One of the most pleasant trips I ever took overseas. It was early in my infrared career in the mid 1980's. I traveled with a small group of watercolor artists and their friends on an informal tour organized by a painter friend of mine who had a studio in Oregon. Great group to travel with. We spent over two weeks in the islands out of the three weeks we were overseas. Went to Paros, Astaphalia, and Amorgos...then spent a few days in Athens and London.

The Greek people are very nice and like Americans. Athens has the usual metropolitan problems similar to Rome with people trying to part you from your money, but when you get out in the Islands, life is mellow and the people are very nice. Except for a few of the popular islands, you feel like you are going back in time hundreds of years....One of the islands, Amorgos, when I was there, only had electricity for about 5 years.

The most interesting time I found to shoot was siesta time. Most of the residents close up the stores and restaurants in the afternoon and don't open them up again till late afternoon. I walked around the town and the surrounding hills every day during the midday quiet time...photographing ruins and the surreal empty streets. It was a wonderful time to find images. The locals thought I was crazy to miss the siesta, but I came away with some great shots.