Category Archives: literature

“Travels to a Different Time” : 6September2022: Samos, Mytilini, Greece: Small Mountain Town off the Grid: Surveying Earthquake Damage

The sleeps are improving. Three days in Greece and finally feeling human. That 8-hour time difference from Toronto takes its toll plus the two flights. Off to the Doryssa breakfast at 09:00. Sweet watermelon, grapefruit slices, Greek yogurt and honey, a slice of yogurt cake and two cups of green tea. Not having tattoos, IContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 6September2022: Samos, Mytilini, Greece: Small Mountain Town off the Grid: Surveying Earthquake Damage”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 5September2022: Pythagoras, Samos, Greece: Tattoo Crazy: Unauthorized Entry

Off to visit Vathi. But first that ballet of a breakfast at Doryssa Bay downstairs. There are many German, Nordic and Dutch tourists on Samos. North Americans are somewhat of the exception. Breakfast here by experience is hectic but sit outside in the summer air overlooking the ocean is a great pleasure. Why on earthContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 5September2022: Pythagoras, Samos, Greece: Tattoo Crazy: Unauthorized Entry”

“Travels to a Different Time ” : 4September2022: Pythagoras, Samos, Greece

Up at 06:45 for our flight from Athens to Samos. Taxi came to pick us up at 08:00 and off to the airport. Had a sandwich and a water at the airport. Saw a German family around asking where they could get a “real breakfast”. Saw them after eating eggs and ham! Sehr Gut! InContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time ” : 4September2022: Pythagoras, Samos, Greece”

RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Thoughts of an 1856 Druggist in Toronto

“As my father has often said, the sick are never in short supply, but then there is only so much physick they can take before their health is recovered, and the privations and the growth of the city were both grossly overestimated. It does ill to have hopes for others’ misfortunes, but druggists must standContinue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Thoughts of an 1856 Druggist in Toronto”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 3September2022: Vravrona, Greece

After 10 awful hours on an Air Canada flying basement Athens was a chance to break out of our little prison but seems COVID has played around with Greece as there were no gates available so stuck on the airplane for 30 minutes. Ordinarily we would have made a connecting flight to Samos but withContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 3September2022: Vravrona, Greece”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 2September2022: Toronto to Athens: Getting There is no Longer Half the Fun!

We booked this trip from Toronto to Athens on points. I wonder if we have been penalized by Air Canada for booking on points as when checking in on-line exactly 24 hours prior to departure as permitted by Air Canada in the entire plane there are three seats available? What’s that old Greek proverb “theContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 2September2022: Toronto to Athens: Getting There is no Longer Half the Fun!”

“Travels to a Different Time” :21-28 July 2007: Thessaloniki Greece

The flight from Munich to Thessaloniki was just over two hours in length on Air Berlin. Non descript ham and cheese sandwich on Wonderbread. After so much great Bavarian meats and cheeses who would have thought the Germans could have sunk so low. Arrived in Thessaloniki in 45-degree heat. Although the Porto Palace Hotel isContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” :21-28 July 2007: Thessaloniki Greece”

The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous!

Introduction By Robert K. Stephen Could it be The Penniless Pensioner is one of the most interesting characters inhabiting the globe today? That will be up to you to decide. From feedback I have received there is no doubt in my mind he is misaligned, misunderstood and some of you have remarked he is marvellous.Continue reading “The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous!”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 2006 Füssen, Germany: Off to the Castles: Bavarians the Calabrian’s of Germany?

Our room at Hotel Kurkafe is Bavarian kitsch. The breakfasts are adequate with some loose-leaf green tea but not as good as the green loose-leaf tea at the Maratim Hotel in Wurzburg. We packed up after breakfast and saw the Bishop’s Castle a rather fortified looking bunker with simple interiors a break from the sumptuousContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 2006 Füssen, Germany: Off to the Castles: Bavarians the Calabrian’s of Germany?”