Happy Birthday, Lawrence

Villa Invisible – Villa Cleobolus

From one villa in the western shore of Rodos town there is a distance of 386.5 meters when a direct line is drawn to Villa Cleobolus. By foot the path is exactly 494 meters from door to door.

Today I walk that route. I’m on my way to salute a fine novelist, poet, dramatist, travel writer and a romantic philhellene. I feel strong meltemi behind my back and it makes my footsteps light.

I enter the garden of Villa Cleobolus through iron gate, go round the house and find that old blue garden chair in the shadow of oleanders and tall grown pines. This is my favorite spot where the sun presents golden rays between the vegetation.

I show my utmost respect with a set of bright yellow sunflowers picked from my backyard. I lay them in a vase on the northern corner of the villa. Then I celebrate Lawrence Durrell’s birthday by reading the twelve pages of chapter V in Reflections on a Marine Venus out loud.

I hear the the garden of Villa Cleobolus humming a cheerful tune.

Cheerio

Originally published on February 27, 2007.