Neither Here Nor There


Advertisement
Greece's flag
Europe » Greece » South Aegean » Santorini
December 16th 2009
Published: December 16th 2009
Edit Blog Post

Well it is already raining in Greek island paradise. Bummer. In paradise’s defense, it was bright and sunny when I got here just a few hours ago. My room is great. I have my own balcony with a view of the water! When the sun comes back it is going to make a fab spot for reading. I already made it into the town of Fira, which is the capital of Santorini. Since it is December, it is pretty quiet. During the summer I think Santorini is pretty touristy, so right now it is a bit like a ghost town. Not to say there aren’t things open, but there do seem to be many things closed. I found a nice looking café where I wanted to eat lunch, but was told they were only serving coffee since “it’s winter!” This was at like 12:30, mind you. I guess people in Santorini don’t eat lunch in the winter?? Whatever. I did manage to find lunch and I also got to take in that Caldera view that I’ve read so much about in the guidebooks. And I must say, it is pretty spectacular. I rode the local bus to get back to the villa (I am staying at Villa Manos) which was a little crazy. I think I may look into renting a car. If I can get an automatic I think that might be swell. We’ll see.

*****

Oh Greece. Land where they don’t eat lunch in the wintertime? Finding lunch continues to be a source of frustration. Dinner’s okay. They just don’t seem to serve lunch. Perhaps it is just a Sunday thing though. These are the kind of details I really need to figure out. In their defense, they’ll give you a coffee anytime (to have with your cigarette). I think I am just going to have to set up a standing brunch date with Poppy (the proprieter of the hotel) and leave it at that. I knew there were going to be certain challenges to traveling off season (“part of the adventure” as Dad would say, but I had not quite anticipated this. I assume actual residents of the island need to eat lunch? Although perhaps at this point all assumptions should just be thrown out the window.

When I first got here I thought I might be the only person crazy enough to be staying here. From the sounds last night I could tell that I wasn’t though. Today I have seen that there is a couple staying above me and a pair of Asian women down the way. I was having fun speculating about the couple, who I had seen sitting out on their balcony. What are they doing here? For a while I hadn’t even been able to distinguish what language they were speaking so the possibilities were endless. Ned and Harriet if they were American. Phillipe and Jacqueline if they were more European. I did finally hear them speak. American. Kind of disappointing (except for the exciting new possibility of eavesdropping!). So, Ned and Harriet it is I guess. Anyway, they barely speak to one another at all. Does this mean they are deeply in love and simply enjoy being in one another’s company. Or is their relationship strained? Have they come here to try and reconnect? (If so, it doesn’t sound like there is a whole lot of connection occurring… ). Where are they from? Chicago? California? I detect no distinct regional accents. I will continue to speculate about “their story.” I can’t help myself.

It is an odd thing, this vacationing alone. I think it is probably overrated, if you are an extrovert at least. On the one hand, it is nice being by yourself. You can do what you want, when you want. You set your own schedule completely. You can do as much or as little as you would like. However, this can also be sort of overwhelming. Esepcially in a place where you don’t speak the language. The islands seem thrown by a foreigner this time of year. A little irritated by my presence almost. It’s like Santorini (and its residents) spend so much time during the summer months “being fabulous” for outsiders that they get worn out and just can’t take it any longer.

*****

So I am fascinated by the dynamic of the little restaurant where I have eaten dinner in the village the last two nights. I ended up there the first night because it was closest to my hotel and since I was walking there is the cold windy rainyness that was really all that mattered. The thing that interests me though is that the restaurant almost just seems like a front for a hangout for the owners and their
note from the hotel managementnote from the hotel managementnote from the hotel management

I don't know if you can read this, but I had to take a picture of it, because it has some really adorable mistakes. Not that I can judge, since I have picked up all of two greek words!
family and/or friends. The customers seem almost like an afterthought. The first night I went I thought it might be a special occasion since there was a football match on. After going back the second night, I’m thinking not. Although, granted, there did seem to be another football match on. I still don’t quite understand the hype. Anyway, there is this one long table where all of the “insiders” hang out. Ironically, some of them seem to bring their own food. It’s fun though. There are kids and little dogs running around. It can be chaotic. They make a lot of noise. Even though I obviously can’t understand what they’re saying, I like it. I haven’t been getting a whole lot of human interaction during the day, so I have to say, it’s nice, even if it is just a chance to observe.

I am establishing a bizarre pattern of existence for myself. Wake anywhere from 9:30-10:30. Read in bed. Eat “breakfast” of whatever pastries I have in my room. At 12:30, second “breakfast” in the hotel. I am counting this as brunch or lunch, but it is advertised as breakfast. Whatever. It solves the great lunch quandary. That will be followed by writing or more reading, either back in bed or on my little balcony. (This depends largely upon the weather. Today I have been mostly inside because, while it is sunny again today, it is a bit cooler and windier than it was yesterday.)

Then there are afternoon/evening excursions or dinner. This evening I am planning on going to the little town Oia, which is north of here, where the sunsets are supposed to be especially spectacular. I figure I can watch the sun set and have dinner. Tomorrow I am going to go visit a winery. It amuses me to no end that at this end of the world place, my father still knows someone who knows someone who lives here. He even sent me pictures he took in his store of the wines they make there. Adorable. Anyway, my evenings are generally filled with freecell and or more reading. And listening to my ipod. I am remembering how great the songs on my ipod are. I have watched tv a little bit. I am not sure I am operating my tv correctly. The remote seems to work intermittently. There’s only a little English language stuff (with Greek subtitles of course). I watched an episode of “America’s Next Top Model.” Why the Greeks would care about this is a little mysterious to me, since I am SO over Tyra Banks, and have been for some time now. She looks like a freaking alien in her crazy getup.

I am not quite sure how I feel about America exporting this show. Who made this decision? Is this really the best we can do? However, after America’s next top model, I watched “The F Word” which is a British show featuring that guy who stars in “Hell’s Kitchen.” Let me just say that really is the weirdest show ever (it makes Tyra’s outfits look like nothing!). So, while someone in America might be making a poor choice, someone in the UK is making a worse one. I would keep this show locked up! Let me explain. On the one hand, it’s sort of a cooking competition show a la “Top Chef.” Okay, that’s good. I understand that kind of show. There were these two guys who were sort of competing to be able to “stay in the F word kitchen” BUT this was actually a minor part of the show. Other parts of the show included a report on how much connective tissue is in sausage sold in British supermarkets (gag), the chef talking about his “get women back in the kitchen” campaign (jerk), the chef going out and teaching two women flat mates how to cook so they can “get men” (random and sort of offensive), AND, this is the most outlandish, him repeatedly fretting about his low sperm count!! I know, who thought that would ever be considered an acceptable topic for inclusion in a cooking show. Keep in mind that this was all in only one episode. Beyond weird. I mean if I happen to catch it on again, I probably will watch it. Just because of the surprise factor. It’s like, who knows what could be coming next? Will he start talking about his headlice? Maybe that’s the tactic they’re counting on.



Advertisement



Tot: 0.165s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 12; qc: 54; dbt: 0.0548s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.2mb