Saturday, August 10, 2013

An August Time on Mykonos

Photo by Dimitris Koutsoukos

There is a time on Mykonos that locals dread. No, not winter.  And not tax season—though come to think of it I’m not precisely sure when that is, as new taxes seem to flower all year round here in Greece.  The time I’m talking about is August.


Yes, the most beautiful month weather-wise for the beach, and vacation time for Europeans everywhere. And where do all these frolic-desperate Europeans seem to head? Yep, you got it, the Greek islands. But it’s not just Greece’s EU-mates who head here; there are Americans, Aussies, and Kiwis making the trip, too.  [Note: I hope I’m not insulting New Zealanders by using the adorable name I hear them calling each other. If I have, or did the fruit, little bird, or shoe-polish of the same name, my sincerest apologies, for I did not mean to single you out for the insults to follow.]


If I were to post photographs of what actually goes on here during the few weeks in August when Mykonians abandon their island to an invasion of twenty-something partying visitors, a lot of you wouldn’t believe they’re real.  All those virtually naked bodies on the beach during the day, dress up for a night on the town determined to have their tanned, appurtenant body parts prominently displayed.  And come sunrise, those dark, seemingly isolated corners of the town thought so secure for displays of how-nice-to-meet-you-thank-you-very-much-bye-bye affection light up with surprises for participants and passersby alike.


In my capacity as a writer—especially with a soon to be released book titled Mykonos After Midnight—I am from time to time the recipient of photographs taken by early rising fishermen and late returning club employees of such an explicit nature you’d think they were posed.  Hello out there, everyone on Mykonos has a camera phone these days.  But you’ll just have to take my word for it and let your imaginations run wild (think Fifty-Five-Hundred Shades of Grey) because I’m not about to post any here.  After all we do have our standards…somewhere.


Having teased you mercilessly with thoughts of an up close and personal take on Mykonos After Midnight (plug #2 intended), permit me to say that my personal early morning routine (these days) is of a very different sort.  For I find myself alone with my thoughts—close by one of the windiest places on this island of the winds—inside the town’s soccer stadium, within the small shack where locals come for healing of their aches and pains.  I go each day to keep my old high school football injured knee well enough to painlessly maneuver the town’s flagstone streets each night (at the moment the streets are winning). 



Pity me not, for I shall soon be back to my old ways and haunts, but still no photos unless perhaps I’m collared in the right mood at Bouchercon and plied with appropriate drink and Icelandic delicacies.




Jeff—Saturday

22 comments:

  1. You were doing fine, Jeff, until that last photo. I've no longer an appetite for breakfast!

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    1. Anything to help out with budgetary constraints, Jody. [Notice I made no mention of waistlines.]

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  2. I can see why you wouldn't want to post the other photos if they're worse than that one!

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    1. Yes, Michael, it sort of make you want to jump in a car and dashian away.

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  3. I understand why you love Mykonos, Jeff, but I cannot imagine why you would want to live in that zoo. Oh, I shouldn't have said that. The creatures in the zoo are unwilling participants and much more intelligent and better behaved than the seemingly insentient cartoon characters you portray. YUCK!

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    1. The visiting insentients come by their state honestly...drugs and alcohol, not politics.

      And believe it or not, Annamaria, a favored website over here on all things Mykonos is Mykonos Zoo.

      I love it here in August, I'm writing 3000 words a day and almost finished with the book for 2014. It's called voluntary confinement.:)

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  4. Conan O'Brien claims the Irish were bred to live in a bog. My vacation preferences support that theory. When I was young, I thought getting a tan was a necessity. Being a dark-haired, blue-eyed, very light skinned Celt, tanning was an exercise in futility. I quit trying after the day I fainted from the heat. My husband spends a lot of time at the dermatologists getting pre-cancerous lesions removed. When we were growing up, kids were out all day without benefit of sun screen. We are also pretty much wrinkle- free despite our advancing years.

    When the kids were kids, summer vacations at Disney World were frequent but Disney provide their own electric power and I firmly believe they even have air-conditioning for the lines. My kids did grow up believing that vacations not at Disney World were to be spent in locations with museums. Museums are air-conditioned; what could be better?

    Back in the days when women's dresses reached the ground, the ankle was an erogenous zone. Imagination is a powerful tool. now everything is on display and it seems women don't have access to full length mirrors. As to the photo, this woman inhabits a universe that revolves around her. Hedonism among the Greeks and the Romans is thought to be a contributing factor to the decline of their cultures. The woman in the photo is proof that our culture has not much further to fall. How bizarre is it that her status as an icon is based on her father's fame as the attorney who protected a murderer from justice.

    Beth
    .

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    1. To the credit of the Mykonians who had to endure The Final Photo's presence with her entourage at the beginning of the season, they viewed it much the same as you, Beth.

      As for the fabric of life over here at the moment, I can assure you it's not ankle length dresses, unless they're sheer. Sheer what is another story...

      My son lived in Orlando, and for all his great wisdom and classical training he sprouted mouse ears. He and his wife love the Mouse. Thankfully, they fled to Houston soon after their second child was born giving their offspring a chance at escaping Disney Svengali.

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    2. There are nine years between the oldest and youngest. The Mouse keeps all ages happy. The vacations allowed them to develop their relationships with no distractions from friends. Now the nine years don't make a difference and their circles of friends overlap. The Mouse was helpful in that regard - lots of shared memories.

      Beth

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  5. The picture of Mykonos is sublime. The last picture is, um, not. You are getting enough flak for that. I do have one question: if the locals are suffering so, who took those pictures? :)

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    1. The final picture appeared in the "New York Post." Nuf said on that score. The spiritual moments...all completely overlooked by this salacious loving readership...were taken by yours truly.

      The others were just random shots...much like those undoubtedly consumed by the subjects in the photographs.

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  6. Even I could stifle my Kansas puritanical tendencies and suffer through a life of unbridled hedonism if it meant producing 3000 words a day. That's awesome!

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  7. Having just spoken to Jeff, I can assure you that you don't want to see the other photographs!!

    But I do envy 3000 per day!

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    1. Yeah? Then why did you post one as my new headshot? :)

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  8. My thoughts are with everyone on Mykonos during August (of course I get my debauchery accomplished in June or July...haha). Loved the description and the pics are so true. However, that last one...yeah....little hocker sort of showed up in the back of my throat. ;-)
    Regards,
    Glenn

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    1. Okay, I have a confession to make. That last photo was not taken on Mykonos. It was taken in a place where 365 days a year locals wish they could escape such images of their neighbors. Yes, folks, it was taken in Los Angeles. She never looked that good here on Mykonos and I was trying to be kind.

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  9. The photos are great, especially those of the sea. Could the sky be any clearer? Gorgeous.

    I'll also refrain from adding to the flak for the last photo, however, I will support the right of women to wear whatever they want to, especially in that condition.

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    1. And I join you, Kathy, in celebrating the right of women (and men) to wear whatever they choose. It gives me such terrific material for blogs and crime scenes.

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  10. Love Dimitris' picture at the top of MYKONOS. Not so much the other bookend (I'm a little nauseated AFTER seeing that). But love the new photo of the Greek blogger in the right-hand margin! Looks like it was taken about MIDNIGHT.
    CAPITAL job, my friend!

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  11. If truth be told, Everett, I put up that photo of KK to make the new one of me look good. And if the true truth be told, the idea of putting up my new photo was all Stan's.

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