Tinos, Mykonos and Delos

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We went to see the ruins in Delos. As mentioned in my guidebook, there were a lot of ruins and very little signage and what little signage there was appeared in Greek and French. That didn't bother me too much as I understand French quite well but the lack of description was a little disappointing as was the volume of tourists visiting the site. Most of our group climbed the hill to the Temple of Zeus but a couple of us chose to go to the museum instead. It was fascinating with the rooms laid out more or less by era. This allowed me to view several Archaic statues together, then several Classical statues together and start to sort out the differences that we had learned about prior to coming to Greece. It was also interesting to see a copy of the statue of Diadoumenos which I had seen when doing my research on sculptures as well as the Naxian lions. We decided to have a group photo under the sacred palm tree where Apollo was supposed to have been born. The location stands out vividly as it was a former lake and the vegetation is lush and green unlike anything else on the island. It truly could be a holy site. It certainly is special.

We then returned to Mykonos which is a cute little, beach town. All white squares and blue shutters; the quintessential Greece of postcards. Little streets wind upward from the sea full of shops with jewellery, art and other trinkets. Courtyards bursting with colourful flowers are around every bend. It is very inviting and very touristy but appealing nevertheless.

Tinos town is a picturesque little seaside village on the island of Tinos where we are staying. It is quieter and less commercial seeming that Mykonos with one main 'shopping' street lined with stalls like a flea market or Fifth street on Market Day. Souvenirs, jewellery and trinkets are everywhere the eye can turn.

We found the Taverna Michalis just off the main 'shopping' street which was an enjoyable family run business. We were first served by the youngest member of the proprietors, a boy named Stefanos. When asked about the size of the chicken dish because we had decided to share he didn't understand and had to fetch his father to answer our question. The family resemblance was startling between Stefanos and his dad, it was obvious what he would look like when he got older. Once our order was taken, the patriarch, Michalis, came out to say hello and welcome us. We had a great meal with lots to eat, and plenty to drink which helped to keep the conversation flowing on another delightful meal.

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