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Tourlos

 

Arriving at the Mykonos Cruise Port at Tourlos, we initially took a bus tour of the island. Among the points of interest was the island of Delos, offshore, the mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis (who's temple was one of the seven wonders previously referred to here). 

 

On Mykonos many houses have these characteristic 'pigeon houses' - a  source of protein
In the distance is the island of Delos - it's the preserve of anthropologists and is tourist free. 

 

Not to be overawed by the proximity of Apollo, we also visited a church/monastery (built by those Johnny-cum-lately Christians with their single three-in-one God).

In fact, there are hundreds of churches on Mykonos. All very picturesque. Apparently, every family had or has their own church, in order to ensure the safe return of fishermen.  Apparently, Apollo is little use in that regard - He's not Poseidon.

We also visited Kalafati beach which, we were told, is much visited by jet-setters. Gaze in wonder - what celebrities may have waded here?

 

 Ano Mera is home to the restored 16th-century monastery Panagia Tourliani,
which houses holy icons and features - as Wikipedia tells us: a 'striking' bell tower and a marble fountain.
We did a tour of the holy objects in the museum - but there is none so holy as the icon, seen in the picture above,
set in a golden frame with silver accoutrements and a face blackened by time and circumstance. 
The faithful queued to offer a silent prayer.
The beach, on the other hand, recalled much more secular pursuits - boys the girls met when backpacking.

Mykonos town is reached by ferry or bus from the cruise port that's a 30 minute hot walk to town. We caught the ferry.

Once away from the very touristy seafront it's quite a steep walk to the top but the view is worth it. Again, picturesque.

  

There are more photos of Mykonos in the album - click on the image above to see them 

 

 Our next stop was the last on the cruise - back in Athens - from where, after a flight delay, we flew to Crete where we had rented a car for the following week.

 

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Travel

Hawaii

 

 

 

 

 

When we talked of going to Hawaii for a couple of weeks in February 2018 several of our friends enthusiastically recommended it. To many of them it's a nice place to go on holidays - a little further to go than Bali but with a nicer climate, better beaches and better shopping - with bargains to be had at the designer outlets.

 


Waikiki

 

To nearly one and a half million racially diverse Hawaiians it's home.

 

 


Downtown Hilo

 

To other Americans it's the newest State, the only one thousands of miles from the North American Continent, and the one that's more exotic than Florida.

Read more: Hawaii

Fiction, Recollections & News

Christmas 1935

 

When I first saw this colourized image of Christmas Shopping in Pitt St in Sydney in December 1935, on Facebook  (source: History of Australia Resources).

I was surprised. Conventional history has it that this was in the middle of the Great Depression. Yet the people look well-dressed (perhaps over-dressed - it is mid-summer) and prosperous. Mad dogs and Englishmen?

 

 

So, I did a bit of research. 

It turns out that they spent a lot more of their income on clothes than we do (see below).

Read more: Christmas 1935

Opinions and Philosophy

Climate Change - a Myth?

 

 

 

Back in 2015 a number of friends and acquaintances told me that Climate Change is a myth.

Half a decade on and some still hold that view.  So here I've republished a slightly longer version of the same article.

Obviously the doubters are talking about 'Anthropogenic Global Warming', not disclaiming actual changes to the climate.  For those of us of a 'certain age' our own experience is sufficient to be quite sure of that the climate is continuously changing. During our lifetimes the climate has been anything but constant.  Else what is drought and flood relief about?  And the ski seasons have definitely been variable. 

Read more: Climate Change - a Myth?

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