Sojourn in Greece: Week 3

Didn't much feel like going out and about today, but convinced myself to explore Vouliagmeni's famous lake, which is about 1.5 km away on the east side of the harbor on the main road south. Ancient caves gave way, leaving a curved cliff with mineral waters at the base. The lake is both sea and spring fed, salty enough to make floating easy and not particularly brackish in looks or taste. The water was quite still until the late afternoon breeze came. I swam the perimeter twice during the afternoon, navigating around submerged rocks, over feathery seaweed, and through schools of tiny black fish (you have to be careful how you breathe when swimming!).Floating and looking up at the afternoon light on the cliffs made me wish I had contacts. In between rounds I sat at a table to dry off and grade papers.

Supposedly, older Greeks come here because the minerals in the water are curative. My guess is that they come because the atmosphere is calm, there are lots of tables and sturdy chairs, and café items to order. And the lake has a pleasant shallow section. After the super-tan, super-fit, scantily-clad bodies on the beaches, it was relaxing to see a bunch of rounded middle-aged women in their one-piece suits.

More photos >>

It's the first hazy day I've seen here, but that hasn't stopped dozens and dozens of boats and windsurfers from filling the waters this Sunday morning outside my balcony window.

Stacks of grading waiting for me, plus preparing for class and editing the roleplays. I've hit an energy slump, despite getting plenty of sleep. Here I am in Greece, I should be madly running around experiencing things; or at least swimming on the beaches every day, I tell myself. New work takes a lot of attention and psychic energy, though (thank goodness I've taught this course a number of times and contexts already). It's the travel let-down, I think; now I have enough routine to allow myself to be tired, and after the first flurry, everyone has mostly left me to my own devices. Once I have acquaintances here to go out and do things with, maybe I'll feel re-energized.

It doesn't help that I'm still sleeping on my couch. The landlady has promised to remove the new bright exterior lightbulb that flickers on and off through my bedroom curtains all night and illuminates the room well enough to read small print. I was advised that in Greece you have to make a fuss about things at least 3 times before they think you mean it, but since she's Australian, it's not clear which cultural rules apply :-) Last evening I heard 2 bursts of what sounded like gunfire very very close by, but all was silent and normal afterwards--way too loud to be imagined, but perhaps misinterpreted?

I forgot to post photos of my apartment >>

September is supposed to be sunny around here, they tell me, but Monday night it rained hard (during my class) for quite a while, and we've had little bursts of rain every day since. For a short while it makes dark red orange mud and slippery marble flooring, then soaks into the porous ground as if nothing had happened. Don't know if there's a connection, but yesterday afternoon, the sewer system in our fancy modern office buildings backed up, creating large puddles on the main floor and contaminating several offices (not mine, thank goodness). This morning, my office was command-central, because the Alba's facilities manager works in the same room. I printed out stuff in the computer lab and scooted home to finish my grading.

But last night, greater tragedy struck. I came home late and booted up my laptop to find that the wireless connection has disappeared :-( My hidden benefactor has either returned home after the summer season, or moved their router to a dense inside wall. They probably have no idea that I exist, or how bereft I feel in their absence. In the wealthy area where I'm staying, there is nothing so mundane as an internet cafe around; and Alba feels a bit spooky after classes end at 10pm. So for now through next week, no more cheap Skype phone conversations, folks, and emails but once a day, until I stop teaching Wed/Thurs nights. At home it is way too quiet without internet radio, though I did bring a few DVDs and CDs with me. I finally bought batteries for the flatscreen TV remote (it is too modern to stoop to providing actual buttons on the TV itself), so I get to watch CNN and Greek TV whenever I like.

And yes, the light bulb is still burning and I haven't gotten to the beach or taken a walk all week. Otherwise, everything is tootling along just fine, and it's time to plan my tourist outings for the next month. I appreciate the more dramatic rainy weather though; it suits my mood.