It's pouring with rain, a long steady downpour. Of course, it's the weekend.
I don't begrudge the rain. This is a dry country anyway, and this is the end of the driest season. Wildlife, plants both wild and cultivated, water supplies and people all crave the arrival of the autumn rains, so I mustn't be a churlish tourist and grumble about it. I'm pretty sure I have the rain to thank for the increase in wildflowers over the last few days.
I've taken advantage of being confined to my hotel room for now, and have written a batch of postcards, and done a little bit of tidying up on the "Recommended" links in the side bar on the right (they should all work now >crossing my fingers<). In particular, I've had a lovely browse on the website called The Insiders' Guide to Nafplio - tigtn.com - which is an excellent local guide. It's unfortunate that it's left me chaffing to go out and do things! But there's plenty of time yet. The rest will do me good, I daresay; and the rain will do the Argolid good.
And this, you see, is why yesterday when I got off the bus at Asini, instead of rushing straight into the archaeological site I headed for the beach and had a glorious swim. At this time of year the weather here is as unpredictable as a British summer. So it's worth taking advantage of any opportunity to get in the sea.
It's World Heritage weekend. Here in Nafplio there's a big sign in Trion Navarchion Square announcing that today will be a celebration of Greece's first Prime Minister, Ioannis Kapodistrias, who was assassinated in Nafplio in 1831. He was a remarkable man, a kind of 19th century Hellenic Kennedy; a medical doctor, diplomat, political campaigner and reformer, founder of public institutions, and the first head of state of independent Greece. He's one of those people who could have achieved so much more if they hadn't been cut-off in their prime, and his legacy is worth celebrating. But it will be celebrated under umbrellas, it seems.
Photos taken yesterday, needless to say.
Well, I don't plan to sit indoors all day, so I'm going to put on socks and shoes and go for a rainy walk, perhaps have coffee out, get some exercise. Heavens above, it's only water; and as a Briton I cannot claim to be alarmed by rain...
I don't begrudge the rain. This is a dry country anyway, and this is the end of the driest season. Wildlife, plants both wild and cultivated, water supplies and people all crave the arrival of the autumn rains, so I mustn't be a churlish tourist and grumble about it. I'm pretty sure I have the rain to thank for the increase in wildflowers over the last few days.
I've taken advantage of being confined to my hotel room for now, and have written a batch of postcards, and done a little bit of tidying up on the "Recommended" links in the side bar on the right (they should all work now >crossing my fingers<). In particular, I've had a lovely browse on the website called The Insiders' Guide to Nafplio - tigtn.com - which is an excellent local guide. It's unfortunate that it's left me chaffing to go out and do things! But there's plenty of time yet. The rest will do me good, I daresay; and the rain will do the Argolid good.
And this, you see, is why yesterday when I got off the bus at Asini, instead of rushing straight into the archaeological site I headed for the beach and had a glorious swim. At this time of year the weather here is as unpredictable as a British summer. So it's worth taking advantage of any opportunity to get in the sea.
It's World Heritage weekend. Here in Nafplio there's a big sign in Trion Navarchion Square announcing that today will be a celebration of Greece's first Prime Minister, Ioannis Kapodistrias, who was assassinated in Nafplio in 1831. He was a remarkable man, a kind of 19th century Hellenic Kennedy; a medical doctor, diplomat, political campaigner and reformer, founder of public institutions, and the first head of state of independent Greece. He's one of those people who could have achieved so much more if they hadn't been cut-off in their prime, and his legacy is worth celebrating. But it will be celebrated under umbrellas, it seems.
Well, I don't plan to sit indoors all day, so I'm going to put on socks and shoes and go for a rainy walk, perhaps have coffee out, get some exercise. Heavens above, it's only water; and as a Briton I cannot claim to be alarmed by rain...
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