Paragon Cafe

Konstantinos Varipatis, born in Kythera

Journeyed to Australia in 1927

He opened up the Paragon Café in Wagga Wagga

Never ever ventured back to Kythera again

Konstantinos Varipatis, known as Con the Greek

Gave the local customers a menu of renown

Soups, entrees, main course and sweets, discounts for the needy

The Paragon was vital to this little country town

Every evening he would sit on his verandah

Embrace his old bouzouki

Sing the songs of Kythera

Boyhood songs, mandinades, tales of Aphrodite

The Crying Stone of Potamos, the memories of home

Eleni Mazarakis, also born in Kythera

Promised there in marriage to a man she’s never met

Sailing on a ship, to a land known as Australia

18 years of age, quite unsure .....and yet

The man who greeted her at Sydney’s docklands

Was strong, he was kind

And oh, he was so handsome

They travelled on the train to the town called Wagga Wagga

The Paragon Café was to be her future home

Con the Greek and Eleni, perfect for each other

Ran the Paragon Café, building their new life

Weddings, birthdays, funerals, they fed the local citizens

And raised their own five children, this husband and this wife

And every evening

They would all sit on the verandah

Take out the old bouzouki

And sing the songs of Kythera

Lullabies, mandinades

Byegone days in Fratsia

The Crying Stone of Potamos

The memories of home