for old times sake, in the top five format, i'd like to feature a guest blogger. a dear friend, whom i'm sure you know very well from it's all happening, is a traveling soul in the heart of europe at the moment. she sent me the most touching note that i know will inspire you, too. i want her to feel even more empowered in her sojourn.
her words so eloquently transcend the essence of appreciating the ups and downs of adventuring.
may her writing inspire and speak to you on the importance of gratitude as much as it did to me.
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yassas gina!
upon your advice i've been doing some meditating and contemplating. i have yet to put pen to paper, but i've got a few thoughts running through my head so i'll spill them...
1. spetses
i love this tiny island because you can never really get lost. for a solo traveler who doesn't speak greek or read the greek alphabet, this is a big comfort. i rented a bicycle and biked around about half of the island. you just follow the sea and there are no tricky paths, large hills, or steep slopes to speak of. although my butt is sore today from an uncomfortable seat, it was very freeing to bike around. even in the main little town, there are tons of tiny streets and alleys but they all {eventually} lead to the ocean and the main road.
2. people acting friendly or aloof.
the staff at my hotel is very warm, i think i was the only person staying in the hotel last night so it felt a bit lonely. at breakfast the woman who works here offered to make me anything i wanted, and immediately brought out warm pastries and hot coffee. some of the waiters in town are a bit gruff, even when i try to speak some greek {yassas = hello, ofcareisto = thank you}, they are sort of unresponsive. i don't take this personally, the country is in deep economic troubles and this little resort island doesn't get much business during the week. wealthy athenians come here on the weekends, but that's about it until the summer months. they probably deal with a lot of rude people, and i don't begrudge them some aloofness to a random american girl wandering around {i think i look about sixteen to them - which is why the woman at the bike rental place didn't let me rent a vespa when i tried}!
3. kitties.
this i remember well from my time in greece when i was little. it's sad for the fact that there is probably a kitten over-breeding problem, but it's also great for an amateur photographer like me who loves a fuzzy subject. they are all over! meow.
4. time to think, and see.
i've gotten used to eating alone here on the island, but i'm definitely excited to get back to athens and especially back to paris. two radically different cities, but what's in common is that they are big, vibrant cities. i can talk a big game about the peace and tranquility of island life, but now i know for certain i truly am a city girl. i loved, loved going out into the trendy, non-touristy and fun neighborhood in athens on the night before i left for spetses. for a vague comparison think mission-esque restaurants {except al fresco}, a dash of northbeach broadway clubs, and several small tavernas and rustic bars in the loin or lower polk. fun! i was with good company because they said they hated the big noisy clubs. phew.
5. {well, five is too personal, so i - as the non-guest - must edit}.
just know that this is the best part...
...i think i might be a little less cynical about chance encounters, foreigners, romance, and finding love/lust/friendship at the tipsy pig. incroyable!
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thank you for sharing. you are an inspiration and i am living vicariously through you.
images found here and here.
bon voyage!
Guest blogging is such a treat!
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