Thursday 1 March 2012

Tyrnavos

Carnaval this year, and all over Greece, was noticeably toned down. With the current economic tensions, the usual period of celebration was reduced to reflect the mood of frustration and disappointment. One village, however, which did not seem to show any sign of backing down, was that of Tyrnavos. The usually sleepy town came alive for the carnival weekend, celebrating Dionysos, the god of wine and festivity. 

The specific festival that takes place there is known as Bourani and involves the cooking of lentils and beans. To commemorate the meal, men dress up as villagers once did, chant poems while circling the food, and carry phallic ornaments to represent fertility. The festival in general was crazy and random. As I entered the town, I walked past a stall where I was grabbed and made to drink chipouro (a drink similar to, and as lethal as, ouzo!) out of a phallic shaped bottle! People were dancing, eating, just having a good time, and you could hear the exclamation of "Kales Apokries" everywhere (the Greek celebratory wish for a happy Carnaval season). It was definitely an experience I’ll never forget!

Below are some photographs from the festival. Tyrnavos is not famous for its parade or floats, so there were fewer decorations than expected, but there were some that did stand out, including one involving Angela Merkel (as seen on the second last photograph)
I've tried to include pictures I deemed "appropriate", which was rather difficult seeing as you were literally surrounded by phallus', including a balloon shaped one floating in the sky!! (You can see that on the last picture)




























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