It is a bit over two weeks since we have returned from the short trip south to Glen Innes for the Celtic Festival and then home via Grafton. A lot can happen in two weeks and it seems that we are getting into the festival spirit.

The Paniyiri Greek Festival in Brisbane is something Allthego has had a hankering to go to over the years but has never got around to it.

So why not go for it and just do it, particularly when 2026 is its 50th anniversary too! Paniyiri, derived from an older Greek word, means ‘gathering of people’ or ‘festival’ for short. It is the largest Greek festival in Australia and has been going the longest.

It was held in Musgrave Park opposite the Greek Club in South Brisbane over the weekend of 23-24 May. We went on the Saturday for lunch and a bit of the afternoon entertainment.

Streets are blocked off and fences are erected all around the venue, we got in as old people for $5.

Lots of people. Luckily, we managed to get seats to look at the action and eat some of the plentiful Greek food offerings in relative comfort.

The entertainment was special. How many Honey Puffs contestants could gobble up from bowls, just using tongues and mouths. Plate smashing. Greek folk dancing including Zorba. We missed the grape stomping.

There were a few commentators for the events. The standout though was Effie from the 90s, I think, TV show Acropolis Now. Looking a bit older, but still doing the club scene.

Managed to escape late in the afternoon before eating too much calamari and souvlaki. Avoided the Honey Puffs, many around us ate our share! Interesting afternoon.

Over the course of 50 years it is not surprising that you eat the same meal(s) several times. In fact there are some 18,200 + or so evening meal times in 50 years!

This is one of the meals that has featured for us many times, the meat pie.

And another, not so frequent in recent years, is the meat loaf.

We have enjoyed both over the last couple of weeks. Grilled snags with onion gravy also feature from time to time.

It has also been the end of an era for us as after nearly ten years the sturdy old caravan has been carted off to the caravan graveyard. It has seen much gravel and red dirt in its time.

Written off by the insurance company due to hail damage in the storms before Christmas. Will we replace?

We are now off to Caloundra for a week to contemplate the way forward. Sunny winter days by the seaside are always special. Quieter and comparatively deserted compared to summertime. On the way back to Brisbane the annual Caravan and Camping Show beckons with many options to consider. Only time will tell.