The Ionian Islands

Greece is probably the most beautiful country in the world.

Its architecture, wrecked ancient and Venetian stone overgrown with vine. It’s food and drink. It’s history and philosophers. The unique turquoise of its seas over plunging white limestone. Pines that grow lusciously from dry clay soil adding their scent to the salty air. It’s rugged coastline. They reach me in a profound way.

Greece makes sense. Perfect sense in fact. The logic of an ouzo over ice and fresh grilled octopus dressed with olive oil and oregano is as compelling as the mathematics of Pythagoras and physics of Archimedes.

I love Greece. But she is a difficult lover.

Her red-blood-in-the-veins “I couldn’t give a f***” attitude is something I find very appealing despite the basket case institutions that this, along with a profound laziness and effortless corruptibility of character, gives rise to.

Levels of resentment for the brown-skinned, fleeing war and fitted out by NGOs in smart new sportswear, can be quite shocking; there is a bit of mob madness about it. As Yugoslavia was in the 90’s, Greece is the place where, I fear, the pogrom might feasibly once more get a run in Europe.

Not that these currents are sustainable. I sometimes wonder if Greece were removed from the European teat whether she would devolve into cholera and cannibalism within 6 weeks and her population halve within 12 months.

Greek national and cultural pride, the love of things Greek by Greeks, is a wonderful thing. But, as a lover who is true, who also has blood in his veins, I have to give it to her straight, lest pride tick over into chauvinism.

You were out-sailed by the Phoenicians, out-built by the Romans, out-mathed by the Arabs, out-sculpted by Renaissance Italians and, quite frankly, Albanians are better at cooking lamb. But no one is as good as all those things at the same time as you are.

Whatever. I’ll be back swooning at the feet of Dionysius, again and again.

Where I slept: Marilu's Paxos Port House: Stunning, right by the port.

Where I ate: Thalassa (Gaios, Paxos): Fresh seafood prepared very well in the Greek style, even if it is a little touristy. Fishalida (Corfu Old Town, Corfu): Right next door to the fish market so it doesn't get fresher. Immaculate grilled fish and seafood pastas.

Istanbul

I find Istanbul a bit challenging because, to be perfectly honest, I strongly dislike religion and here religion is so very present everywhere you go.

But if I can go into a church I can go into a mosque. I am yet to go into a Synagogue.

I find the aesthetics of the mosque appealing and uplifting. On the way in I’m asked to pull my shorts down over my knees - which is kind of charming because it’s been a long time since any part of me was cause for someone else’s temptation.

At night there are plenty of scantily clad women heading to nightclubs. I’m able to watch Liverpool dominate Manchester United at an Irish Pub. There’s certainly a tension here but the practicalities of making a living outweigh points of difference in lifestyles and beliefs.

There is very little of Rome remaining here in its eastern capital. The exception is the enormous cistern under the city built by Justinian around 580AD.

A great city in every sense.

Where I slept: Cronton Design Hotel: Lots of old world charm and well placed for the major sights.
Where I ate: Sankai by Nagaya: An original and pretty awesome take on fusion.