Karnivali Weekend (Apokries)

Many countries around the world will be celebrating one of the prime festivals of the religious calendar this weekend - the start of Easter. Greece is no exception and this year, I was lucky enough to embrace the celebrations here in Argostoli, capital of Kefalonia. The Orthodox church marks the start of the Easter celebrations with Tsiknopempti, this is followed by 2 weeks of celebrations which takes us up to Clean Monday (23rd February). These past two weeks, people will celebrate and eat everything in the cupboards in preparation for giving up oil, meat and dairy products for 40 days and 40 nights.

In Argostoli, the carnival celebrations included a parade through the centre with various villages taking part. There was dancing, and singing and a variety of entertainment on the central stage in the Platia, with music filled the streets, as well as brightly coloured paper floating in the air all around the square. Various floats and parades passed through the central part of Argostoli with the young and old both taking part, some bizarre floats, and I think the theme of the days was arguably politics with the current changes happening in Greece.

The carnival on the mainland in Patras, has been voted one of the 3rd best carnival's in the world, so I have every intention of being over there next year to see what all the fuss it about!