Next stop Holargos

photo by Takanashi

I don't know if it was the sardines, the ouzo shots or the strawberry cocktail that followed but that day was my first to ever taste the bitter sweet experience of staying up all night because my gut felt too excited. Once or twice came really close to dial 166, the Greek emεrgency number but call to say what? What was going down was too embarasing and fadely convincing: My intestines are too loud for me to fall asleep doesn't really sound like a real crisis! Does it?

So, I decided to just stick it out and wait for the sun to come up to take any action, you know in the light of things..To my horror, as soon as the first rays pierced my blinds, I realized couldn't pretend any longer. -'Enough with the samourai stand! Spoke harshly to myself..

There was no doubt, I was in a funny health place because my skin around my arms and thighs looked inflamed and felt hot and terribly itchy!

Quickly I picked up my laptop and started looking for any homeopaths, acupuncturists or allergiologists in my area. Soon it hit me that sort of thing most likely would be found in more affluent areas, perhaps in the north of Athens. I settled for Holargos as soon as it crossed my eyes, somewhere in the middle I thought to myself. Me in the middle, you don't say!

After making the snap decision, I had to in order to flee my almost nervous snapping self-critical moment on top of my upset stomach situation, to drink some coffee despite, got dressed faster than a circus performer between acts and got out. Headed straight to my nearest metro station, destination Holargos the location of my choice of doctor's practice which I had based solely on my gut feeling..Never had I thought before that day, If I should trust my gut when having gut issues..How hilariously optimistic of me! My tummy was in a terrible mess, yet I had trusted my gut once more. I have always believed in miracles.

I was just about to board one while entertaining such thoughts. I am in the miracle country after all.Take the Athens metro for example. It took 5 decades in talks, votes approvals and reviews upon reviews and numerous budget upgrades but built in less than 5 years! Its main course at least and just in time for the Olympic Games of 2004. A miracle indeed!To this day I haven't really worked out if Greeks perform magic or can make magic out of anything..

So, miraculous was my recovery while reaching by the minute, Holargos too. Yet, very unsurprising though since this is a commonplace miracle of sorts. Upruptly start feeling, if not well, way better, symptoms gone just before you hit the doctor's office!

- Next stop, Holargos, the speaker blurred out in a disturbing, deafening recording! Greeks are loud! Got it! That was me reaffirming my cultural awareness while getting ready to have my very first experience with a Greek doctor..

                                           Snapshot from my neighborhood