Greek Islands

Day 42, 4th June – Lazy Day

The weather is still not great for the beach so Alice and I spent the morning indoors. Tony still had some time left with their car so they headed off into the mountains for some more exploring. Around lunch we headed into town and walked around the Kastro castle. It was good to explore the alleyways of the old market, museums and churches. It was late afternoon when we spotted the others having lunch at one of the waterfront restaurants. That was a timely reminder that we had not eaten so we chose an establishment that offered plenty of Greek food. We opted for a salad and stuffed tomatoes with potato.

There were some people braving the water but the overcast skies and wind is still prevailing. I guess the Europeans are not as spoiled as us. Dinner tonight was at a Ma and Pa establishment named Ellinko. The restaurant is owned by the kids but Mum does the cooking while Dad does the spruking and table clearing. The kitchen and food is on display and judging by the number of customers it should be delectable. Our verdict was a definite thumbs up for the food and the cost was very reasonable.

Day 43, 5th June – Santorini

Regrettably and despite the slightly inclement weather we will be sad to depart the Ilion Hotel where the breakfast was superb. The room rate was 40.5 euro per night and our room which was only 50 metres from the beach with views of the water from our balcony. The room was very modern and there was a small kitchen that was available to all the rooms.

The weather this morning is excellent so after breakfast Alice and I took a long walk on the beach. It was finally time to leave for the port and our host Sophia will convey James and our bags. Tony had a surprise for her when he played “Sweet Sophia/Caroline”. She was overcome with emotion and gave him big hug. In his excitement Tony left his man bag on the patio. It contained his passport and money and he would have been in trouble without it. I spotted it and casually slipped it into my backpack. I told Alice and Julie and we wondered how long it would take him to miss it. We were nearly at the port when he had his panic attack. Alice could barely keep a straight face and Julie told him that he had better hurry or he would miss the ferry. I couldn’t let my mate suffer so I put him out of his misery by producing it from my backpack.

The Blue Star ferry departed on time and on this trip we had plenty of room to stretch out. The trip takes about 2.5 hours and makes one stop at Ios. The last part of the trip is just below the imposing caldera. You have great view of the whitewashed hotels that are perched like eagle nests along the rim of the caldera. The passengers all had itchy feet and they were all crammed into the stairwell long before the ferry docked. No-one except us wanted to be last off the boat, it was if they thought the beach would disappear if they didn’t get off, NOW! We just took or time and avoided the manic crush and rush for the luggage that is crammed into a confined area. On this occasion we had no transfer booked but it did not take long for an entrepreneur to entice the seven of us into his van for the trip to the Narkissos Hotel at Kamari Beach. I’m not expecting the Taj Mahal as this hotel is only 28 euro per night with breakfast. After depositing our luggage in the small but comfortable room it was time to hit the black sand beach of Kamari. It was only a short walk and Tony and I were soon stroking our way out to sea. I think the speed we were travelling at gives new meaning to the Australian Crawl. The water temperature was bracing but not as cool as Mykonos.

Dinner tonight was at a restaurant which featured live music. The food which was the standard Greek offering was reasonable and the entertainment was spot on. Tony managed to entice a big group of what we thought were Danish singers to our table. They were great fun and I think one of the ladies had her eye on him. Alice engaged them in some conversation and with her grasp of Danish was able to discern that they were singles and not singers. No wonder she was eyeing Tony off.

Day 44, 6th June – D-Day

While the others slept Tony and I executed our own D-Day with a brisk walk to the top of the mountain that sits behind Kamari. The early morning view from the summit was worth the effort of the sixty minute round trip. We followed that up by storming the beach and swimming out to the boats that are anchored a 100 metres off shore.  Feeling completely refreshed we endeared ourselves by bringing a freshly brewed cup of tea to our lovely maidens who were still reclining in bed. The breakfast that the hotel served was excellent. Juice, coffee, yoghurt, cereal, bread, ham, cheese and tomato were all available for immediate consumption. As we were in no hurry this morning we grazed until completely sated.

The rest of the day was spent just lazing around the beach in a section that offered free sun beds if you purchased something from the restaurant. That was easy as the hot sun soon builds up a thirst which means that some beer needs to be consumed. A few more swims and the day was just about over. Doreen and Allan were not in the mood for swimming but they managed to find an enclave where Tequila Sunrises and beer flowed freely.

Day 45, 7th June – A Sunset Day

Tony and I were up early again and headed up the mountain for some more exercise. We took a different route down which gave us a look at a shrine that marked a spring that supplied the ancient city with water. Without hiking poles the steep slope certainly put some pressure on the knees. After breakfast we all went our separate ways with the intention of meeting up at 5:00pm.

Alice and I decided to do some exploring and hired yet another quad bike. Driving on the right side of the road is becoming second nature but due to our small size you have to be wary of the tour buses and vans that speed along the narrow roads. Our first stop was at the village of Pyrgos which has a beautiful Greek Orthodox Church with commanding views of the island. Alice explored the inside of the church while I observed the local priest feed his chooks. Continuing on our way we travelled to the monastery of Profiti Ilia. This is the highest point on the island and the monastery grounds have plenty of shade for a weary traveler to relax under. We had a few strange looks when we set up the Tassie Devil for a photo shoot but he did not seem to mind the attention. The local monks also produce a selection of wines and food and these were available for sampling and eventual purchase. Both were delicious and if we had room in our bags we would have bought some.

Hunger was beginning to gnaw in the pit of our now empty stomachs so we headed down the mountain to another black sand beach known as Perissa. As we pulled up the quad a particularly persuasive restaurant owner enticed us into his beachfront establishment. The view was spot on and we enjoyed a relaxing lunch with wine. One thing we have noticed at all the restaurants is that they are reluctant to give you the bill. It gives you the feeling that they do not want you to leave or perhaps they believe that other customers will come based on the numbers in the restaurant. Eventually we received our bill and we could continue our drive along the very long beachfront of Perissa. It was getting late in the afternoon and I wanted a quick look at the caldera from the Akrotiri side of the island. This did not eventuate as I took a wrong turn and ended up at a little beach and port called Vlichada. It was fine but not as good as Perissa.

We met up with the others who had spent the day relaxing by the beach. Allan and Doreen caught the bus up to Fira and judging by Doreen’s fantastic photographs they had a great evening. Tony, Julie and James headed off to Oia on the local bus and had a meal overlooking Ammoudi Bay which gives you an amazing red sunset. Alice and I still had the quad so we thought we would brave a night ride. My memory must be failing me as I thought it was only a short distance to Oia. It took us over an hour to reach our destination and at one stage I thought we would miss the sunset. Parking was at a premium as everybody was trying to enjoy the sunset. Luckily, the quad does not need much space so we were able to squeeze into a tight spot not far from the action. There were plenty of people all trying to secure a vantage point on the headland and spots were difficult to find. We ended up walking to a lower section and managed to have a great view. Just before the sun had completely set we called it quits so that we would not be caught in the crush of humanity heading home. We did manage one last look from the church as the sun finally dipped below the distant horizon. Back on the quad and we gunned it out of the car park on the high road towards Fira. We still had some daylight so the initial driving wasn’t too bad. Once the light had gone I had to be more careful as the road is quite windy. I also had to be careful not to swallow the bugs that were lying into my face. I was glad when we finally handed over the keys to the rental agency. It was 9:30pm so Alice chose a little restaurant that had a pair of Greek guitarists to serenade us while we had our evening meal. With a roadside table we were able to first welcome back Doreen and Allan as they alighted from their bus. Julie, Tony and James arrived half an hour later. They all had a terrific time and really enjoyed the experience.

Day 46, 8th June – Last Day Santorini

Once again before breakfast Tony and I walked to the top of Ancient Thira. We reckon if we had a few more days that we would have buns of steel. A cup of tea for the beauties and it was off to the ocean for the wakeup swim. We must look a sight as we stroll up the street bare chested and dripping with water. Luckily, for Tony the Danish women are not awake at this hour of the day.

Our ferry to Kos does not leave until early the next day so we need a very late checkout from our hotel. Oleg, the owner from Belarus has managed to make our rooms available and will charge us the half room rate. He has been an excellent host and I would recommend this hotel as a cheap option for staying on Santorini. The day was once again spent lazing on the beach, reading from our Kindles and having some cool down swims. At midday we said our farewell to James who sadly had to return to London and the tyranny of work.

We all met up for a drink in the lobby of the hotel to decide on how we would spend the evening. We had a pizza from Oleg and if we had known how good the food was we would have eaten here more often. In the end we settled for having our last meal at the beach so that we could enjoy the view and the coolness of the sea breeze. At 11:30pm our pre booked van conveyed us down to the ferry terminal for the red-eye to Kos.

Day 47, 9th June – Ferry to Kos

At 00:50 the ferry with the bleary eyed travelers departed en-route to Kos. Even though we had a comfortable cabin with bunk beds sleep came slowly. Eventually I must have fell asleep as I was woken at 5:10 by the telephone and a scratchy voice announcing that we would arrive in Kos in 40 minutes. Reluctantly, we dragged ourselves out of bed for some quick ablutions prior to leaving our cabins. By 6:00am we were standing on the quay gazing across at Turkey in the distance and waiting forlornly for a taxi to deposit us at the Yigoris Hotel. Fortunately, it is only a 5 minute ride to the hotel where we will spend the next four nights at the impressive rate of 26.1 euros a night. The owners are fantastic and allowed us to have breakfast as well as having a room for all of us by 9:00am.

We were all a little shattered and in need of some sleep. Allan and I went for a walk around town and took in the historical sites of the Ancient Agora, The Venetian Castle and Hippocrates Plane Tree. In the end we all succumbed to the goddess of sleep and drifted off to the land of nod. In the late afternoon we took the girls for a walk and Julie managed to find a nice little sun dress for the beach.

For our evening meal we chose a restaurant within 50 metres of the hotel. It had a lovely little verandah with a mature grape vine providing some colour and shade. We ordered a lamb casserole and when we removed the lid there was Julie and Alice’s names emblazoned in red capsicum. To top it off we declared it the best meal that we had eaten in Greece.

Day 48, 10th June – Bodrum, Turkey

A nice leisurely breakfast this morning as we do not have to get going until 11:15 as we are catching a boat to Bodrum in Turkey. We are travelling on Laumzis boat the Nissos Kos for the 40 minute trip to another world. The fare is only 10 euro plus another 5 euro in port taxes. The competition for business is fierce and I would recommend the boat Maria Star as it is a family concern and not as crowded. The beauty of doing this day trip is that you do not need a visa for Turkey. The passport clearance in Kos is quick and painless and the procedure on the Turkish side even quicker. All they do is stamp your boarding pass for the boat.

Bodrum has many historical sites but we will not visit any of them as today is market day. It has a marvelous atmosphere and is a live example of the Middle East. At every opportunity there seems to be a salesman with a catchy line to tempt you inside a store. We wound our way through narrow lanes and streets to the Otogar (bus station) which was the nearest landmark to the bustling Tuesday Market. The girls were soon into action as they bargained for clothes. Tony quickly bought some polo shirts and we retired to the sanctuary of a nearby bar and downed a couple of Efes beers. Allan went off and had what he described as his best ever haircut. For seven euros he had a cut, shampoo and a massage. With the day drawing to an end we met at the port for a last drink before catching our return boat at 6:30pm. On deck and Tony’s charms were on full display as he soon had a Welsh lady eating out of the palm oh his hands.

Back in Greece we checked out a few of the sailing boats that are offering a three island day tour. We settled on the slightly smaller Katerina which is a family owned business. We wanted a smaller boat as they would not be as crowded and at 25 euro per person including lunch it is one of the better deals. Dinner tonight was at a new restaurant with water views. My lamb stiffado with onions was under 10 euro and was delicious. The lamb for both Alice and my meals jut fell apart in our mouths. Tony was ever adventurous and had swordfish once again.

Day 49, 11th June – The Big Reveal

There was no need to hurry this morning as we are hiring bicycles to travel up and down the many kilometers of bikeways on Kos. Allan and Doreen decided on a tandem bike and according to Doreen, never again! Apparently there was zero cushioning and as a result she has a very sore butt. The rest of us were less adventurous and settled for a conventional two wheeler at a cost of 7 euro for two. We headed off down the road and passed many beaches with sun beds for hire and the promise of a therapeutic massage. On our return from Cape Louros we stopped at the championship mini golf course. The owners were trimming the rough and asked to wait a few minutes while they swept the course. The state of the course is a little run down but the holes were challenging enough for us amateurs. Tony and I started like trains and thought we would have the girls begging for mercy. By the penultimate hole it was a close affair and the result would depend on the outcome of the final hole. Alice finished with a hole in one, Tony a two, and Julie and I with a pair of threes. Tony and Julie tied for third and Alice pipped me by one to win her first major championship. All this golf left us a little hot so we found a sheltered little bay near the shipyard and had a refreshing swim.

We all had lunch at the adjacent restaurant and enjoyed the view as well as the food. Afterwards we pedaled up to Lambi Beach and went our separate ways. Julie reported back that she had been a little risqué at the quiet beach of Cape Ammoudia. Apparently, she has never sunbathed without her top on and she thought if some of these aging matrons could then why not her. With gay abandon she ripped the top of her bathers down and bared all. She was a little mortified when the drinks waiter started to approach her for a drinks order. The brim of her hat was just big enough to hide under. It’s great to feel so young and free of our normal constraints. Alice and I on the other hand kept our gear on and enjoyed a refreshing swim out of the wind. Feeling refreshed we headed back towards down and ran into Doreen and Allan on their Hummer heading the other direction.

Back at the hotel and we all gathered in room 307 for a Tony concert. Alice cracked the champagne while Tony desperately tried to tune his guitar. He did not have much success which made it difficult for him. His goal tonight was to perform four songs with no mistakes but to Julie’s chagrin he could

not manage it. Nevertheless we all applauded him for his fine effort. There were quite a few empty bottles on the floor when we finished up. Tony and I were hungry but we could not convince the others to eat with us. They opted for bed as we went off in search of food. We could not go past the restaurant with a moniker of “Tony Italian Restaurant”.  Once again Tony charmed an English couple by using his Geordie accent. She was an avid English rugby league supporter and positively swooned when she found out Tony had played there in the seventies. Age shall not weary him! On the other hand he had her husband bemoaning the fact that they just don’t brew Tetleys Bitter like they used to. Tony had even had quite a few beers at the same pub that he had frequented.

Day 50, 12th June – Three Island Tour

It was an early breakfast this morning as we wanted to board the Katerina early so that we could snaffle a prime position on the upper deck. We were not the first ones there but they did save us the spot on the top deck as promised.  As our yacht was exiting the harbor the captain handed over the helm to Allan who acquitted himself well. Once we reached the main boating channel the wind really started to blow. As a result the ride was a little lumpy as we ploughed through the small troughs. Just before lunch we anchored at Plati Island in a small cove that offered some shelter from the wind that showed no signs of abating.

Everyone was ready for a swim so I did what all Inala Boys do and executed a perfect swan dive off the top deck. I would have given that one a 9.2 rating. The water was crystal clear and with my goggles on I could see plenty of fish. The first mate was throwing bread into the water as burley to attract the fish. He then entertained the passengers by catching a few good sized sea bream. Tony and I did our usual exercise swim and could have done more except the smell of the barbeque lunch lured us back on board. The food was delicious and the serving generous.

After lunch we travelled to Kalymnos Island which is famous for their sea sponges. We had an hour to explore the island so Tony and I walked 50 metres in each direction and then found a bar where we could people watch and of course enjoy an icy cold draught beer. The girls were lured by the excitement of shopping and returned with an assortment of sponges. The island itself does offer plenty for the traveler and would be a good destination for a few days. Back on board and we weighed anchor so we could search for dolphins. The crew has this worked out and as soon as we neared a fish farming complex they started to call the dolphins by using an underwater sounding device. It wasn’t long before they spotted a couple of large dolphins circling one of the fish pens. These cunning predators have worked out that there is an easy feed in this area. Judging by the excitement and the clicking of cameras I would say that most of the Europeans had never seen a dolphin in the wild before.

Our last island for the day was Pserimos and we anchored in a small cove that was ringed with a sandy beach. Unfortunately, the day was drawing to an end so we could only spend 30 minutes here. It was just long enough for everyone except Allan to enjoy a refreshing swim. It would have been good to sit back and enjoy the scenery from one of the few Tavernas that were positioned on the beachfront. It was just over an hour from here for the return to Kos. On this section of the trip the first mate really earned his keep. To the sound of the Titanic soundtrack he had most of the passengers posing with outstretched hands on the prow of the deck. At this stage the captain gave me a turn at steering the yacht and at the end I had to don my Pirates Of The Katerina headscarf. With the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack as an accompaniment all the passengers donned the headscarf and posed for pictures with swords and treasure. As the port came closer he then proceeded to lead everyone in a Zorba The Greek dance which was followed up with a Zumba. That one really got Alice moving. It was  great way to end the day and I think everyone had a great day. I would definitely recommend the Katerina as it was not crowded, good value and more importantly, FUN!

Allan chose a great place for dinner. The food was excellent and the beer and wine cheap. The total bill for six of us was only 64 euro which is probably the cheapest meal with drinks that I have had anywhere.

Day 51, 13th June - Patmos

This morning we had to say goodbye to our hosts at the Yigoris Hotel, Dimitrios and his sprightly 73 year old Mum. From the early check-in and the great breakfast they have been very accommodating and helpful. It was with reluctance that we boarded our taxi to the port for our penultimate ferry leg.  The Dedocanese Seaways Fast Cat departed on time and was soon at top speed and literally flying across the water. I went on the top deck and the force of the wind sucked 10 years off my face. It gave me what Tony calls the Jack Palance look. Our 2.5 hour journey also included stops at the ports of Kalymnos, Leros and Lipsi. When we pulled into the harbor we could see the Byzance Hotel where we will spend the next six nights.

After a quick check-in we all walked along the waterfront where there were ample restaurants to satisfy our needs. I was rather surprised at how quiet it was compared to our previous stops. Our late lunch of spinach pie and the ubiquitous Greek Salad filled the spot. A little stroll around the deserted shops and it was time to find the supermarket. Allan and I were amazed at the variety and price of the beers. It was a veritable Dan Murphy’s of Patmos. Alice and I left Allan still staring lovingly at the packed beer shelves. On returning to the hotel the owners asked if we would like to change to a room with a balcony. After a quick inspection we all decided that the change would be worth it. Lucky us boys are not invalids as the effort of carrying our girls bags would cripple an ordinary man. To finish the day we took a little table on the beach and savored a few drinks as the full moon cast a beautiful light over the water.

Day 52, 14th June – Exploration

Patmos is a relatively small island with not much traffic so Allan and Tony have hired motor scooters for getting around the island. I’m not as confident as them so I have stuck with the faithful quad bike. Our first stop was the Cave of the Apocalypse where St. John wrote the book of Revelation. There was a German tour group in the cave church conducting a service. We sat quietly in one of the pews and took in the biblical significance of the setting. As we were leaving another tour group was arriving. It pays to time your arrival as soon as it opens as it is a popular destination for pilgrim groups and tourists. At a fork in the road we left Allan and Doreen. They headed off in search of beaches while we went back to the hotel for our swimming gear.

We have chosen to ride to Agriolivadi Beach which is a few kilometres out of town. From the top of the hill it is a great view of the beach with its neat row of sun-beds and two white washed tavernas. After a quick bite to eat we joined the other sun worshipers. The sun-beds were a little expensive so we laid our towels out under the shade of a tree. The beach is pebbly but easy underfoot so it is easy getting into the water. The horseshoe bay is well protected and there is hardly any wind. Alice was soon in the water doing some sort of aerobic exercises while I settled for a long swim out to a yacht. There was still more exploration to undertake so it was back on the quad for more fun.

There was a sign indicating turn left for Lefkes Bay so we followed the road until it petered out into a rutted dirt track. It was way too bumpy for the quad so we gave up and headed up the mountain to Kampos. There were a couple of choices from here so at yet another fork in the road we headed for Ag. Nikolaos. The terrain was quite rugged and the barren landscape with the sea as a backdrop made it a stunning view. At the end of the road there was a little church and a track that led down to the bay. That was too far for us so it was back to the fork in the road and a trip down to Livadi Kalogiron Bay. There was only one other person on the rocky beach so we took a spot for ourselves and plunged naked into the sea. There was no point in getting our clothes wet again! Although this bay was not protected from the wind the water was quite warm. Alice did a bit of a plastic cleanup of the beach before we called it a day and headed back to the hotel.