*** A "Greek Wedding" in Kavala *** 
(900 kms)
(1 Goldwing
Feza & Berrin)
(1 BMW R 1100
GS Leon & Gulsev)
I was surprised
and excited, when our Greek motorcyclist brother Georgos, informed
me that he is going to Marry on
7 July 2000 at
his hometown Kavala city of Greece with a beautiful lady named Smaro.
Being a kind
person, he invited his all Turkish biker friends to his wedding ceremony
further to his Greek motorcyclist friends.
Finally, only
two bikes from Turkey had chance to join this lovely ceremony. We departed
from Istanbul on 07 July 2000, Friday, at 18:00 o'clock and arrived to
border after 3 hours later. The Turkish-Greek border were so crowded due
to in & out formalities of the Turkish expatriates who work in Europe
and come to Turkey for their vacations during this time of year. After
completing of the formalities at the both borders, we arrived to Alexandropoli
city which was our first stop for dinner. As it is usual, we had a lovely
dinner at our friend's Manoli's seafood restaurant and chat too much .
After having 100kms cool riding at the silence and beauty of the hot summer
night, we arrived "Fanari" town, to our Hotel named "Bosporus" which is
being run by a Turkish origin Greek family who have immigrated to
Greece many years ago. Next morning, we had a lovely breakfast at our hotel
terrace, and immediately went to the beach and spent our all day
over there under the sun and swam lot.
We departed from
our hotel about 17:00 o'clock, and arrived to Kavala cityabout 1 hour later
under severe sun & hot.
We met with our
other Greek motorcyclist friends over there (Vaggelis, Georgos & Johnny)
and went to the Church together.
It was fantastic
ceremony especially for us which we have never been to a Orthodox
Wedding Ceremony before.
After completing
of the ceremony, we obviously made a parade at the main streets of the
town with the escort of our Goldwings to Georgos & Smaro's wedding
car, and made to much noise with our horns. Later on, we spend couple hours
at a very nice coffeshop named "Imaret" located in a anciaent
Ottoman house with the magnificant "Kavala" view while Georgos and Smaro
spending their times for wedding photos.
Later on, we went
a restaurant out of the town for Marriage celebration, by a chance there
were another two just married couples and their families & friends
at the restaurant for their celebration.
It is really
difficult to explain what we have down there all night long !!!
Dance, dance
on the tables, syrtaki (traditional Greek dance), uzo (traditional Greek
Alcoholic Drink), fun, joke,
dinner, noise,
wine....
Next morning,
we wanted to have some rest and took a ferry from Kavala to Thassos
island which is very near to Kavala and we have been there before
and wanted to come back again. We spend our all day at the "Golden Beach"
and come back to Kavala about 21:00 o'clock. We departed from Kavala same
night about 22:00 o'clock and arrived to Alexandropoli about 24:00
o'clock for a small coffee break, the life was just starting over there,
all the bars, discos, and streets & coffeshops at the coast were full
of people even at this small town, Greeks really know how do they live
and to take pleasure from life, we spent about 1 hour over there and departed
again about 01:00 o'clock in the morning and arrived to Istanbul
at the early hours of Monday
to be at our
offices on time !!!
It is 16:00 o'clock
Monday afternoon while I am writing this note and
I have not been
sleeping since Sunday Morning and I am so tired now !!!!!
We wish a happy and prosperous life and future to Georgos and Smaro and to "Georgos JR." who is on the way now !