janestarz | Log of Greece, Day 8

It's been a while since I last wrote, which probably is some indication that we are either busy or having a good time or both. Either way, I've got a lot of writing to do. Friday, my birthday, was a rainy day with only 23°C, as forecast but only a day later than we assumed. The weather was horrid, but we had some stuff to do.
First, we went to see a man, about a ring.

We spent the afternoon here in Artemis. I sorted out the entries, chronologically speaking at least; I have no idea what IE actually did to them but the dates were all jumbled. I'm glad I had time to notice this and fix it, because that would have been very hard a year later.
After that, we asked for the games they stock at the pool bar, and were surprised those were all Dutch. Though NoKey is a sucker for vier-op-een-rij, we settled for Trivial Pursuit, the family edition, and made up some new rules as we went along. That is, after all, what rules are for.

Meanwhile, we've been having almost daily dinners at Taverna Alexandros, much to the delight of Stamatis and Lydia. Their very dim-witted help-waitress Nadia delights in driving us to near-blonde duh-ness.
And we've been getting to know the cats.

The cats are mutts, tramps and near-skeletal vagabonds. One, a white brute with cypers tail we call Brute, is definitely Boss. He doesn't much care for humans shooing him either. And he's way above begging for food.
Then there's Yowler. She's a young cat, and begs in the most yowling plaintive voice, but is a very sweet cat. When she sat enjoying my attentions, she was completely sumberged in my petting her.
Then there's Fluff and Brother. Fluff is very pettable also, and as fluffy as his name suggests. He and his brother are red and white, though Brother is smaller, thinner, more scratched, cross-eyed, and looks quite sickly. Brother doesn't come around for petting though; he only wants one thing and that is definitely lying on your plate. Fluff is usually followed around by Shadow, who is just done with being a kitten. Shadow's brother is called Black. They don't often come around, but Shadow allows me to touch him, and some careful synchronous-throwing ensured that Fluff doesn't chase him off to steal his food.

Last, but definitely not least is Grízo. He looks just like my first cat Grijs, and is about as cuddly, scratched and ill-fed as when I first got to know Grijs. Just like Fluff, he enjoys being petted almost as much as being fed table scraps (almost!), and doesn't care to sit around waiting for the one if the other is freely available. Just like Fluff has Brother and Shadow around, Grízo has a whole pride of equally-coloured brothers and sisters around. Grízo's pride is the dominant one, and Grízo himself is the only one that comes to the terrace for cuddles and yummies.

Saturday was spent at the beach, where my sun-rash showed its ugly red head once more. Even with the tanning pills, we burned slightly.
Sunday, NoKey went cycling with me to the Asklépion, where Hippocrates made his oath. The bicycle ride was terrible with steep roads but the sights were worth it. Most impressive: the view from the top, and the basin of water with a small stream leading from it, where numerous bees came to drink. (Gods, I love my camera).
Sunday afternoon, he went cycling alone, while I recuperated and finished reading Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide. NoKey found the 400 meter line high enough up at least, and brought home a tan and pictures of tortoises and the view.
I am just too badly out of shape for cycling in the mountains, it seems, and probably suffering from high blood pressure. So, we refrain from taking any more salt and started working on my endurance.
Today we walked to Psalídi and back, a total trip of about 15 kilometers. True, we didn't make great time, but I got to take more pictures of butterflies, and walk (!) in the sun (!).

Tomorrow, who knows. The bus to Zia, and then up Mt. Dikios? Or lounge by the pool? Who knows...