My Last Days on Patmos
By Helen Grubner. Filed in Uncategorized |
Family of seven cats - Skala, Patmos
On Patmos, the island which is a place of pilgrimage for both Orthodox and Western Christians, you can sense and feel the spirituality that is here – somehow it is in the air. I need to revisit sometime in the spring or autumn when there is not the intense summer heat like now – my attempts to walk the Old Paths of Patmos have been rather pathetic I feel, it is simply just too hot for me. I have been taking things pretty easy, still I guess that is what holidays are supposed to be all about.
Sunday evening I experienced my finest dining experience here on Patmos at Xiliomodi, an Ouzeri/Fish Taverna. Sat at an outside table in an alleyway and thoroughly enjoyed a large plate of large shrimps, together with a glass of ouzo. The Greek music (Cretan style) was exactly to my liking and I returned to Villa Zacharo Hotel just in time to see the finish of the World Cup 2010 Final – Spain 1, Netherlands 0. What will the people find to do now that the football is all over?
Yesterday was my son Dave’s birthday and so I surprised him with a telephone call. He was with friends at my mum’s house – it is comforting to know there are some very nice people looking out for him back home, I do miss him heaps. Visited the bakery for two mikro milopitas (small apple pies) which was my breakfast, a portokalada (orangeade) at Houston Cafe then the bus to Kampos Beach. Not really my scene, very touristy and 8 Euros for 2 deckchairs on the beach – I found a quiet spot under a tamarisk tree until lunchtime when I made my way across the road to a Taverna for Yemista (stuffed tomatoes and peppers) and an ice cold beer. Lay down on a bench in the shade on the beach until the bus arrived at 1500 hours for my return to Skala. Last night at Taverna Grigoris, a rather noisy location on a corner, I had Moussaka and wine with a complimentary sweet on the house to finish.
Today I was back at Houston Cafe for another portokalada before setting off to visit the Ancient Acropolis of Kasteli. In the heat of the day I somehow ended up on a path that took me to a beautiful little church on the hillside overlooking Skala but I did not find Kasteli – never mind, another time. Once back in the town of Skala I saw this family of seven cats and as you will all have come to realise by now, I cannot resist the temptation to take yet one more cat photograph. Greek salad and another ice cold beer at Taverna Ostria then back to the hotel for siesta.
Tomorrow I move on to the small island of Agathonissi, only 8 kilometres off the coast of Turkey and with quite a story to tell I believe about refugees mainly from Iraq and Afghanistan who try to use the island as an entrance way into Europe. With a population of only 80-100 people, I do not expect to find Internet there so it may be 3-4 days before my next blog is published from the island of Samos.