Postcards from Greece (1) - Meeting the Greek Gods

I rather missed blogging last week. Well, perhaps not when I was swimming in an azure sea, or twinkling my toes in the sparkling sand, or exploring winding alleys, or tucking into local delicacies... But I did miss it sufficiently that when the small boy was asleep I was lured to pick up my notebook and prepare a few words to share on my return...

A close encounter with Zeus

When on holiday I like to immerse myself in a spot of culture, soak up the atmosphere and imbibe a few local flavours and delicacies. Indeed, on arriving in Skiathos (on a somewhat disappointingly cloudy early evening), I managed immediately to take in a bit of local geography (courtesy of holiday rep on transfer bus), pick up a bit of the lingo (old lady in shop) and fill my belly with clefitiko (Marcos the chef).

What I wasn't expecting however was a close encounter with the ancient Greek Gods - notably those of flood and thunder, Posiedon and Zeus respectively. Who, after all, needs a thunderclap for a wake up call on their first morning in a supposedly sunny holiday destination (especially when the weather back in the UK was apparently glorious)?

Apparently the charming isle of Skiathos (part of the Sporades Group) enjoys a storm like this only once every five years or so. It was natural therefore that the arrival of a Lisa would prompt the long-awaited event. What a spectacle nature, Zeus and Poseidon put on for us on our first morning. Thunderbolt and lightening were very very frightening for about 5 hours. Rain fell not in drips or drops, it flowed like a mighty river from the heavens. Streets became torrents of mud and swathes of the beach were swept out to a churning brown sea that was far in colour from the promised turquoise.
And then... it stopped... and the sun came out! Tourists and locals paddled through the mud to survey the damage and begin the clear up. Diggers put the beach back to its former glory and re-opened the road. We hit the beach.. The Holiday began!