Sapphotastic!

Hooray for Greek keyboards which have Greek but under the English letters and are much easier to negotiate.

I am typing in a cafe some 20 yards from the sea on the harbour of Mytilene in Lesbos. Lots of hotels/squares/shops called after Sappho, which is only right and proper - so far Alcaeus and Pittacus have only got slightly manky streets named after them! In an hour's time I am off to Skala Eressos to explore Sappho's birthplace and see how the tradition lives on. I am slightly nervous because there is only one bus and I will have to return tomorrow morning at 6.15 am (!) and I hope very much that all will be well with our group during their much-needed day off. We are generally well but tired and I for one am happy to have a couple of days off from classwork, much as I love it. Yesterday I taught a class on Greek lyric poetry on the ferry which I managed, but it was not ideal!

It is very good to be back in Greece. More soon.