Mykonos

There are various dining options aboard ship. I had lunch in the Four Seasons, the elegant restaurant. It was very fine, indeed. My waiter was quite chatty. I asked him where he was from and it turned out he was from Egypt. I expressed my concerns for the on-going tribulations of his people and congratulations on the ousting of the dictator Mubarek. This set off a torrent of commentary from him. I could only nod in sympathy. The poor guy has been through a lot. He did comment, however, on the fact that I was traveling alone. Well, I don't mind it at all. I'm used to being alone. It makes me think of those words of wisdom of some Tibetan lama or other: you born alone, you die alone -- inbetween much suffering. I would care to amend that statement and add that, before you die you get to indulge in two for one cocktails at Happy Hour and get potted even before arriving in Mykonos!

We set sail at 11 AM and reached Mykonos at 6 PM. I have been here before. In the wild days of my youth, after I got tired of living in Germany, I packed up and set off for Greece. I spent a few weeks island hopping, eschewing the popular destinations and opting for the quieter isles like Thassos, Ikaria and Samos. When I craved human society again I stopped in Mykonos. It has always been a magnet for tourists. I think the term 'tourist trap' may have been invented for Mykonos. Egads, what a zoo! But it does have its charms. It is wall to wall people here. Several cruise ships at a time spew forth their human cargo. When I was here back in '73, that's 37 years ago, I left the town of Chora and hiked to the other side of the island. I am perhaps the only person in the history of Mykonos tourism to have done that. I remember how dazzling the ocean was, contrasted with the arid, rocky landscape and the white- washed houses with their dark blue doors. All that is still here and still delights the eye. What a special place this island must have been before the onslaught of the tourist industry. But, on the other hand, it has made the natives rich.
Tomorrow we stop in Kusadasi, Turkey to visit the ruins of ancient Ephesus. This is the real thing. I am so excited!!!