Sunday Afternoon.

Nafplio is the closest city to the village I grew up in and the closest thing I have to a home town. To a reference point of urban living that is. It used to be the capital of the country and is still one of the most visited places. Built under the watchful eye of the old Venetian castle, with a beautiful old town and a famous island-castle (housing the executioners for a while) is an eye candy.

Spending a wonderfully warm and warm-hearted Sunday afternoon with a good friend, on a long walk behind the rock, surrounded by cacti and the sea, pine trees and the diminishing light is the best way to enjoy it. Even though you don't have any contact with the city itself, you're as close to the spirit of the place as possible. Try it one day.

 

 

A Curious Silence.

One thing you can't miss in Athens nowadays, and the rest of the country for that matter, is a general numbness and silent rage. The financial crisis is well known and extensively discussed.Why, how, who's to blame and what's on the cards for the future are written on people's faces, on the closed shopfronts, you can smell it in the air. The spirits are low, the steps heavier, the burden of betrayal unbearable on the chest.

People are out on the streets, holding flags and trying to hold on to old ways, familiar and safe ones. The disappointment and rage have seemingly fused with the tarmac. There's a protest nearly every other day but what strikes me more is the unseen, curious and deafening silence of the many. Those lying in back streets and those restless in their houses, those invisible ghosts that came to light not because they broke the spell of their eternal doom but because the consenting majority descended to hell. And slowly absorb the stinking pus of the manicured futility of the recent past. I hope a new brotherhood will form, after all we'll all together again.

Meanwhile.

Athens is busy, dusty and hot, ancient and fresh and pleasantly more colourful. The reassuring presence of its famous landmarks tricked me once more and I skipped them. Walked a lot (the city was always a delight to walk, just keep your eyes open, especially on the ground) and met good friends. Took the wrong turn as much as I remembered to forget myself and nibbled from the street stalls. Bought a book and sipped nice coffee, laughed and thought and chatted and I could have used more time. It might not be the most friendly city at times but it's always great fun and I have a soft spot for it.

Back And Forth, Back And Forth.

Things have reached an equilibrium. After some crazy weeks feeling nor here nor there and after spending already the longest period back where I grew up at for 15 years, things have settled.

Sure, my beaches turned a deeper blue, the palm trees migrated to gardens, the graffitis appear a bit cruder, time has slowed down even more and a brain-numbing, trivial paper safari is a daily staple. Autumn is round the corner too. But who cares? There are plans being scribbled down and previous lives revisited. It's always back and forth anyway, isn't it?

Fewer Words.