A Glass coffin, somehow involving a 150 kg shark, later grilled and shared by visitors and guests of a billionaire host at the old Hydra slaughterhouse sounded like one of those too-outrageous-to-be-true rumours that occasionally filter back to our little village of Kaministan.

Sushi anyone?
Photo by Zara Bouchlas

Other rhubarbs included mention of a dawn procession of hundreds following the glass sarcophagus and the discovery of inadvertently drowned drawings. Rich and famous personages from the international art scene were said to have attended, and other equally enticing snippets were banged out on the megapolis of Hydra town’s tom-toms.

Mid-June, boiled-brain, silly-season stuff had started early this year, it seemed. But where there is smoke … there might be fish on a spit, so we decided to pursue the truth behind these ridiculous claims, even though they had nothing to do with our usual stomping ground (i.e., matters west of Four Corners).

A local critic gives her unbiased comment on the festivities: “Peee-u”!
Or, to quote one attendee, “Putrid!”
Photo by Valerie Lloyd Sidaway

Well, while all the details haven’t been verified, turns out it was a real “happening” of sizeable proportions and substantial cost, and for once the rumours did not exaggerate. A dawn procession was capped off by an evening feast for five hundred serving up, yup, spit-roasted shark. Doesn’t look like a case of the loaves and the fishes, however, and given the rank odor dinner reputedly emitted, at least a few guests were apparently grateful to go without.

For those not in the know, this type of lunacy is called “performance art” and this “instalation” was named “Blood of Two.” For more serious info, visit Art Observed or for a more playful version with great photos, visit Sebastian Puig’s blog.

We can at last put some of the rumours to rest, Castello, a.k.a Baby (Babe?) Beach, is on the brink of opening. Not as a hotel or exclusive bungalows. The beach itself remains free of rows of umbrellas. Nor are there signs of a noisy water sport center. So most of the wintertime rhubarbs were, not surprisingly, based purely on speculation and hot air.

A refurbished castle in Kamini

Instead, a rather large, slick-looking, wining-and-dining establishment has been created in record time. Construction and landscaping beat all expectations—a mammoth project converting the old armoury ruin into a modern day castle will have been completed before the height of season.

A patio with a view

The exact contents of the menu and the size wallet one will need to frequent the joint will no doubt be revealed shortly, but the good news is that the front in half of the pebble beach remains untouched, and only a couple of rows of chaise lounges occupy the back half.

Approaching Castello from Kamini Harbor

So, it would appear that yaya’s and toddlers retain the freedom to come and go as usual without feeling they are infringing on the exclusive-looking premises, and of course visa versa for the proprietors. Castello is a handsome addition to Kamini in keeping with the style and beauty of our little village.

Castello’s view of the Saronic and Peloponnese