Aliens of the Deep
I still recall that time I went to Monastiraki, climbed toward Plaka, but became sidetracked by dusty old shops filled with antiques of small value. In one such shop I found, at the bottom of a big basket, a sword. It was not one of those you want to place on a mantle or in a display cabinet. This sword was a sword that belonged to a poor soldier and he used it to kill and not be killed. It had more real history to it, with all its unpretentious strength, scratches and nicks, than those fancy ones rich people display, to pretend their family has a history.
After leaving the shop, I walked on a narrow street that slowly climbed down towards Syntagma Square. At a point where another street joined it in a V, a tiny kafeneio had a few metal chairs and tables out front. I took a seat and ordered ohtapodi (octopus) and ouzo.
I had expected it to be grilled, somewhat as in the photo, but it had been stored in salt and vinegar (I'm not knowledgeable of the details) and was fairly dry after being lightly grilled - but very tasty, especially with the lemon and chips and the ouzo which had to be refilled a time or two (I'm not saying how many).
This simple moment that many old Greeks live through day after day, left an impression on me and nearly thirty years later I wrote of it in my books LiTTLE CHERiNE, adding a hobo to the scene (I'd seen him in another part of Athens, years later, buried in his many layers of clothes and a thick overcoat, with a great peppery beard).
A bit more than a year ago, I came across a video on YT and because I'm in love with the idea of aliens existing, I watched the documentary. I have since then watched it another two times and am likely to watch it a few more.
If, like me, you have heard that the cockroaches are going to inherit the Earth and wanted to disown such a possibility, this film will excite you, for the cockroaches are tossed aside by something far more appealing (you will meet one that shows gratitude - I doubt you'll ever find that in cockroaches) and it is growing in intelligence.
Watching the birth of an intelligent species is a magical moment and you'll recall this documentary for a long time.
I also doubt you'll ever eat ohtapodi again - I can't eat anything that is intelligent like these creatures are - maybe that is what makes me superior to all those monster aliens from space that want to eat us (in the SF movies of the 1950's).
How has the octopus become so intelligent and capable of thinking in the abstract? Watch fascinating and often hilarious experiments to see just how smart they are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJor1sk_JDI
