Greek Festival 2010

I got the most wonderful text on Thursday morning. It was from my friend Jeannie and she was inviting me to go to the Greek Festival that was going on in Salt Lake. So what do you think I said? YES!?!?! 
So I rounded up my other friend, Mary, and we got on Trax to go on up and have us some Greek fun.
And oh, it was.
So we get there and the entire parking lot is under this GIANT tent and they had hundreds of tables and chairs set up under it with a big stage at one side. Now, knowing Mary and I...we headed straight for the food. Mainly the pastries. They all looked SO good. After the pastry adventure we went in search for some real food. And let me tell you. The line was long. ssssssssssssssoooooooooooooooooo long. And we could smell all the wonderful food the whole time. And we were starving. We almost didn't make it. But it's a good thing we did. Because we got to try so many wonderful things.
No joke.
Wonderful.
So in order to illustrate my point...I found some pictures of the stuff I got to eat. Oh boy, it's making me hungry right now.

Souvlaki-This was Pork that they put on a skewer and marinated in oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and lemon. Oh man, can you say flavor. Delicious flavor. Make your tongue melt in delicious flavor, flavor. Mmmm...

Spanakopita-Although I'm not really a fan of spinich, this had to be my favorite thing. It was spinich, feta cheese, and onions wrapped in pyllo pastry. It was seriously heavenly.

Gyro-I had never had a gyro sandwich before last night. But I'm officially hooked. The End. Lamb meat, tomato, onion, some kind of delicious sauce...all on a pita.
Pita...Peeta....Hunger Games...Hungry...Awesome. (By the way, Mockingjay was epic.)

That is the end of my dinner. :( I was so full it was ridiculous. During dinner we sat right by the stage and got to watch the dance teams do their traditional Greek dances. The guys did this one dance that was supposed to be intimidating....
Anyway, two guys stood up on the backs of two chairs while some others were steadying them. Basically, as one of the guys jumped off...he BROKE the chair. Seriously.

But by the time we were done consuming our delicious meal, we were WAY too full to eat our pastries. So they took the Trax ride home with us and I am eating mine little by little as the day goes on. So worth waiting.



Baklava-So this is layers of phyllo pastry filled with chopped nuts and honey. This is one of my favorite kinds of pastries ever. You know in Aladdin when the Genie is singing his first song and he says, "Have a little more Baklavaaaaaaa" and the screen fills up with little tan triangles? Well...that is what it is.

Kourambiedes-Cookies, butter, and crushed roasted almonds with powdered sugar. These are kinda dry so you need milk or water to join it...or you could just wash it down with some baklava. : )

Kataifi-This is almost like baklava but in a different form with shredded hair looking stuff on top. But it is also...scrumptious.

Apparently, a lot of the pastries are like Baklava. But that it totally fine with me because of how wonderful it is.

There were so many people there you could barely walk. But Greecians, they are beautiful. And loud. And they love life.

Also, fun fact for the day, their churches are shaped so that if you were looking down from the roof it looks like a cross. And the insides have tons of paintings. And their marriage ceremony is very unique.

And now...I believe I am going to go have a little more of my pastries and watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding. OPA!