After Germany we were transferred to Crete. My parents chose to drive, rather than fly, to do some sight seeing along the way.
salt mine
We stoped in Salzburg, Austria to tour a Salt Mine. Just Dad and I, mom and Beth did something else (Beth wasn’t yet 2 yesrs old). When we arrived at the mine we were divided into seperate changing rooms, all the men and boys were given coveralls, but in my room we were given brown dresses to cover our clothes. There was a bit of fear and confusion on my part when we came out of the dressing room and everyone looked the same, how would I ever find dad?
But he soon spotted me (the part where I was half the height of everyone else in brown dresses probably helped), and the tour began. It was so cool! I love being underground! I especially loved the slided to the next level, though it was a little scary. There was a polished log that we sat on, a long line of people, each holding on to the one before, feet dangeling over the sides of the log in free air (at least mine were!), as we slid down to the next level.
There were big, pretty rooms, and small enclosed spaces, and, finally, a train ride out of the mine and up to the gift shop, where dad bought me a box of rocks. Eight different varieties, ranging from pure salt, to pure country rock, in different colours. I treasured that box for many years, and regularily licked them to taste the differences.
cable car
As we drove through the Alps, we stopped somewhere for another highlight of the road trip, a cabel car ride to the top of the mountain! It was so fun! So beautiful! There was snow on the ground under us, in the summer! Alas, my mother was afraid of heights, and absolutely refused to make the step out of the cable car at the top of the mountain, and wouldn’t let dad and I go exploring up there, even though I really, really wanted to.
Hotel
When we arrived at Crete, we spent some time living in a hotel, before a house was available, so we ate in the restaurant. I remember the couple that worked there. He was a magician, and she was a dancer, from Bangladesh. She was so beautiful, with long, glorious black hair past her waist. I remember mom later telling people how she envied people in Europe getting to learn multiple languages, that she spoke seven more languages than her husband.
clouds
I remember standing in the doorway of the hotel, talking to an older child, probably half a head taller than I, looking at the thick, fluffy clouds in the distance, about how cool it would be if we could live up there.
ocean
I remember going to the beach with my parents, and mom staying on the shore with Beth, playing in the sand, and dad taking me out to the deep water (up to his chest, and holding me up, so I could “walk on the waves”.
our own house
Finally we got to move from the hotel into a house. I remember standing in the brick enclosed courtyard of the house as boxes were delivered, and my joy at reaching into onebof the boxes and pulling out a favourite stuffed animal.
parents relationship
We didn’t live in that house together very long, as it was in Crete that my parents relationship began to be problematic. Years later, mom used to say that at first when things got rough she thought they should stay together “for thecsake of the kids”, but then she noticed that her stress levels had her yelling at us kids, and she dicided it wasn’t beneficial to us.
All I knew at the time is that one day Dad explained to me that mom and Beth were going to fly back to Michigan to visit my grandmother and aunt Barbara, and he wondered if I wanted to go with them, or stay here in Crete with him? I had enjoyed playing with my cousins when last we visited them, so I chose to go with mom and Beth.
(Years later, I wondered aloud how different life would have been if I had chosen to stay with dad, and mom sid that I hadn’t been given a choice, she just took us when she left. Oh yes, I was. I didn’t fully understand the implications at the time, but I have no doubt that had I chosen to stay with dad, he would have done everything in his power to keep me.)
flight to Michigan
This time, we flew commercial ailines back to the states. Beth was big enough that she had learned to run, but had no impulse control. So when it was our turn to check in for the flight ar the Athens airport, and mom let go of Beth’s hand for long enough to get our passports out of her purse, Beth took off running. Mom sent me to catch her, and I managed to tackle her, sit upon her, and then shouted back “What should I do with her now, mom?”.
A nice Greek man witnessed this, took Beth and I by the hand, and walked us back to mom, but made the mistake of letting go before mom got a good grip on Beth, and she was off like a shot, again. Mom sent me after her, I managed to tackle her, sit upon her, and then shouted back “What should I do with her now, mom?”. This time the nice man just shrugged, and went on his way, and mom shouted back “sit on her!”, which I did, till mom had our tickets and could come get us.
Previous home: 06. Frankfurt, Germany 1971
Next home: 08. Ewen, Michigan 1972-1973