Upon arrival at FOUGARO – group one
…and hits another annual great post-Easter gathering at the unique FOUGARO, just off the entrance of the City of Nafplion, Greece’s first capital after the liberation from the Ottoman yoke, in the Peloponnese! John Faraclas, one of the graduates was there and reports:
What a day that was with my school-mates on the Incredulity of Thomas Anniversary, you just can’t imagine! The day is dedicated to remember all those classmates who unfortunately are not with us anymore… but also to catch up and have fun, real fun, remembering half-a-century’s old stories from our College/School years life and beyond. We are possibly also one of the very few educational institutions were a great number of graduates from all classes resides abroad – our class being no exception, given the international multi-business interests, as well as due to the fact that we had always a 20 centum Diaspora Greeks from all over Planet Ocean in this unique college on the Island of Spetses; the hidden paradise of all Greek islands in its own right!
Captain (MN) Zisis Kalkanis stressing a point…
I was excited with the name Fougaro in the invitation email, virtually meaning “the chimney”, or “the funnel” and thought we were going on board a laid up or so to speak vessel-converted to floating restaurant nearby Naplion which is known for some …wreck surprises…some of us in the Class – about five or six or so, we are involved with the shipping adventure in its entirety so the expectation and imagination… Master Mariners, Shipbrokers, Ship-owners and Traders, Cargo owners…
We had a quickie coffee break at the Isthmus of Corinth – the classic stop for all automobiles and also to take some shots of the unique geological environment… of this Canal with great history…
My eagerness come to an end when we arrived…
An old tomato canning factory with a towering smokestack – hence “Fougaro”, has been turned into a space of Centre of Art, Creativity and Culture thanks to our School mates Ulysses Kyriacopoulos’ sister Fiorika…
Visiting an exhibition of paintings at the Fougaro Gallery by Vasso Gkioni-Zissimopoulou
After our second coffee and dips – meze and 40 degrees / purity a must for ouzo- drink, we had a tour around with an exceptional local guide – Niko Tsagarelis. We recommend you to visit this unique complex and see the charitable work of our compatriots who really care for their compatriots, culture and their country!
Following lunch at the Fougaro Café – which twice has been awarded by Trip Advisors, we set up – half of us on foot the others by the hired van, for an excursion in Naplion’s main Square – another Constitution Square for drinks, coffees and sweets, ah! and great discussions on all matters you can ever imagine!!!
All 18 – nearly two dirty …dozens per the film, contemplated on our lives and families as well as with the current Greek and International affairs… A mini global summit.
Touring the Fougaro complex
For those of us living in other countries it is not always easy to participate given the travel constrains and business – mind me many are now …retired… so to speak…
See you hopefully on The Holy Spirit’s Day in Spetses in the College were all Classes meet and many participate in the memorial service for the benefactor of our college Sotirios Anargyros, who at the end of the 19th century immigrated to USA and became one of the largest tobacco traders of the time. Having the vision on education with the great Greek prime-minister Eleftherios Venizelos, who envisioned the establishment of an educational institution that would educate the leaders for the nascent Greek society, a vision which Anargyros endorsed, he built in the 1920’s, together with another benefactor, Marinos Korgialenios (from Cephalonia), the “Anargyrios and Korgialenios School of Spetses – AKSS” to emulate the famous British schools Eton and Harrow
With thanks to our school-mate Ulysses Kyriakopoulos for the venue choice and his continues support for the Class of 1970 AND beyond!!! Until next year wishing all my Classmates all the very best.
Present: Demitris Amblianitis, Dimitris Assimakopoulos, Panagiotis Christou, Dimitris Economopoulos, Michael Eliades, Vassilis Eliopoulos, Dimitis Gavroglou, Alexis Heraklides, Nicholas Karydes, Zisis Kalkanis, Alexandros Karagelis, Ulysess Kyriacopoulos, Telis Nikolaides, Andreas Papapanagiotou, George Sideris, Kostas Tsakiris and …John Faraclas…
P.S. For those who didn’t make it due to health reasons; get well soon; for those abroad with tight business schedules, see you next time round!
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You can log at www.fougaro.gr and then arrange to have the time of your life; highly recommended for children too! 98 Asklipiou, 211 00 Naflion, Greece – Email.: info@fougaro.gr
