Heat waves, Ocean waves and a wave to the All Blacks

-   Extreme heat wave.  Temperatures up to 43oC.  Not a good time to climb the exposed Acropolis with its acres of burning marble.   

The heat is oppressive even at night. I have moved out to the lounge with it's high ceiling and sleep on the pull-out couch, fan on full.  Fans make Greeks ill so I'm on my own.

Every morning at 5.30am I wake as the temperature goes down, briefly. I turn off the fan and am then deafened by the high pitched screech of the cicadas.

Yet half an hour later the dawn chorus suddenly screeches to a halt. There is silence until around 7 and then their daily concert begins in earnest. I wonder what makes them start and stop?

This is the best hour of the day for a quality snooze. I open the big balcony doors and a draft of cool fresh air fills the room. I almost need to pull up a top sheet. Almost.

Bed making is so easy at this time of the year. All we need on the beds are a bottom sheet (fitted) and a pillow.

Another alternative is sleeping outside under the grape vine.  Too many creepy crawlies, night owls and barking dogs for me.

-   NZ won the America's Cup!

Little old NZ , beat big old America.
Now that's a big deal for us/me and my Greek family. There were excited telephone calls being made around this island by all the kiwis and their hangers-on.

What the heck is the America's Cup?   Sailing, my friends.   NZ-ers are very good at water sports, and rugby. Bermuda hosted the racing this year and the final was between cup holders America and Team New Zealand.   NZ won 7 races to 1.

NZ reclaimed this oldest trophy in world sport with their victory over Team USA.  This is the third cup win for Team NZ (out of 35 cup challenges) in this yacht race of the world's best sailors on the fastest boats.  'Nuff said.

-   Rugby 

The combined English and Irish Lions rugby team are touring New Zealand at the moment.  The Lions will play 10 matches against provincial teams and three test matches against the All Blacks.  NZ won the first test match 30-15, two more to go.  July 1st (tomorrow) is the second test match. 

We would watch the two teams play but Greeks barely know about the game of rugby and it is never mentioned either on greek tv or the euro sports channels.  I doubt we'll find any live streaming either so we'll just make do with live updates.   

The best part of the game is the mighty haka (Maori war dance)  performed by the All Blacks before kick-off.  We'll see it on Youtube later.  

Rugby fever has gripped our little nest of greek island kiwis.  

-   Rowing 

Grandaughter is taking part in the Panhellenic Rowing competition in Mytilini.  Mytilini is the capital and port of the island of Lesvos.  It is  one of the main landing places for refugees arriving from the coast of Turkey and was recently shaken by a strong 6.3 earthquake.  Maybe these races can bring the islanders a bit of positive publicity. 

Lesvos is also the home of  the best of Greece's ouzo.  K has ordered a bottle of Barbayiannis, 46% proof.   He has a friend of course, who has a friend, who works in the distillery.  He has ordered a bottle to be brought back, with great care.