As my body and my mind and my words softly converged to make sense of my new love: the Greek Islands, I paid the ferry man and was slowly inexorably towed away.
Just as my daughter and I finally began to wriggle in and rest and talk amongst the dry rocks instead of hurrying to experience them. 
Just as we found the wines we loved.
Just as we discovered the perfect spot for a late afternoon drink. 
Just as we discovered that many of the stores only carried a facade of tourist hats and scarves, which had been repelling me from exploration because back in the shady depths where they had always been, lurked the Real businesses. And so we found our favorite grocery store where the locals shop and the barbers and the vegetables and the weavers and the electrician and the hardware stores.
I imagine at the end of the tourist season they pack away the hats and scarves that cover their steps and once more the store is the store. 
Just as we discovered the extra words in the language to say thank you properly and blessings in reply. 
Just as we got to differentiate between the heady scents of thyme and oregano in the hills.
Then I leave.
I am back in Athens now. One ferry ride over choppy drenching seas and one plane flight over. I will have to move fast as the wind through Heathrow. But after that it is the home stretch.
See you on the other side.
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
33 responses to “GOODBYE GREECE”
With that kind of ending and sadness to leave a beautiful vacation, it sounds absolutely successful. You are relaxed and when the farm problems get to you, you have in your mind another place to wander to and smile. Safe travels home.
And it’s “home again, home again, jiggedy jig”. Thank you for taking us with you; your photos have been really special and it has certainly sounded like this holiday will hold special soft memories to feed off of for some time. Safe travels home. — Mame 🙃
I hope the ride home is smooth and fast and that the feeling of being home is satisfying and warm.
What a poetic farewell. You would feel the same anywhere you met with your daughter. Never enough time to absorb them into your heart again. I see mine once a week for a few hours and it’s still not enough.
I hope you bring some of that loveliness back with you. Grim weather here in Illinois.
Safe home!
You leave me with such a calm and sense of mindfulness. I am preparing my trip to Germany tomorrow… I know I’ll experience the depths of life there just as you have with your daughter in Greece. I hope this trip will be a bright diamond in my niece’s life (she just graduated HS and will head to college this fall) and another grand adventure in my own life. Safe travels home, my friend. 🙂
Ceci, thank you so much for ‘taking me with you’! I had a wonderful time. The sights, smells, tastes, and sounds are still so vivid! Thank goodness you will always have the memories!! Please, a safe and joyous homecoming for you!
Another life is waiting anxiously for you. Can’t wait to read about their reactions! Safe travels.
what a gift your daughter gave YOU! Travel safely!
And what a gift you’ve given us, so generously beautifully sharing your photos, insights and dreams ♡
Lovely farewell to Greece. Thanks for having us all along to see some of what yo’ve seen. I’m sure Sheila will have some words for you about your not being there and Boo will be so thrilled to have you back.
as dr seuss said, don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened
My dream is to have a job which I can do anywhere in the world. If I could do this, I would travel around the world, living in different places or cities for 6 months or so at a time, getting to really know the way of life, experiencing it as the locals do. Maybe the goodbyes when I move on would be too hard, maybe I would find a place I want to stay forever… but I know myself well, and I get itchy feet to be moving on, finding another place to explore. Thank you for sharing your holiday with your wonderful words and photos. Safe travels home, your animals will be glad to see you back!
many thanks for taking us along…delightful and o my how hard to say…see you next time…
aaww – what a beautiful place to behold for sure! I dream of it and live through it in your eyes. Safe travels my sweet friend. XOXO – Bacon