BEACH TREATS

Hungry? Here in Greece fellows like these stroll the beaches, hawking their wares: sugar doughnuts and corn on the cob.

STANDING TALL

 During the day these beach umbrellas open like flowers, casting shade on the lounge chairs below them. At night, they stand tall at attention, as if vigilant.

SO SWEET

 Saw this couple helping an older lady into the Aegean Sea here in Greece. They were so kind and patient with her, and I envy her watermelon floatie...

THE PETROLONA PUZZLE

  The Petralona skull, discovered in 1959, disrupted beliefs as to where our ancestors came from.

Yesterday I visited the Petralona caves, located not far from where I am staying. Highly recommended. Please take the time to read or at least skim what this site says about THE. SKULL.

VAN GOGH IN GREECE

 

I think this abandoned chair is beautiful. It resembles chairs that van Gogh had painted.

SQUID!

One of my traveling companions had a birthday yesterday and she took us out to dinner. Fried squid and tzatziki.

 Delicious....

TWILIGHT

Twilight falls over the beach in Nea Kallikratia, Greece, where I am until July 2nd.
 

BUDDHA EARS

If you search 'Buddha Ears' on Google, you will find something similar to the following, explaining why the Buddha has elongated earlobes, like this Greek man who was sitting beside me at an ice cream shop.

"The Buddha is often depicted with elongated earlobes, a visual symbol representing wisdom, compassion, and the ability to hear the suffering of all beings. These long ears, sometimes adorned with earrings in depictions of the Buddha as a prince, signify his renunciation of worldly possessions and his focus on spiritual enlightenment. The symbol is also linked to the concept of "Buddha-ear," which represents the profound ability to listen and understand reality."

 

THREE TREATS

 Lemon sherbert, walnut/honey cookie, and Greek coffee here in small Greek beach town. Yum.

IN GREECE

 No more long-distance bus travel for me in tourist season! Horrendous crowds on the borders. It took 7 hours at the Serbian - Macedonian border ( the highway to Greece) and another 3+ at the Macedonian - Greek border. The sign in a coffee shop at that border was highly appropriate, now that we'd made it.

A WAITING GAME

 I left Belgrade at 9:15 p.m. last night. We are now at the Serbian/Macedonian border where we have been waiting for nearly five hours...so many people. But our turn to be checked is coming soon!