The main thing about those times was that everyone was in love! Countless affections were never revealed... because you had to have a lot of courage to have anything to do with a girl.
I remember how crowds would sit at the "Neo Kentro" at the Doré Mansion, and everyone else would stroll up and down from the Meintani (Market Square) to the top of Georgiadis Park. That's where courting went on. When a guy saw a girl he liked, he would follow her, and if he could pluck up the courage he would say a few things to he r- never vulgar things - like "I really like you...", "[You're so sweet] your father must be a confectioner..", "I can't talk to you". The polite form was obligatory among the middle class in Heraklion....
When a young man eventually succeeded in persuading a girl of his affections and they went out on a date they didn't go alone, because that wasn't allowed. About a dozen boys and girls would go out with the two sweethearts among them, so as not to attract attention. The Georgiadis Park did help out in some situations, and lots of couples would seek refuge there. Of course, dates in those days were nothing like they are today - it was a big thing if you managed to get a kiss from your sweetheart.
In those days people would go serenading. Rules back then required girls to be shut up indoors from 7.00 in the evening onwards. But boys were allowed to stay out a little longer, and after going to the rakadika (raki cafes) would take their guitars and accordions and wander round the neighbourhoods. When they got to their sweetheart's balcony, they would make sure they weren't standing right underneath, so as not to attract attention and compromise the girl. They would stop a short distance from the house, sing together and pretend to be casually passing by. I remember that once when we were serenading at the window of an officer's daughter, he came after us with a shotgun...
