Middle-aged flash packers

I woke up with another headache, which was good news in a way as it’s clearly not alcohol considering I had next to nothing to drink last night. However, it’s painful and I wish it would go away. Still, it earned me a lie-in which was good. Until the bloody building work started outside which was bad. (I’m rather enjoying writing as President Trump speaks – it’s very easy.)

Today’s main point on the agenda was a visit to Mycenae.

The Mycenaean civilisation began around 1200BC – a very long time ago. Mycenae is famous for its Lion Gate and sculptures of two lions which is above the entrance to the city.

Rumour has it that Perseus, son of Zeus, got Cyclopes to build the walls. Good shout as otherwise they would have been built by slaves and there would be massive pressure to pull it all down now as slaves are wrong and bad, however long ago it happened.

Anyway, we spent a few hours pootling around the ruins of Mycenae, which was very quiet and free of bus loads of tourists.

It’s a terrible thing to say there are upsides to Covid but I’m going to say it. There are upsides to Covid, one of them being that many places are no longer rammed with tourists, hurling you aside so they can get a better look at whatever it is you’re looking at. Another upside is I don’t have to struggle to a pub bar and wait for ages while the bar staff ignore me. They have to come to my table and serve me. Wonderful.

But I digress.

We stopped for some lunch and then went “home” where I had a quick snooze while Steve decided what we’re doing for the rest of the holiday. I’m joking. He only did that a little bit.

Next, we walked up to the church we can see from our apartment. It has a fabulous view from its plaza and also some huge bells. Get those going tomorrow morning, and my head will surely explode.

But the best part of the day for me was the street life in the old town. Specifically human life mirroring animal life. Or the other way round. I shall explain.

As we wandered along the ever so glamorous lanes of the old town, a middle age man with a blonde, curly ponytail came rushing out of his shop, hurling abuse at a similar aged, bespectacled lady with a dog. He was really going for it, getting more and more angry. She was displaying what I can only describe as dumb insolence which of course was fanning the flames. An onlooking shop owner, who interestingly appeared to be transgender( not that that matters at all, shouldn’t even comment on it really, omg, I’m going to be in so much trouble)told us that the lady’s dog had peed on his shop front and he was rightfully angry because people let their dogs do that all the time on his property. Fair enough but he was so full of rage, it was really rather disconcerting.

We then wander around the corner, only to find cats doing the same thing. A big cat had seemingly secured the territory around a parked bicycle. Enter another large cat who wished to infiltrate this territory. Cue much growling and hissing. Then matters were complicated by a skinny black cat who was definitely the sweet but slow on the uptake type who strolled in to Armageddon. Big cat was outraged as skinny cat stretched himself under the bicycle, trying not to be noticed as he now realised he was in trouble. Other large cat heaved a cat sigh of relief as he turned around and left skinny cat to a probably quite severe scragging. Animals, people – we are much the same really.

And that is Nafplio.

Tomorrow we take the “scenic” drive through mountains to our next destination of Kardamyli. Hopefully the bells will not be ringing.