As we walked around the town and couldn’t help noticing that there were three distinctive smells. Proctor and Gamble Tide detergent (no longer popular in the United Kingdom) which clung like velcro to the fresh linen hanging on the washing lines outside the houses, then incense, leaking out under the doors of the churches and finally the divine aroma of fresh moussaka and other Greek specialities being prepared for lunchtime in the tavernas and the bars.
Posted in Arts and Crafts, backpacking, Beaches, Europe, Food, Greece, Greek islands, Greek Taverna, History, Natural Environment, Postcards, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Culture, Cyclades, Greece UNESCO, Greek Ferries, Holidays, Life, Milos, Photography, Travel
Whilst these string of Cycladic islands are all the same they are all completely different at the same time and Livadi had a unique quality that set it aside from other places we have visited.
Serifos is not a popular holiday destination for overseas visitors and a bit like Amorgos (in my opinion) a place that the Greek people have sensibly kept back for themselves because close to Athens it is convenient to reach and it doesn’t suffer from the excesses of, say, Santorini or Mykonos.
Posted in Arts and Crafts, backpacking, Beaches, Europe, Food, Greece, Greek islands, Greek Taverna, History, Literature, Natural Environment, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Blue Star Ferry, Culture, Cyclades, Greece UNESCO, Life, Livadi, Photography, serifos, Trave
Every time we travel to Greece for the annual island hopping holiday we have to make room in the itinerary for a day or two of beaches and in 2011 we chose Koufosinia and we travelled there from nearby Amorgos on a six o’clock ferry.
Posted in backpacking, Beaches, Food, Greece, Greek islands, Greek Taverna, History, Hotels, Literature, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Amorgos, Culture, Cyclades, Greek Ferries, Holidays, Ios, Koufonisia, Life, Photography
The little beach at Valmas is delightful where a shabby taverna with a shaded terrace overlooks the shore and the little bay and it is run by an old lady who probably should have retired years ago and who has a limited but interesting menu with the sort of prices that suit my budget.
Going to the beach and the taverna is part of the Ios routine and every day we do the same things as the day before, walk along the same path, go for a swim, then to the taverna and sit at the same table and stare out to sea.
Posted in Arts and Crafts, backpacking, Beaches, Cyclades, Europe, Food, Greece, Greek islands, Greek Taverna, History, Hotels, Natural Environment, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Culture, Cyclades, Greece UNESCO, Homer's Inn, Ios, Life, Photography, Travel
I write this in the full awareness that it might be the end of some valuable blogging relationships but here goes anyway…
Well.Well,Well,
Who would have thought that a HOBBY blog post could offend so may people….
…. so here is another one….
— If I ever get judgemental or rude or mock you then please let me know ….
Read the full story of a another boat trip Here…
Posted in backpacking, Beaches, Europe, Food, Greece, Greek islands, Greek Taverna, History, Natural Environment, World Heritage
Tagged Antiparos, Captain Ben's Boat, Cyclades, Despotiko, Greek islands, Paros
Posted in back packing, Beaches, Cyclades, Europe, Greece, Greek islands, Greek Taverna, History, Natural Environment, Postcards, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Cyclades, Ios, island hopping, Naxos, Postcards, Rayleigh Scattering, Science of Sunsets
Click on an image to scroll through the Gallery…
Posted in Arts and Crafts, Beaches, Europe, Greece, Greek islands, History, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Amorgos, Cyclades, Fishing Boats, Folegandros, Greek islands, Ios, Koufonisia, Nautical
By 2008 I had been to Santorini three times before, in 2002, 2004 and in 2006 and although I rather like it I have to say that it is no longer my favourite.
The trouble with Santorini is that once you have been elsewhere it simply becomes less impressive. Everyone says ‘Oh, you are going to Greece, you must go to Santorini!’ but generally these are tourists who haven’t been to Amorgos, Sikinos or Folegandros and these islands, let me tell you, are many times better that easily eclipse Santorini despite its stunning caldera and unique scenery.
When it comes to taking pictures I like doors, statues, balconies and washing lines, Kim on the other hand likes people pictures so I thought I might share a few of them with you.
This one was taken on the Greek Island of Amorgos…
I imagine this woman was taking a well earned break after a morning of hard graft housework.
We took a ride out to the Chora which cannot be seen from the sea or from the harbour but as we got closer we could see it above us like a fresh snow fall on top of a mountain. From the outside it doesn’t look especially promising but once inside the walls of the town it is a different matter altogether. The town turns in on itself in an introspective sort of way and inside there were narrow shady streets and lots of traditional cafés and tavernas where getting disorientated and lost is a certainty.
It was a lazy place where time goes by slowly and no one is in a particular hurry about anything. If this was Naxos or Ios the Chora would have been teeming with shops and fast food places but this was a local town for local people and completely unspoilt by the retinue of tourist shops that can be found on more popular islands.
We explored the streets and in a very stiff breeze climbed to the very top to the redundant windmills that overlook the town and the Venetian castle that is built on top of a rocky outcrop that soars above it and its mass of dazzling white buildings.
On the way back we were ready for a second stroll through the Chora where we ambled through the corkscrew of twisting streets returning several times to exactly the same place passing by several churches, the castle, blue doors, blue sky, shady vines and friendly cafés and I knew that this was my kind of town.
The Chora is rather like a hippie time-warp, slow, lazy, faded and bleached, pot plants struggling in the midday sun and appropriately slow mood music in the tavernas and bars – it reminded me of a favourite pair of old denim jeans and my battered blue t-shirt that I am reluctant to throw away.
Click on an image to scroll through the Gallery…
The ambience is compounded by cultural traditions. Village life retains a centuries old pace thanks in large part to the absence of motorised vehicles. Old men while away the afternoons sitting in the summer shade chatting. The labyrinthine, narrow lanes are the province of donkeys and wooden carts. Displays of ripe fruit – tomatoes, figs, golden apples – stand outside the little stores, the local catch is brought into the harbour daily, the wine and the raki is plentiful, good and cheap.
As we wandered around an old lady dressed all in black asked for help negotiating some difficult steps and we naturally obliged and in return for our assistance she treated us to her life story and tales of Amorgian life. Her name was Limonique and she told us that after sixty-five years of marriage she was now a widow so I guessed her age to be somewhere around eighty-five or so.
Posted in Arts and Crafts, Beaches, Cyclades, Europe, Food, Greece, Greek islands, Greek Taverna, History, Literature, Natural Environment, Postcards, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Amorgos, Chor Amorgos, Culture, Cyclades, Greek Car Hire, Leonard Cohen Hydra, Life
Have Bag, Will Travel 