The Island Bus photographic Friday 08/02/2013

Not too impressed with the blackout that happened just as I was about to turn the paper edit (i.e. the outline of what I was going to change about THE ISLAND BUS rough cut) into the real thing, I went on a bit of disaster tourism instead…

Colourful outing when following the outline won’t work

By its definition, disaster tourism is nosing around where you shouldn’t and this excursion was no different. Those of you who know Tilos probably care less about whether I get my edit edited in time than about the recent collapse of the Lethra footpath. So here is what it looks like:

Path lying down low

To me, the damage in the new spot just outside Livadia seems less scary than what happened now in the spot where the path had already collapsed a few years past.

It’s a long way down

Now, while I was hanging here like Tarzan off some Euphorbia branches to take these photos (I’m exaggerating, but only very slightly), I couldn’t help thinking that – if there wasn’t an earthquake or a landslide or yet another torrential rainfall right now – I got at least a little story for this week’s blog. It might not have been the work I intended that day, but well, life doesn’t always play game.

Walk on the bright side

Those of you who are into film have probably started to wonder whether making a film on an island like Tilos is really advisable. Here is what I think: even with all its blackouts, natural disasters, interrupted internet connections and video file upload marathons which do make it feel like a nightmare sometimes – this is probably the only way I could have made this film. Because after experiencing all the above first hand, I begin to grasp what makes the people we meet on THE ISLAND BUS and their attitude towards life so unique: even if there is no electricity, even if they have no papers, even if the government is collapsing (or a footpath), there is still some beauty to be found somewhere.

Funny that it takes us humans sometimes hanging off a cliff to notice it.

There is a reason why Tilos’s own radio station is called Κυκλάμηνο (Cyclamen) FM

PS: DISCLAIMER – I’d like to say that I strongly discourage anyone walking along the photographed parts of the Lethra path as they ARE UNSTABLE AND LIABLE TO COLLAPSE. It is a very long way down into the sea – and you don’t want to find out how long. DO NOT WALK THERE!

(DEUTSCHE VERSION)

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