www.kefalonia-parga.com

11 10 2013

2013-10-11

It was pleasant to note the keen interest, with which the inhabitants of the island of Kefalonia (Greece) met a friendly visit of one of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet. It was already during the passage of the parade with a brass band on the waterfront of Argostoli, when the sailors’ soldierly smartness and bearing struck the islanders, who are good judges of the sea and seamen.

The Russians laid a wreath at the Acqui memorial erected in memory of the tortured and murdered 9250 Italian soldiers in 1943 refusing to obey the orders of and act in conjunction with the German troops that were in a formal "union" with them at that time.

After the official program, the worthy heirs of the tradition of Admiral Ushakov did not feel the need to be just guests. No one of those, who surrounded the Plateia Valianou square in a tight ring, could stay indifferent to the concert with songs and dances. The action-vaunted camera could not keep the rapid pace of the dance! No optics can convey either the dynamics of sharpened dance movements or warm evening dusk of the peak season of Kefalonia.

The swashbuckling sailor’s "Apple" dance and Russian folk dance with spoons performed by a rollicking soloist in the uniform of a ship’s cook were above all praise mostly because of the genuine gaiety and fervor of the artists themselves. To the naked eye, it was obvious that the dance brought the joy to the sailors and they sincerely shared it with the audience. The spectators on their part did not remain indifferent and at the end both old and young set off to dance.

Finally, when the sailors elegantly and gracefully performed Sirtaki, a favourite Greek folk dance, Kefalonians immediately responded with excited cheers and hot applauses.

After the performance, grateful applauses were addressed to every sailor.