Blogs from South Aegean, Greece, Europe - page 6

When the gods are angry with a man, they give him what he asks for… ~ Greek Proverb HE SAID... Today we were travelling south from Mykonos to Santorini– by ferry. We woke early to planes flying overhead. Aegean Hotel Mykonos, our accommodation on the island, was only four kilometres from the airport, and I was surprised I hadn’t noticed any planes since we’d arrived. A quick glance at the harbour in front of our hotel confirmed that it was currently free of cruise ships (hooray), but I could see three gigantic white liners steaming in from the western horizon. They would soon anchor directly in front of us, and the constant announcements over their public address systems would begin. Then, the inevitable and unescapable horror would commence. Endless battalions of cruise ship tourists would land ... read more

A thousand people cannot undress a naked person… ~ Greek Proverb HE SAID... Today we were travelling east to Mykonos– by ferry! It was still dark when we woke on our final morning in Syros. We headed down to a tiny bakery store on one side of the bustling roundabout outside Hotel Archontissa and picked up some bougatsa (custard phyllo pie) and tiropitas (feta pies), which we enjoyed with a cup of tea on the small balcony of our third-floor room – which overlooked the roundabout below. We loved our time on Syros. For a start, our hotel was in a very local part of town (about 700 metres from the island’s main ferry quay), which allowed us to witness the everyday life of Syriots. We loved the remote hills; the parched earth; the friendly locals; ... read more

Where there is love there is no darkness… ~ Greek Proverb HE SAID... Today we were exploring the beautiful island of Syros. We woke early to a strong sea breeze buffeting the township of Ermoupoli. The collapsible table and chairs on our small balcony were bearing the brunt of the gusts, so I brought them inside the room. I grabbed a takeaway tea and coffee from the cafe next to our hotel, and the staff was very friendly. They didn’t speak English, but they understood my order. They seemed bemused by my request for a takeaway tea, and had to go in search of a teabag. Coffee is evidently far more popular for Syriots as an early morning beverage. We had a clear objective for the day ahead. We wanted to explore Ano Syros and Vrondado, ... read more

Today is a return visit to Mykonos with no excursion. A much more relaxed day. Trip into the village starts with a boat ride across the bay. ( not enough space at the pier) Shopping breakfast, shopping lunch… some drinks and back to the ship. Tomorrow Argostoli.... read more

Day 3 at Sea Day 4 Santorini, Greece. Without luggage still (well you can’t expect them to deliver at sea) We arrive at Santorini, probably one of the most iconic scenes in Greece. It doesn’t seem right since it has only been popular for 60 years. Considering the Acropolis and Zeus’ temple and other ancient ruins have been in existence for over 2,000 years. We start with a bus tour and a stop at a winery for a tasting. Wine was ok. Drove around the island and then embarked for our hike thru the town. Very steep hills, narrow streets all painted white. With 7 cruise ships in port and a small town the streets were jammed. Line up for a chance to take a picture. Ray and Cindy were going to take the cable car ... read more