When Theresa first blogged that she wanted “Tom's little rocks to be in many, many cool places” I was bummed because I had no plans to go anywhere cool. A few weeks later I found myself booking a flight to Greece. I immediately asked Theresa if I could take Tom with me. She graciously said yes and shortly before my trip she brought me a baggie and the Flat Tom photo.
As I was finishing up my packing, I picked up the baggie and was struck by the peculiarity of holding the ashes of a dear friend in my hands. After a few minutes of tearful reflection, my thoughts began to turn to more logistical concerns. How the heck was I going to get Tom to Greece? Two of my three travel companions were attorneys and weren’t so sure it was even legal. My mom was worried sick that I would get arrested for cocaine possession when I went through security at IAH or Charles de Gaulle. Honestly, I was less concerned about getting arrested and more concerned Tom might be confiscated and spend eternity in a bin full of scissors, 4 oz shampoo bottles, and lighters. I decided to divide him into two baggies, one for my carry on and one for my checked bag, in hopes that at least one of them would make it. To my immense relief both made it safely!
Initially I was just going to take Tom diving with me in Mykonos so he could be part of the crystal clear waters of the Aegean Sea. But when I arrived in Greece I decided that he might also enjoy being a part of the splendid history of Athens and the breathtaking beaches of Santorini and Mykonos. So I picked the following places that I hoped my dear friend Tom would enjoy.
Odeion of Agrippa, Ancient Agora, Athens
While the nearby Parthenon at the Acropolis would have been the obvious choice, I picked the Odeion of Agrippa in the Ancient Agora of Athens for two reasons. First of all, the plaque by the site said it was a theater where musical performances were held. I figured Tom would feel at home here.
Secondly, although it’s hard to tell from the photo, he has an amazing view of the Acropolis and the Temple of Hephaistos as seen below.
Red Beach, Santorini
On August 3, I rented an ATV on Santorini and I set out to explore the island. My goal was to find Red Beach, one of the island’s most beautiful beaches known for its amazing backdrop of red volcanic rock. Not surprising, given the fact that all the street signs seemed to be pointing the way to sororities and fraternities with really long names, I got lost and ended up riding around for hours. Honestly, I didn’t really mind that much. After all, I knew I was on a pretty small island and I had Tom with me the whole time which I found strangely comforting. It was like I had a guardian angel riding along with me as I wound my way down the steep and windy roads. Needless to say I finally found Red Beach. It was even more breathtaking than I expected. I debated whether to place Tom on the beach or on the ridge above where the path down to the beach begins. I opted for the ridge. The view was just too magnificent! Hope Tom agrees!
Paradise Point, Paradise Beach, Mykonos
On August 5, I headed to Paradise Beach where Mykonos’s only dive shop is located. The dive master snapped this photo of us near the end of the dive at Paradise Point. When I returned to shore Flat Tom was gone. Despite the fact I was certain I had put him back securely in the pocket of my BC. I guess Flat Tom really liked this spot and decided to stay.
Plati Gialos Beach, Mykonos
Around midnight on August 6, despite Flat Tom’s absence, I held a private ceremony on Plati Gialos Beach where I said goodbye to the rest of Tom’s pebbles. When he had washed completely away, I found myself regretting not keeping a little bit of him. But then I realized I always would in my heart.
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