Even as a tall woman you need a vacation now and then. Suitcase packed, flight and accommodation booked, the anticipation of a break in a different environment is growing. My last vacation destination was Greece. A beautiful landscape, lots of nice people with a calming way of life, the sound of the sea and the delicious Greek food. A perfect vacation.
But it is in the south of Europe that I once again realise how unusually tall women are. Being blonde is one thing, but being blonde and tall is something very unusual. According to international comparisons, the average height of a Greek woman is just 1.65 m, while that of a Greek man is 1.79 m. No wonder, as both figures are below my own 1.86 m mark. It is a special feeling when you walk through the streets of Greece and not only have light hair, but are also taller than pretty much every other Greek resident. The cute children in particular often react with amazement.
But the way the Greeks behave and interact with others makes it very easy not to feel uncomfortable despite your enormous height. It even feels good when you are greeted warmly, friendly and with a benevolent nod. I could neither hear nor sense any gossip or stupid comments (perhaps an advantage if you don't speak Greek). "Live and let live" is the motto of life - as a lovely Greek woman told me about her country. In Greek culture, questions about "my house, my car, my job" are not the top priority. They are of secondary importance. It's the same with your height. You stand out, but it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable. It's not made an issue. You are who you are. That makes it easy for you and you go through the day without a care in the world.
What is a shame, however, is that as a tall woman, you shouldn't have high hopes of extensive shopping experiences with matching trousers. In Greece, and especially on some Greek islands, there are magical little shops. You'll often cry when you hang up one or two items of clothing that you thought were long and admit that they are still too short. But there are many other beautiful things to enjoy. And if you're going in the summer, you only need swimwear, trousers and dresses anyway ;-)
All in all, Greece was absolutely worth a trip and it was certainly not the last time that I will sit in a cozy tavern in the evening and toast with a typical Greek tsipouro to the local life credo: “Live and let live!”
With that in mind: Jámas!
