Short Update

Yesterday, I was at the Paningiri in Nas. It wasn't a 'real' Paningiri, as those are actually tied to the village chapels and the saints to whom they are dedicated. In Nas, it was more of a village festival to mark the end of the season.

I'm currently working on a longer post about the Paningiri, but I feel the need to share about my rather uneventful day today.

I slept in quite late by my standards, until 9:15 AM. I was already feeling quite tense right after waking up because I had some things to take care of in the coming days.

I have my accommodation in Droutsoulas booked until Wednesday, and as beautiful as it is there, I need a bit more life around me for the second half of my trip.

Additionally, I have booked my car only until tomorrow, so I need to check on that as well.

During my morning ritual of Nescafé and Gauloises, Maria surprised me once again with local delicacies. A bowl of grape compote (?) and a piece of cake, which I initially thought was regular bread, but it was really deliciously seasoned.

After that, I watched her brother make wine for a little while. The grapes had been sitting in the basin for 2 days after the first pressing and had started fermenting there (I suppose). Today, more grape juice was drained before it went into the second and third pressings.

Later, I set off with a vague plan to look for a room in Armenistis.

I had dined very deliciously yesterday in a tavern between the beach and the Paningiri and noticed that rooms were also available for rent there. That was my first stop, and indeed, I was immediately told that I could have a room. However, since the owner was alone in the shop, I was asked to come back at 4 PM.

To cut a long story short: I now have a room from September 17 to September 28 with a balcony and spectacular sea view, located directly above a tavern in the heart of Armenistis for an incredible 35€ per night. It couldn't have gone better.

I spent the rest of the day at Mesakti Beach. There's a nice beach club a bit above the beach, which was quite lively today, and where I first consciously noticed parts of the alternative scene here. With the intense scent wafting through the air while calm electronic beats echoed from the speakers, it was, unusually, not just wild sage...

At the moment, I'm lying on the beach, trying to process my successful search for a room, while listening to the HSV game on internet radio. But that doesn't ruin my mood either.