Antiparos day 2

---

Friday 3rd June 2011 contd

About 6 pm we took a walk out and went to look at the town. There are a variety of shops and a number with some class and very nice chic things to buy. The place is elegant, but not up itself and has a degree of sophistication. There is any amount of the usual souvenir stuff to buy, if you want it but plenty of other stuff.

We made our way up the central street and found the Venetian castro (another one) which is central to the town for a change and is of a different style in that it was built in a square with houses effectively as the walls and people were on the inside in times of pirate attacks and danger. Apparently is was no good to defend and everybody got slaughtered a few times over the centuries.

What it has done though is influence the whole architectural feel of the town, as others have copied the same build pattern over time. It is a fascinating town and from our wandering around has a likeable atmosphere.

As an aside one of the most infamous pirates of the area was Barbarossa, a very bad Turkish character and not the same chap as the Caribbean one just in case of any confusion.

We purchased some bits and pieces along the way and headed back for a drink, which turned into two, at the harbour on the way back. We stopped at the Nautica Cafe as it had wireless internet connection and we haven't any internet at our accommodation this time.

We watched the world go by for a while and chilled then back to the room.

I suppose also I ought to give some thought to describing our last island of Paros. It had a slower pace of life than we have recently experienced which is a good thing. The numbers of tourists seems low, I know it is early in the season but even so you get a feeling that there are usually more people here than this at this time of year from comments we have heard. I certainly liked the place and have felt relaxed there, if I had arrived there for a holiday then I wouldn't have felt hard done by and there is enough to keep you occupied for a while. The weather has been gradually getting warmer which is plus although it seems so late this year.

Saturday 4th June 2011

Today we had chosen to visit The Cave. In the centre of the island inside a mountain, I use this term loosely, it's more or less at the highest point of the island but that's only 200 metres.

The bus was at 1100 from from the bus station by the port, so just down the road from us.

We had some bread and jam/honey for our breakfast then had a walk about the harbour while waiting for our bus.

There were about six people on the bus and the cost was €1.60 each single which took about fifteen or twenty minutes.

It is somehow strange to walk up a hill to go into a cave but that is what you do. Entry is €3.60 each and you get a two page leaflet telling you a little about the cave.

It was discovered centuries ago by the islanders and is a natural limestone cave that has been eroded by water and also has may stalactites and stalagmites. Some of them have not done so well over time by the actions of humans, but still quite a sight. Not quite the awe and wonder described in the leaflet but nonetheless worth seeing.

The depth of the cave is 100 metres and the steps are solid concrete apart from a small area of grating to enhance the effect in one of the chambers. The railing are all stainless steel and also solid.

Having said all that you need to be reasonably healthy to go down 411 steps in a dark, damp and dingy atmosphere and then back up again, and that doesn't take into account any fear of heights you may have, which by the way Pat and I both have!

We both did go into the cave and after a while Pat decided the experience wasn't for her and I think she made the sensible decision. There were very few people in the cave and for me that allowed me to make the journey up and down clinging on for grim death never letting go at any moment. I took a few pictures so Pat could see the general idea. I have to say that without wishing to take anything away from this particular cave I have seen much better in other locations.

We weren't sure how long the cave would take us and had discussed walking back to the apartment (about 8 kilometres) but as it happens the bus was due back at 1215 and we were there in time to catch so we did.

Back at the town we popped into a supermarket for bits and pieces then back to the apartment to prepare ourselves some lunch of cheese and bread.

Next on the agenda was a visit to a certain beach described to us in our Greek island guide. After a few wrong roads we managed to find the beach and duly took all our clothes off. Yes, a nudist beach, one of only three officially sanctioned in all the Greek Islands. Another first for me and to be honest with you it was no big deal.

What turned out to be more interesting was my desire to make it across to the other island called Diplo, which you can apparently wade over to and is about 150 yards away. Most of the stretch was shallow coming in around knee depth apart from about 20 yards in the middle was just above my depth. I watched a guy coming the other way and he only needed to swim a short way before he could stand again. So I thought what the hell and went for it. I managed to swim the deep bit and waded over to Diplo island, another one to add to the list. This may not sound like a big deal to some but I am not a good swimmer and I do not like swimming out of my depth, so for me it was a big deal.

We sunbathed for the rest of the afternoon with about twenty other people, on this little spit of beach at the end of the island. We then took a much shorter walk back to to the apartment.

So today has hit on my fear of heights, my poor swimming skills and a new experience of taking my clothes off in public, wow.

---

Photos

Antiparos
View from the apartment

Antiparos
Inside the Venetian Kastro

Antiparos
The Kastro

Antiparos
Inside the cave