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Published: August 26th 2007
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A Real Spinach Pie!
This is an authentic Spanikopita... So delicious!!! Good Day, Kalymnos, Greece! I arrived in Athens and took a good look at the fabulous architecture sites there. The next day I came into Kalymnos and just
happened to walk into the exact week of the International Dive Festival of Kalymnos. This means that I get to dive for the next two weeks
FOR FREE.
Sponges Okay, let's back up. Kalymnos is famous for their sponges. The problem is that for the last 25 years, the mayors of the small island didnt promote tourism, they promoted the destruction of the natural wildlife -sponges - because foreigners wanted them (the world demand is 6 times more than the supply), and therefore it brought in a lot of foreign revenue. Infact, 70 percent of the islands revenue came from sponges. Somewhere along the way a disease of the sponges came about, and anytime a diver simply touched the sponges, it would instantly turn to dust. They call it a disease. I think it is God saying, "Leave my Sponges Alone!"
(Probably in the same tone that Moses said, 'let my people go!')
So of course, they had to promote tourism since the money from sponges was gone, but now
Caryatids
The statues of the beautiful priestesses supported the roof of the southern balcony of the Erechtheion. there is less tourism since the sponges are dying out. Also, many of the fishes have been fished out.
Since this sponge disease was a new phenomenon, the divers kept going lower and lower into the depths of the ocean to find better sponges, and voila. There is a massive decompression chamber at the port. This is for divers who come up too quickly, as they usually did and would have decompression illness. Infact, a third of all men (back in the day) were dead or paralyzed by the time they were of maritable age.
Deep Water Soloing On Thursday, I go out to do some dives, and there is this big, massive beautiful rock above the cave, and so I pull out my spare pair of climbing shoes, attach them to my waist with a rope, and jump into the water. I swim over to the rock, take off my fins and mask, put them on a part of the rock that is safe, and put on my shoes (underwater) and start to Deep Water Solo. Meaning, I climbed up from the water, and jumped down into the water. How FUN!
Living on a boat Okay, so
swimming in Kalymnos
The water here is perfect. here I am, enjoying Kalymnos, riding scooters, and going to Massouri, which is the part of the island that I plan to rock climb and spend several months visiting... and I have dinner with the five boatsmen that are taking people out everyday... (dinner is freshly caught tuna!) and I ask them if I can stay. I am for the first time in 3 months paying for accomodation, and I have better uses for my money. I have bargained accomodation down to only 20 Euros, but all the same, it is 20 Euros that I can use for countless other things. (money for acupuncture school, a haircut that I desperately need, more spinach pies, etc.) and the captain reminds me that there are five MEN that I am wanting to share the boat with. 'Dont you see?' I asked him... 'With five men I am bound to be protected.' I offered to pay him to let me stay on the boat (as long as it is less that 20 Euros) but he would hear none of it. As long as I cooked and cleaned, I could stay for free. (they were joking; they take such good care of me. I
Biker Babe.
I am a biker bombshell now.
I would have worn my bikini save for my burnt back. (I wore a helmet while riding) rarely even make my own tea)
Anyways, they seem to like having some estrogen (girl-energy) around.
Octopus! Georgios -the boat captain- and I go out snorkeling regularly. He seems to have a knack for finding octopuses hidden under rocks. He catches them, plays with them, and they quickly take to him. The first time they inked the water, it scared me, and I could hear Giorgios saying into his snorkel, 'it's okay! it's okay!' and soon I started to pet them. They are soooo cute. and squishy. The first day, he put it on his body and the octopus stuck. He joked that it adopted him, and thought that he was the father. Today, he put it on my leg, and I started swimming around. Then he put it on my chest like a necklace, and I swam with it there for about 20 minutes. It is so amazing to have such a cute little creature holding on to you, and to be able to pet it and feel its heart beat on your chest. I tell you: I will never be able to eat octopus with much enthusiasm ever again!
Climbing Massouri Climbing season in Massouri starts
Climbing the Acropolis
Desperate to climb, I climb the Acropolis... on September first, and lasts for quite a while. I am thinking of renting a room for a month or two (talk about commitment!).
Recommended reading:
A Son of a Circus by John Irving.
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Auntie Lyn~
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OOOH Greece!!!!
Have always wanted to go! The food must be amazing I know the people ARE!!! Rock on with your having fun self!!! Love ya: Auntie Lyn~