On the songs of Italian retirees

A random observation, as I sit in Foscolo café-and-cinema.

Greece is full of retirees from elsewhere in Europe. Some of them find out how the place works; some of them pick up some of the language.

There was a tableful of Italian tourists behind me. There was a tableful of Italian retirees in front of me, and their Greek was heavily accented, but decent. In fact, one of them is telling his life story now, and his parents spent a lot of time here too.

Like I said, the cultural connection of the Ionian Islands with Italy endures, two centuries after Napoleon swept the Venetians aside.

I am always touched when someone who isn’t from here makes here their home, and makes an effort to fit in, instead of staying aloof and apart. It is love for what I love, and I cannot but appreciate that. I’ll certainly excuse the joyful “SO WHERE IN ITALY ARE YOU FROM!” that the Italian tourists behind me got; I was no different in the post offices here with Irish and Australian tourists.

… But. For the love of God.

Do you HAVE to keep breaking out into spontaneous duet singing of O Sole Mio?!!

At least tenor Marios Frangoulis is paid to do so. And then follows up with Zorba’s Dance, not as the tourist special, but as the beautiful song Theodorakis penned over it for a play. (Nick Nicholas’ Answer To: What is the story of the song lyrics from the famous movie Zorba The Greek “Στρώσε το στρώμα σου”?)