Itisallgreek2me

As planned, I spent all day Wednesday at Livadakia beach, my last taste of sun and sea for a while. In spite of being ripped off over breakfast, promised Wifi which was virtually nonexistent and a damaged sunbed… I really enjoyed the day. In the evening I returned to Karnagio for a couple of ouzos with meze. Such a great spot to sit and watch the world go by whilst listening to the music.

An overnight storm in Halkadiki, Northern Greece killed 6 people and injured 100. Thursday brought quite a change in the weather on Serifos too. Cloudy with gale force winds but still very warm. Around midday whilst waiting to catch the ferry back to Milos in order to connect with my flight early evening to Thessaloniki, via Athens, I got talking to a Greek man. It transpired that in 1979, he was in a group of climbers on Mt Olympus who struck bad weather and many suffered consequences. After that he stopped climbing and bought a house on Serifos.

Already running well behind time, we arrived in the bay at Milos, only to find a much larger vessel stuck on the sandbar and anchored, preventing us from docking. My best laid plans of catching the 1620 hours bus to the Airport were gone! Eventually made it ashore, taking a taxi to the Airport. Then, my flight to Athens was delayed. Fortunately, my connection from Athens to Thessaloniki was also delayed and I managed to make it in time for the final call!

On arrival in Thessaloniki, I ditched all plans of taking a bus, instead heading straight to the taxi rank… sometimes it is best to just simply blow the budget and get to where you need to be. Met at my accommodation by Meli, a delightful young woman, the daughter of Sofia my host. I am overnighting in a fabulous wee studio off Airbnb… I agree with Sofia, it has a very positive energy. A pity I am only here for one night. Tomorrow I must find my way by bus to Litochoro, near Mt Olympus.

Monday – a new Greek government is sworn in which I believe to be a good thing. Another heat wave has been forecast for Greece and we should expect temperatures to rise to as much as 42°C in some places! With this in mind, I allowed myself plenty of time to get to the bus station. On arrival in Adamas, picked up my ferry tickets then settled in at the cafe nearest the port departure, to eat, drink and wait. It was oppressively hot and about half an hour before my ferry was scheduled to leave, I succumbed to the intense heat… thought I was going to be sick and/or pass out. Fortunately, a drink of exceptionally cold water bought me around enough to get on the ferry and make it to the island of Serifos.

Last Tuesday an American biologist went missing from where she was attending a conference on Crete. It was thought she had most likely gone for a late afternoon run and either become unwell or perhaps fallen down a ravine. Today her body was found in a cave. Devastating news for her family and friends and emphasizes the importance of taking care.

I have a very nice room at Naias in the port of Livadi for E30.50 per night which is an excellent price for anywhere in Greece in July. On arriving my host offered me a glass of orange, filled with ice… what a lifesaver! I then spent the remainder of the afternoon resting in my room before venturing out in the evening to check out the surroundings.

Livadi is the most charming and atmospheric seaside town with everything one might need including many fine restaurants and cafes along the waterfront, as well as shops and supermarkets. It was 2110 hours when I sat down at a table at Navtikos Omilos (the Yacht Club). The menu stated Ouzo with Meze 3.50 Euro until 2100 hours. When the waiter came along, I remarked on the time and asked if I wasn’t too late for this deal and he obliged. I would have been happy to sit there forever, listening to the music and looking out over the water. However, I left, stopping at Tootsie for a Gyros and another ouzo on my way home.

Interestingly, I returned to Navtikos Omilos tonight… the waiters appeared to be wearing blinkers! I was totally ignored and after 10 minutes, got up and left, finding Karnagio a little further along the road, where the service and the music were second to none!

After the previous day’s close shave with the heat, I am very much aware that I must take extra care. This morning I caught the first bus of the day to Chora, another amazing mountain village where many of the houses appear to be almost growing out of the rocks. I walked the alleyways and up to the Kastro before finding a cafe for breakfast. Serifos offers several walks along the Monopatia too, however, I think I will return another time when it is cooler to check out their paths.

Serifos also offers many beautiful beaches. Tomorrow I will spend the day at Livadakia beach which from Naias is just a short walk uphill and down the other side.

The following day I leave the Cyclades… I’m off to Northern Greece!

One thing I have learnt is that it is best to make an early start if you wish to beat the crowds and avoid the heat of the day. Hence, Friday I was again on the 7.10am bus to Adamas, however, this time I asked the driver to let me off at a point where I could walk the rest of the way to Sarakiniko… approximately 2km.

Local legend has it that the name Sarakiniko derives from the Saracen pirates who used the area for hiding their plunder. Probably the most famous beach on Milos and there are reputedly around 80, the soft sparkling white volcanic rocks resemble a lunar landscape. The “beach” itself is a narrow canal cut into the rocks with a small patch of sand… not enough to accommodate all the sun worshippers who instead spread their towels on the rocks. I had no plans to stay on there and when the 10.10am bus arrived, I was the sole passenger to Adamas, continuing on to Pollonia.

It had been 3 weeks since my stay in Kini, Syros where I spent many an hour at the beach. So I decided to spend the rest of the day in Pollonia enjoying the sun and sea, venturing out again in the evening to watch the sunset.

The following day I finally got to check out Kivotos ton Gefseon. A family run business since 1957, with more than 450 beehives on the island, they produce and sell honey. They also make high quality products with the honey and beeswax, including desserts and pastries to die for, liqueurs, soaps, wax based ointments and much more. You can purchase goodies from the shop… possibly the best little store I’ve ever stepped foot in and/or you can sit at a marble topped table in the garden for breakfast, brunch, lunch or evening treats. I stayed for a Greek coffee and Ladenia… traditional in the Cyclades, a vegan flatbread topped with onions and tomatoes and simply devine!

Having had a taste once again the previous day for the beach, I returned to see how much were the sunbeds… 15 Euro with umbrella – gulp! I said that’s a lot for one person to which he replied… 6 Euro without an umbrella under the Tamarisk trees. Sounded good to me and with free Wifi. I settled in for the day, leaving only to return to Kivotos ton Gefseon to pick up a bottle of cold water and a generous portion of Galaktaboureko… semolina custard wrapped in filo, my favourite Greek dessert.

I have spent today in much the same way as yesterday… enjoying time at the beach. The only difference being, I had company in the form of Samantha who came along and occupied the adjoining sunbed. She was from New York, here in Greece on a 10 day holiday. It is always pleasant to have someone to talk to and we ended the day sharing her bottle of wine.

Tomorrow it’s farewell Milos, hullo Serifos… another Cycladic island.

Thursday and an early morning start, catching the 7.10am bus to Adamas which conveniently carried on immediately to where I wanted to go… Trypiti.

The bus driver kindly informed me which road I needed to take in order to reach the traditional and colourful fishermen’s village of Klima. The two storey houses known as Syrmatas were originally built to serve as a boat garage and kitchen downstairs with a living space upstairs. The various colours making them easily recognizable by their owners… indeed, an amazing place.

On the way down to Klima, I had noticed a path leading uphill to a tiny church… worth checking out I thought and just maybe a shorter route back towards where I wanted to go. Sure enough the path led me back to Trypiti, passing over the Catacombs of Milos which I decided not to visit as the reviews were mainly poor. You can only view the Catacombs with a guide and frequently the so called guide isn’t authentic… resulting in a 10 minute 4 Euro rip off! However, I did see the nearby Ancient Roman Theatre which having undergone restoration in recent years, is quite impressive.

From Trypiti I walked on towards Plaka, the capital of Milos… first stop a cafe for a well earned brunch of Bruschetta with Salmon and Avocado and a Greek coffee. I then enjoyed a stroll through the cobbled streets before climbing the stairs to the Venetian Castle where the views extend all over the island and beyond.

Not content with my day, I caught the bus back to Adamas, waited an hour for the bus to Pollonia, however, got off at Papafragkas. A natural wonder with amazing rocks and caves, I eyed up the tiny beach in a cave but decided the path down was a little too risky for me.

I then walked the 3km home in the hot afternoon sun which wasn’t easy but in spite of this, I felt very happy with my day.

Tuesday morning and time to farewell Folegandros. A quick ferry stop at Kimolos then on to Adamas, the port of Milos, a journey of around 2 and three quarter hours. Looked up to see my friend Albert on the ferry, on his way to Piraeus and flight home to France. A lovely surprise and time for a quick catchup.

Because I have 6 nights on Milos, I made the decision to stay in the seaside village of Pollonia, 10km away from Adamas, where generally accommodation is cheaper. Even so, 45 Euro a night is fairly steep. In hindsight probably not the best way to go as what I didn’t know is that the bus service is nothing wonderful… perhaps they think all visitors are rich enough to hire a car. I booked my room at Elena Apartments through Booking.com and in this case, I paid in advance so pointless thinking I could change plans now.

Although my room is on the outskirts of Pollonia, it is only a 5 minute walk to the seaside. By the time I had unpacked I was starving so I went to find Alkis as I had read that they make a very good Gyros. Sat down, ordered a beer then too late, I realized there are two Alkis eateries side by side and I was sitting at the wrong one. So, I ordered lamb in lemon sauce with potatoes. It wasn’t cheap, wasn’t very nice but the two resident ginger cats had a wonderful lunch.

Wednesday I hopped on the ferry to the island of Kimolos. Believed to have been inhabited at least from the late Neolithic Age, the island has been threatened and destroyed many times by pirates, the imminent constant danger having left a conspicuous trace until today, in the form of the Medieval Castle. The main settlement is Chorio, which the Castle forms part of… a good walk up hill from Psathi.

On the edge of the Square, a two storey stone house with yellow trimmings took my eye. Snapped a picture, walked away, then heard someone whistling at me. It was the owner of the house and he wanted to point out that it was built in 1862 and is still standing strong. A conversation in Greek ensued which led me to be invited inside their home to see the original thatched ceiling with wooden beams… beautiful. His wife offered me a drink of cold water, for which I was very grateful, then a bowl of freshly made Rizogilo (rice pudding) which I love! He had been to New Zealand as a seaman. We swapped stories about our families and she proudly showed me photographs of their son and daughter and grandchildren. It was just one of those unexpected liaisons that make travelling worthwhile.

As I walked back down to Psathi, a ferry was just leaving for Pollonia which I had missed… damn! 1245 hours and the next ferry not until 1715 hours. I should have taken my bikini and towel but hadn’t so I sat at a table on the beach to eat and drink and pass a couple of hours using their Wifi. Then paddled, walked some more and watched the world go by.

Early night before an early start the following day.

With only a 2 night stay on a small island, just as I had arranged to stay in the port of Sikinos, I had booked a room in Karavostasi, the port of Folegandros. This way, arrival and departure from the island is less stressful and with a good bus service, there is no problem getting to the main village Chora, located at the top of a mountain.

My host Dimitra was waiting for me at the gate to “The Farm”. Yes, I agree this is rather an odd name for a lodging house on a Greek island! No sooner had I started unpacking when I realized I had left the Adapter for my phone charger in the wall socket in my room on Sikinos… panic! I went upstairs on the off chance that Dimitra may have an Adapter or suitable Charger… no luck. There was a guy there with her (possibly a son) who suggested I might get one at the petrol station in Chora. Later that evening I was dining at “del Capo del porto”… I had read good reviews about this restaurant which turned out to be in some way connected to “The Farm”. Who should come along?… none other than the probable son I had met earlier. He had been able to find a suitable Charger that I could borrow for the duration of my stay! The following day I visited the petrol station in Chora and eureka… I bought a Charger so all ended well.

That same evening in the restaurant there were a group of young Greek people at the table next to me… 3 girls and a guy. When I asked the waiter for my bill… I had had a very tasty macaroni dish with feta, olives, capers and tomato, as well as two ouzos, he told me the young guy at the next table wanted to pay. I have known of this kind of thing happening before in Greece, however, I have no idea why he wished to do this for me… a simple gesture of kindness.

The following morning I hopped on the bus to Chora and rambled about the village, the old Kastro area being especially interesting with quite unique houses. I walked up to the church and later in the day, caught a bus to Ano Meria. There wasn’t a great deal to see there and rather than wait for a bus to return, I decided to walk, got as far as the turn off to Agali beach and waited there for a bus to Chora.

The Monopatia on Folegandros are not as inviting as those on Sikinos, mainly because too often there is need to leave the path and proceed via the road. The landscape of Folegandros is what I refer to as biblical… a barren windswept land, whereas on Sikinos, the flora is far more interesting and diverse. However, once again I had a wonderful day and even though I hopped on 4 buses, I still managed to clock up 11.71km walking.

Next stop… the island of Milos.

After 4 amazing weeks on Syros, Friday came along and it was time for me to move on to Sikinos… the ferry stopping first at Paros, then Naxos and Ios.

Much to my delight, Thanasis from Pirgari Rooms was waiting for me at the port of Allopronia… a welcome lift to my accommodation. It was already late afternoon and knowing that I planned to be up early the following day to catch the first bus to the village of Chora, I settled for dinner at a Taverna in the harbour and tried for an early night.

By 8.00am the next day I began exploring Kastro and Chora, two mountain top settlements side by side and above Kastro, the Zoodochos Pigi Monastery. Early morning it was a little chilly, however, the skies cleared to a gloriously sunny day, albeit unbelievably windy. As I was checking out a notice board detailing the six Monopati walks on the island, Albert – a lovely gentleman from Brittany in France spoke to me. He was also intending to walk to the Ancient site of Episcope… originally a Roman Mausoleum, later converted into a Byzantine Monastery. Albert was starting out on the road then via the path further along the way and he invited me to join him. However, I declined as I still had more sightseeing to do in Chora and planned to take the Monopati from there along the ridge.

The views of both coasts from up above are nothing short of incredulous and the landscape is dotted with small white churches. Except when you come across a cluster of trees where the Cicadas congregate, the sound of silence prevails. From the ridge the path goes back down and you pick it up again on the other side of the road just a few meters away. It is one of the most beautiful walks I have ever undertaken in Greece and I believe that Albert and I were possibly the only people to take up the challenge on Saturday. I met up with Albert again at Episcope and he insisted on sharing his lunch with me… bread with sardines and sweet crunchy red onion. We spoke with a group of people from Florida, another group from Chania on Crete… all having travelled to Episcope by car. Currently undergoing restoration with a budget of 750,000 Euro, interestingly, a woman’s unplundered remains were found, the rich jewels worn by her showing she was a prominent figure in Sikinos society.

Albert left to return via the same route by which he had arrived… I wanted to return via the road in order to visit the Manalis Winery. The only traffic sharing the road with me… a shepherd with his goat herd.

Back in Chora I returned to Anemalo where I had enjoyed my morning coffee, this time for a plate of yoghurt served with a variety of fruits, walnuts and honey! Waiting for the bus later on and who should turn up? – Albert.

The intensity of the wind was beginning to concern me as I worried about the ferry operating the following day, so back in Allopronia I went to see if the ticket office was open. It wasn’t, however, this led to a chance meeting with Anja and Gijs, a Dutch couple who had also been at the Taverna the previous night. They invited me to join them for a drink at Marconi Cafe… I am not sure but I think it must have been at least 5 hours and many beers and ouzos later when we parted company for the night. Until now, I don’t believe I have met anyone else who has been to as many places in Greece as me. Anja is also an avid photographer and we share much in common.

I had very little sleep that night as the wind gusted and howled but the following day the ferry duly arrived… rather late! When we reached Folegandros, I farewelled Anja and Gijs… they were travelling on to Sifnos.

Tuesday was a massive day for me. Up in time to catch the 7.00am ferry to Paros… arriving at the port of Parikia, the capital of the island around an hour and a half later.

Paros is a beautiful island. Touristy but no where near as expensive as its near neighbour Mykonos and some say, resembles how Mykonos was 20 years ago. Paros has all the charm with its white washed stone Cycladic houses… you can easily get lost wandering through the labyrinth of narrow picturesque alleys of homes, shops and small churches.

With only a day available to me, I confined my sightseeing to Parakia where I visited the Byzantine Monastery Panagia Ekatontapiliani (Virgin Mary of the 100 doors) from the 4th Century AD… wow! Walking around in the heat, I passed by the Ancient Cemetery from the 8th Century BC, the Frankish Castle built by the Venetians in 1260AD, charming windmills and so much more.

As the sun was setting, along with many other people, I was patiently waiting the arrival of our ferry back to Syros. Scheduled to depart at 8.00pm, it duly arrived at 9.00pm. Disgorging a number of passengers and vehicles, loading a few more, it finally got us back to Syros around 11.00pm. By the time I made it up the hill to my accommodation, I had clocked up a fairly impressive 11.32km for the day… well worth the journey.

Other than that, I have mostly been taking things easy this week. As is popular with many locals, I often pick up a takeaway from To Kastri, the restaurant run by a group of local ladies. The food is authentic Greek, delicious and very reasonably priced. Evenings you may find me sitting at an outdoor cafe, watching the world go by or as is the case in the Harbour, watching how the poor souls on the luxury yachts live their lives.

Since the early hours of Wednesday morning, the wind has been gusting up to around 50km, with very little reprieve in the heat… not pleasant. I have my ferry ticket for Friday, departing Syros for Sikinos… fingers crossed the weather won’t stand in my way.

My first visit to Ano Syros was amazing, however, I wanted to see inside the Catholic Church of St. George, as well as the views from up on the hill at dusk and nightfall. I set off once again on Friday evening to make the climb up oh so many steps… I wish I could move like the donkeys carrying supplies to the building sites!

I thought previously I was over churches but the Catholic Church of St. George is definitely worth visiting… beautiful without being overly decorative. The Markos Vamvakaris Museum was also open so I had a look through there… only 1 Euro if you’re over 65, otherwise 2 Euro. Ended up at a table overlooking Ermoupoli and the sea with a gorgeous cat keeping me company who wouldn’t co-operate for a selfie. I had a delicious green salad with sun dried tomatoes, corn and rusks… nothing in that to interest my feline friend.

My trip to the island of Tinos on Saturday was somewhat disappointing. Time was always going to be tight but with the ferry being half an hour late leaving Syros, I was left with just 2 and a half hours on Tinos. Of particular interest was the Church of Evagelistria… primary destination for Greek Orthodox pilgrim’s, not that I am one of them. There is a narrow strip of carpet on the right hand side of the road leading up from the port to the church and many followers crawl on their hands and knees to get there. They wash their hands in the Holy Water and kiss the famous miracle working Holy Icon, asking help from the Virgin Mary and forgiveness of their sins.

My problem on Saturday, together with many others, were the crowds. A very long wait in a queue, in the hot sun, just to enter the church. By the time I had done so, I could only walk back down the hill, passed all the shops selling religious paraphernalia… and there was my ferry entering the port.

In the evening I went to the first night of the 8th Choral Festival of Ermoupoli at the Apollon theater. Scored a seat in a 2nd floor box which was pretty awesome and it was free admission. There were ensembles from all over Greece, some classical, some traditional and 2 children’s choirs. In complete contrast to my theater experience a week earlier at the Herodion with Jethro Tull but nonetheless very enjoyable.

Left my room Sunday early evening to go eat at Laoutari… an amazing little restaurant on a back street near the port. Ordered Penne with a beetroot sauce and mizithra, a soft cheese from Crete. In a word… delicious!

I had planned to go to the second night of the Choral Festival at the Apollon theater, however, on the way, passing through Miaouli Square, the stage was being set for an outdoor concert so I decided to stay there. Two hours of entertainment with the Hellenic Navy Band, singers and a choir of some 100 children, standing on the steps of the Town Hall. When it was all over, we were told in 10 minutes there would be a fireworks display in the harbour. I watched that, returned to the Square for an icecream then home to the welcome of the air conditioner.

I would never have believed how hot Greece could be in June and I am left wondering what July and August will be like?

After 3 weeks on Syros with one more week to go, it is not difficult to understand why some people refer to this island as the Jewel of the Cyclades. The capital Ermopouli where I am currently staying is a true working, non touristy, bustling town with friendly, hospitable people. On Wednesday, my host Konstantza invited all current guests for “meze”… come downstairs around 7.00pm she said. “Meze” turned out to be a full on dinner for 10!

There are seemingly endless choices of restaurants and cafes and although I am not participating in the activity of shopping, I have noted that it could well be a shoppers paradise! I was, however, brave enough to make an appointment for a haircut and although I ended up with it much shorter at the sides than I am normally used to, the lovely Eleftheria actually did a good job. Additional to all of the above are the cultural and historical aspects… still many bypass this island for nearby Mykonos and others.

With a bus service running every half hour around the island, it is easy to reach any one of the beautiful beaches. Yesterday I went to Vari, however, with a specific purpose in mind… I had a Villa to view which could well be where I will come next year with a few female friends for a month’s stay. An amazing property on a hilltop overlooking the Aegean sea with spectacular 360° views. Five bedrooms, 4 and a half bathrooms and endless choices for outdoor living areas, including one for dining. I am hoping to make a decision on this as soon as possible after my return home in August.

This week I have also returned for another walk around the beautiful, picturesque neighborhood of Vaporia, with its stunning sea captains mansions, some hovering over the rocky coastline. I made a visit too, to the small but interesting Archeological Museum which includes finds from Syros. Then today I discovered in the Neapoli district, the Catholic church and cemetery, the British cemetery and War Cemetery and just a little further down the road, a Greek Orthodox church and their cemetery, including a section which closely rivals but doesn’t quite match up to the First Cemetery of Athens which I visited earlier in my travels.

The weather continues to be exceptionally hot which is limiting me to a degree as I find at times I simply cannot do anything other than return to my room for a rest. However, tomorrow I am off to the nearby island of Tinos, a ferry journey of a mere 30 minutes each way… departure 11.30am, returning 3.00pm. It will only give me 3 hours there, but at least I will get to visit Panagia Evagelistria… more about this in my next Blog.