I Am Exhausted

Jeff––Saturday

 

The photo of Barbara is only to lure you into reading further. This confessional moment is all about me complaining that I AM E-X-H-A-U-S-T-E-D.

 

But not for a reason likely to generate sympathy in any mortal soul. 

 

You see, we’ve been island hopping around Greece’s southern Cyclades Aegean islands for three weeks (with a finishing week ahead) at the very height of Greece’s busiest high season in recent memory. And we’ve been doing it jumping from ferry to ferry aboard our trusty/rusty 15-year-old Suzuki Jimny, aka mobile luggage carrier and safe deposit box.

 

I call it a safe deposit box not because of any ingenious security devices or secret compartments—indeed it has a tear away cabriolet top—but because no self-respecting thief would waste its time on our battle scared little Jimny with all the Bimmees, Mercees, Porchees, and RangRovees to pick from on the Greek islands during high season.

 

Instead, I rely on the hide in plain sight approach, leaving the back seat packed with (scruffy) luggage, well-worn supermarket plastic bags, and half-empty water bottles.  A plunder not tempting for even the lowliest of porch pirates.

 

But when it came to where we stayed, it was all first class and reasonably priced accommodations, miraculously pieced together at the very last minute by Barbara. I shall not rank them, for they’re all first-class gems to which we cannot wait to return. It’s been a lot of driving, a lot of book research, a lot of fun, and a lot of new wonderful friends.

 

I once knew a fellow who told me he wanted no more friends, as his “dance card” was filled with all that he needed. Poor fellow, I hope he never made it to Greece, for he did, he’d need to spring for a new dance card.

 

Before I collapse from another long day of writing, dining with friends at an unexpected treasure of a taverna, the endless conversation that fuels the Greek experience, and trying to work around the virtual Internet dead zone where we are tonight, I realized I’d not yet prepared my post for Saturday. 

 

That’s when I decided to post the names and websites—where available—of the places we stayed that we loved on our Southern Cyclades adventure. So here goes…and I’m off to bed.

 

Iraklia                           Horizon  (www.iraklia-horizon.com)

Iraklia

 

Andros (Kato Aprovatou) Cycladic Shangri la /Lemontree Guesthouse AirBNB

 

Andros

Syros (Kini)                   Pinot Di Loto (www.pinotdiloto.gr)

Syros (Kini)

 

Syros (Ermoupoli)        Top Suites Syros (www.topsuites.gr)

Syros (Ermoupoli)

 

Syros (Port)                   Diogenis (www.diogenishotel.com)

 

Syros (Port)

Naxos (Chora/Grotta)      Hotel Grotta (www.hotelgrotta.com)

 

Naxos (Chora)

Naxos (Chalki)               Wonderful Friends in Chalki

 

Naxos (Chalki)

––Jeff

 

PS.

 

Jeff’s Upcoming Events

 

Bouchercon 2022   Minneapolis, MN

Thursday, September 8th  11:30-12:15 

"Odd Jobs: Writers Write What They Know."

Alan Gordon AKA Allison Montclair (Moderator), Julie Holmes, Donna Andrews, Linda O. Johnston/Lark O. Jensen, Annelise Ryan, Jeffrey M. Siger