i had just visited the place over the summer with my immediate family and mom... i remember thinking that i might not go to chios again. i never thought that it would be mom who would never return.
like it? well then, give it a click, will you...?
there was no point sleeping tuesday night because i had to start early wednesday morning to catch a 6:15 flight. we landed at 7, i picked up the rented car and started to drive towards vrontados. the cold and rain matched my bitter mood as i followed the east coast. i glanced over towards turkey as the world turned blue. there was to be no glorious sunrise -- just troubled, turbulent sky.
i stopped next to the familiar windmills and tried to get a few shots. having no umbrella, i limited my attempts to brief lulls in the rain. finally, it was time for businesses to start their day, so i made my way up to the house and made the phone call to the movers that i'd arrived.
the house is on the slopes of mount epos and faces east. it's very old, built in the 1860s, and not the most comfortable of places -- but we sometimes visit in the summer. in fact, i'd never seen it in the winter. it looked different... the colors were dark and rich -- some trees were stark and brittle, but the normally dry wild grass in the yard was lush.
the movers came and left.
i hugged our neighbor, despina, when i saw her. she had just lost her own mother last year -- and she loved my mom too -- so we had a good deal to talk about, strangely, for the very first time. she was kind to me and even cooked a wonderful lunch. she cried, i cried. it was hard.
as evening fell, i took a last look at the house. this time, i wanted to save a mental picture only. i said goodbye to despina and drove back to the airport. i felt shattered but still wanted to stop at the harbor along the way to snap a few -- i haven't even looked at them yet. i doubt they're ok but, if they're even halfway decent, i'll post them.
i've placed this image on flickr's map.
