In Greece, eat, drink, dance and be merry

Greece’s welcoming people, mouthwatering food and drink, and joyful music and folk dances make it easy to immerse yourself in the easygoing lifestyle.

The selection, while predictable, never gets old for me: garlic dip, fava bean dip, tzatziki dip (made from yogurt, cucumber and mint) or all three on a single serving platter; fried eggplant or zucchini; Greek salad; and big grilled peppers — red or green — stuffed with feta cheese.

Most of my meals also include something from the sea, such as grilled calamari or octopus, sardines, or a plate of fried small fish (3 inches), very small fish (2 inches), or very, very small fish (1 inch).

With 3-inch fish, I leave the head and tail on the plate (and try not to wonder about the once inky, now dry black guts).

With the smaller fish, I leave nothing but a line of greasy fingerprints on the fringe of my paper tablecloth.

The fruit and vegetable stalls, just outside the market, are flanked by shops selling feta from the barrel and countless varieties of olives.

Orthodox priests — with their Old Testament beards, black robes, necklaces, cake-shaped hats and families in tow — mingle with parishioners on street corners.

Popular dances include the graceful kalamatianos circle dance and the syrtaki, done with arms outstretched or thrown across one another’s shoulders as immortalized by Anthony Quinn in the film “Zorba the Greek.”

Wander through any town on a weekend summer evening and there’s a decent chance you’ll come across musicians sitting around an outdoor table playing traditional folk music on their bouzouki (a long-necked mandolin).