Day 15 to 17 - 17th to 19th June 2013 - Milos Part 1

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As we are spending 6 days on Milos we have decided to split this part of the trip into 2 blogs.

Monday

Speedrunner3 is on time and makes the normal F1 style pit stop to unload and load. The ferry is almost empty. We have a big section of comfortable airline style seats to ourselves for the hour long journey.

First impressions of Adamas, Milos' port are good with a neat and tidy waterfront lined with shops and tavernas. Our accommodation, the Milos Rooms are supposed to be 250 meters away. The sat nav begs to differ and calls it just under half a mile. It's an easy walk though but already very hot. On arrival we are shown to our room. When we point out there is no balcony we are shown a table and chairs on a landing next to the stairs. (AND LOOKING OUT INTO A SQUARE OF CONCRETE COMPLETLY OVERLOOKED BY FOUR OTHER BALCONIES NOT FORGETTING THOSE USING THE STAIRS.) We ask for a different room and the owner Demetrius is telephoned. He is very accommodating and is obviously keen to please. We are offered a variety of rooms and settle for the 2 roomed apartment for the same price. Quite a result. (WE NOW OVERLOOK A SMALL GARDEN OF SORTS WITH RAMPANT GERANIUMS, PEPPERS, PASSION FLOWERS AND A TREE WITH FRUIT AND BLOSSOM ON IT AT THE SAME TIME. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS BUT IS PROVIDING SHADE FOR A VERY HAPPY TORTOISE MUNCHING HIS WAY THROUGH THE GERANIUMS AND A MUM AND HER FIVE KITTENS)

This settled we went for a walk. Our impressions of Adamas change a little. The port road is very busy and whilst there is a nice old part of the town on a small hill, the rest of the town is not so picturesque. We decide to go swimming and look for the beach supposedly 250m from the rooms. After walking about 600 yards we come to a bit of a scabby looking beach. We settle down beside the busy port road with a backdrop of graffiti covered walls and wonder what all the people we had spoken to saw in Milos. We had a nice swim though and hope we will see a better side when we go touring.

Back at the rooms I was sitting on the front steps getting internet reception when the Greek lady owner who doesn't speak English, couldn't understand why I wasn't sitting at a table and practically dragged me to one. She was very friendly and jolly. My animal magnetism at work again? (DREAM ON!)

Our meal was beside the road but the view over the bay was brilliant. We got on well with the waiter and got free wine and afters. (AS IF WE REALLY NEEDED IT!) We went to the supermarket and things were very cheap. Things are looking up.

Tuesday

A beach day today before we start travelling around the island tomorrow. We went to the bakery next to the Carrefour supermarket. A lovely lady served us with things we had never heard of (water melon tart?) and then gave us some cinnamon bread for free. I think I must have drunk a magic potion. (HA, HA, HA.) The inside of the shop was something to behold.

We decide to go to the beach the other side of the port. This is a much more attractive setting in front of a hotel. We spend the day watching life go by. (AND THE FERRIES. THE AGIOS GEORGIOS WAS DOCKED AND ALONG CAME THE SPEEDRUNNER3 OBVIOUSLY INTENT ON LANDING AND NOT RUINING HIS SCHEDULE. THERE WERE FRANTIC BURSTS OF HORNS, TIDAL WAVES AROUND THE PORT INCLUDING WHERE WE WERE AND THE AGIOS GEORGIOS LEFT AS THE SPEEDRUNNER 3 DOCKED. A VERY CLOSE ENCOUNTER. GOOD DRIVING BY BOTH CAPTAINS. WE HAD BEEN SWIMMING AS THIS HAPPENED BUT WHILST TIM SWAM IN THE WAVES CREATED BY THE FERRIES I WAS DISPATCHED TO GO GUARD THE TOWELS AND BELONGINGS TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN'T GET WASHED OUT TO SEA.)

The sun bed attendant (we were too tight, we sat on the beach) chatting up the young girls was entertaining. As was the rather large lady with the cheese wire thong. It probably seemed a good idea at the time. I know that is a bit pot and kettle, but I wasn't there in a posing pouch. Carol wouldn't let me. (WE HAVE STANDARDS YOU KNOW.)

THE EVENING WAS AS USUAL TAVERNA WITH A WAITER WITH HOLES IN HIS TROUSERS AND PHOTOS OF QUAINT BOATS IN THE BAY WHICH RIPPLES WITH THE EFFECT OF THE SUNSET ON THE WATER.

WEDNESDAY

WE PACK OUR WORLDLY GOODS AND WE LEAVE ADAMAS IN A HIRE CAR TO EXPLORE THE REST OF MILOS. THE CAR IS FOR ONCE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND OFF WE TREK TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND. 15 MINUTES AND 11K LATER AND WE ARE AT PALEOCHORI WHERE OUR SEARCH FOR A ROOM BEGINS. ALL I CAN SAY IS WITH HIND SIGHT WHEN WE ARRIVED ON MILOS WE SHOULD HAVE GOT INTO A HIRE CAR, STOCKED UP WITH SUNDRIES IN A SUPERMARKET AND HEADED STRAIGHT OUT TO PALEOCHORI. IT IS SO LOVELY, QUIET, A GORGEOUS BEACH, CHRYSTAL CLEAR WATER WITH LOADS OF FISH, CLIFFS TUMBLING DOWN TO THE BEACH DECORATED IN ALL DIFFERENT COLOURS THANKS TO VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS. IT HAS MULTI COLOURED SAND JUST LIKE THE NEEDLES ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT. THERE ARE 3 OR 4 TAVERNAS AND LOADS OF ROOMS AVALIABLE TO RENT. WE STUMBLE ACROSS THE ANNA ROOMS LOOKED AFTER BY ANNA A VERY FRIENDLY OLD GREEK LADY WITH NOT A WORD OF ENGLISH. THEY ARE 50M FROM THE SEA, WITH A SEA VIEW AND LOVELY GARDENS. TIM CANNOT LOG ONTO WI FI BUT HEY HO WE ARE HERE UNTIL SUNDAY. Yes I can, the local restaurant has wifi and it reaches the room. Hurrah.

WE SETTLE IN THEN GO DOWN TO THE BEACH FOR A SWIM TO COOL DOWN. THE SEA IS WARM AND FISH ARE SWIMMING AROUND OUR LEGS. ONE NIBBLES TIM ON HIS SHIN. It didn't nibble my shin, it was a vicious unprovoked attack where it sort of butted my shin. Carol said,"Look out they may be tarantulas." I think she meant piranhas.

IN THE AFTERNOON WE ARE OFF EXPLORING. FIRST WE GO TO PLAKA VILLAGE ON A HILL WITH A CASTRO AT THE TOP. WELL YOU HAVE TO GO AND SEE A CASTRO DON'T YOU SO UP THE STEPS WE GO, UP AND UP. On the way Carol sat on a wall over a massive drop. I had to take a photo. I asked why it was OK to sit there. Her only explanation was that this drop was somehow "different." THE VIEWS AT THE TOP WERE WORTH THE EFFORT. FROM THE TOP THERE IS A 360 DEGREE VIEW OF THE ISLAND, STUNNING. WE SEE A BEACH IN THE DISTANCE WITH ROUGH BREAKING WAVES, WE THINK THAT LOOKS FUN AND PLAN TO STOP THERE ON THE WAY BACK.

AFTER A STROLL ROUND THE VILLAGE WE HEAD FOR TRIPILI AND SEE AN AMPHITHEATER UNDER RECONSTRUCTION. (I think that's archaeological excavation.)WE GO TO THE CATACOMBES AND GET THERE AT 3PM. THEY CLOSED AT 2PM.

OFF TO THE BEACH WE THINK IS CALLED SARAKINIKO TO SURF. AFTER A FEW WRONG TURNS WE GET THERE. IT IS A WALK DOWN A CLIFF PATH. IT WASN'T THE SURFING BEACH WE WERE EXPECTING.IT IS HARD TO PUT IT INTO WORDS TO DESCRIBE WHERE WE WERE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE MOON (it's on the list) BUT IT WAS LIKE A LUNAR LANDSCAPE OR THE GRAND CANYON CARVED OUT IN WHITE SOFT ROCKS WORN DOWN BY WEATHER AND TIDE. IT WAS SPELL BINDING. DEEP BLUE CHOPPY SEA LASHING AGAINST THE ROCKS AND AS IT PASSES OVER THE WHITE ROCKS THE SEA CHANGES TO A MILKY PALE BLUE. MAGICAL, WELL WE HAD TO STOP AND SWIM AND TAKE PHOTOS OF COURSE.

OUR JOURNEY HOME WAS UNEVENTFUL APART FROM A HERD OF GOATS ON THE ROAD. WE GET BACK TO OUR HOME FOR THE NIGHT AND TIM IS REVERSING INTO A PARKING SPACE CARVED OUT OF THE ROCK. FOR ONCE I KEEP MY NOSE OUT OF IT AND DON'T SUPERVISE HIS DRIVING. WHAT DOES HE DO? YES THAT'S RIGHT HE HITS THE ROCK. WE NOW DON'T HAVE A PRISTINE CAR. I SAY NOTHING, ITS NOT WORTH IT BUT IT MIGHT BE EXPENSIVE. A tiny mark, the one time you need to hear something from the passenger seat.

WE ENTER OUR ROOM AND WE FIND WAITING FOR US SOME GREEK CAKE THINGS OUR HOST HAS COOKED FOR US. HOW SWEET.

The wind has got up and a bit of a gale is blowing. At the taverna we both get well presented meals including chopped lettuce, which promptly flies straight over the balcony onto the beach. HOPEFULLY THE GALE WILL COVER THE CAR IN DUST SO THE DENT DOESN'T SHOW.

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Photos

The bakery, Adamas, Milos
The lady owner is happily peeping over the top

Plaka, Milos
Carol near an wdge that was somehow "different"

Plaka Kastro, Milos
Carol thought tying a shoelace here was suicidal