Back in Greece at last!

Been back in Naousa for nearly 3 weeks, but locked out of my blog's dashboard. Fortunately, I just discovered a work-around. 🤓

The trip via Lufthansa was thankfully uneventful. And my tiny apt was in excellent shape considering that I last walked out on 12/3/19. After laying low for a few days, I had a negative Rapid Test in the town square and got started reacquainting myself with life in a small town in N. Greece. 

Then came a record heatwave, way too hot even for Greece in August and which spawned horrific wildfires -- notably around Ancient Olympia, just outside Athens, and on the island of Evoia.  Most people do not have AC. I invested in a second fan which sounds like a wind tunnel, but helps me sleep and will be easy to store.

Most vexing is the tragic international problem of vaccinated vs. unvaccinated. While "Don't ask, don't tell" is often the path of least resistance, it is no help re staying out of harm's way with the steady uptick in cases. And I have gotten into too many endless arguments. The reality is that Iraklion, Crete, has gone into lockdown for at least a week including the big August 15th religious holiday. I just spent 3 days in Katerini (about 1.5 hours away), where I visited with Girls School grads and even went to the beach. Still the first question re any sort of socializing has to be "have you been vaccinated," a deal-breaker in some cases.

It was not an easy decision to come to Greece now given the multi-layered Covid complications. And that I can stay only 4.5 weeks instead of my usual 3 months. So my first reaction to the paralyzing effect of the heatwave was deep disappointment that it cramped my style...Then I realized that just hanging out, shopping here and there, and just being was good enough -- now with a few select side trips. What was once a faraway memory is now delicious reality, no embellishment needed. That's how much I missed Greek life with all its real and imagined "kousouria" (shortcomings) -- Covid, be damned.

Now about 10 more days to move through my ever-growing ToDo List...opa!