Old friends in Athens

It’s 19 degrees and raining here in Athens (hey! when I looked last week it was balmy and sunny – what happened?).  I seem to have had no jetlag, which seems impossible given how long it took to get here and how many time zones I am away from home.  I attribute it to being upgraded to First Class (blisssss) and taking plenty of herbal sleep stuff like melatonin.

Since this is my third visit to Athens, I have made friends here so I am in the process of catching up with them.  It has proved a little more eventful than even I imagined!  First is Anastasia.  Anastasia is about my mum’s age – 70? – and her hobby is languages and travelling the globe.  She is a serious go-getter, and I first met her on the plane on the way to Athens on my first trip.  I looked up from my “flight thoughts” to discover her staring and smiling at me.  We struck up a conversation, and it turns out she was returning home from a South American adventure.  We met a few times for dinner, and she joined my friend and I on the gorgeous island of Hydra, where Anastasia dragged us out of the standard tourist trap half way around the island to have the BEST meal I had in my entire Greek sojourn.   It was one of those classic tales: local taverna, with the fisherman reclining on a seat.  A trip into the kitchen revealed fresh red mullet (the “King of Fish” according to the Greeks).  We had it flash fried with the most amazing taramosalata (caviar dip), fries and salad.  Just magnificent.

Anastasia seems to be slowing down a little, at least in body.  Her spirit is lively, though, and we will have dinner tonight.

Another friend is Laura, who I met in a jewelry store in Athens.  I bought so much stuff there that we became friends, and we have had a meal or 2 each time I have visited.  After arriving yesterday evening, I hot footed it straight to the jewelry store and – lo and behold! – no Laura.  The owner, Costas, who I know from previous visits, just blinked at me when I asked where she was.  “She has left”.

So, I grabbed her number and will get all the goss tomorrow night.

My third friend is a little different.  George.  Giorgos in Greek.  On my first visit we had something of a fling.  On my second, we didn’t see each other (he protests that he rang and came to find me but no luck).  So, we have reconnected on this trip.  We have just met for coffee.  He is as hot and heavy as ever.  Oh dear.  Now I have to work out if, in the cold hard light of the Acropolis, whether I feel the same way.  It’s all good and well to fantasise about him from a distance, but when he’s right there in flesh and blood, one has to make choices…

The last thing I want is to make the wrong choice here and then realise that my life is completely in the toilet.  Dumb Boss, shit time at work PLUS completely wrong choices in men.  Bloody hell, it’s bad enough that world financial markets are going mental…leaving me contemplating the harsh reality that walking out of my job (even with a tidy pay out) may not be an option…

Now, how did having an affair with a Greek dude get back to Dumb Boss?

Anyhow, I’ll try and update you as I go, but I didn’t bring my laptop (travelling light, don’t you know – not enough warm clothes, as it turns out…).  This seems like it will be one interesting trip.