I’ve been sitting here for ten minutes and I simply cannot figure out how to begin this blog. I was thinking of starting with something along the lines of, “Nothing quite compares to swimming in the tranquil waters of the Aegean Sea.” But that feels cliché to me and totally leaves out the discomfort of being stung by jelly fish and frying my skin to the state of an overcooked lobster. Honestly though, nothing really does compare. I come from Colorado where no matter the weather the water is cold and rarely entices me to stay in for too long. Here though, I could swim about forever; it’s clear, it’s warm, it’s still, it’s a whole array of dramatic colors (all of them my favorite), and I just can’t really get enough of it.
Today was a full blown beach day. Maybe I should go into philosophy. Sit around, talk some, think a lot, argue and debate a little bit more, go swimming, sit, talk, eat, think. It all sounds pretty good to me. I keep thinking, “Hey! I could totally do this for the rest of my life!” I mean, yesterday we met another college group from Boulder, CO and they are here studying Archeology, which means they are going to all the same cites we are but the difference is that they get no free time. Their professor sounded pretty incredulous when she found out we were taking bikes down to the beach today. She didn’t get to see the faces of her students behind her though, they were ones of longing. I didn’t blame them, I personally was thrilled at the plan for the day, and a good day it has been.
The bike ride down to the beach was pretty stunning. It wound along a gravel path at the base of the cliffs and deposited us onto a beach only about a mile and a half from our hotel. Our poor guide came around the corner after all of us and found her group of American college students already in the water swimming in a small cove long before the actually beach itself. We simply couldn’t keep ourselves out of the water. She’s pretty good natured though and jumped in with us laughing at our rather impulsive spirits. She has to be one of the most patient and flexible woman I have ever met. We brought a big picnic lunch and after eating chunks of fresh feta, the richest salami I have ever had, slices of cucumber and olives, a couple of us picked our bikes out of the sand and continued the adventure.
We didn’t make it too terribly far because I simply couldn’t resist the urge to ditch my bike and swim out to an island off the coast a little ways. I somehow wrangled three other people into coming with me and after I swallowed my fear of deep water we paddled out through the waves to this little rocky, seagull infested clump of ground and tromped around for a while. It was so small that we walked around the circumference in probably less than an hour and then swam back. It wasn’t exactly the easiest thing getting in and out of the water due to the hoards of black and poisonous looking sea urchins carpeting the floor not to mention waves lapping up to steep and jagged limestone boulders but we succeeded. We had to dive off the rocks to get back into the ocean because down climbing wasn’t such a safe looking option and it was on the way back that the attack of the jelly fish occurred. We were only about half way between the island and the shore when the first sting got my back, sadly it was not to be the last. I must have been at the forefront of the jellyfish pod because I got stung repeatedly all over my body while my comrades swam comfortably off to my left and only suffered one or two casualties.
Jelly fish stings feel like bee stings but worse because you’re in salt water, which just serves to aggravate the already sensitive area. I looked like I had the chicken pox when we finally climbed back out of the water but thankfully those kinds of things go away in a short amount of time. Sadly sunburns do not and it looks like I might be in for a long night with a back so tender I don’t even want clothing to touch it. The Mediterranean sun can be deceiving, it certainly doesn’t feel like its burning you in the same way the Colorado sun does but I tell ya, once you’re burned it feels just the same. Even in the face of these small discomforts and inconveniences the island expedition might just be the highlight of my trip so far. I’m always up for a good adventure and this certainly qualifies.
We are about halfway through our trip today and so I was thinking about my favorite places and things so far, here is my list.
Best food: Dolmas, which are a stuffed grape leaf and very traditional food.
Worst food: Coffee, I swear you cannot get a good cup of coffee here and tea is unheard of.
Favorite town: Arachova, it was a little mountain ski town that felt like Aspen or Telluride.
Favorite area: Napflion, I mean who doesn’t like little stone streets, the sea and a huge Venetian fortress overlooking the town?
Favorite ruin: Poseidon’s Temple. I just couldn’t get enough of the location and the lack of infrastructure surrounding the area.
Favorite activity: Swimming to the island and running through Olympia.
This trip has been full of a lot of favorites and very few disappointments. In fact I can think of very few things that I have not enjoyed fully. Our guide is wonderful, our group dynamics harmonious, our professor interesting and engaging and Greece beautiful. If it weren’t so darn expensive it would be the perfect place!
Wandering Tattler 