Hello from Greece. I had to escape the mid-afternoon heat to sit under a fan sipping ice water and checking email. It's beautifully warm in Mykonos (whoever thought I would say such a thing) and when one's days are meant to be spent meandering and swimming and laying around the beach, hot weather is a great thing.



I am attempting to tan, but my efforts are mixed -- I've managed to completely burn any part of my foot not covered by sandal straps and my forearms and nose, but little else. I've also found the effort of tanning -- the greasing, the facing the sun, the not getting books and waterbottles greasy an enormous chore. But it's delightful sitting on Platy Yialos admiring the blue Aegean sea (and the mediterraneans). The water is crystal clear, and so saline that even I am blissfully buoyant in it.



The beaches are the best thing about Mykonos. They are stunning. I've been to three, including the party beach, Super Paradise -- which one gets to by climbing onto a precarious fishing boat and coasting around the southern tip of the island. Otherwise, Mykonos is simply a dusty, rocky, barren island -- very Arizona-like -- with clusters of stacked white cubist homes with brightly coloured shutters.



My hotel sits on a mountainside overlooking the ocean. I've taken to having a cocktail on my balcony about 7.30pm and watching the sun slip over the hills and listening to the tavernas on the beach begin their nocturnal parties. The rooom is tiled and cool at night.



The tavernas all seem to serve great food and I've gorged myself twice a day. The food is mostly fresh and my favourites have been the greek yoghurt and honey they serve at breakfast and the lamb souvlaki(grilled kebab-style and served with a dill yoghurt

sauce.)



Mykonos Town is smaller than I thought it would be and is a maze of small streets where one wanders and dodges the scooters and white vans. It was built that way to confuse pirates -- it seems Mykonos has always been plundered by someone or another. It's now very touristy, but one sees bits of Greek culture here and there. During the day its fairly quiet and comes alive at night when everyone on the island (it seems) is in a taverna or bar. I met a lovely Australian couple last night but they left today and have otherwise been

happily solitary (save brief conversations with Kostas, the amiable and cute hotel clerk). Tonight I'm going to sit in a bar in Little Venice and watch the sunset and attempt to be social again.



I'm here for another four days (how quickly it passes) before going on to Thira (Santorini). Tomorrow I'm heading out to the island of Delios, the ancient greek sanctuary to look at the archaeological ruins. And am planning to do little else.