DAY 20

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Yesterday was one terrific day!

I went to a great beach during the day and an extremely good restaurant in the evening.

The beach Super Paradise Beach.

My day began with the drive to the beach in a rented car. An experience.

Mykonos is hills. Up and down. The beach about 15 miles of driving to reach. The usual narrow roads, accidents waiting to happen, sharp curves, etc. The last mile of the drive was the worst and strangest I have ever experienced.

The last mile…..the phrase itself is the connotation I seek to convey. The last mile is straight down. With a couple of tiny curves. When I say straight down I mean that. It was like the first drop on a large roller coaster. I thought the back end was going to flip over forward. And the car and I in a serious accident. The car was not made for such a steep decline. The car’s center of gravity would not be able to handle it.

I was concerned. With God as my co-pilot however, I made it to the bottom.

The trip was worth it. In front of me a beautiful parking lot and huge building. Super Paradise!

As I was turning the car off, I noticed the gas tank was on empty. I suddenly realized I had never put gas in the car. When I received it, it had half a tank. It was gone! When I ran out going back up the hill, and I would run out, the car would slide back down or whatever.

I had no recollection of having seen a gas station in my 15 mile drive. In fact, I had no recollection of ever having seen a gas station in Mykonos.

The solutoion was simple. I was on vacation. A rented vehicle out of gas was not my concern. It was the rental company’s. I left Super Paradise Beach several hours later by cab. When I got to my room, I telephoned the owner. A small rental company. The car was due back today.

I expalined the problem to him. Told him I did not want to run around getting a gallon of gas, going back to the car, etc. I aknowledged it was my fault. What could we do?

A gentleman. He said you have to return the car with the same amount of gas as when you took it. I said I knew. If it is empty, you owe me half of a tank. A tank full is 60 euros. I will charge you 25 euros. A good deal! I expectred get screwed on the pick up and return portion, however. He explained he had to get gasoline, have someone drive him to the car, and then he had to drive it back. Time and people. It was coming. I could sesne it. At least 50 euros more. That will cost you an additional 10 euros, he said.

A deal.

That is how the car problem was resolved.

You have to see Super Paradise Beach. Super it is!

I have never seen anything to compare to it.

A large semi circular beach. Clean sand. Clear water. 280 chairs. 140 beach umbrellas. Great lounging chairs. Like lying on a mattress.

A bar. Huge. Egg shaped. One of the biggest I have ever seen. A large dining area to the left. Outside. A food concession area. Self service. All kinds of great food. Provided in the automat fashion of old. Lift the glass door and take out what you like. To the right of the bar on a high podium of sorts, the DJ. All under a concreete roof.

Amazing! A money maker without question! Super Paradise goes till 4 in the morning.

We need a place like this in Key West. I have it all figured out. Don Manaher of Don’s Place to run it. He has the genius. Take the quiet end of Smathers Beach. Close it off. Build a similar but smaller facility. Clothing optional. A gold mine!

An example of gold mine is the $15 per two chairs charged for the lounges. Do the math. A gold mine in itself. Of course, the place is not full every day.

I finally found a topless beach. About 75 per cent of the women. All ages. Coupled with thong bottoms. A fantasy come true.

My search for total nudity also satisfied. Though I am not certain satisfied is the correct description.

A young mother was with her two children. A girl about 3 and a boy about 1. Both naked. A pervet I am not. However, that is the closest I have come to total nudity on this trip.

I tell you about this mother and her children for a special reason. Follow me.

I happened to look out into the water. There was Mom standing waist deep. One breast exposed. Junior enjoying his lunch.

Later I happened to turn over on my lounge. Who was on the lounge directly behind me? Mom and the two kids. Junior was still eating. Mom decided the meal was over. She took her fingers and gently removed her nipple from his mouth. He was not finished. He would have none of stopping. With one set of fingers, he grabbed onto the nipple and shoved it back in his mouth. And chomped away till he was done. Junior was calling the shots in this regard. Not his mother.

A couple of months ago I reported on my internet show of a breast feeding lawsuit recently resolved. The siituation giivng rise to the lawsuit occurred somewhere in the north east. Perhaps Vermont or New Hampshire. A young mom was seated on a regional jet waiting for take off. Her child was hungry. She was breat feeding the child. The attendant said you will have to stop…..some of the other passengers might be offended. The woman refused and she and baby were removed from the plane.

This happened in 2008. The mother sued. The case recently settled. The settlement included a written apology from the regional carrier. A written apology also from the CEO of the big airline. And an undisclosed amount of money. The CEO said in his letter of apology that his airline was breast feeding friendly and that all mothers should be so aware. Come breast feed your child on one of our planes any time!

As it should be.

I played tourist. Enjoyed a couple of pina coladas while lying in the shade of the straw umbrella over my lounge. Later in the day, I was hungry. Tried out the food place described earlier. The food a winner!

I had grape leaves stuffed with rice and big white beans. The big white beans a separate dish.

I have gotten into grape leaves on this trip big time. The beans looked good in their glass cage. Big ones. Covered in an appealing red sauce. So I went for the beans also!

The beans a winner! Tender. It was the sauce however that made them so good. A red sauce with a lot of oil mixed in. Crushed basil leaves and I do not know what else thrown in. The sauce was so good that after I finished, I took bread and wiped the dish clean.

I left before 5. The partying starts at 5. Someday perhaps.

Several people told me to eat at Nikos. A Greek restaurant. Old. It is tiny and in the midst of the big ones on the Chora waterfront. I tried Nikos last night. Superb!

I enjoy lamb shank. The best lamb shank in Key West is served at La Trattoria. Comes standing up buried in a base of gnocci.

Last night’s lamb shank came buried in greens cooked in a lemon sauce. Equal to La Trattoruia. I was thrilled with the meal!

Sorry to have been a little long today. Good things take time to tell.

One more item. D 15 was the story of my ill fated attempt to climb the volcano. It is being reprinted in next week’s KONK Life. Ask your friends to read it. I think its funny.

Enjoy your day!

DAY 18

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Mykonos. Nothing to compare it to. Perhaps a bit like the Jersey Shore, Coney Island or Jones Beach of old. Trying to be the Hamptons, but not quite making it.

Hordes of people! More than I can describe. All on holiday. Tourism is the major industry. The only industry.

Besides the original natives, way back in history there was an influx of Egyptians and Phoenicians. There are many wind mills. Known world wide as Mykonos’ landmark.

The name of the island is Mykonos. The name of the principal town is named Mykonos, also. Unusual.

Chora is the place to be in Mykonos. It is a special area of the town. A neighborhood unto itself. Stone buildings built close together. Narrow streets between them. Very narrow. Like 3-5 feet. The buildings were built close together many years ago to protect them from the sea and its storms. Today those alleys/walkways are the playground of Mykonos. Stores, bars, restaurants and I do not know what permeate the area.

These alleys of Chora go every which way. Like a maze. Easy to get lost.

Little Venice hangs on the ocean side of the Chora. It is called such because its houses literally hang over the sea.
At least the balconies do.

I find three differences between Mykonos and Santorini.

One unquestionably is the weather. The humidity on Mykonos is a killer. The evening brings no relief. Breeze. What breeze? There is little, if any. Whereas Santorini had no humidity, was hot by day and cool by night. A sweater or jacket was required in the evening. Air conditioning not used. Open a window or door and sleep comfortably under a blanket.

It is said the difference in humidity, etc. between the two islands is the height of each. Santorini is high and buildings are on top of the cliffs. Mykonos is relatively low. Hills. Gradual, however.

Only about 100 miles separates Mykonos and Santorini. Mykonos is to the north of Santorini and normally would be cooler. It is not.

A second difference is the number of people visiting each island. Mykonos is jam packed. An avalange of people arrive daily. Every nationality visits and works on Mykonos. I would describe the crowd last night in the Chora area as being just slightly less appearance wise as Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

Santorini has significantly fewer visitors. Comparatively speaking, I would estimate Mykonos has more vistors than Santorini by 30-1.

The final difference is in the atmosphere. It is in the air. Everyone whoops it up on Mykonos. Party time till the wee hours of the morning. Santorini is in bed by 10. The streets are totally empty by 11.

Life begins between 10 and 11 in Mykonos. Last night as I was walking to my hotel away from the Chora, tons of younger people were walkimng in the opposite direction. Towards the Chora. The ladies dressed. Dressed! Like in minis, knee length and other size dresses. Heels. Tall. Made up for a night on the town.

I felt sorry for the ladies. The humidity was so heavy I could see their make up starting to run.

By the way, I was walking up to my hotel at 10 while the younger ones were going downhill into the Chora to begin their evening. A difference between the generations.

I had dinner last night in the Chora. Overlooking the sea. The restaurant was Antonia’s. Just like in Key West. Key West’s Antonia’s puts out a better product, though I did enjoy my meal. A lamb casserole.

After dinner, I was off to find the Montparnasse. It is a piano bar. The only piano bar in Mykonos.

Donna and Terri suggested I stop there. Teri sang there at one time. They told me the owners were a Judy and Nikko. Terri said tell them of our relationship and be prepared to be treated royally.

I never did. I could not find the place. It is in one of those alleys I described earlier. I asked three knowledgeable Mykonos citizens where it was. Each knew. Each sent me to a different place. Each was wrong. By this time, the humidty had gotten to me and I said screw it.

Bobby Peaco, who played and sang at the Keys Piano Bar, is playing at Montparnasse now. I was looking forward to seeing him again. I was also looking forward to boozing it up a bit. Did not occur because this man could take the heat no more.

Perhaps tonight.

The stones constituting the walkway in the Chora alleys interested me. I was told they have been there forever. They reminded me of the stones making up the Appian Way. Thirty years ago when in Rome, I visited the Appian Way. The roads were constructed of larger stones than in Mykonos. The same stones which the Roman chariots traveled over. Back before the birth of Christ. The Mykonos and Appian Way stones were similar, except in size.

Mykonos is definitely a tourist town. The prices 25-50 per cent higher than Santinori. Gin on the rocks was 50 per cent higher. For Gordon’s! I did not find this gouging on Santorini.

Today the Super Paradise Beach. I have been assured by many it is one of the world’s finest beaches. I am looking for to experioencing it.

The bottom line is Mykonos is a terrific vacation place. For many from all over the world. It is not my cup of tea, however.

The Greek election is Sunday. Very significant! The result will have world wide impact.

I compare this election to Governor Walker’s recent recall election in Wisconsin. I thought surely he would have been beaten. He was not. Walker has now set the trend to be followed for the next ten years at least in the United States.

In Greece, the issue is the euro or back to the dracma. From what I have experienced in Athens and Santorini, the populace wants back to the drachma. Except for my friend and recent landlord Nikos. He wants to stay with the euro. Nikos represents the affluent. The others I spoke with the more common people. A Wall Street / Main Street battle all over again.

No one is talking politics on Mykonos. The locals are too busy making money. The tourists too busy having a good time.

Sunday will tell the story.

Joanna is my saviour! Her grandfather built the hotel I am staying in some fifty years ago. Her uncle now owns it. She manages the place.

Joanna is some place in her twenties. Industrious. Charming. Ever so helpful. You have to inderstand my cell phone is down, whi fi does not work that often here, and Louis needs a computer to do his blog.

I explained my problem to Joanna when I checked in. She said no problem. You will use mine as long as you are here. So here I am, sitting at her desk, punching away.

An international hotel chain should look at Joanna. Her experience is in the blood. She would make a great acquisition.

Enjoy your day!