I’m reposting the introductory paragraph for this series, as it’s been a little while since I posted this. Skip it if you already know the framework.

When I’m out and about, whether in urban chaos or rural tranquillity, I’m often attracted by the odd, the misplaced, the unusual, the item that smacks the eye with its inappropriate situation, probably something to do with being odd myself, eh?

It seems, since I tend to record such encounters on whatever recording device I’m carrying, a good idea to share these oddities with a wider audience to see what others take from them. Who knows, we might learn something. And, even if we don’t, some of the images will amuse, some will shock, some may cause possible disgust, and all invite comment or even discussion. So, nothing to lose, I think.

We (when I mention ‘we’ it’ll identify my wife and myself, since we prefer to wander together. Although we’re in our 70s and have been married for close to 36 years, we’re still very much in love. I know that may create some odd reactions, but in factual prose I favour truth.) 

In 2016, our daughter had left uni and was working as a Holiday Rep on the lovely, small, Greek Island of Samos. We went out to see her and she showed us a lot of the island we would otherwise have missed.

On one our unaccompanied walks, we came across concrete steps leading down to a pebble beach, half of which we discovered belonged to a beachside hotel, with the other half devoted to a ‘clothes optional’ beach. For reasons that should be clear, I was cautious with the rather obvious camera I always carried in those days, so we wandered the hotel part, and reached some steep cliffs with the Mediterranean waves crashing against them. But there was little else of interest, so we retraced our steps and began to climb the path leading to the steps.

On the way, we came across a few patches of pebbles inscribed with messages. Some had faded with time, others were illegible, but some contained stones with readable messages. This patch was the best we found. Messages of love, and of hope. A lovely idea, which made me wonder who started it, and how long ago. Questions never answered. But a pleasant little diversion.