RAINBOWtowel

Thoughts of the past present and future

[rainbowtowel]

Ελπίδα (10 Sep 2017)

Μου είπανε ότι πια δεν υπάρχει ελπίδα στην Ελλάδα… αλλά εγώ την βρήκα.

Κριμένη στην άλλη μεριά τις Αττικής κοντά στον Ποσειδώνα.

‘Όμορφη, ώριμη με χείλια βελούδινα και μάτια πράσινα.

 ‘Ένα κρεβάτι, δυο λιασμένα κορμιά που κούμπωσαν μαζί σαν να μην ήταν η πρώτη τους φορά…

Ελπίδα, ένα βράδυ ήταν αρκετό για να σε βρω, χεριάζομε μία ζωή για να σε χορτάσω

[rainbowtowel]

Βάρκιζα

(31 March 2016)

Όμορφη μου Βάρκιζα με τα ξανθιά σου πλεκτά μαλλιά και τα χρυσαφένια σου μάτια. Ίσος και πιο όμορφη από την ῾Παναγιἀ την Γοργόνα᾽. Πεταμένη εδώ στην άκρη σαν μια κουκκίδα σε αυτήν την απέραντη παραλία που λέγετε Ελλάδα Ήλιος, θάλασσα, βουνό, όλα εδώ σε πλήρης αρμονία, Δύο νησάκια σαν πέρλες στο βάθος εκεί αντίκρυ, φρουρούν ετούτο τον τόπο σε συμμαχία με τον ναό του Ποσειδώνα λίγο πιο κάτω. Ένα μπλε πέπλο από πανό της στρωμένο από την Αφροδίτη Μικρά κυματάκια συνεδριάζουν στο λιμάνι και απωθούν τα μελτέμια που προσπαθούν να έρθουν πρόωρα   Όλα παίρνουν την θέση τους για άλλο ένα καλοκαίρι.. Ημερομηνία 31 Μαρτίου...Ώρα 12:22 μμ Εσύ που θα σε ; 

[rainbowtowel]

Aeroplanes and fishing rods

(19 Sep 2015)

I pressed my nose against the bus window as it left the gate heading to the plane, dragging me along with it. I thought this bus has no opening windows, there is no escape route, I can only go forward now. The plane was standing tall right in front of me, it smirked and mumbled "not another drama of a holiday tourist leaving Greece" and I looked at it in disapproval raising my left ginger eyebrow.

I walked up the unstable ladder and i thought.. if i was to stage an accident, I won’t have to leave Greece, but on a second thought I thought this is not a good idea.

I sat in my seat quietly observing fellow passengers battling with their carry on luggage whilst looking at their neighbours as if it were all their fault.

I had no desire to argue with anyone. I wanted to leave Greece with great memories the same way my journey had began. I looked outside that little window observing the blue sky and the sun blasted hill tops. I couldn't stop wondering whether this weather will also catch the same plane to London.  I looked at the date on my phone and quickly answered my own question... The flight was fairly short, England was pulling this plane as if it was hooked on a fishing rod and it was reeling it in close to her . Every time it tried to escape it will drag it back to it's course. Why do we have auto pilots I wondered since this mechanism with fishing rods is as efficient? A few hours later we landed in London, I was thinking maybe if i stay still and lower myself in my seat the cabin crew may take me back to Athens? Very shortly my neighbours nudge me to get passed.. whats the rush? As I got up I looked outside my window and guess what? The weather did catch the same plane to London after all! London was sunny with its trademark grey clouds scattered in the sky. The sun was playing hide and seek.. “now you see me now you don’t”. I thought the sun should know better at this age and just stay still, but what do I know?

On the journey back home I was observing every little detail as if I was a first time visitor to London. The little houses with the old roofs, bricks everywhere, every colour and every age. London offers lovely architecture if you are into old, multicolour brickwork, sash timber windows, red letterboxes etc. 

A Greek friend of mine always exclaimed: “In London, for a house to have value, it should come with a few ghosts, and green moss growing on the bricks outside”. And although it may sound extreme but its pretty true. The older the better as fas as the housing market goes.

I arrived at home, “Little Robin” was still tucked away behind the front tall hedge, when I saw the roof I was relived, “Little Robin” hadn’t abandoned me. Despite I had left him here alone for over a month, “Little Robin” was waiting for me to return.  At that point I wondered how can I introduce “Little Robin of London” to “Thiseas of Athens” how can I get these two to meet? Pretty difficult I guess. I walked up the steps and opened the front gate, my fish in the pond screamed with excitement “He is alive, he is back” I looked at them all and thought, no casualties! Great! I smiled at them and walked in to my house. 

From the moment I opened the door, I looked at “Little Robin” and had tears in my eyes. It doesn’t matter how much I moan and complaint about London. You are beautiful, not as beautiful as people make it but nevertheless beautiful to the ones that know how to enjoy it.

It took a few hours and Athens was fighting with London to take a dominant position in my head. There is no need I whispered,  “you are both very special”

[rainbowtowel]

Volcanic Rocks

(25 July 2015) 

I laid my body on the volcanic rocks hanging over the sea, far away from the crowds of Varkiza beach. The surrounding area is so simple, so rough, so wild, far more natural and very different from the manmade comforts of plastic sun loungers and posh umbrellas I could see in the distance.

With me, my rainbow beach towel, the one I purchased from my local store back in London. What does a rainbow towel do in London I hear you wonder and I join you to that thought too. I bought this towel many months before I even had bought my flat in Greece. “Who does really buy a beach towel first and then a matching apartment by the beach to go with it?” why is my apartment not rainbow colour though? All these questions flood my mind while gazing the blue sea  and the tired waves beating up the red volcanic rocks scuffing sharp edges that are lethal to walk on. I imagine if these were in England we would stick white little labels with red borders on each sharp bump “Be aware, sharp objects that can cause injury”, or even better “You are walking on volcanic rocks created a few million year ago. Although no sign of a volcano today, it can erupt any time and its YOUR responsibility to save yourself if it does so”, i guess it would be equally correct to put signs of “Be ware of extinct dinosaurs”, this way the local council is covered for all eventualities of personal injury. 

Thats why I like Greece, we are yet to pollute our surroundings with silly signs that scream “I Do Not care about your wellbeing, but i will stick a silly sign anywhere in an attempt to avoid a lawsuit in the highly likely event you woke up miserable this morning because its cloudy again and you decided to hate anyone that crossed your path” 

If Greece was to enforce health and safety, it would be a challenge for the poor workmen that will have to work every day in 40 degrees temperatures trying to catch and hang labels on seagulls, “Be ware I drop my dirt”, or imaging seeing a whole street lined with signs “Be ware of sound pollution due to super lively crickets partying” 

I am sweating buckets here so I will dive off the rocks right to the bottom of the sea to cool myself down. I will leave you to the joyful craft of label sticking on ants and trees.. oh and by the way, the person that buys a beach towel first before a matching apartment is a person who have missed the colours of the Greek summers, they are so colourful that even a rainbow is not enough to describe them but it will do for now.

[rainbowtowel]

171 to chaos

(19 July 2015)

I jumped on the 171 bus from Varkiza towards the old airport. If someone was to see me, they wouldn’t believe such joy was owed to a short trip with a public transport vehicle that was old and tired from its daily routine.. it wasn’t any old bus though, it was "my bus” taking me from my new home in the outskirts of Athens towards the organised chaos of the central part. 

The wide clear sky and tree lined streets soon were to be replaced with smaller foggy windows which you could not even open to reach the sky. There were remains of trees that had escaped from the chaotic centre for a better living by the sea, the ones that were left behind were already leaning towards the sea, with the first opportunity they were ready to run away as well. Where am I heading I wondered...

Where do I get off? 

Am I going to be ran over by running trees escaping the chaos? 

What am I doing in this chaos anyway?

I gazed the rest of the passengers, the bus was packed with beach goers coming from all over Athens. Young beautiful faces, tired, with bodies full of salt from the sea water. Colourful shorts and loud t-shirts are in; every summer, year in and year out. You must love all those beautiful dry red lips thirsty for a drop of water and the big brown eyes screaming "hey I'm Greek". 

 I was in Greece after all... I keep pinching myself to wake up...”I am in Greece” I whispered again under my breath and looked at my sides in case anyone noticed me mumbling to myself

The bus performed an abrupt stop and everyone got up as if their seats were on fire..I checked my seat, it was fine, no smoke or fire but nevertheless I still got up and followed the crowd as they were getting off the bus like ants marching towards their nest. Their nest was nothing other than a new shopping centre that had opened up in the last few years. And I wonder to myself how do these working ants have so much money in this difficult times to spend it in shopping malls. Why do ants need a shopping mall in the first place?

[rainbowtowel]

Old Market

(18 July 2015)

Last night I walked in Athens, I walked over the cobbled streets where Plato once walked. 

I passed through the old market, I think I could still hear the mint cutting coins, the smell of bronze, silver and gold was in the air.

Further down I came across the king’s gallery/monument, I walked in and saw all the important laws curved in marble stones and hanged on the walls. These laws were so heavy for the people... they could rip off their brackets and fall on me I thought.

In one corner I could see Socrates being judged for Impiety towards the gods. He was silent and resilient to the hearing, he felt and believed in his theories so strongly that no judge or god would change his mind. He paid this with his life.. He drunk hemlock as required by the laws; written on those heavy marble stones.... those heavy marble stones could kill you i said again.....they killed Socrates....

[rainbowtowel]

“A contract with Goddess Athena”

(31 May 2015)

Another trip to mother land, mixed emotions this time and a bit apprehensive with the schedule but full of excitement and happiness at the same time. The time has come, the moment I planned and desired for the past few years, it is happening before my eyes and everything is unfolding so fast that I have no time to reflect. 

By Wednesday 3 June midday I will be signing a contract 21 pages long, a contract between Goddess Athena and I, she is trusting me with one of her jewels. This is a special piece, a piece that I did not inherit, a piece that was not passed down to me for nothing. Its a piece of Greece that I handpicked, that I lost sleep over and sacrificed my securities for. It’s a piece of this Mediterranean  dream called Athens. The Mediterranean Dream is not written in the Greek declaration of independence, it comes by default, its unspoken and expected and Goddess Athena is here to make sure who he seeks shall find it!

When Goddess Athena ascended to mount Olympus and trusted this land to the modern Greeks, little she knew that her temple on top of Acropolis hill will be vandalised, broken up and stolen (how can you actually still a temple?! -see parthenon marbles-) Little she knew that her jewels are now used as collateral and sold between the barbarians. “Yes Goddess Athena, we made peace with the barbarians we gave them back what we initially took from them and they demand more”.

Athens is now like a modern Prometheus, tied to a rock and the vultures are grabbing a piece of its intestines every day… but by the next day Athens recovers and the vultures are back for more. 

Given all the negative press surrounding Greece it is hard to imagine why would someone actually consider visiting Athens let alone plough their savings in contractual terms with mythical Goddesses and intangible dreams (that are not even written anywhere!)

Athena’s temple still stands tall today, after so many years Goddess Athena is still holding it together, she is fighting the vultures with a spear and a large shield protecting her people, but there are so many people she can protect, the rest will have to be sacrificed. It’s a 21st century style sacrifice.. one that is still legal and unspoken… 

Ask yourself “Do you believe in Goddess Athena and Prometheus?”, Given the recent events taking place in Europe I choose to believe in mythology as its stories are more plausible than S&P and Moody’s poor attempts to convince me that this land is rotten, unworthy, broke and its people dishonest.

Good morning Greece. Thank you Goddess Athena I am now one of your children waiting patiently for your return.

[rainbowtowel]

Finding Ithaca

(26 April 2015)

in the last 24 hours and with the means of modern air travel I have been in 4 different cities (Omaha, Chicago, London, Athens with final destination tonight to Mytilene).

Wonderful moments spring to mind from meeting my colleagues in the US, to the giggles on the flight back from Chicago to London with the a super lively and colourful American Airlines air steward that was hitting on me or the possibility of having access to free accommodation in Greece smile emoticon

Despite tiredness, travel delays and everything else.. i still recall those two beautiful, large, brown eyes at the airport of Athens the moment i stepped out of my exhausted plane...a member of the Athens airport staff whispered: "Welcome...", her smile was so real, so genuine, so greek and i felt her words so personal "just for me...." as if she knew what this trip meant to me... i looked at her back and also whispered in Greek: "Thank you for having me" and her face lit up even more responding... "ah...Greek living abroad".. and i said "yes, it shows eh?"...

As i was walking towards passport control.. several thoughts flooded my mind of that little incident... "Greek living abroad...?" Does the word Greek represent me? I left Greece fairly young.. I even adopted an awful english accent when speaking in Greek.. (and vice versa, I have a Greek accent when i speak in English.. ) I do not know any more than the basics in this country... I hadn't suffered in this country during recession... I never voted here.. Never worked or paid taxes in this country, I don't hold a Greek passport or ID card, I haven't completed my national service... and to make matters worse.. I took an Oath to the Queen of another country. I cannot even write this message in Greek without having a 10 year old girl correcting my spelling in Greek (so i avoided it all together...)

So I continued to question myself.. what makes me Greek after 18 years being out of Greece. Does the little line reading "place of birth: Mytilene" in my British Passport, makes me Greek?

Regardless of my official documents, country of residence and everything else that make me "British" (Or Other White European living in England" I realise every day more and more that England has been my home and will continue to be VERY close to my heart...but Greece IS in my heart... No maths, no status of residency, no GDP, growth rate will be able to explain the reasons why I Love Greece so much..

So this week I would like to say loud and clear... Greece...THANK YOU for welcoming me home after so many years i have abandoned you... thank you for all the beautiful moments.. thank you for the summers and the winters i have passed here... Even now you are limbing to the finish line of this difficult times... i know you will make it..even with Euros or old Drachmas Greece you will survive... Smile, be positive and continue to fight back... I love you Greece.... you do not have enemies.. you have competitors wanting a piece of this paradise...

Wonderful Greece I Love you like never before! be patient...

Like Homer finding Ithaca: Mum, Dad see you tonight. Final destination reached... :'-)

[rainbowtowel]

The barbarians will be challenged

(9 July 2015)

No barbarians nor 'saviours' will ever stop this Greek sun rising behind the mountains. No IMF nor ECB will change the colour of this blue sea. Technocrats, to conquer this land from the sea, you must pass through the Cyanean Rocks and the Sirens. To invade from the sky you have to battle the Stymphalian birds and the harpies. King Leonidas I, said "Molon Labe" (come and take them), the modern Greeks 2500 years later echo... COME AND TAKE THEM....