tales of wander
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Sans camera, but good news
I’ve been able to put some much-needed sleep between me and what happened with my camera. I can’t say I feel a whole lot better, but I feel slightly less self-pitying about the situation. More than anything, it’s not about the camera, which was insured. It wasn’t even about the pictures, most of which had … Continue reading
Ahh, paradise…
Took a fast boat from Crete to Santorini, only 2 hours north (on a fast boat, that is). I don’t have a Thesaurus with me, which is troublesome because all of the adjectives I know are not fit to describe this place. To say that it is ‘breathtaking’ wouldn’t quite explain it. Santorini is paradise. … Continue reading
Plan B? What’s Plan B?!
I’m still working on Plan B and find it difficult to accomplish in Crete. Alexandra, my Greek cabin mate on the boat to Crete, offered that the difference between Greeks and Americans is that Greeks are slower from the heat, while we Americans—most of whom live in a colder climate by comparison—move faster, get more … Continue reading
An unexpected turn of events
I guess how you set your expectations has everything to do with the outcome of a situation. Or at least your perception of it. Take the overnight ferry from Athens to Crete, for instance. I was prepared for it to be like most ferries I’ve been on—a huge metal monstrosity with very little comfort and … Continue reading
Greek is greek to me
Yesterday I saw an English-language book titled “Learn Greek in 25 Years.” I thought this was pretty funny, especially since I am having quite a bit of trouble with the language. Greek is an Indo-European language, quite possibly the oldest in Europe with an oral tradition dating back 4000 years and a written tradition dating … Continue reading
You snooze, you lose
Every culture has unspoken rules by which everyone abides. Take, for instance, the rule that tells you to move to the right on an escalator so people walking past can get by. Or, the rule that says you should allow passengers getting off a bus to get off before you try to get on. In … Continue reading
Public transportation and high places
Taking public transportation in Europe is a bit like hopping into the clown car at the circus. If you’re even a little claustrophobic (like me) or averse to having any part of your body touch a strange, sweaty person (like me), then each trip on the bus or metro becomes a test of whether you … Continue reading
On the Acropolis, feral dogs, and the Roman Agora
After my morning coffee, I decided to make the most of my day and head toward the Acropolis, which looms high above the city that was named for the very reason the Acropolis was built: to honor the goddess Athena. Assuming there would be a bus that would take me to the top, I set … Continue reading
A nauseating journey
In Morocco, each of my mates became sick with an affliction that affects travelers around the world. I guess I don’t really need to be delicate about this, since it’s something that happens to everyone at one time or another. In Mexico, it’s called ‘Montezuma’s Revenge.’ In India, ‘Delhi Belly.’ I have no idea if … Continue reading
tales of wander 