I walked from the city south to the village of Mournies and a church perched on the mountains. The grey rocky outcroppings stepped up the sides of the heap and hung over the abyss. Mountain goats jumped to the peaks, the bells around their necks clanging magically in the distance. An ex-pat I met earlier, Karen, told me how the ancient Cretans named their land as literally the ‘bellybutton’ of the world, always feeling an unshakable aura, a mystery, in the land. I think this is true, and I felt it. I walked to a small church and climbed to its roof, looking out over the city, to the western mounts and eastern cliffs and sea. I accidentally scared some sheep grazing behind a fence, and climbed the ladder of a water resevoir, peering into it’s eerie and translucent depths. I wanted to go deeper into the mountains, but it was late, and maybe next time.

After an hour’s walk back to the center, I ate at a Goody’s and I bought a bus ticket to the hotel, or so I thought. I asked some people if this was the right bus, and some of them spoke broken English, but mostly talked to each other in Greek. I laughed aloud because of the peripheral position I’d taken in the conversation. A woman called me over and tried to explain where the bus was going, as the engine struggled to life and the wheels began to roll. Shortly, a young woman came up to me from the back of the bus and told me in excellent English, “I can tell you when the stop is that you must get off.” I said thank you, and moved to the seat in front of her. I introduced myself and told her about my visit. She told me her named was Eleftheria, a beautiful name I said. We talked about our schooling and she said she was almost in college. I asked her how old she was and she took in a halted breath, knowing perhaps what I would say. ‘Seventeen, but you probably think I look older’ she said and it is true I replied. ‘You look much older.’ I asked her how old I looked and she guessed right to her surprise. If I could explain to you in words how beautiful she was I would but I can’t. I turned to her and smiled and softly said, “You are beautiful.” She turned her ear and I quickly said, “You are beautiful! I’m sorry but I just had to say it.” She smiled, “Thank you, thank you very much!” “Yeah, I was just like ‘Dang!’ and I just had to tell you.” Then it was my stop and I got off, saying, “Thank you, Eleftheria. You are very beautiful and your English is excellent and you are very kind. Ευχαριστο! Γιαι σου!” As I walked in the dark on the path to the hotel I wondered why I didn’t ask for her phone number. Sometimes beauty comes and we just have to let it go. Or maybe that’s just what I have to tell myself.