It was such a sunny and warm day for January that I decided not to go to the studio and dedicate myself some time to travel within the city of Athens, reaching the Island of Salamina which I’ve visited already two times during travels from Italy to Greece during 2023.

This Island can enrol the task of being a bridge from Megara to the capital, avoiding the awful main-land road which passes through Elefsina and where cycling turns into everything but a pleasant moment. Personally, I am not against those kind of moments, they are key to awareness and criticism towards urban and extra-urban body-mobility planning.

Anyways. I packed my bike for the day trip and started cycling through the city. First destination, port of Perama. That way’s a nightmare by itself. Took me like one and a half hour to reach it. In Perama you simply buy a 1,20€ ticket and jump on a ferry which leads you 15 min later on Salamina. I had to pee. Took me 5 min to find the restroom on the boat. A girl was already in the queue. Don’t know If I look like a foreigner or if she was a foreigner herself but she told me in English that both toilet’s were busy. While waiting I notice that the sinks do not work and they’ve been turned into ashtrays. Sexy. I am starving, didn’t eat anything this morning. I dream of a tasty homemade souvlaki. I don’t want to get a bad one in the main town so I decide to cycle a bit reaching Eantio where I hope to find one.

Once I am there, I understand that this place is half desert in this period of the year and I seriously wonder what to do. I see some kind of very local and old taverna. Doesn’t look like open neither closed. I try it out, nothing to loose at this point. After pushing the door and having a step in, I find myself  submerged in a smoke cloud. Around seven people are starring at me while smoking. I find the moment magnificent as disgusting. I ask if anyone speaks English. A few of them do and somehow, doing some collages between what one and the other understands, I manage explaining my hungriness. Among all the men, one woman stands up, I could barely see them in all the smoke. She doesn’t speaks a word but got the point and invites me to the kitchen to check out what’s on the menu today. I expected to do a faster-cheaper stop but due to the conditions, I openly welcome the spontaneous happening of the unpredictable.  Her pot is full of Lahanodolmades floating in oil.

Gosh, yes. I smile and agree, telling them I’ll sit outside. They’re a bit surprised, but isn’t that obvious? No it’s not. Anyways, I go out and actually sit in the sun of the platia, removing my jackets and stuff since it’s quite warm. I don’t rush but don’t turn lazy either. My goal was to cycle today, not to sit eat drink sleep. After finishing the plate, I take 10 min to get it settled in my stomach and start dressing up again. I go in to pay the community of smokers. Deep dive in the smoke ocean, everyone is still starring at me and smiling. I smile back and a guy feels confident enough to talk to me. He ask me where I come from, I explain that today I ride from Athens. They’re all impressed, can hardly believe it, tells me they could never do that. I always wonder why people doubts so much about their body strength and possibility but am not surprised anymore. The man asks me my weight. I find it a quite curious question so reply and ask why’s that? They did some kind of bet with his friend. Before leaving I ask to take a group picture. Turned out nice. I’ll go back to give them a print.

Finally on the road again! Pame. The road is steep but beautiful, lost in the woods. It’s late already, I won’t be able to go everywhere. Kanakia would have been nice to visit but once I am on top of the hills right above it, I realise there’s no way back from the coast, the only way would be going backwards. I decide to skip it and do it another day. I want to reach Σατερλί through the road which seems ridable until a certain point. Then it turns being off-road. Don’t have any inner tube left so have to carry the bike on my shoulder for a while. That’s funny.  Finally landing back on the road, start riding again. Here feels like being far, faaaaar away from everything! But it’s not, not at all. Up, down, up, down. I cross village after village. Nothing happening but quiteness. Feels good. There is an insane house on the coast, doesn’t looks like a house. More like a giant turtle made of cork. But what am I saying, how is a house supposed to look? There’s a cork sculpture in the basketball field nearby. I wish I could visit that place and meet who made it.

The time passes, I re-connect to the main road. I feel tired but still want to avoid the main traffic so decide to climb a last hill before heading back to the ferry port of Paloukia. Once on top I’m like “ooooh yeah babe that’s gonna be goooood” and stop holding my breaks to just be carried away by gravity. It’s fast,  scary, I like it.

Finally land in the port, I take five minutes to chill and go back to the ferry. The sun is still high, I park the bike and sit where it can still reach me. Spontaneously sitting on a plastic chair that’s right there, near an old guy who’s silent. The ferry starts going. A guy walks around, our gazes cross, I smile.

He smiles back.

Why? Well, it’s sunny, I had a great day and a human being crosses my gaze. I smile, yes, of course I do. Guess I’m smiling anyways. The guy takes a sit next to me, tells something in greek that I understand thanks to the gestures. “It’s nice to be under the sun”. Nai, poly orea. We start talking, for me everything is fine until he asks my contact to go for coffee. I give him my contact, Instagra, I don’t really care, but tell him I’m not up for coffee. Then I don’t remember the circumstances, he asks me if I have a boyfriend, re, classic. Like CLASSIC. I I reply with a very classic, no, I have a girlfriend. I think at some point I’ll have to do a project about the expressions and reactions of men when I tell them this.

So what? If someone smiles at you it means you’ll get married? I mean, If you are a girl, I might think about it but it’s not the case and, anyways,

slooowwww down.

Few weeks ago I was having a conversation with this girl I met via Tinder. Tinder, what I wild place. I still hardly get it, or get the vibe I get using it. Not that I’ve dated many ppl there, and most of them became friends. But, there’s always this sex-vibe in the first place that is implied with which I am totally unable to deal with. Anyways, It was I guess the third time we met and finally started talking about our relationships. Turns out she’s bi and has a boyfriend. She’s hesitating telling me that, guessing I am one of these very inflexible lesbians who doesn’t tolerate bisexuality. Honestly, I don’t care. Well that was our last meeting, I’d call it a meeting rather than a date because I also don’t clearly situate the “date” idea in relationship constructions. Well so we had this conversation about flirting. Hahahahahaha.

I was telling her that I really don’t get why it’s always men who feels comfortable with spontaneous random flirting, everywhere. The ferry guy was an example. Few days later I was reaching Antonio’s place for a dinner. Went to the supermarket to get a bottle of wine, went out, crossed the gaze of a guy who looked sweet. I smiled, like 0,01 sec, he probably tried to say something but I was late and listening to music. Started running since I was missing the bus. I jump on it, just in time. Aha. The guy had to take the same, he’s right behind me. I don’t pay attention, the sound I’m listening carries me away and, as always, I start having spastic moves due to the following of the beat that I’m the only one listening to. After the Storm, Kali Uchis. OMG I float when I listen to it. My stop, I get down the bus, still floating. I walk towards Antonio’s place. If you need a heroooo just look at the mirrorrrrr blablabla I walk I walk. Aware that the guy got down at the same stop. Curious. I don’t get any bad vibe though. And, trust me, I know what bad vibes feels like. I am still transported by Kali and try to avoid the awareness that he want to talk to me. But ok, I stop, remove my headphones, turn around, and face him, smiling, again. What the fuck am I smiling at all the time?

Well guess, he likes me I am nice he want to go for coffee. Hahahahahahaha.

I tell him I’m not interested but find absolutely fascinating the determination he had and the gesture. I ask myself, Romane, would you ever follow a girl of which you instantly fall in love, run after her, get on the same bus, get down at the same stop and finally found the strength to talk to her and ask her out? I ask the same to this girl from Tinder. Our answer is, NO. Hell why not? I try to re-live the episode exchanging the guy with a woman I’d find attractive. Would I say ok for the coffee? I mean, probably yes. I mean for sure yes.

Well after getting down the ferry I decided to ride until the nearest metro station and take the metro back home. Didn’t want to ruin this beautiful day with additional traffic and polluted air. I just have a look on the industrial area of the port of Perama, with the golden light of sunset. Romantic.

What about the occasional everyday life flirting?

Hmmmm