May 1st - Gathering of May in Kavouri
As in many countries, so in Greece, May Day is celebrated as Labor Day and as the day to go into the countryside to gather flowers and greenery to decorate houses and welcome the new season. That is...if you don't choose to join the protest for worker's rights in the city's center. This day falls approximately halfway between an equinox and a solstice.
Yesterday we managed to make the biggest wreath we've ever made and hang it on our door for the neighbors to admire. We went for a drive along the southern coast of Athens to Kavouri. The beaches were filled with families and friends having picnics, playing music, singing and swimming! Yes, I even took my first dip and sunbathed. It is traditional for many people to take their first swim of the season on May 1st. Although the sea water was chilly, the sun was beating down and I can feel the sunburn on my neck and shoulders today!!
Welcoming May includes picking wild flowers and making a beautiful garland to hang on your car, door, or take to a loved one who you want to share the season with. The ‘tavernas' long the beach were packed with people and it was difficult to find a place to eat. We suspected that the food would be mediocre yesterday, due to the crowds, and opted to bring our picnic and eat on the hillside overlooking the southern part of Kavouri. It was undoubtedly the best choice.
After eating, we gathered wild flowers and made the wreath you can marvel at through the pictures I've posted. It was a fun-filled day, full of laughter, crowds and the gathering of May.