from the Grand Occasion.

The Cake:

Dimitra blowing out her candles:


Phoebe enjoying the party biscuits


Clara enjoying the party Blowers:


Clara and her new best friend Yiannis



Today we went to a more english birthday party for a friend of my Stepmum's on the Island, also called Jane. We went to a beach with a taverna on it and had a lovely meal. Her husband, Chris, runs painting lessons on the island and Jane helps. His students wanted to help celebrate so clubbed together and bought her a fabulous Tirimisu Birthday Cake from the local bakers (incidentally run by the Godmother of my Stepmum!). We had loads of lovely Greek food like meatballs, Tzatziki, Greek Salad, Calamari, fish, stuffed peppers... it was delicious and topped off with this wonderful cake. Then we all had a swim in the sea and came home. The sea was less wooshy at this beach so even Clara came in, although I would have preferred her to wear her bathing suit she was more than happy skinny dipping! Phoebe was able to show off her swimming skills much easier and impressed everyone with them!

Clara did a bit too but as she was starkers, well... it isn't fair to parade her like that on the t'interweb.

Here is my favourite picture of the day:

These Crocs rock on stony beaches oh and YAY for underwater cameras! The other good pictures are on the big camera so I will get those off later... nearly bedtime for the girls and they have started trying to hug the cats... this rarely goes well!