Life in the Cottonfields: ....And The Tragedy Continues.....

Dear God, how long can this go on for?

This morning around 3.30 am I lost my handbag, purse, credit cards, ID, the lot, and could not find my way home. It’s my classic recurring anxiety dream when I have the sense of not being in control of things – need I say more?

And the answers to my questions in my previous post: no, the banks did not open on Monday, and, yes, capital controls were set in place – and so we continue.

As I said, Tsipras drew out of negotiations and called a referendum to avoid the cracks in his own party becoming more pronounced. That and the resulting No vote did not go down well in Europe. It was a real strategic error at the negotiating table and elsewhere: we lost their patience and comprehension, our credibility as well as valuable time.

We assumed things were improving when he was asked to put the most recently proposed measures to parliamentary vote. Ironically opposition members voted for them, acting in the national interest, while it was his own Syriza members who voted against, abstained or absented themselves – as was the case with the demoted Varoufakis. Notwithstanding, he returned to Brussels with a majority vote in favour of the measures and we assumed things would go more smoothly. Hope once again began to glimmer, only to be dashed by Germany and Finland blocking the procedure.

I must admit Tsipras had the brio, balls, cojones – call it/them what you will – to take the stand he did, but we are all paying dearly for that now. He is decidedly between a rock and a hard place: a European blockade and mutinous colleagues.

Cracks show up elsewhere: containers lie unclaimed at ports and terminals – no one has the money to claim them. On the bus I overheard a conversation between a lady in logistics who had a fruit-producing client desperate to get his produce to the international market. No refrigerated lorries were moving, so they were feverishly exploring other transportation options before the produce spoiled – especially in the current heat. As people panic stock, some stores report shortages of flour, sugar and paper goods – few people claim to be suffering from constipation right now!!

It’s amazing how you adapt. Your fears have been realized and you feel real frustration at being denied access to your own money. You lose the sense of ignominy at queuing up, eventually feeling almost grateful that you got some money out for inevitably the ATMs begin to dry out.

A little friend has suggested that his family build a tree-house in the forest to avoid paying rent! Of late, the local radio station plays nice, lively island dance-music to keep our spirits up. I’ve noticed a little owl taking up a perch on a nearby house in the cool of the morning and the early evening. I look out for him anxiously for he symbolises my hope that wisdom may prevail. We all have our coping strategies. My garden has never looked better: I deracinate the couch grass as if I were wrestling with Herr Scheuble himself.

Tomorrow I leave for Sheffield, not knowing whether, on my return, we will still be in Europe.

We had some other bad news: Margaret and Bill, friends from Aberdeen University, whom we met up with in Crieff last September, were due to come out to visit us here. Unfortunately they had to cancel the trip due to poor health.

Fortunately, all is well on that front now and we are hoping they may come to see us in the autumn. Still, you know how it is – when visitors come there are things you look forward to showing them – especially since this was to be their first trip to Greece.

So, guys, here are some moments we wanted to share with you:

Our magnolia blooms with their intoxicating, citreous-vanilla aroma and the acacia tree’s powder-puff blooms.

Our local courgette festival where we sampled their wares, enjoyed watching the Cretan dancers in their finery - and you’d have loved the Thracian bag-piper – he’d been to Glasgow and played our pipes too!