Gíthio, Fisherman

I waited patiently for the exact placement of the hands of this busy fisherman. Above my head, but out of the picture, a wire, or thin rope was strung between two poles, like a clothes line. But here, instead of drying clothes, dozens of small octopuses (octopi?) were hung on the line to dry.

At many stores, all over Greece, I had asked if they could help me find the special shepherd’s staff I was looking for. I was told they are not available for purchase, only shepherds have them. At a dock-side antique store in Gíthio, I finally found an authentic, genuine, actual Greek Shepherd’s Staff. I tried to act like I didn’t care, but I wanted the Greek shepherd’s staff, and paid the price the man asked, maybe $20. The store owner said this is the first one he’s ever had, and doesn’t expect to get another one. I had been told, and he confirmed, they were never available for a tourist, nor even for a non-shepherd Greek citizen.

On the way back to our RV I paraded the Greek shepherd’s staff before some of the store people who had just told me a staff was never available. They were genuinely surprised and pleased that I found one. A storekeeper asked where I bought it, he wanted one also.