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Kavala, Greece, 1982

Kavala, Greece, 1982

Dougburnett
2003-11-22 10:54:12

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Breakfast has always been the most important meal to me. Not only does it provide nutrition to get me going but it also seems to set the mood for the rest of the day. In Greece I often had trouble getting a good breakfast: folks there seem to consider little cup of coffee a sufficient start. I, on the other hand, was always looking for something more substantial.

I had been traveling for a few days, on my way to Istanbul. That meant I often missed breakfast rushing to catch an early bus or train. When I reached Kalava I decided to take a break. It was a pleasant Aegean town with whitewashed buildings that ran up the hill from the busy harbor.

On my first morning I went looking for that all-important first meal. I was lucky and quickly found a little café that was just opening. It was right on the harbor and had a fine view of all the morning's activity. The sleepy waiter took my order and disappeared into the back while I brought my journal up to date. He soon returned with an omelet filled with feta cheese, toast and tea. I let the bag soak as I wolfed down half the omelet - man, that was good!

Next came the tea: I took the bag out of the pot, poured some in the cup and added sugar. The sugar was in one of those little jars that have a metal tube on the top, the kind that pour out only a measured amount. When I set it back down a huge, brown cockroach emerged from the tube, waving his sugar coated-antennae at me. We looked at each other for just moment - I suspect he was as surprised as I was - and then he jumped down and ran under the edge of the saucer.

Without hesitation I grabbed the saucer bent on ridding myself of this interruption but he was way to quick - he got away to the safety of the plate. I grabbed it too and just as quickly he darted behind the cup. Sitting there holding the saucer and plate I realized I had lost: I was never going to catch him. I also realized that breakfast was over. It was the thought of him in the sugar - and god knows where his cousins had been - that did it. I was no longer hungry.

I got up, threw some money on the table and left: well, tomorrow I would try again.

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