THE KINGS OF MYKONOS

Thursday 23rd September – Kings of Mykonos

The sun is up yet again and it looks like the wind may have slightly abated. There are a lot of young people staying at the hotel so Alice and I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast by ourselves. We trudged down the hill to the beach for our morning swim.

On arrival we had to select our beach chair which the sign said would cost us 3 Euro each. Alice had the correct amount ready for when the collector of fees arrived. He duly came and asked for 9 Euro which Alice immediately challenged. The extra 3 Euro he said was for the use of the umbrella. Could not argue with his logic.

The swimming area was great and the water warm as it was sheltered to some extent from the wind. There was a small rock shelf about 20 metres out from the beach which supported quite a few varieties of marine life. A boat service that operates hourly connects a number of the local beaches and looks a good means for getting around.

Headed into Mykonos town at about 3.00pm so Alice could troll through the shops. To her chagrin most of them had closed for an afternoon siesta. Nevertheless we spent an enjoyable time wandering through the alleys and marveling at the many coloured doors, shop fronts and tavernas. Dinner was on Alice's good friend Danny which we had at a popular place named Nikos. We had a couple of drinks and ordered our food at intervals so we could pace ourselves and enjoy the food whilst people watching. Totally sated we managed to just catch the 8.00pm bus back to our lodgings where we crashed.

Friday 24th September – Magical Mykonos

Another day of relaxation has begun. There are a few more clouds in the sky today but the wind has dropped slightly in intensity. Decisions? Will it be a day of hanging around the pool , a day at the beach or a trip into Mykonos town. Oh bugger, just do all three!

After a day of not doing much we jumped on the 5.45pm express to town. The wind has dropped so we have taken up a prime perch at the Veranda Bar in Little Venice to watch and enjoy our last Mykonos sunset.

Alice's friend Danny has once again provided some funds for a sunset cocktail. In keeping with the theme of Mykonos Alice chose a “Princess Margaret” which was duly given a thumbs up. I chose a Mythos beer and at 7 Euro was undoubtedly the most expensive beer that I have ever bought. To put it into perspective it was akin to paying $15 for a stubby of Gold. I can't really complain as the sunset and our front row seat over the water is one of the best in town.

On our way to dinner I missed a golden opportunity to purchase a pirate copy of the smash Australian movie “The Kings of Mykonos”. Judging by the number of copies that he had business was definitely slow. While I'm on the subject of movies try and rent out the old classic from the late 70's “Shirley Valentine”. There are still areas of Mykonos where development has not encroached and this movie would give you an insight on how it was for the majority of the island.

Tonight we decided to watch our budget so we chose the equivalent of an Asian plastic chair establishment. Our small but charming eatery had plastic plates, Mama as the waitress and Papa out the back cooking up a storm. We started with a plate of olives awash in a sea of olive oil, grilled feta cheese, chicken and lamb Greek gyros which we washed down with a bottle of Greek white wine. Not content with this feast we finished off with a crepe filled with banana, nutella and icecream. All this for only 26 Euro helped compensate for the expensive beer.

Our bus trip back to the hotel reminded me that bus drivers all over the world would like to operate like this. After finishing our equivalent of a meat pie our driver departed on time but not before he lit up a cigarette for the journey. The buses are manual gearboxes, the roads narrow and windy but this is not challenging enough for our driver. As he manouvered his way around the tight corners with cigarette in hand his mobile phone rang. He duly answered it and continued talking, driving and smoking with great zeal and skill.

Saturday 25th September – Paros

Today we are off on the 10.00am ferry the Seajet 2. George the owner of the Paradise View has kindly driven us to the port.

He is also driving a Kiwi to the airport who after having a big night out until 4.00am has missed his 7.30am flight to Athens and London. He is in remarkably good spirits for someone who has to rebook everything.

George has been exceptionally helpful and also looks and has similar mannerisms to David Schwimmer from the sitcom Friends. We would definitely recommend this hotel and you can have a look at it on www.paradiseview.gr

If you believe Readers Digest and why wouldn't you then the island of Paros is rated as one of the top ten “sexiest” islands in the world. I don't know how they rate sexy because Fraser Island along with Koh Samui made the ten.

Paros however is a friendly island and the main port of Parrikia seems to welcome you with friendly arms. We on the other hand are into another island taxi and scooting across to the other major settlement, Naousa, on the north coast. It is a charming resort area with a colourful fishing harbour and many waterside tavernas.

We have chosen Katerina's Studios and our room or should I say rooms(2 bedrooms and separate bathroom and kitchen)with a large patio has stupendous views overlooking the Aegean Sea. When we arrived Katerina who is in her early 60's greeted us with open arms. I have never experienced such a warm welcome before. Alice was given a big hug and a kiss and It was like we were her children returning home after a long absence. www.katerinastudios.gr

After lunch it was off to the beach for a nice swim. Plenty of small sea urchins around the rocks which we will have to avoid.

A couple of hours later it was back to our room for the obligatory nanna nap. After all we are expending so much energy. Our evening was spent wandering around the waterfront and the maze of narrow whitewashed streets peppered with fish and flower motifs in the main section of Naousa. It is an interesting mix with fishermen on one hand repairing nets on their trawlers and on the other sales people in trendy boutiques trying to flog off their latest creations.

In its own way Naousa with its smart mix of boutiques and souvenir shops is a smaller more laid back version of Mykonos. A wood fired pizza and a selection of appetizers from one of the plethora of restaurants was our hearty fare tonight.

Sunday 26th September – Paradise Paros

Awoke to a cloudy sky but fortunately there was no wind. A pirate ship which could be the “Black Pearl”is anchored in the harbour. In reality it is a luxury sailing boat which is a modern term for fleecing the well heeled visitors to the Greek Islands. From the boat's loud speaker system we heard that the poor buggers could not go to Santorini because there is too much wind down there. A coffee on our patio will be enough for us.

“The Wild Geese” was a movie from the 70's that starred the very suave Roger Moore. On Paros this morning we had our own wild geese, a gaggle of about 14 white geese who patrolled our little beach. Later they waddled down the main road to the town square where they settled in a small salt water pond. In the afternoon they made their way back to the beach and into the front yard of the Manis Inn. They have a routine and pity the pour souls who mess with them.

I had a big day of swimming which surely must be improving my fitness. Alice and I are the only ones who seem to worry about sunburn or the need for an all over tan. We are the only ones who wear rash tops while other 50 plus females and males are getting around in just a thong. I have spotted a number of bream, an Aegean version of a flathead and a soul (flounder) whilst snorkeling around the rocks.

At the souvenir shops there are a range of interesting calendars. Two that struck our fancy were of Greek Island painted doors and cats. One lucky reader will be the recipient of “The Door” calendar!

Tonight we are staying in to take advantage of the gorgeous sunset and view with the added bonus of giving our Euro a rest. Alice has whipped up a mini gourmet feast of grilled haloumi cheese, greek salad, cheese and spinach pies which was washed down with an award winning local wine. The 2009 Paros Moraitis dry white picked up a silver medal at the 2010 international wine competition at Thessaloniki. A real bargain at 5.5 Euro from the mini market across the road.

Monday 27th September – Perfect Paros

I really don't get tired of writing that the weather is just getting better. This morning we have a gentle zephyr, calm seas and a beautiful blue sky to keep us in good stead for the day. What can I say we just did more of the same.

This evening we thought we would try out a Ouzerie (place that serves Ouzo and light snacks). We opted for a Lonely Planet recommendation called Moshonas which is located on the waterfront. Instead of ordering a shot of ouzo I convinced Alice to go for a half bottle. The ouzo went surprisingly well with the vegetable meatballs and grilled calamari with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Tuesday 28th September – Onwards to Naxos

Alice was up bright and early and headed down to the beach so she could photograph the geese. Alas, they did not front but she put her time to good use by cleaning up discarded plastic rubbish that was littering the beach. She managed to fill up an entire bin.

I will have time for one last swim before heading off to catch the 11.55am Blue Star (Naxos) Ferry to Naxos. Our stay on Paros has been very relaxing with the bonus of incredible weather and we would definitely recommend this island to anyone who wants a relaxing holiday. The apartments next to ours “Isabella Studios” also look great and their low season rates of 50 Euro for a double represent good value.

Alice pulled a good swifty when we were saying goodbye to Katerina. She told her how much she enjoyed the Paros wine. Katerina then went straight to the mini mart and bought her a bottle of 2009 Paros Moraitis Meltemi.

It is a fine wine which combines a rich aroma, a fine taste and a full body from the ancient grape varieties Moschato, Alexandrias and Mandilaria. It resembles a very light Rose and our rating will follow. At the port we were herded into a small waiting area which was like being in a cattle sales yard. Once on board we were in the luxury of business class.

The ferry quay is at the northern end of the waterfront which is known as Paralia. It is lined with cafes, tavernas and shops on its inland side. Behind Paralia, narrow alleyways twist and turn behind archways as they climb into the Kastro. Naxos' most famous landmark is the unfinished Temple of Apollo known as the Portara.

We are staying at the Ilion Hotel which is about 10 metres from the beach of Agios Georgios. Our room at the Ilion is clean and functional with a big balcony which allows us to see the nearby beach. The shower however is so small that you could not swing a Greek cat in it. At 35 Euro a night including breakfast we have nothing to complain about.

We had a big afternoon of exploring Hora,the capital of Naxos. After wandering around the alleys for a few hours we came to the Venetian Castle which is situated high up on the Kastro. We sat and listened for a few minutes to a Russian concert violinist and pianist who were practicing for a performance they were giving at the castle tonight. It was beautiful music even to untrained ears such as mine.

The headland where the temple of Apollo is situated gives tremendous views. There were people swimming in the crystal clear water in areas that were protected from the wind. You could even see the island of Paros. We also could not resist the urge to indulge ourselves with a happy hour cocktail at the Captains bar.

Found another restaurant called Nikos that was doing a brisk trade. The special tonight was grilled swordfish fillet which also came with dips, salad desert and wine. At 18 Euro for two it was areal bargain. We had an enjoyable night as we struck up a conversation with a couple from Sweden and ended up being the last ones to leave. Back at the hotel we spent a frantic ten minutes swatting a multitude of mosquitoes.

Wednesday 29th September – Naxos Beach

The swatting must have done the trick as we were not bothered at all by our buzzing friends. Well it is now late afternoon and I am sitting on our balcony draped in a white towel and reflecting on the days events. My reflection is aided by the nibbling of a few green olives that are stuffed with almonds and the sipping of a 500ml, 5% Alpha beer that just happened to be in our bar fridge. This is a traditional Greek beer that has been brewed since 1961 and my verdict is that it tastes like cats p...... I have spent the day squatting on my 7 Euro banana lounge with umbrella whilst Alice spent the day shopping.

My day was infinitely much tougher than Alice's. I had to face the heat of the day by swimming on what is the best beach so far. The water is calm and shallow which makes it ideal for children and old buggers like us. You can swim for miles in clear water with very little current. Really, the only tough part was having to gaze at all the Tony Abbot lookalikes parading around in their budgie smugglers. Alice on the other hand looked very relaxed after her retail therapy. I should mention that the water is so warm that Alice actually went for two swims and is loving it!

Thursday 30th September – Moto Naxos

Woke up nice an early after a quiet night at Picasso's Mexican restaurant. We have decided to hire a quad bike from Mike's hire to do some exploring around Naxos. The one we chose has extra grunt for tackling the mountainous terrain. Not a bad deal, only 21 Euro plus fuel for the whole day.

Heading south west the first beach we came to was Agios Prokopis and then Agia Anna. Both beaches are well organised with beach chairs and showers. They have nice sand and the water is crystal clear without being too deep.

Following on you come to a dirt road that separates the plain from what is known as Plaka beach. It is about 4 km long and there are a number of hotels and tavernas but hardly a soul on the beach except for those naked Europeans. No problem finding a space to park the bike here!

We then headed inland and started climbing to the village of Tripodes. Following a large tractor ensured that we moved slowly enough to enjoy the scenery and the many farms that were laid out like patch work in the valley. Alice in particular was smitten with the donkeys and the sheep that she saw in the fields. It really felt like we were traveling through rural Greece.

Once we hit the asphalt we motored down the road to Kastraki which is another beach area. Keeping the beach on our right we followed the dirt road until we reached Ag Giannis Bay. At this point we became good Samaritans as we helped an Albanian couple who had bogged their hire car after driving onto the beach.

After getting them out our troubles began. No matter how I tried I could not get the quad bike to start. Eventually we pushed it into a nearby taverna where we took a refreshing break and contemplated ringing Mike back in Naxos town. The break must have worked as we worked out that the brake must be on for the quad to start.

There was a nice beach across the road so we took a refreshing swim. The water was beautiful and as there was nobody around a costumes did not get wet. On the road again and the beaches of Pyrgaki and Agiassos soon passed us by.

Next we drove up the mountainous middle of the island. What a drive, ascending and descending in an exhilarating series of S-bends through spectacular mountain scenery. There was an abundance of Olive trees growing by the side of the road.

After driving through a number of small villages with white washed houses we reached the small town of Moni. It is situated on a green ridge at an altitude of 500 metres in the centre of mountainous Naxos. The natural environment is full of olives, vineyards, vegetable gardens and fruit trees. The added bonus is that the air is cool with sensational views to Naxos town and the nearby island of Paros.

After deciphering our road map we chose the fork in the road that led back through Kinidaros, Miloi and Melanes to Naxos town. We passed two large white marble quarries, an ancient Roman aqueduct and many old churches from different eras and faiths. We finished off our travels with a light snack and a swim at Ag Prokopios.

All in all we had a great day out exploring the country side. Alice's only complaint that she is a little sore in the thighs after being on the quad (like riding a horse) for so long and was starting to develop a helmet headache. In hindsight we should have taken more breaks.

Friday 1st October – Santorini

Another beautiful day in the Cyclades but I will not be able to take advantage of the weather to take a swim after breakfast as we have to catch the 11.00 Hellenic Seaways Highspeed 5 catamaran to Santorini. At breakfast we discovered that we are the only remaining guests of the Ilion hotel.

Our host Sophie made us a fresh omelet and informed us that when we left the hotel will close for the season. It made feel like one of the guests from the old Humphrey Bogart movie “Key Largo”. First time for us that a hotel has closed after we have left. Sophie also drove us down to the port in her Mercedes to save us spending money on a taxi. I think she is also keen to start her holiday in Athens.

Santorini is often described as fantastic and fabulous and at first glimpse it deserves all these superlatives. The surreal landscape is the relic of what was probably the biggest eruption in recorded history. We have chosen to spend our last days in Greece at the Blue Dolphin apartments which is located on the caldera at Firostefani.

The drive up from the port was through a never ending series of S-bends. It would have been a killer walk as our car even seemed to struggle at stages. I'm glad we chose these apartments as I only had to carry our luggage up and down about 60 steep steps. Some of the other locations are a lot more. Our room has been upgraded for two days to a studio apartment and I must say we are living it up. The view is so spectacular from our balcony that it is hard to describe. No doubt that we will bore everyone with our photographs.

We spent the afternoon walking the narrow pathway that runs along the top of the caldera. The donkeys were not doing as brisk a trade as the cable car in transporting tourists between the top and the bottom of the caldera. We sat out on our balcony at dusk,sipping wine and taking in the view. The caldera edge was like a frozen cascade of lights which eclipses even the great Mt. Coot-tha.