My memory has been giving me more and more surprises lately, most of them are unpleasant, but sometimes wonders happen. I remembered, almost out of nowhere, a series of documentaries about astronomy by Carl Sagan. The famous "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage".
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which became the most widely watched series in the history of American public television, has been seen by at least 500 million people in 60 countries. Source
I learned from this movie how to measure the enormous distance to the stars: there are several methods, but the one that impressed me was using photometric parallax. Astronomers have observed that the light from galaxies in the electromagnetic spectrum tends towards blue as they approach us and towards red as they recede from us.
I like this speed and distance coloring effect, and I'd like to apply it to the passage of time here on earth. I also enjoy seeing the past in monochromatic, black-and-white.
Some of my fondest memories are from vacations in Greece, on the island of Thassos. Periodically, I visit a folder with photos called "The Sea" and try to relive the joy and pleasure I had years ago on this island. Finding pictures to convert from color to black and white is no longer as difficult as it once was.
Thassos in Black and White
Since 2017, I have traveled to Thassos and lived in Limenaria, the second-largest city, for three consecutive years. Although it may seem like an exaggeration, know that it is not; I loved this island more for the walks we did than for the sea bathing. The sea is beautiful, and one of my passions is the sea, but I enjoyed the daily walks more.
Our host was in Limenaria, and the most enormous pleasure was the morning coffee drunk in Potos, 5.5 km away, so 11 km per day were guaranteed.
As you can see in the picture above, you had to have good legs to do this route.
Our daily walk takes us through an olive grove...
It doesn't matter how much you like engines; the ride is still the queen of getting around, in my opinion. Their opinions differ, of course...
A long alley leads from Limenaria to Potos, making the walk easier and without the possibility of getting lost.
This alley, which winds along the seashore and over the hill, through olive groves and pine forests, is a great place to observe, look, and capture unforgettable moments.
The arid landscape, so full of stones that I'm surprised that vegetation can grow there.
A "window" among the pine trees growing on the seashore lets you see a yacht, which is not a common sight here.
On the opposite side are rolling, stony hills and scrublands adapted to the harsh life with high temperatures and little water.
At the halfway point of the walk and the highest point of the alley, we come across a gazebo that offers rest and shade, making it an excellent spot for observation.
The first bay, a small bay, is at Pefkari, our first stop for a lemonade and a beer. Further away is the pier of Potos, our final destination, with coffee!
Here I'm sorry I have no color...
The yacht seems to be lost, or tired...
At the other end of the walk, the place from which we started, Limenaria, can be seen in the distance. I thought I was halfway, but now I see that there is more than halfway to go, probably a couple of kilometers.
Although it is a very popular tourist town, I found Limenaria to be relatively impoverished, or, more accurately, inhabited by somewhat impoverished people, which suggests that life here is quite challenging, especially in winter.
The industrious gather wood for the winter during the summer.
