Wednesday, July 1, 2015

pinkish

A morning exploring Elafonisi.
The oceans surrounding Greece and it's islands are so impossibly blue.  Like the kind of blue toddlers use to color their Crayola ocean landscapes.  Like this-has-to-be-dyed-because-how-can-earth-be-so-naturally-beautiful?!?!?! blue.
Ordinary-looking beach pictures?  Maybe.  I mean, how many ways can you photograph the ocean from the shore?  But trust me when I say this was the most beautiful beach I've seen thus far.  Despite the intense wind (and grains of sand being pelted into my legs), I was not ready to leave.  The place is so big with so many sandy lagoons, it didn't feel crowded, and I had enough room to run and splash around like a Midwesterner seeing a real beach for the first time.






Elafonisi is one of several beaches with "pink sand" - a result of eroded coral and pieces of shells.  It wasn't super evident at first... and then I took off my sunglasses and saw the pinkish patches swirling with the waves.  Like the way hair or eyes can seem to change color under sunlight.  I thought the beaches of Crete were all going to be covered in rocks and pebbles after visiting the one by our hotel in Kolympari, but here, we happened upon clusters of pebbles, black sand, and lots of adorable little shells.  I couldn't resist collecting a few for Giles the gecko...oops?  I don't know the rules about Elafonisi shells.  (But definitely don't pocket handfuls of pink sand).
RIP the $14 bracelet I got in LA last summer.  It kind of became one of my favorites, and I barely got to wear it.  Working in a wet lab will cause you to abandon all interest in spending the time to put on jewelry and makeup.  Serves me right for wearing it while climbing on jagged rocks.  I felt it snag on a crooked edge, naively thought it was fine, and the next thing I know, the charm has been washed away into the big blue sea.  Times when I wish I had a pair of swimming googles on hand.
Guess we can call it my parting gift to Greece.  Good luck with that financial crisis business (not that it felt tense or chaotic while I was there).  I'll be back regardless.

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