https://rhiaro.co.uk/2019/01
type: Collection
type: Container
contains: flies
contains: 2018-in-review
contains: photos-lesvos
contains: week-in-review
contains: photos-lesvos-2
contains: photos-lesvos-3
contains: photos-lesvos-4
contains: space
contains: photos-lesvos-5
contains: photos-ferry
contains: week-in-review-2
contains: photos-syros
contains: bubble
contains: accomplishment
contains: stop
contains: canonical
contains: captain
contains: week-in-review-3
contains: photos-syros-2
contains: ursula
contains: weather
contains: studio
contains: photos-food
contains: day
contains: photos-syros-3
contains: week-in-review-4
contains: photos-syros-4
contains: hiking-ermoupoli-kini
name: Posts between 2019/01 and 2019/02
total items: 28

2018-in-review
type: Article
content: In 2017 I finished my thesis in Malaysia, flew back to Europe, got a job in Sarajevo and settled down there for a bit. It would have been easy to stay. Too easy. Being comfortable makes me uncomfortable, so in 2018 I became once more an everything-I-own-in-a-backpack no-fixed-abode full-time digital nomad. I posted logs or photos or blogposts to my site 4,817 times and posted 9,520 individual photos. tl;dr Started travelling, around Europe, mostly. Did not fly. Finally wrapped up the last Social Web WG specs. Left OCCRP and joined ODS. Drafted half a novel. Went to a couple of conferences, for either fun or profit. Refaced my website. Made many new friends, some fleeting, some lingering on WhatsApp or Signal. Goals for 2019: Proceed on current trajectory, but write more. Skip to: Words Travel Work Code Stuff January: travel practice February: re-finding my nomad March: slow down April: new experiences, and academia flashbacks May: beaches and history and solitude June: home again home again July: off-route August: back on plan September: Lithuania is underrated October: writing, stability, then a detour November: I LOVE POLAND December: to the sea, better late than never Reflection on 2018 2019 Words I wrote 437 things. On my site I posted 350 short notes or commentary with photos, and 87 longer articles. I also logged non-blogpost writing 34 times. These all comprise approximately 122,401 words in total (47,804 off-site). That's a mean of 335.35 words and 1.20 posts per day. I wrote about 217 different topics, with the most common being travel (181), life (89), food (46), week in review (44), vegan (38), hacking (26), Georgia (the country) (13), sloph (13), tourism (12), Sarajevo, Bosnia (10), Poland (10), and nanowrimo (10). My NaNoWriMo project was Birds, and I also wrote small bits of Quest for Brothers and Offcast. Travel I stopped in a total of 24 countries; I visited 9 countries for more than a couple of weeks, 7 of which I had never been to before, and passe…
name: 2018 in review
published: 2019-01-01T20:10:00+02:00
tag: transit
tag: logs
tag: food
tag: year+in+review
tag: quantified+self
tag: writing
tag: week+in+review
tag: https://rhiaro.co.uk/tags/2018
tag: travel
tag: life
tag: occrp
tag: sloph
tag: ods
tag: digital+nomad

accomplishment
type: Note
content: An important thing I accomplished today was interpreting the Greek TV menu to connect it to the wifi and log into netflix \o/ Often these things are so unintuitive it takes hours when the thing is in English, so I thought that was pretty good.
published: 2019-01-15T20:38:59+02:00
tag: travel
tag: life

bubble
type: Note
content: I would like to spend some time in a big transparent bubble, ideally heated and decked out with a beanbag and cosy blankets (and wifi obviously, or at least my kindle) and just sit in the middle of a raging rainstorm.
published: 2019-01-15T10:16:00+02:00
tag: life

canonical
type: Note
content: rhiaro.co.uk is the canonical source, everything there is mirrored to mastodon and twitter. Occasional posts are only mirrored to mastodon, and not twitter. (and you can fetch it all from my site as ActivityStreams 2.0 RDF with conneg of course ;)
in reply to: https://mobile.twitter.com/RubenVerborgh/status/1085988814705836033
published: 2019-01-17T22:58:00+02:00
tag: ownyourdata
tag: social+media
tag: sloph
updated: 2019-01-17T23:15:00+02:00

captain
type: Note
content: What is this, new Captain every episode..? Enjoyed the red herring. Jett Reno is awesome can she stay?!
published: 2019-01-19T18:42:00+02:00
tag: star+trek
tag: discovery

day
type: Note
content: I had a pretty good day.
published: 2019-01-26T19:35:00+02:00
tag: life

flies
type: Note
content: How is it that flies can find their way in through a tiny gap in the window but never out again?
published: 2019-01-01T12:48:00+02:00
tag: life

hiking-ermoupoli-kini
type: Article
content: Syros is small enough to hike across its width and back in a day, with time to hang around in the middle, if you start early. I didn't go there and back yesterday though, instead spending some extra time to explore the western side of the island more. Here's the GPS trace on Runkeeper. I started from Lazarate, and headed around the back of Ermoupoli, up the hills until it was mostly fields, with a few scattered houses. Great views over Ermoupoli, Ano Syros, and the bay the whole way. I reached the village of Episkopio and left the main road to pick up the hiking trail. At the start of the trail I met a tiny cerberus.. or.. three medium sized barking dogs who were neither tied up nor behind a fence. Unequipped for battling mythological monsters that day, I backed up, retreated all the way to the turn-off to Alithini, and continued along the main road instead. This was a bit longer, basically going around the other side of the hill to the hiking trail (the east side rather than west), and probably less nice terrain but also goes a bit higher and provides continuing specatcular views of Ermoupoli and the sea, and at the peak in a small spot you can see the sea in both directions at once. Then the descent began, with a view of Kini and its bay the whole way. There are some spectacular rock formations, and lots of quartz and glittering stones in the ground. I managed to get off the main road for the final descent to the village, after spotting some stairs and a small sign to the right. It took 2 hours to walk from Ermoupoli to Kini, with the diversion. I wandered around Kini, which was quiet but not deserted. Feels more like a summer-town though. The beach is nice, and there's a pier with steps straight into the sea for swimming. I couldn't find the bus stop, so asked someone who told me it's by the mermaid fountain. There's no sign there, and she didn't know the schedule. But I had plenty of time before the probable last bus, and it wasn't too far to walk back if I miss…
name: Hiking from Ermoupoli to Kini (Syros)
published: 2019-01-29T22:13:00+02:00
tag: hiking
tag: travel
tag: greece
tag: syros

photos-ferry
type: Add
content: I woke up at 6 to head to the port, and got slightly chased by an aggressive small dog who I found out the night before had recently bitten one of my hostel dorm roommates. So that was terrifying. The ferry was only an hour and a half late in the end, and a friendly young couple helped me understand this, and what was going on when it announced the location of boarding had changed (just shunted a short walk around the port). Then I spent 12 hours eating only figs and biscotti (thanks Eleni and Dmitris), sleeping, reading, and looking out of the window. I didn't have any other food because the last ferry I'd been on (this exact route, but a different part of it) had some vegan bean dishes on the restaurant menu, so I thought I'd 'indulge' in overpriced mediocre ferry food. Apparently that changed in a month though, and now there was nothing for me to eat. I tried to take a photo of every port we stopped in, which was a lot of them, and mostly the photos are through the grimy window. The weather was pretty good, I went outside in the sun a couple of times. I developed a pretty bad headache and was feeling a bit sick by the end. Very glad to arrive. My host picked me up from the port in Ermoupoli, Syros, and welcomed me with a mini tour, a thousand details about my apartment, and spanakopita :D (spinach pie). This place is across the bay from the city, and the views are amazing.
published: 2019-01-13T23:12:26+02:00
summary: Amy added 23 photos to https://i.amy.gy/201901-greece/
target: 201901-greece

photos-food
type: Add
content: Rice cooked with red cabbage makes it purple :D Bean chilli. Chips and chips and chips.
published: 2019-01-26T19:12:36+02:00
summary: Amy added 5 photos to https://i.amy.gy/madefood/
target: madefood

photos-lesvos
type: Add
content: Rains and storms and wind and rainbows and more rain, and always always the ocean crashing.
published: 2019-01-05T22:44:00+02:00
summary: Amy added 5 photos to https://i.amy.gy/201901-greece/
target: 201901-greece

photos-lesvos-2
type: Add
content: A mini roadtrip with Eleni and Dmitris to see the northern part of Lesvos. We drove along the coast from Petra, through a stunning landscape of crashing waves on one side and dramatic sheer rocks on the other. We found wild hot springs, and could see snow on the mountains in the distance. It got significantly colder and windier as we arrived to Skala Sykaminias. This is a cute tiny village that is mostly empty in the winter, but it's clear how easily you'd fall in love with the place in the summer. There's a small white church on a rock, the Church of the Virgin Mermaid. We drove back through the mountains for a different view, and stopped in Molyvos for coffee. Molyvos, too, is an unbelievably small town. Nobody is allowed to change their houses from the traditional look, so they're all stone and old looking, clustered along narrow winding streets all packed onto the side of the hill with the castle on top.
published: 2019-01-07T22:45:46+02:00
summary: Amy added 43 photos to https://i.amy.gy/201901-greece/
target: 201901-greece

photos-lesvos-3
type: Add
content: Eleni and Dmitris took me to Sigri, to visit the museum of the petrified forest. It was a rainy windy day, so we didn't walk around the area, but the museum is worth going to. The trees are 20 million years old! They were turned to stone by falling ash from a nearby volcano, and eventually buried over the centuries. I thought of The Broken Earth. The different kinds of trees produce different colours and patterns. Some of them are really vibrant reds and pinks. There are many 'in the wild' but they are gradually being uncovered and brought to the museum, or covered in clay to protect them, as the weather will destroy them. I wonder if nature should take its course.. and question the point of holding onto these ancient things that would disappear otherwise.. But also seeing 20 million year old trees is cool. On the way we stopped at a monastery on a hill, with great views obscured by clouds, but still enough to see the sea.
published: 2019-01-09T17:32:07+02:00
summary: Amy added 19 photos to https://i.amy.gy/201901-greece/
target: 201901-greece

photos-lesvos-4
type: Add
content: It was a blizzardy day, and the power went out. I was in the middle of working so I went to Tsalikis cafe on the hill, around the bay from Petra. I got pretty rained on, but was lucky to miss the worst of the wind storms that were coming in and out on the 45 minute walk. The views should be amazing, but sometimes while I was inside all of the glass windows were just white. The clouds parted in time for a great sunset though.
published: 2019-01-10T18:35:42+02:00
summary: Amy added 18 photos to https://i.amy.gy/201901-greece/
target: 201901-greece

photos-lesvos-5
type: Add
content: With a heavy heart, I packed up and departed Petra. Eleni and Dmitris drove me to Mytilini, about an hour from Petra, then spent some time showing me around. We saw inside an old hammam, and some churches. The main street felt bustling compared to Petra's quiet streets and my peaceful solo hikes over the month. We ran some errands, got some supplies and had a final lunch together. After they left I went to the port to get my ferry ticket, and was told it was late, but nobody knew by how much. I checked into my hostel, which is just a house, and run by and funds towards one of the organisations that helps refugees on the island. Then I went for a wander around to the water and the castle, and finally for dinner at Nan, a restaurant which also helps (and employs) refugees.
published: 2019-01-12T21:52:14+02:00
summary: Amy added 61 photos to https://i.amy.gy/201901-greece/
target: 201901-greece

photos-syros
type: Add
content: My first day on Syros was gloriously sunny and warm. I went for a walk around Ermoupolis, starting at the town square, then around the port and through the medieval Ano Syros up the hill to the Catholic Church of St George, then to the next hill which is topped with the Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Nicholas. I walked the long way around through hilly fields and sparse residences of Alithini. Having neglected to bring any food or drink out with me, when I got back to the city I collapsed in a random cafe on the corner of the main square. This turned out to be all veggie, with several vegan pastries and foccacia, an extensive smoothie menu and a lovely atmosphere. I recouped with a juice and potato pita, then went to get groceries before heading home.

photos-syros-2
type: Add
content: Some sun, some unseasonal rain, wandering around the neighbourhood, visits to Corner Cafe, new catfriend.
published: 2019-01-21T19:21:24+02:00
summary: Amy added 45 photos to https://i.amy.gy/201901-greece/
target: 201901-greece

photos-syros-3
type: Add
content: Lightning storms and lazy days and Zizi destroys the sofa when she comes in and stares at me through the window from the rain when I don't let her in I'm not strong enough for this her liddle face.
published: 2019-01-26T20:00:48+02:00
summary: Amy added 8 photos to https://i.amy.gy/201901-greece/
target: 201901-greece

photos-syros-4
type: Add
content: I hiked from Ermoupoli to Kini, then Delphini and Varvaroussa. Read about it here.

space
type: Note
content: It's a funny feeling, watching all of my possessions, which have been gradually spreading out over the course of a month, taking over surfaces and drawers and cupboards, being draped over the backs of chairs, falling under the bed... condense right back down into my backpack again. I like that I don't have to take up too much space.
published: 2019-01-11T23:18:00+02:00
tag: life
tag: travel

stop
type: Note
content: "Stop egoizing."
published: 2019-01-17T21:45:00+02:00
tag: life
tag: reading

studio
type: Note
content: Studio apartments are soooo good for the lazy. I love when I can reach the kitchen from bed.
published: 2019-01-26T11:28:00+02:00
tag: life

ursula
type: Note
content: I can't believe I'm only now* discovering Ursula K Le Guin. One of my best friends in high school was always trying to get me to read The Wizard of Earthsea, but I never did. I think I borrowed it, but never finished it. Well, better I take that advice 15 years late that never. I wonder if I'd be a different person now if I had, though. * Update: figured it out. After high school I went straight into 8 years of university during which I read almost nothing that wasn't pertaining to my studies. Damn you, education. Making up for lost time now.
published: 2019-01-21T19:26:09+02:00
tag: reading
tag: life
updated: 2019-01-21T23:31:09+02:00

weather
type: Note
content: Greece is having some weather right now. Last night lightning fried the router, and it got replaced this morning just in time for the next storm. And now I can enjoy it virtually and IRL thanks to lightning maps, introduced by @idlemoor.
published: 2019-01-25T14:44:00+02:00
tag: weather
tag: travel
tag: life

week-in-review
type: Article
content: Was pretty much rained in all week. Also lazy. It snowed in the mountains, but not at the coast. Pretty cold though. Worked on a bit of OCDS scrapers stuff and a bit of CoVE stuff. Proofread a chapter of a thesis I really hope will be finished soon. Looked at the ocean. Re-implemented burrow (ActivityPub checkin client) and started on farpoint (ActivityPub travel log client). Listened to the ocean.
name: Week in review: 31 Dec - 6 Jan
published: 2019-01-06T23:59:59+02:00
tag: sloph
tag: ocds
tag: greece
tag: travel
tag: week+in+review
tag: tourism
tag: hacking

week-in-review-2
type: Article
content: Eleni and Dmitris took me on a mini roadtrip to Skala Sykaminias, a super cute tiny village by the sea in the north of Lesvos. It was much colder and windier there. Did some more work with Scrapy, fixed some bugs, made some new bugs, found some holes in the plot, generally a bit frustrating. Eleni and Dmitris took me on an adventure to Sigri, to see the petrified forest, associated museum, and a monestary on a mountaintop. There were some really good storms. Started reading The Disposessed. Spent a day in Mytilini with Eleni, stayed overnight in a hostel, then caught the ferry out to Syros early in the morning. Farewell, Lesvos. It was fantastic.
name: Week in review: 7 - 13 Jan
published: 2019-01-13T23:59:59+02:00
tag: ferry
tag: hacking
tag: ocds
tag: greece
tag: travel
tag: week+in+review
tag: scrapy

week-in-review-3
type: Article
content: Settled into a nice hillside studio across the bay from Ermoupolis, Syros. Went for a wander around town and nearby hills. Remotely attended ~3 days of ODSC OGM and co-working time. Little bits of hacking on sloph and burrow. Thought about DIDs and Verified Credentials. Met a cat called Zizi. Lazed around a bit.. read The Disposessed.. somehow finished Pine Gap, Secret City; started Discovery S2; a ton more Travelers; and a few movies :s Edited a thesis chapter.
name: Week in review: 14 - 20 Jan
published: 2019-01-20T23:59:59+02:00
tag: hacking
tag: sloph
tag: week+in+review
tag: travel
tag: ods

week-in-review-4
type: Article
type: Activity
content: Finished The Disposessed, started Left Hand of Darkness. Enjoyed some lightning storms. Stayed in bed a lot. Finished Travelers, and some movies. Did some editorial work on the Verifiable Credentials and Decentralised Identifiers specs. Changed my end-of-Feb-March plans. Submitted a paper to Rebooting the Web of Trust 8. Started on internationalising the BODS documentation.
name: Week in review: 21 - 27 Jan
published: 2019-01-27T23:20:00+02:00
tag: w3c
tag: digital+bazaar
tag: ods
tag: work
tag: life
tag: week+in+review
tag: rwot8
tag: standards
tag: decentralised+ids
tag: verifiable+credentials

https://rhiaro.co.uk/2019/01
type: CollectionPage
type: Container
contains: flies
contains: 2018-in-review
contains: photos-lesvos
contains: week-in-review
contains: photos-lesvos-2
contains: photos-lesvos-3
contains: photos-lesvos-4
contains: space
contains: photos-lesvos-5
contains: photos-ferry
contains: week-in-review-2
contains: photos-syros
contains: bubble
contains: accomplishment
contains: stop
contains: canonical
contains: captain
contains: week-in-review-3
contains: photos-syros-2
contains: ursula
contains: weather
contains: studio
contains: photos-food
contains: day
contains: photos-syros-3
contains: week-in-review-4
contains: photos-syros-4
contains: hiking-ermoupoli-kini
items: flies
items: 2018-in-review
items: photos-lesvos
items: week-in-review
items: photos-lesvos-2
items: photos-lesvos-3
items: photos-lesvos-4
items: space
items: photos-lesvos-5
items: photos-ferry
items: week-in-review-2
items: photos-syros
items: bubble
items: accomplishment
items: stop
items: canonical
items: captain
items: week-in-review-3
items: photos-syros-2
items: ursula
items: weather
items: studio
items: photos-food
items: day
items: photos-syros-3
items: week-in-review-4
items: photos-syros-4
items: hiking-ermoupoli-kini
name: Posts between 2019/01 and 2019/02
next: https://rhiaro.co.uk/2019/02/
part of: https://rhiaro.co.uk/2019/01
prev: https://rhiaro.co.uk/2018/12/