We're on the road to nowhere

When I came down from the Acropolis I got a call. The weather the next day was supposed to be bad, and the boat I was to take to Alonissos (to meet with George Vithoulkas) might not leave from Agios Konstantinos. Instead, I was to take a KTEL bus to Volos (a 5+ hour trip) and take the boat from there in the morning.


I was supposed, when I arrived in Volos, to find my own way to the port and find myself a hotel room. Good thing Greece is still very patriarchical--The Spouse called the woman I was dealing with in Athens and ordered her to find me a hotel room. After all, the wather was bad, I was in a city I didn't know, and had to navigate in a language I didn't know. She booked me into the Aegli, a nice old fashioned hotel with small bathrooms but nice balconies.


I walked around, bought my tickets for the boat, and woke to a rainy, cold, windy day.
Even the metal seagulls wanted to fly away.


My hotel was across the street from the port, so it was easy to find my boat.


But--after shlepping 5 hours in a stinky, smoke filled bus (it seems like everyone in Greece smokes, man woman, and child) -- the boat from Volos wasn't sailing, either. So back to the KTEL station (sort of a cross between the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station and the old NYC Port Authority terminal) and back to Athens.

But first, a little photo-op for my two prospective Sockpaloooza socks. I'll knit both pairs and send the better of the two out, since my sockpal's measurments are just about the same as mine.

Broadripple against the too broad ripples of the sea:

and Jaywalkers jaywalking across the port road of Volos:


On the way back there was a terrible traffic jam. Why? There were four tank carriers parked on the side of the road.

Greek men must do a year of compulsory army service. So why were a few tanks such a big deal? Ho hum, yawn--I've seen bigger tanks parked on my front lawn.




Next up: Yarn, yarn, yarn.