Almost paradise

Friday, April 29th., "Flying Cloud", at sea near Paros.

We anchored off the island of Santorin at 5.30 a.m., and shall proceed inside the crater-harbour at 9 a.m. The harbour is too deep for anchorage. later we went into the crater-harbour. At 8.30 Kahn, Crowninshields and Gray walked up to the nearest town. Paul Dougherty, Davidson and I made sketches. The walkers returned at 11.30.

The inner sides of Santorin are precipitous in brown and green above an intensely blue sea. The rim of the precipices is magically beaded with white cities built of porcelain (a porcelain clay being one of the products of this paradise). I saw three such cities; there are others, as well as a ruined city in the middle of the islands. The general effect is of a surpassing loveliness which no picture postcard could begin to render. Santorin is one of the places Homer is alleged to have been born. This detail however is not Santorin's chief interest. Its chief interest is that in the hill-cities villas can be hired for £15 a year, gardeners for £12, butlers for £12 and cooks for £12. The cities are white and spotless except for the thoughtlessness of mules. Persons of intelligence and culture, including Greek students and authors, are to be found. Santorin is the most convincing imitation of paradise yet beheld by me. It is only fair to state that when I went ashore to sketch my ankles were bitten to shreds by flies. 

Kahn said that he was sixty, and had never yet known the sensation of either mental or physical fatigue. This I believe. He never is tired.
For more on Kahn see http://earnoldbennett.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/an-invitation-to-sail.html

We anchored about 7 near Paros, for the night, instead of going on to Delos as the skipper was not sure of the lying at Delos, and a N. wind had sprung up. It died about 10.15.

Additionally for April 29th., see 'Self-awareness'

Noticed in myself: A distinct feeling of jealousy on reading yesterday and today accounts of another very successful production of a play by Somerset Maugham - the third now running. Also in reading an enthusiastic account of a new novelist in theDaily News today, I looked eagerly for any sign to show that he was not after all a really first class artist. It relieved me to find that his principal character was somewhat conventional, etc., etc. Curious!