The Tranquil Island of Kea

We had an uneventful but pleasant motor (sadly no wind) from Syros to the very pleasant harbour of Voukari on the island of Kea.  The summer weather has finally arrived and we are now able to drop anchor and swim off the boat without a shock to the system which we happily did.  That evening we went ashore to check out the tiny village of Voukari.  Kea, being a short hop from Athens, has a much more cosmopolitan air, than some of the more remote islands.  We had a very nice dinner at a waterside tavern with a unique and interesting menu – no moussaka in sight.

Village of Vourkari

 

The next day we took the dinghy across the bay to the main town of Koressia, a quiet pretty village.  Our main goal was to go to the Chora in the hills above the town.  This medieval town was another delight of whitewashed houses and winding flagstone paths.

The Chora

 

Medieval construction - given there was a recent earthquake in Lesvos, we didn't stay under this for long!

Such brilliant primary colours

Church on the waterfront at Koressia

Just outside the Chora is an ancient carved rock lion which was carved around 600 BC.  Legend has it that the beautiful sea nymphs on the island displeased the Gods who were jealous of their beauty.  The Gods sent a lion to destroy the island but the locals carved a shrine to the lion and placated the beast and thus saved the island from destruction.

Bob in front of the ancient stone lion

A smiley face?

Protecting the village

View from the pathway

When we returned to Songster that afternoon, we found a note from Karl and Mary Beth on Hattie Lee who were anchored in the next cove.  We had not seen Karl and Mary since March when we were next to one another at the marina in Marmaris, Turkey.  What a wonderful surprise to meet up with them again!  They had invited us to Hattie Lee for sundowners and we had a delightful evening catching up.  Surprise encounters and renewing friendships like this is one of the great highlights of this sailing life.

The gang reunited

Another relaxing day at anchor doing a few boat chores, swimming and sundowners at the end of the day before we move on.

End of a perfect day

Sublime Syros

It was time to leave Mykonos new harbour.  A diver came at 8.30 to free our anchor from the tangled floor of the harbour.  It all went quite smoothly and we left an hour later and €80 poorer.  We told the cheeky diver he should make sure he sends his children to university with all the money he is making from freeing anchors in Mykonos new harbour!

We had an easy 6 hour motor (no wind) to a peaceful anchorage off the village of Foinikas on the southwest of Syros.  After the tourist crowds of Mykonos, Syros was an absolute delight.  We got the dinghy down and went ashore to stroll through the village.  It has several tavernas on the waterfront, a chandlery, supermarkets – what more could a cruiser ask for?  I know – an Ouzo mezze while watching Songster swing at anchor.  Bliss.

Our view while enjoying an Ouzo mezze

  

Foinikas village

In the cove near where we anchored was a small boat club.  Every day we were treated to the local kids racing their Oppies and Lasers around the buoys just a few metres from our boat.

 

 

The next day we rented a scooter to see the island.  Our first stop was the main port, Ermoupoli.  Ermoupoli is a significant port and rivalled Athens in importance during the 19^th Century.  The Venetians ruled the island for 300 years during the middle ages and the waterfront has a distinct Italian feel to it.  We could almost believe we were on one of the outer islands of Venice when looking at the Renaissance and Neo-classical buildings around the town.

Town Hall at Ermoupoli

The marble streets looking towards the waterfront

Mansions of the old sea captains in the Vapario area of Ermoupoli

Waterfront mansions

A few historical oddities has made Syros quite a unique island in the Cyclades.  Because of the strategic location of Syros as a maritime waypoint, the island was granted special privileges during Ottoman rule.  Pragmatically, Syros chose to maintain neutrality during the 1821 Greek War of Independence.  It not suffer the massacres experienced on many of the islands and became a haven for refugees fleeing the slaughter in Chios and Psara.  Syros also has a strong Roman influence and half the population are Roman Catholic with an equal number of Catholic and Orthodox churches dotting the hillsides.

 

 

 

We went up to Ano Syros the medieval settlement built by the Venetians that overlooks Ermoupoli.  It was a delightful rabbit warren of white washed buildings and flagstone pathways and steps.

 

 

We had lunch at Lilis Taverna.  Fantastic food and views.  We tried a salad of wild Greek greens, for which I have developed a taste.  We had tried vlita before but this salad had pickled caper plants and purslane along with artichokes, sundried tomatoes and a wonderful fennel dip.  It was so nice we ate most of it before I remembered to take a photo.

 

Our lunchtime view of Ermoupoli

The next day we made a quick dash to the northwest of the island to the seaside village of Kini to check out a recently installed sculpture in memory of all who have lost their lives at sea.

Mermaid sculpture at Kini

Kini

Back to Songster for sundowners followed by my homemade moussaka. 

 

 

Time to Enjoy Pretty Mykonos

Our main reason for coming to Mykonos was to see the ancient ruins on the nearby island of Delos. 

We were a bit hesitant about visiting Mykonos itself as it is known as a very popular tourist mecca. We generally try to avoid the full on tourist catastrophe, if possible, but the lure of Delos overcame any reservations we had.

Delos is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  It was the holy sanctuary for ancient Greek mythology and is now one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece.  It is considered the birthplace of the twins, Apollo (god of music, poetry and arts) and Artemis (the huntress), the children of Zeus (king of gods) and Leto.  Excavations of the site started in 1872 and are continuing today.

We finally got into the town of Mykonos to be tourist.  We first inquired about boats to Delos.  There was a late afternoon trip so our first activity was to enjoy the ferry ride to the island.  Delos is impressive but I must admit not nearly as impressive as Ephesus in Turkey.  We still maintain that the best Greek ruins are in Turkey.  We had a few hours to walk around but could have stayed longer.  Sadly the on-site museum was closed for renovations so we did not see many of the smaller unearthed artifacts.

Delos from the waterfront looking onto Mt Kynthos on the right

Poppies amongst the ruins

The city overlooking the harbour

Floor mosaic in the House of Dionysus

Avenue of the Lions

Sculptures

Another day we were able to tour around the town of Mykonos.  It is full on tourism but not of the crass type.  The streets were packed with tourist but the shops had a minimum of tat.  The pedestrian area of ‘Little Venice’ is delightful.  In fact if one were a shopper (I am not), one would be in heaven.  There were endless up-market clothing, leather, accessories and jewellery shops.  These combined with the iconic Greek blue and white buildings, tavernas and cafes make Mykonos a tourist paradise.

Streets of Little Venice

Iconic windmills

The rounded architecture of the Cyclades

Bob making his way through the narrow streets

Every corner is a visual delight

We also visited the archaeological museum and nautical museum in town.  Both well worth the visit.

3000 year old pottery

Naughty Pan

Jewelry from 600 BC

The lighthouse in the garden of the nautical museum

Intricately carved shells at the nautical museum

  Despite the boat troubles experienced in Mykonos, we were pleasantly struck by the charm and beauty of this touristy island.