Syros – Jewel of the Cyclades
By Helen Grubner. Filed in Uncategorized |
Thursday 6 June-Friday 7 June 2024
What a difference a day can make when you’ve been able to sleep in a bed… actually, sleep at all!
Since my mishap in Kastéli, when the ATM swallowed up my CashPassport Card, I have been reluctant to make an attempt to withdraw cash. However, yesterday morning, I decided to give it a go during the bank’s opening hours. Woohoo… I made a withdrawal without incident.
When I was in Ermoupoli 5 years ago, I discovered ‘To Kastri”, a restaurant offering dine in or takeaway and run by a local women’s co-operative. They make the most delicious, authentic Greek dishes from local ingredients, using recipes handed down from their grandmothers. I went there and bought a half portion of broccoli and Pastitsio… a pasta dish with mince meat and béchamel sauce, enough for 3 meals, all for 10 Euro.
It was another extremely hot day, but in the afternoon, I was determined to walk up the zillions of steps to the top of Vrodados hill to the Anástasis (Church of the Resurrection of Christ), disappointed to find it closed. From there, looking over to the neighboring hill of Ano Syros and the Catholic Cathedral of St George, I remembered the beautiful atmosphere of that hilltop village, and so I set off to descend and then climb some more. Built around 1200 AD, this Venetian settlement was designed amphitheaterically to protect it from enemies. Finding the cathedral open made it well worth the journey, and I rewarded myself with a cold beer overlooking Ermoupoli. The arrival and departure of a Champion Jet reminding me that I had hoped to be meeting and greeting my good friend Anna from Montreal that day. Disappointingly, she was unable to find a way of moving on from Syros to Lemnos, and so had to cancel.
Today, I have been grateful for the slightly lower temperature, aided by a refreshing breeze. I have walked the footpaths, steps, and streets in Ermoupoli, most of which are made of marble. Enjoyed the best ever Spanakópita (spinach pie) from Ntanos Bakery as I sat on a bench in Miaouli Square, admiring the Town Hall. Designed by Ernst Ziller, building began in 1876 and wasn’t completed until 1898. Then a quick stop at the magnificent Apollon Theater before walking on to the beautiful Church of Agios Nikolaos.
Nearby, with its neoclassical mansions, is the picturesque neighbourhood of Vaporia. There is no actual beach in Ermoupoli, but you can walk down steps here to where people go to swim and sunbathe in an area adjacent to the sea. Just as I was reading a sign warning bathers of the potential for big waves, it happened, and everyone scrambled to reach higher ground. It was then I decided to forgo the idea of sunbathing today, settling instead for a rather expensive 7 Euro Stella Artois at a seafront establishment.
Tonight, I have packed and organized myself as best I can, ready for tomorrow mornings departure to the island of Ikaria. One of the Blue Zones of the world, it is a place where the environment is conducive to old age. In 2010, I stayed in Agios Kirykos on the south coast. This time, I will be in Evdilos on the north coast.
