The Summer’s well and truly over. I spent most of this Summer in Greece and had fully intended writing for TNE rather more frequently than proved to be the case.
But the lures of the sun and the beach and taverna life were just too great. Although we also had a storm to contend with (which nearly washed away a few of the nearby islands).
But these are not valid excuses - back home various NHS Trusts were getting ready to roll out mask mandates again (lesson: avoid going anywhere near NHS facilities if at all possible).
Celebrities, like Carol Vorderman, were publishing the results of their positive Covid tests online. And Chris Packham was threatening law-breaking in response to Rishi Sunak’s extending the deadline for the outlawing of fossil-fuelled cars (largely to fall in line with the EU). Meanwhile Russell Brand and Laurence Fox were being taken down - leading some to speculate that such celebrity freedom warriors may be controlled opposition (what do you think?).
Anyway…back to Greece. When I was taking the ferry to Piraeus (en route to Athens Airport to fly home) I tapped out an extended Twitter post. It seemed to resonate (it had over 100,000 views). So for those of you who didn’t read it on Twitter, here’s the text…
When the ridiculous travel bans ended in 2020 the place I most wanted to visit was rural Greece. Especially the Peloponnese. The Greek government, despite applying Draconian restrictions on its people, never restricted entry on the basis of vaccination status. And, because of that, Greece represented freedom. In the village I now call my second home, the restrictions were avoided rather than embraced. But Greece - especially its people - still have that revolutionary suspicion of those in authority. This is still, largely, a cash society. The Greek definition of socialism is grounded by the primacy of the individual - avoiding the grip of the collective and demands for taxes. The Peloponnese landscape, in particular, makes this quiet confidence of individual souls more possible. The culture is defined by antiquity and the surroundings - a land that yields olive oil and horta, and feta. The villages are unchanging. The culture is modest and the family is sacrosanct. This is a nation of islands and mainland massifs - impossibly difficult to manage - but made possible by its hugely adaptable and haphazardly hard working people. There's a scruffy elegance to the little island ports and boats and jetties and wiggly roads and hordes of spluttering motor scooters. While sitting at a cafe this morning nibbling a Greek bagel I lost count of the number of scooter riders riding one-handed, helmet-less, with frappés. How is such risk-taking possible in a world of centrist command control? Simple. This is Greece - it will always be thus. It's universal. Greece shows what people do when they're left to do it. They live, love, laugh with wanton regard for their right to do as they please.
Some, on Twitter, made the point that I, perhaps, had my rose-tinted glasses on (rather than my Raybans) when writing the post. The Greeks were, in fact, remarkably compliant during lockdown. And the lockdowns were severe. But, as a country that emerged out of revolution - and has had more than its fair share of basket-case authoritarian governments - its people seem to have defaulted back to normal Greek life in rapid order.
However, I’m back home now. There’s no excuse for indolence. I’ve noted that I have a few hundred more (free) subscribers - but some of my paying readers have downgraded (sad face). The gauntlet has been thrown. It’s time to get back to porridge and walk away from the Retsina. Summer’s over.
I’m hoping to feature a guest writer or two in the coming weeks and I’m working on a few video interviews to discuss recent developments (including Penny Mordaunt’s bizarre speech at the Conservative Party conference). But while you’re waiting for rather more substantial content-to-come, you may want to watch this forked-up version of Penny’s speech (courtesy of DJ Lange).
--hiatus--seemed more like a career break l! Mind you I can hardly talk. Yes, I too gain when I don't write!