Dreams To Char

LEMONIA PERFORCE     PARATHIN ALOS 23     VANISHING CULTURES     OF DRINKING BRANDY

(I have a good mind to publish this in the Trip Advisor)
HOTEL OSTRIA
THURSDAY EVENING
11/10/2018

DREAMS TO CHAR

Of brandies, I prefer the French ones,
especially on nights like this,
yeah, brandy has retained its faithful fans,
who leave no chance to plebeians spoil that bliss.

I like Hennessy, Remy Martin,
I keep Courvoisier as a third choice,
but here in Greece nine times out of ten,
unregistered, unheard, remains my voice.

One hour it took me to negotiate,
seeking advice where to find cognac,
the time was passing, it was getting late,
"Just go to OSTRIA, hit the road, Jack".

Even a call was made on my behalf,
just to make sure, brandy was in the menu,
to OSTRIA! Other places seemed a laugh,
so off I went to this remaining venue.

Now, OSTRIA looks like an expensive spot,
you may meet the divas dressed lamé,
comedians, musicians, all that lot,
Lazarou, an advisor on gourmet.

All this is good and that's how it should be,
considering the price of room per night,
I parked my car and went towards the sea,
the bar was empty, not a hopeful sight.

*****

I asked for a French brandy in a warm glass,
they looked at me as if I was an oddity,
"Oui?" said the waiter, "he's Greek", put in the lass,
"he wants an unavailable commodity".

"What do you serve French customers instead,
if not French brandy on nights like this?"
"We have three-star Metaxa", the girl said,
saying, "No, thank you", I gave it a miss.

Three-star Metaxa, will not do at all,
though it can soothe a dim funeral parlour,
lounge music cannot thrill like rock and roll,
abstention then is my best part of valour.

Through wind and cold I walked back to my car,
my disappointment showing in my face,
"Oh hell", I thought, "the town is not too far,
and I'll have my Remy in any case!"

*****

But then I thought,
"Don’t say 'good bye',
stay on this spot,
give it a try,

oh no, I can't,
don’t like three-stars,
don’t force my hand,
in these beach bars.

They have no brandy in this hotel,
so let it go to its own hell,
with customers, and bars, and boss,
why should I care? It's not my loss.

I drove a bit, I stopped again,
what artificial Kitsch terrain!
Village Traditional of Crete,
The "Kafeneion" sucks a bit.

They did have brandy, seven-stars,
no glasses though, but many jars,
they gave advice, "Go across,
by yonder bar you'll find your sauce!"

Is then Metaxa as I suppose,
a constellation without cause?
As I was walking to that bar,
I cursed the moon and every star.

They did have brandy glasses there,
and they knew how to prepare,
but limited to just five-stars,
(this night will leave me with some scars).

They offered: take this empty glass,
to "kafeneion" without fuss,
your seven-stars there you'll enjoy!"
I said, "No thanks, I just feel coy".

*****

So finally they brought my drink,
with shrimps, and carrots, and some chips,
I said to waitress with a wink,
"I would prefer chocolate nips".

She said, "we have no chocolate,
but biscuits you can have a lot",
I thought about it, but too late,
I just had brandy in glass hot.

I stayed by the swimming pool,
with lousy brandy and cold air,
OSTRIA! You took me for a fool,
two hours lost, but no despair.

I had my lonely thoughts and drinks,
better than nothing this five-star,
but I must go, this place stinks,
so, back to AVRA, dreams to char.