Syros has a lot going for it. It is the capital of the Cyclade Islands. The architecture is Venetian in style. There are plenty of art galleries, as well as music. The beaches are great, and as always, the restaurant, tavernas, and bars are as well. Some beaches are quiet and off the beaten path, while others are full service and popular. While there is a small airport with infrequent flights, the primary choice of transportation is the inter-island ferry. The ferry from mainland Greece is just under 2 hours in duration. If there was one island of the many Greece Islands which I have visited over the years where I would want to spend a significant amount of time, this one is it. I could live here for months on end.
Coastline near the main town of Ermoupoli. The ferry I arrived on from Naxos. The coastline at night has great luminescense. I could hear the music playing from the club below and the hour was past 1AM. Daytime image of the same coast. Hotel Aristides. This little charming hotel has only 8 suites for accommodation. To the left is its garden restaurant. The hotel lobby is eclectic and the owners saw to a great restoration of the building. The stairs, banisters, and columns are all Carrara marble. Town square in Ermoupoli. Many of the sidewalks as well as this square are also Carrara marble. On the positive side the marble lasts for centuries, but as slippery as ice on teflon when it rains. Interesting art galleries abound on Syos. This particular piece was created before the recent popular Barbie movie was released. Oil on canvas, 61cm x 91cm. Backgammon anyone. How do you say “can I play winner” in Greek?Typical street scene. And typical couple enjoying wine at the Box of Bush wine bistro.Great full service beach. Some days just call for it. Beers, cocktails, burgers, or sushi. I expected to spend 3 hours or so, but ended up spending the entire day. Long enough to have two meals and plenty of drinks. I did get back to the hotel before dark.Same beach, different perspective. The full service beaches in Greece are so good. There are a couple of dine-in restaurants too. That’s where this image was captured.Afternoon bliss. It’s easy to see why I spent the entire day here.A short walk from the Aristides Hotel brought me to dinner and this restaurant in the street. Great Mediterranean fare. The string band although not great, pulled me in like a magnet.And the band played on. They were having more fun than their expressions indicate. Keep buying them grappa and maybe they start to smile. I bought them two rounds just to see. This image was captured before the rounds. Very intoxicated but happy couple. No shortage of smiles here. This guy was a salty old sailor. They were at the table just next to mine. Not sure if they were a father and daughter, or if they were something else. My best guess is… not sure. Everyone is so friendly it’s hard to tell.Charming little bakery and great coffee too.I hiked up to a church and got this fabulous view of the main harbor below. This religion must have had some allure back in the day, because the walk to get here from the center of town was all uphill and lasted about two hours. I guess a follower must really have wanted whatever this place is selling.
My next stop is Lisbon, Portugal. Until then, safe travels wherever you go.
Naxos is a charming island in the Cyclade Islands to the south of the Greek mainland. It is a large island with great beaches, mountain villages, and ancient ruins. A rental car is necessary for seeing much of what this island has to offer. The people are very friendly and welcoming. It’s quite a family friendly place too. The feel of this place is “unresorty” and non-touristic. Rather it feels normal and non-exclusive. The other thing I noticed about this part of Europe is that nearly everyone smokes or vapes. It seems so European. Almost makes me want an after dinner cigarette. When I look around, it looks like a very pleasant experience.
Many of the beaches are family friendly place. Probably because parents don’t have to worry too much about their kids being swept away by the surf.Wind surfing is big on certain parts of the island. The winds are fairly consistent and predictable. The land mass far across the water is the island of Paros.Great place for lunch on the drive to one of the mountain villages. This little place was called Rotunda. Not for those folks suffering from acrophobia. 500 Year old olive trees just outside the little mountain village. Hard to fathom that these trees were nothing more than mere saplings when the famous portrait of Mona Lisa was painted by DaVinci in the 1500s.Village street on the higher interior part of the island. It appears as though everyone here is on holiday. Plenty of day-drinking, and of course smoking.
Naxos town in the distance. Although it appears to be a large town, it has only 12,000 inhabitants.
Evening scene at a popular restaurant in Naxos Town. Seventy-five percent of the restaurants’ dining space is alfresco. These guys create some magical dishes at the Del Mar Cafe. The lasagna was so light it just about floated off the plate.Another hotel I loved. Only 12 rooms and just a 4 minute walk to my new favorite restaurant noted above.Fabulous greek fair offered by a fabulous greek family. At first I was just walking by, then I was drawn into it by the allure of the aromas and the vibe. Here I am inside. This was a great traditional greek restaurant owned by the Giannoulis Family. I have found that the house wines served at most of these restaurants, while not in jeopardy of winning any awards, are very drinkable and perfect with almost all of the cuisine served. So much so that it was the rare dinner experience where we consumed less than 1.5 liters. About a 750ml bottle per person. Also important to note is that no adverse consequences were experienced the next morning. I love this country.
I chartered a catamaran in September in order to explore some of the Ionian Islands. Since I wasn’t entirely confident in my level of sailing expertise, I also enjoyed the company of a Greek captain and his lovely Turkish wife. She was acting as our hostess. She did some light cooking too. They, and the few friends who were joining me for this charter, made for a pretty magical time together. It was the perfect vessel for sailing from island to island and otherwise enjoying this scenically beautiful area. The Ionian Islands are just off the western coast of the Greek mainland. Daytime temperatures were in the mid 80s (or 30 degrees celsius). Nightime temperatures range from 72-78 degrees. The sea is a refreshing 80 degrees. We were in the water several time a day. The places we chose to visit are largely frequented by Greek tourists, rather than drawing a more international crowd. Consequently, these places are much less touristic and this results in a more intimate experience at every point.
View from the water of the Bali 4.8 Catamaran. The catamaran is very stable because of its 25 foot width. We were able to sail unassisted by its motors about half of the time we were on the water. Here we took a break to swim and paddle-board to a nearby beach. Rear view of the vessel. Besides its 6 cabins and 6 bathrooms this vessel has great common areas. The view shown here illustrates the openness of the main deck area. The entire rear wall with its sliding doors recesses up into the ceiling, thus disappearing for the entire time we spent. It allows the outside and inside to become one very large and comfortable area with seating for 12-14 people.While almost all of our dinners were enjoyed in little restaurants and tavernas in the little villages we visited, breakfasts and some lunches were enjoyed on-board. This image was taken in the morning after filling the water tanks and getting some important provisions like more tequila and ice. Otherwise the Bali was well provisioned with everything we needed.The first of many snorkeling sites. Great water temperatures and clarity allowed for some incredible snorkeling. As can be seen there is no development. This spot was as quiet and pristine as it gets. Another image of the snorkeling coastline. In the distance on the left the sandy beach can be seen.The limestone features make for an interesting contrast.Antipaxos, this was our home for the night. This image was taken as we were sailing away in the morning. Some of the nights we had to moor instead of a marina tie-up. This night we had a tie up. The Bali had a small dingy for shuttling people from the boat to the shore when marina tie-up was not possible. These little villages are fantastic. Lots of bars, restaurants, little boutiques, and some dancing.Shopping for fruits and vegetables. Another afternoon and another little harbor for the evening. This place is known as the island of Paxos.Post sunset from the boat.A different evening and another beautiful stop for the overnight.The village at dusk is shot from above after a short hike up. On this particular night we moored the Bali in the harbor below. Then a 10 minute dingy transfer to the shore. Dinner by the little harbor. Eat, drink, and be merry then walk back to our home away from home. This group looks pretty merry indeed. Oddly enough, and it may be hard to see, but the woman seated on the far-back left bears a strong resemblance to that housekeeper I had in Sicily back in 2013. What’s crazier is that she doesn’t seem to get any older. Bella luna and some great cloud formations when I returned to the catamaran after dinner in the village. Perfect moment to enjoy a small glass of mastic and savor the view.
When the time on the catamaran is done we all part company. I will be headed to spend some time in the islands to the south of the Greek mainland known as the Cyclades. Until then, keep exploring.
