see.Opa!

This past Easter we went Greek.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take many pics from the days festivities but below are the highlights.
As told to us by our hosts (my Greek Landlord, Niko, and family): in the Greek Orthodox Religion, you go vegetarian for the entire length of Lent. The last week before Easter, you don't eat ANY animal products... eggs, cheese and the like.
After midnight on Easter morning (so around 1 or 2 in the morning) everyone gathers around and enjoys a large pot of hot, steamy, lamb (intestine) soup. To prepare the stomach for the next day's meal (as seen below). Mike and I were fortunate enough to get invited over for the 'midnight soup' and I was beyond excited to partake in this tradition.
*I try to put my personal vegetarian feelings to the side to enjoy moments like this.*
The night was really fun, there was traditional egg cracking and Niko's mom won!, laughing, loads of Greek, and the soup was flavored beautifully.
The next morning, or a few hours later really, our backyard was full of tables and chairs and one very very important guest:

The rest of the lamb! Again, just part of the tradition.
So you can imagine, the warm sun, cool breeze, Greek music, laughing, talking, and the lamb on the spit.
It was quite the Easter Greek-a-palooza!!Eventually, it started to rain, but that didn't scare ANYONE off! We all just went inside to enjoy dessert, coffee, and wonderful conversation.
At one point, a discussion started about the Greek to English translation of the word Opa!
Everyone had a say...
"It means, to celebrate!"
"It means, cheers!"
and on and on...
Finally, Niko's dad put it quite simply and with a huge smile...
"Opa! means Opa!"
And of course we all chimed in...OPA!