St. Joseph 2013
Early in the day Paulo Coelho held a press conference.
The party started with cocktails, followed by prayers in many languages.
St Joseph is the patron saint of workers, we should remember that many people have lost their jobs and think of them.
That is why the party this year was being held in Greece. It gets a very bad press, the workers slandered as lazy. By holding the party in Athens, it gave people the chance to see a different side of Greece, the real Greece.
We are all travellers, we then have a different view of life if we travel.
The party was held in a roof top restaurant with excellent views of Athens, the centre piece being the Acropolis.
At midnight, after eating, after Greek dancing, and following plate smashing, a rock group played until 2am.
Reading from By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, Paulo smashed a plate. This was symbolic of breaking the link with what is bad, what is holding us back.
At 1am the rock group was joined by Rudolf Schenker, who was then joined on vocals by Paulo Coelho performing Still Loving You.
Book signing.
All good things have to come to an end. The party ended around 3am. Some of us remained in the hotel lobby chatting. I finally got to my hotel around 4-30am. Others were checking out to travel to the airport to fly home.
On leaving, a special present, a relief of a classical subject, the likes of which can be found in the Acropolis Museum.
A special thanks to Paulo for such an excellent party.
