So, I'm preparing to leave Chania and Crete and Greece next week. It's time. It's really getting cold here and it's a bone-chilling kinda cold since it's so wet. Plus, I'm really looking forward to challenging myself in a place where I don't know so many people.
I got a terriffic email today from my Thai friend Apple about what we'll do when she (hopefully!) gets there. New Years in Bangkok! Sweet.
Anyway, I did something interesting the other day, I went to visit our friend George at Medusa Tattoo studio..............................................

But before I get to that, check out some of these pictures from a few days ago when the weather was crazy windy and the waves along the harbor crashed so high, they threatened to take everything away.............
(these are large-format, so open them in a new window)
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Maria took this one View image
Then we all went to this tiny bar to warm up with a hot tskoudia-toddy thing. View image
They heat some tskoudia, with cinnamon and cloves, and when it gets to the right temperature, they light the thing on fire. Ahhh....just what the doctor ordered for a wet cold day.
Here's some pictures from around the homestead (Maria and Panayiotis')
Mia, she's talking to you! View image
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Marinos took these two View image
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Okay, here's the story you've been waiting for; I was on the boat from Kithera (which you may remember was an incredibly moving time for me) and I was looking through my greek language book. The letter 'psi' jumped out at me and I began thinking. Yah, 'psi' it's a beautiful, mysterious letter, representing the psyche, quantum wave functions, rotational degree...
But where? A picture come to mind of the beach on Kithera when Marinos was standing above me, dropping a rock and he snapped the picture in mid-air. If you don't remember...View image The idea came a few weeks ago, so I've been mulling and solidifying this for a while.
But, two days ago was the day! I was suprisingly nervous, it had been about six years since my last one. I selfishly chose the Georgos' last day at the studio before he goes on tour to Germany, Spain, etc. because I knew Marinos would want to run out and get one too. The idea of a reactionary tattoo didn't sit well with me. So here's the 'before'.... View image, checking it out from the stencil....View image, and the final product........View image
I feel it's an appropriate tribute to everything I've been given in Greece, it represents the things I've learned and how I've changed from being here. Important, absolutely, momentum for the spin...................................