You know the saying, what you see is what you get?
Well add a bit of curiosity, a dash of time and a bit of questioning and sometimes, what you get is more than what you see.
Exploring the island of Amorgos, which I believe means love, many years ago, I came across the scene depicted in the photo. Carrying a camera with you sharpens your eyes for places like this. The donkey was relaxed and indifferent, so I took a few shots of this place with its spectacular view. And then I rested a bit.
Did you notice in the picture, as I slowly did during my rest, that the surrounds were quite dry with very few variations in colour? Yet, here was a plot of land out of context with a fairly well-fed donkey standing by a bush of some very beautiful red flowers.So, I began to wonder at where the land holder was getting his water.
There was no open running water. There was no well in this fairly high up place. And, I didn’t see anyone to ask so I walked around the small plot uncertain about what the owner would do if he caught me there.
Anyway, what I found was astounding. Nearby was a tub without seams seemingly chiselled from a single stone block, filled with water, which was about the size of a spa bath, but a bit taller. But where did the water come from? Did the donkey earn his or her keep by carrying it up from below? No, the tub was fed in this very dry place by a trickle of water from the side of the hill.
In fact, that trickle emanated from a small tunnel-like horizontal hole in the side of the adjacent hillock. Looking more closely, the tunnel seemed man-made and was held up by what looked like carved wood posts and beams. Yet, the posts and beams were made of stone. Was this petrified wood?
According to some, petrification of wood takes around 10,000 years. Whatever the material, the tunnel and stone basin seemed ancient. And, whatever the story, I was rapt.
Tiring, as the sun and I got hotter and hotter, I continued on this particular walk, looking forward to a rest back in the little port which was closely surrounded by hills.Feeling quite dehydrated when I returned, I must’ve taken in untold bottles of coke. I later learned that these drinks are filled with salt and sugar precisely to keep people from quenching their thirst so they buy more and more.
So, sitting there liked a stunned mullet from the heat of the walk, I enjoyed the quiet of the small harbour…until I started to become a vegetarian.
A man arrived with a baby goat which he took to the other side of the harbour which was a stone’s throw from where I was sitting. Over to the local tavern owner who was also the local butcher. There were maybe a couple dozen people about.
Now, this animal I think sensed what was coming and began to cry, especially as the butcher came out, bound his legs and chucked him into a wheel barrow which he left in front of this premises for what seemed like an hour or more. Disturbing enough as this sight was, even more so was the sound of the goat crying and struggling. I never knew until that moment that a goat crying sounded just like that of a human baby crying. And the goat cried and cried and even screamed, as time went by, with the sounds echoing off the closely surrounding hills.
Finally, the butcher came out and wheeled the goat around to the side door, also in my sight and earshot. The goat then remained there for another hour or so, before he was taken inside until gurgling momentarily replaced the cries and screams.
Unlike many things that have happened in my life, these sounds went straight into my chest and heart. For me this was very personal. As a visitor, without judgement, I left wondering in the great scheme of things what the difference is between eating human and goat meat. And regardless of that started avoiding eating meat which is pretty difficult when travelling.
This for me is the stuff that travel is made of, exploration, discovery and learning.
I regret that I couldn’t speak the language and explore further, learning more about the people, culture and history. Though, I still enjoy looking at that photo and explore the rich memories that it and others evoke.
I also value the sense of anticipation I feel when I walk about, anywhere that I am, because I really never know what I will find, pain or pleasure, beauty or the beast, especially when I stop, look and listen.
