Zante Fires

Posted by Liana at 6:58 AM

Candlelight and moonlight illuminated our small rickety dinner table for the second night in a row.
Horse and buggy pairs clamored by at regular intervals and little British girls played "driving home" on
the tiny car toy at the place next door, though nothing could be seen. The air was filled with the sweet
scent of honey, cucumber, grill, garlic, and tomato. The man with the accordian drifted into our
earshot again with the same familiar tune we had hear the night before. Were we in the 21st century or
had we somehow had a lapse in time and been taken back 100 years? We we in Italy? Greece? Great
Britain? How confusing the sounds and smells and sights we could hardly see by moonlight.
Ten minutes earlier...
Just like clockwork - as I was putting on my sandals to leave for a late dinner - a gasp was let out by all
at the tiny hotel pool area below as the electricity went out for the second night in a row. "Time for
dinner" Mike proclaimed. "It sure is!" I agreed.
We ventured out down the street, skipping the Irish Pub with "Toad" in the name to wander down the tiny
street a while longer in the twilight before a swordfish special lured us into a restaurant which may have
been the Greek equivalent to the Cheesecake Factory judging by the diverse and rather large menu.
After the usual hummus appetizer, we overheard the couple behind us with thick British accent inquire
about the power outages - this one was still out unlike the shorter one the night before. The Greek
waiter replied with a mix of thick Greek accent mixed with English that it was the fires on the mountain
that were causing the power to go out all across the island. We scurried across the street together to
take in the site of the fire above - spreading slowly across the mountain top. Fire trucks could be seen
climbing the winding roads but helicopters would be needed in the daytime to fully contain them.
The air was still thick and heavy as we returned to the hotel after another leisurely dinner under the
stars. Moonlight illuminated the reflections on the pool and I noticed a few quietly soaking in the water -
well after the 8 PM curfew. We purchased two citronella candles in the grocery at the front of the hotel and made our way up to the muggy room, opening all the doors and plopping down on the bed. The
sound of a very large bug zooming past my head and running into the wall woke me up to the
impounding heat that felt reminiscent of a sauna. I contemplated throwing on my swimsuit and taking in
the cool pool water and then sleeping on a deck chair... lifted myself from the bed about to grab for my
suit ....just as the gasp again filled the air below... then applause. The power was back. Ahhhh.... air.
Sleeep...........