Seeing the last bit of the yellow hydrofoil disappear in the morning mist was enough to dampen every bit of optimism I possess, but luckily just at that moment I noticed a very gaudy fishingboat amongst the four others that were docked in the small harbour. Every boat was a hub of activity as nets were checked, decks scrubbed, and the holding bins cleaned out. But what caught my attention was a smallish boat with what I presumed was a husband and wife team. This boat was painted in a variety of colours, as if the owners collected left over paint from all over to beautify their vessel. The man was also dressed quite unlike the other fishermen in their thick grey jerseys and blue overall pants or jeans, in a bright blue jersey and jeans. But it was the woman who delighted me most. She had on about three skirts of different lengths, one atop the other, and also a longsleeved, bright purple kind of a sweater with a bright orange shortsleeved top over it. Around her head was a bright multi- coloured scarf that was fastened at the back with a very cheeky knot, the loose pieces fluttering in the light breeze. She had just two teeth stuck like brown pieces of driftwood in her lower jaw, and she was not shy to smile! The lot was so happy shouting banalities at each other, and laughing outrageously at their own wit, the woman flirting with all the men, giving back their teasing and bantering as good as you get. Luckily her husband, if he was that, was not the jealous type, just laughing goodnaturedly at his wife's antics, and getting on with his jobs. The woman also never stopped working, and when Ermioni started moaning, I left the scene with great reluctance. I regretted again that I did not have a camera!
After her breakfast, leaving the Ya-Ya exhausted from trying to overfeed the child, Ermioni went to sleep, and I went swimming. Glorious! I was laughing quite spitefully, as Ermioni had suddenly realised that she did have a choice, and none of the Ya-Ya's cajolings could make her open her mouth after she had enough! The old woman was very upset because to her way of thinking the child would die of hunger if she did not at least vomit once, and then fed again!
When I got back from my swim feeling refreshed and happy, Ermioni was awake, and the bally old woman pointed to the only tree for miles, then to Ermioni and I looked at her as if she was mad! She wanted me to play with Ermioni under the tree, and this tree was a sad specimen, with a crown of about twenty shrivelled leaves, throwing a shadow of about the half a square metre. I tried to reason with her, but still upset by Ermioni's mutiny, she shouted: 'Volta!', (go) in a hysterical voice, and I got CROSS, and ignoring her verbal abuse, I put the now crying child in the pushcart and took to the road! We came to a brinjal field, and on the side of the road was a decent tree, where I took Ermioni out to play in the sand. I was thinking of packing my bags and taking the Flying Dolphin back to Athens, and then home, as another two weeks of this I could not stand, but the reality was that I could not leave the child to the old Ya-Ya's devices!