http://wendyhome.com Stranger in Reading Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:01:24 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en As Poodle astutely noted there are a lot of 'boob jobs' at the seaside resorts in the Cyclades,  clearly echoing the popular church architecture. http://wendyhome.com/2008/09/05/blue-boob-jobs/ The cyclades are not only littered with churches,  they have more than their fair share of windmills.  We experienced the impressively powerful winds during our sailing motoring trip, gale force for most of the vacation. Tucked-in behind the obligatory church bell tower modern windmills were clearly harnessing the power in Santorini.  ... http://wendyhome.com/2008/09/04/windmill-repurposed/ The Islands of the Cyclades are strewn with white churches,  often with blue roofs and all with bell-towers.  The bells would ring between 6pm and 7.20pm a single tone,  often flat, with a basic tune conveyed by a regularly varied pace between the rings. Graveyards were normally accompanied by a small ... http://wendyhome.com/2008/09/03/church-bells/ Greek graveyards were wonderful.  White marble graves are adorned with photographs of the deceased,  lit oil lamps, occassionally lit incense burners and well maintained live potted plants.  The graves are tended regularly and often have a little cupboard built into the headstone where the carers store basic maintainance equipment.  Some graves ... http://wendyhome.com/2008/09/02/the-departed/  Mules are a current and useful form of transport in the Greek Islands.  The mules are small enough to navigate the windy alleyways of the old towns,  they are sufficiently sturdy to carry tourists and tourist bags up hill-sides,  stairs, down alleyways.  This enterprising young fellow carried tourists and their bags ... http://wendyhome.com/2008/09/01/mule-haul/