Graffiti in the parking light at the Mytilene ferry dock on Lesvos.
I left Lesvos the way the refugees leave — by overnight ferry to the Port of Piraeus in Athens. The ferry ride is the refugees’ second sea voyage in a few days. But different.
Molyvos from the harbor
I took a break yesterday after seven days. Most of the volunteers do not seem to take days off. The refugee work here is relentless and addictive. It should have been a slow day because the winds did not permit crossings. But at Lighthouse, I found a dozen people repairing damage to the store rooms caused by a storm the night before. Four more were restocking the clothes bins.
I sat alone at Lighthouse Beach this morning with silence except for the hum of a small generator lighting the white canvas tents and piles of bright orange life jackets. And Beach Cat who sat next to me on a rock as I watched the sun edge up over the hill. The lifeguard on watch came out of his tent and scanned the sea with binoculars.
“A boat. It will arrive in 20 minutes.”
On New Year’s Day, Greenpeace and a lot of volunteers were up at the life jacket graveyard to make a giant peace sign while we wait for peace. Continue reading
Dry shoes waiting for wet feet
“Philotimo” refers to a set of Greek values that might be described as a drive for goodness that transcends self-interest. Lesvos has way more than its share. Continue reading
I arrived on the Greek Island of Lesvos on the day the number of refugees arriving in Greece from Turkey reached 1 million. Almost half of them came to this island of 90,000 residents on the way to Germany, Scandinavia, any place that will take them. Continue reading
The minarets of the mosque near Khan al Khalili
Egypt is a remarkable place, a window into human history that is unlike anyplace I have ever visited. Now is a great time to visit because you won’t be competing with a lot of other tourists and your Egyptian hosts will be more grateful than ever. Continue reading
On my first morning back in Cairo, I declined my hotel’s offer to enjoy a $31 breakfast and hopped a cab to Zooba. Zooba is in the leafy Zamalek neighborhood of Cairo and features local produce, healthy updates to traditional dishes, and a communal table. Sounds like Oakland. Continue reading
Camino Milagro 