We are looking forward to the Leonard Cohen Event on Hydra for a very personal reason: The summer of 2000 our two weeks’ honeymoon took place on the Saronic island of Poros. Our last ex-cursion was a one-day boat trip to two small islands off Peloponese. After a beautiful visit to Spetses we arrived on Hydra early in the after-noon. The harbour, the picturesque white houses, the narrow alleys, the blossoming bushes, the donkeys – everything surpassed what we had ex-perienced during our whole stay in Greece! We had never seen a more charming place in our whole lives!
After two hours the plan was to return to the ship, but we only went down to the boat and waved goodbye. We simply could not leave such a lovely place so soon. We bought a toothbrush and some soap, found a hotel room, trying to forget our sweaty and creased clothes. The full moon night was spent in a café overlooking the harbour.
The next morning we strolled through the alleys, trying to guess where Leonard Cohen’s house was. At lunchtime we were attracted by live Greek music. During our meal under the shady trees serenades were sung to the bride, and the locals applauded when they heard about the honeymoon.
We took about 80 photos in order to document Paradise on Earth. Our friends sometimes get a little tired listening to our memories from those wonderful 24 hours. When we lie in our bed — listening to the songs LC wrote on the island — we recreate the special Hydra mood and become intolerantly sentimental and full of loving feel-ings.
Therefore seeing Hydra again and spending three or more days with hundreds of Cohenists is a wild dream come true. . It cannot be less than a huge experience.
April 2002
At Dousko's Restaurant. Photo © Jarkko Arjatsalo
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