Gossamer

Under the colorful
veil of life,
you are nothing,
but a gossamer,
so beautiful,
and fragile,
you're truely
unique.

Pretence

He who walks, on the road of pretence,
no mask will find, for his final defence.

Water

No bottom I feel,
there under my feet,
just kicking the water.

My ears are drumming,
then light becomes me.

Leaving

From darkness a door has been opened,
in sight I find steps to a path yet unknown.
Lightly I move out of fear to be woken,
but gently so gently I am leaving my home.

Shadows

Shadows are like children,
born by the fear of a greater presence.

He who stands in the way of his own light,
has fathered the shadows before him.

Greece

And the Oracle said
My last day in Greece was spent visiting Delphi. This is 3 hours by bus from Athens, and the weather turned out to be the best so far this spring/winter. The Pythia was unfortunately not present at the moment, so I didn't get to ask the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, which means that 42 is still the only answer ever given. Instead of worrying over this I delighted in exploring the rest of the site, which is beautifully located at Mount Parnassus. There was a small, table-sized reconstruction of the site inside the museum, which gave some idea of how the whole place must have looked back when it was in full bloom.



At this UNESCO World heritage site the sanctuary of Athena is probably the most picturesque remains for photography.

Drinking sun with Poseidon
Yesterday I was back in Athens after 5 hours on a high speed boat from Santorini on monday. Since I've already seen the major tourist attractions in Athens I was a bit unsure of what to do with the remaining days. Going to Mount Olympous turned out to be more of journey than what was doable in a couple of days, especially if I was going to climb it, which would be sort of the whole reason for going in the first place. The receptionist at the hostel where I'm staying suggested going on day trips to Corinth or Delphi, so I'll probably do either or both on thursday and friday. Today I'm going jogging in the national gardens and maybe take the tram down the attic coast where there are some nice beaches and cafees, we'll see. Yesterday evening I spent in the company of Poseidon. Down at Sounio, at the very edge of the mainland there is a temple honouring Poseidon, ancient God of the seas. This is an excellent place to watch the sun set, and although it was rather cold and windy, the beautiful view was warming my heart, so what more does one need?



Santorini sunset and national day
Yesterday I left Paros behind and ferried on to Santorini. Arriving around 5 pm I was happy to find that the bus to Fira (main city) was waiting at the harbour.

Politely fencing off hotel and hostel owners who wanted to rent me a place I found my seat on the bus, and after chasing off a rather persistant house owner in Fira I got some help from a local taxi driver to find my hotel (this is actually not so easy because the roads do not look like they have any names, and even though I was only 150 m from the hotel it wasn't exactly visible from the bus station). Leaving my backpack at hotel Lignos I first thought I'd go to Oia to see the sunset, but there was not going to be any bus returning later that night so I settled for the sunset at Fira, which was very beautiful (pictures come later). Since it's still winter season, not may pubs or bars were open, in fact there were not very many people about at 10 pm, so I decided to head for bed.

Today is the national day of Greece, and this was celebrated with parades, national costumes, music and dancing in the streets of Fira.

It reminded me of our own national day celebration (May 17th), although the celebrations here only lasted for a couple of hours, after which I returned to my hotel. Since some worker decided drilling in the street outside my room was excellent exercise on a sunday, I went out jogging to shake of some strain from all the travelling (and also to get away from the noice). It is still too cold to go swimming so my afternoon exercise will be walking down (and up again unless the cable car is working) the 589 steps down to Skala, which is the small harbour where boat trips go out to the vocano during the high season. By then I'm sure I've worked up some appetite, maybe I'll go try the seafood restaurant next to this internet cafe. Tomorrow I'm returning to Athens with the high speed ferry at 5 pm.



Paros
Yesterday was terrible. The weather really did nothing to cooperate, it was all over the place, quite literally, not too much rain, but I'd say "rather" windy, with sand blowing in my eyes and everything being closed on this little island. Paros is certainly not the place to be outside the season. Today, friday, everything looks much better with little wind and sun from a clear blue sky.



However, it is not very warm, and there does not appear to much to do, though I'm planning a trip to the peak above Parikia, the city on Paros where I'm staying. It's easy though to picture how nice these islands are during the high season, although they are extremely touristified, if that is a word. Right now I'm sitting in a desolate cafe on Antiparos, the tiny island next to Paros. I though I'd go see some caves with stalagmites, but apparently there are no buses on this island this early in the season. I suppose walking 2.5h each way is out of the question. I guess I'll go looking for some lunch instead. Since the islands are not the best places to be in the winter season I'm only going to visit Santorini before I head back to the main land for the last part of my holiday. The plan is therefore to go by train on the main land. If there is time I want to visit the area around Mount Olympous, the home of Zeus, just to pay a visit and say Hi!

After returning to Parikia and lunching at a local grill bar I decided to head for this tiny hill behind Parikia where I had seen a cross clearly visible against the blue sky. Finding the right road was not easy, but after passing through some green fields and over a couple of stone walls I found the right path. As I headed up I realized there was something looking like a church or a monastary high up in the hillside. I headed for it. Close to the top I met a guy on a moped who apparently had seen me coming up the road. At first I thought I was on private property and that he came to tell me to leave, but this turned out not to be the case. He was the protector of the monastary and although it was past opening hours he invited me in to have a look around. The view of Parikia was really great so high up. Here, way up in the hills he had lived for the past year, painting religious motives, crusifixes, and receiving visitors. After showing me around he invited me in and insisted on drawing a small gift for me, which turned out to be a picture of the crusified Jesus Crist (not too surprising...) He was very talkative and insisted on explaining to me how great the Greek-orthodox church was, to which I listened politely, and it was an interesting conversation, even though his english was not very good. An hour and a half later he gave me a ride back down to the city on his moped. A fascinating experience, and surely a good example of the famous Greek hospitality!

In Athens
On tuesday night (1 am) I finally arrived in Athens, and 40 euros (taxi) and about an hour later I found the place I am staying, Athens Backpackers, right next to the Akropolis. Waking on tuesday morning around 9 am, feeling fresh... or maybe not so fresh, but a shower later I went out to check out do all the "must-do" sight-seeing including the Akropolis and the ancient Agora right next to it. In the busy street next to it I found lots of nice little cafees, and decided on a tuna salad in one of them. This is also the district where there is a large flee market, and the shopping district is also in the vicinity. However, I decided to leave the shopping district and flee market for wednesday and went, yes, actually walked all the way to this little hill in the middle of the city, named Mount Lycabettus, where I dined at the restaurant located on at the top of the hill. There was a cool, but steep cable car taking me the final climb up to the hill. I was very greatful for this since my feet were beginning to tire. After a nice dinner - traditional greek Mousaka, I went back to the hostel to put my feet up for a while. It was a long day with tons of walking about just seeing stuff and taking pictures. I'll post pictures on flickr once I get back. At first I was planning on going out in the evening, but since I didn't get any sleep until 4 am or so I decided not to go, or in other words, I fell asleep and didn't really wake up until it was time to go to bed.



Today, which is wednesday I've been walking around the shopping district and checking out the flee market. Before I did that I went down to Pireas to check out the harbour and buy a ticket to Paros for tomorrow. I'm leaving at 7.25 am, which means I'll have to get up pretty early, but it'll be exciting! Leaving Athens behind and going out on the different Islands seems to be the right thing to do even if this is a very quiet season on the islands. It might be too cold to go for a swim, but I'm sure there's other stuff to do besides swimming. After Paros I'm planning on going on to Naxos, where I'll probably be on sunday, which is the national day here in Greece. I'm looking forward to seeing that, perhaps it'll be a little bit like our own national day, everyone being outside celebrating! This evening I went on the hill oposite Akropolis, the hill of the Nymphs, which gives an excellent view of the city as well! It was so nice and peaceful up there, no tourists crowding the place. I found a nice little bench with a view and settled down to read a little in the book I brought, an excellent read by Virginia Wolf; the Waves.

To be a mountain

Born in the breaking, where forces are strong,
like a child of the tidal, where I now belong.

With a face of crust, and curls of snowflakes,
my tears run in rivers, I shiver from quakes.

My slopes they are gentle, with a peak raised up high,
to be grounded on Earth, yet reach for the sky.

I watch over those, who dears to believe,
there is more to this life, than pain or relief.

A distant humming

I awake. Two bare feet, nothing more, except the sand.

How did I get here?

This place is strange. I feel my heart breathing. A salty taste touch my mouth. Did I wash ashore?

I can't seem to remember where I came from. The breaking of waves gently wash my awareness away, it's like the magic breath on a wounded knee.

My head is tingling. It's delightfully quiet. The constant drumming, like rain on my windshield is gone. Did I make up this place? Is it some kind of sanctuary?

At first it was just this; waves and sand, but now I see more. There is a boat behind me, resting its temples on the shore. Is it my boat?

There are no ores.

That is strange. I haven't looked inside the boat, but still I know. This boat doesn't need ores, neither does it sail with the wind. Still, it must have brought me here, and for a reason.

I believe in reason. Reason as in purpose, not so much in the reason of mind. It always seems to work in peculiar ways.

So I didn't just wash ashore. I was brought here. Or did I guide myself to this place? If so, why? Has my sub-conscious self made me escape? And why do I say escape? Is there something I've been unwilling to see?

The boat is gone. Why am I not surprised? There must be purpose here. Am I stuck till I resolve it, or can I wish the boat back?

There are footsteps in the sand leading away from the boat. Are they mine?

They look too small. I put my foot down next too one, they are like a child's. My eyes trace their path. All of a sudden I realize there is vegetation growing on the shores. A small forest only a short walk away. I head for it.

The trees are tall and the forest looks more intimidating up close. On the floor I see light reflections in water. I carefully taste a drop from a leave. Salty, like tears from heaven.

I feel drawn into the forest, like a wind brushing my senses. I start to walk. One step. Two steps. I look back. All I see is the forest. It is growing thick around me. Where did I enter?

There is little light and I struggle to see. I realize I've lost the track I was following. Was there ever really a track? I focus on the task I've set. Find the child. It appears to be the key to unlock this mystery, or so it feels.

I move on. Just relax, I tell myself. These are not trees. I breath deeply. My breast rise gently as my stomach fills. When I exhale, black smoke dissipates.

There is more light now.

A clearing appears infront of me. It's encircling a large oak. Maybe this is where the child went? As I approach I feel watched. And then there is humming. Like the sound of a mother rocking her infant.

The oak is enormous. I realize it's reaching out far, like the hands of a father to thousands of children. If I climbed to the top maybe I'd see my way out of the forest? I slowly walk around to find the best approach to ascend.

The branches are too high up. Instead I sit down to rest. Weariness descends on me as I lean back. How far have I come? The humming returns. It's coming from the tree.

I feel sad. The humming saddens me. Like a presence colored in loneliness. I exhale my sympathy. More black smoke dissipates.

Someone is standing infront of me. Did I close my eyes for a moment? Where did he come from? I realize it must be the child I was following.

He looks at me. This is no child. I'm not really afraid of him. He knows. I feel compelled to say something, but words seem to have lost all meaning.

There must be a lesson here. There must be purpose. This oak is not here by coincidence. The child that is no child is trying to teach me something.

No wonder the oak feels lonely. Encircled by a forest that seems to keep a safe distance. Or is the distance enforced by the spirit on which I now lean?

And what is this black smoke I keep exhaling?

The child is stretching out a hand. I must have lost focus for a while. I take it. It feels strong, safe somehow.

Reason

Reason is air to whom is seeking truth in the corridors of past experience.

The wind of change

A wind is pulling the roots of my temple.
I humbly beg for my presence to remain.
Like a servant I cast my fears on the shore.
To rise clean from the shadows of earthly stain.

In corners of doubt I find pieces of silver.
Like a shrine I must gather to serve as a whole.
A sword has been brought for my final transition.
To slice pain from my heart in the light of my soul.