Turkish Fleet Sinks before the Engagement
Within minutes of news getting out of the pyrotechnic flagship’s keeling over on June 23, 2007, a number of conspiracy theories erupted:
Of course, a skeptical few believed it was simply an unfortunate accident.
All joking aside, organizers and Hydriotes are to be commended for producing a spectacular show and fireworks display for Hydra’s major annual festival in the face of such adversity. Bravo!
Recently, I was sitting with a mate in Xristina’s taverna, one of our four summertime Kamini dining establishments (in winter it’s down to one), when a pair of middle-aged couples wandered into the local and sat down. I recognized the one of the gents; he had a familiar, friendly face, and I felt I had known him for years. (Out of context, whether socially or not in their shops, it is often difficult to place locals’ faces).
So, I nodded, smiled, and doffed my hat. He smiled and nodded back. My friend, a swarthy local builder, Pavlos, was grinning.“Do you know who that is?” he asked.
“No,” I said innocently. “I know him, though. Does he have a house or gold shop here”?
“Oxi,” laughed Pavlos. “That is Kosta Simitis, our last prime minister.”
Ah, yes, the man who managed to get Greece on the euro in time, amongst a host of other legacies the country now enjoys.