Mykanos, Greece

Last night, we were trying to find news that would give us information about what was happening at home. On the T.V. there is a Bloomberg channel -- but we cannot get CNN or BBC -- which is puzzling since we get a Russian version of CNN. They have taken the CNN turning globe only put it in red and even used a bit of the music! Too bad we cannot get this in U.S. It is easy to see propaganda -- of course we have our own propaganda in our T.V. but it is not as easily detected. For example there has been a series since we have been on board about Pioneers of Science --- they are all Russian --- for example -- there is the pioneer of space rackets --- he turns out to be a guy who thought about rockets --- but not a real scientist who experimented with them like Goddard -- The commentator says that he was considered a dreamer in his time.....but they make no mention of Goddard. We asked at the desk about why we cannot pull in CNN and they said it had to do with the satellites --- So I guess if you are on this side of the world you only get a one-sided view of what is happening. Maybe not so different than in the US where you only get BBC and Us news agencies.

We woke at 8:00 a.m. and then went down to breakfast. We asked for Matt to get a wake-up call at 9:00, but when he didn't show for breakfast -- I went back to our cabin and called him. He didn't answer, but after about 10 more minutes I called again and he answered very groggy. We left at about 10:45 or so. Each time you leave the ship you have to scan in your pass so that they know you are not on board. We boarded a bus for old town Mykanos and found ourselves walking toward the city center very quickly. Looking back we could see the big ship --- the largest in the harbor so much easier to find than in Athens where it was one of many large ships!

Walking along we encountered a group of school children with an adult who were cleaning up trash and caring for and watering plants along the roadside. They had a sign that said, "save the planet." So it is clear that the entire world is rising to the occasion when it comes to caring for our world. It was heartening to see, But it was also sad to see how many tourists had left their trash beside the road.

It is easy to see why the colors of Greece are blue and white. The blue of the see against the white of the buildings. They look very much like the homes in New Mexico except that they are whitewashed --- the same blue doors and shutters though make this feel like it is not so foreign. We stopped at a cafe with a very accommodating waitress--and a resident butterscotch cat. Kathy and Matt ordered sodas --- but I asked for coffee. Anna asked if I wanted American coffee. I said I wanted Greek Coffee--she asked if I wanted it hot or iced. I again indicated a preference to drink what the average Greek would be drinking. She said, a Greek would definitely choose iced for summer. So that is what I got. It was not bitter, but not too sweet either. It was very frothy and creamy....and quite refreshing. Anna indicated that I would be wired by this coffee, but I did not feel the jolt. There were several old Greeks at the table next to us....who seemed to approve of my choice. One of them rode away on a donkey after he had finished his coffee.

As I finished, Kathy asked if I would go and look for a shirt for her with the windmills of Mykanos on it for her. I walked through a maze of what are not much wider than a broad hallway, occasionally opening up onto plakas. Everyone has glass especially glass with the ever-present eye in blue glass--It is like the eye of God -- the evil eye and is seen as a protector. There are little chapels with domes, and I wondered into a icon shop which had icons of every description. I looked for a shirt that was very light weight -- but would keep me from burning. Even with the 85 sunscreen yesterday I burned a bit -- I found several Christmas gifts and the shirt, but this is the first thing I have bought that was souvenir-ish.

We headed for the bus to catch a ride to the beach.The ride to the beach was great as we climbed up to the very top of the island and then down to the beach. I found a school, a field of hay with rather large birds which I didn't recognize in it, homes of ordinary Greeks as well as new construction that looked like it would find its way on the Better Homes & Garden T.V. programs for people buying vacation homes in far-flung places. Older women here seem to dress in Black.....I wonder why? There are also rock walls built everywhere. They do not follow straight lines but they divide up the terrain in an odd patchwork. I don't see any indication of use for these walls --- they are a mystery --- perhaps when have Internet access I will be able to find out about them. There are windmills in many of the little communities and many many many little chapels -- tiny --- some part of homes --- each with its own dome and cross!

The hills are brown and many of the bushes are dead, but some things like bougainvillea thrive and look all the more beautiful because of the striking colors. Hibiscus are actually trained into trees here, along with trumpet vine, and something that looks like Clematis. In Athens there were stunning trees with lavender blooms --- I do not know what they were, but I did not see them here on Mykanos.

When we got down to the beach --we asked when the bus would return. This was a very good thing because the bus would return after 5:00 p.m. to pick us up -- which was after the ship left port! So we turned around and went back by the same route to the little port. Where we had lunch. Kathy and I enjoyed a Greek Salad with the best olives and Feta Cheese I have ever had. We also s dolmadake (sp) stuffed grape leaves.

We returned to the ship and set sail. We watched the sunset in the Mediterranean. Just before sunset there was the most amazing display of dolphins jumping along side the ship. There was a whole school of them swimming along with us for a time. The sun as it set almost equally divided the sea and sky . The only way to clearly tell which was the water and the sky was that the water carried a gold line of reflection in the turquoise water. The breeze was beautiful and the water was smooth. Tomorrow we see Rhodes.