May 2009

Did another walk from the book and hoped it would be along better defined paths. This time it was a walk from one inland village to another, and back again by a different route, with some Pirgos and Byzantine Chapel hopping in between. And the requirement to taste a unique Naxian liqueur – Kitron. It’s been distilled in this one village (Halki) since the 19th C from the leaves of the citron tree (citrus medica).

Saw our first mule being ridden - lots of them all over the island, including next to our house - in two directions! This one was being ridden, not just led along.

The first half of the walk was fine – relatively well marked with enough sign posts to feel you were on the right track. Went through a village (Kaloxilos - Καλοξυλος) that we loved the feel and look of – maybe it could be the sort of place to come back and live in for a few months?? Had coffee in a nice and friendly village at the top of the valley, then wandered down to the main focus of the walk – one of Naxos’s oldest churches – Panagia Drosiani, with frescoes from the 7th C.

Walk back down the valley along the stream was not well marked and the guide didn’t help much either – was nice to find two other couples trying to use the same book who were also having trouble. One other couple managed to make it all the way through like we did (we met at the bottom at the one and only taverna in the starting village) – but the other couple re-appeared hours later, so we think they had to retrace their steps.

But there were snakes again – two live ones and one dead one. Because every step you take the little lizards scurry out of your way, and once you see a snake do the same, you can’t help but feel the next scurry is a snake not a harmless lizard (even of the snakes too may be harmless). Makes the walk less relaxing.

After lunch, tasted the Kitron (not bad!) and had a coffee in the next door café and popped into an interesting craft shop.

Drove home via a different route – roads here are much more like in Crete or worse, but there’s not much traffic which helps a bit. Amazing views back over the sea and the island, and views of the marble quarries – we feel that the value in the discarded lumps of marble sitting by the side of the roads or down the hillsides would probably be enough to make you a millionaire in Oz. And everything everywhere is made of marble – much of our presumably poor and normal village house has marble - table tops and benches (including in the courtyard), marble floors, marble shower, etc etc.

Had a good night’s sleep (and although Jan heard the neighbouring mule/donkey bellowing, Dave didn’t).

Went on our first planned walk using a walk book we bought. The walk was great, but the walk book’s instructions were pretty rough and ready – and seems that they assume you just bush bash/wander through farmer’s fields at your leisure/pleasure. And given our still regular snake sightings, and the length of the grass and bush at the moment, it was a bit off putting. Walked for about 4 hours, saw some wonderful villages, examples of Pirgos (Venetian fortified manor houses/towers), old windmills, threshing floors, small and large Byzantine chapels/churches, and the main focus of the walk a partly reconstructed Greek temple to Demeter. And no snakes – just lots of lizards and one that’s a dragon! And people were friendly and greeted us wherever we went – well the locals did, not the other tourists (find that other European tourists are a pretty unfriendly bunch).

Headed off afterwards to the beach (never very far from a beach!), had an ordinary lunch at a taverna on the beach, and finished the afternoon off by having our second swim of the holiday in the amazingly blue/green and clear seas of Greece. Water still cold, but felt more bearable as the temp was higher and the wind mild.

Home for another home prepared meal watching the sun go down and the colours change on the hills and the neighbours’ houses.

Needed to go to town (Hora) for food so decided to look around. Navigated OK into a parking area at the back of the Kastro (old town/castle – mainly Venetian) although it’s all been built on the usual, earlier Mycenaean, Archaic and Roman period structures. Remains of a 4th C BC temple on the headland near the port, and stunningly beautiful white houses and some older stone houses in the Venetian style spread across the hill overlooking the sea and the island of Paros opposite. The whiteness and resulting glare can make it hard on the eyes!

Wandered around the small lanes and alleys of the old town, taking a few photos and looking at some gift/jewellery shops (pressie shopping time!). Some quite interesting stuff.

Passed a beautiful looking taverna on our wander, and decided we just had to go there for lunch – which we did. Found out that it was quite famous – the oldest taverna in Naxos. And the food was fab – probably the best overall we’ve had to date. The Naxian salad was out of this world – a mix of many of the normal Greek salad ingredients, but with some other/different ingredients that made the difference – some greens, a dressing made with olives, and topped with Grandma’s secret recipe version of a specialty Naxian soft goat’s cheese. Wow – vowed to go back if we could! And the mushrooms and zucchini fritters weren’t too bad either.

Shopped for food too – no tavernas in our village, so we would have needed to walk a couple of km or Dave would have to drive to a nearby village and back if we went out – drinking not the issue, but the narrow and windy roads are. So thought we’d enjoy eating on our courtyard or on the balcony (and weather is to be mid to high 20’s) and maybe have some lunches out at tavernas in some of the villages we would be visiting. Used to now finding out what the local specialties are, and trying to buy some to eat. Got some Naxos cheeses (goat and sheeps’) easily, and some Naxian Rose to drink.

Had a lovely home-cooked meal that night.

Up before 6.00 am (not Jan’s favourite time) to get the ferry. The seats in economy (no seat no.) are just loose seats at tables dotted around different parts of the large ferry. Found a table for 2 in an area which would get lots of fresh air (to combat the smokers and, hopefully, help Jan from not getting seasick). Not that we needed to worry as you could hardly tell the ferry was even moving across the water. Why aren’t there any waves??

We had chosen Naxos mainly because it was more varied than many others and not as tourist oriented – not only does it have the normal beautiful beaches, but a wide range of types of countryside (from plains to mountains and valleys) as it is the most fertile island of the Cyclades, and reputedly had many enchanting villages and the potential for lots of walking. The island’s total population is around 18k, and only about 20 or so km E to W and 35 or so km NS. And another feature is it’s marble, which has been used in buildings since well BC.

5 ½ hours later we arrived, picked up our car and off to find the village where we are staying. The village, Mili, is very small – in the hills about 15 mins drive from the main town and port, Hora. No cars in the village. You leave your car on the road and walk down a set of steps. The village seems to be spread over the hill and doesn’t really seem to have a centre (not one we have found). The house is a bit odd. There are 2 buildings. One has the bedroom and the living area; the other, the kitchen and bathroom. A covered courtyard area ‘joins’ them. From the courtyard you can climb steps to the roof of the kitchen/bathroom, which is used as a patio and the area to hang clothes. There is also a garden, but, unfortunately, without some major gardening, is unusable. Jan had a go, just to try and get to the orange and lemon trees we had been asked to water.

Having said all that, it’s rather nice – quaint, atmospheric, etc.

The view from the kitchen/bathroom roof is great – steep, scrub covered hills with tracks winding through them on which you see goats, their herders and people on donkeys (well only once but there are many donkeys around). At sunset, the hills glow. Like this place – Naxos, more than the house though.

Today is the day we return the car and go to Pireaus, ready to catch the ferry to Naxos tomorrow.

Yesterday was really windy so left visiting the temple until today – even windier. Still, may be the only time we are ever here. At the temple site the wind was even stronger – quite scary – and buffeted you about. Felt as if it could easily swish you over the side and down the cliff face.

Because of the wind we didn’t linger, and set off to take the car back. In the past we have had ‘issues’ finding where to return cars so neither of us (well at least Jan) were looking forward to this bit. All went relatively smoothly, except nearly ended up in Athens (not advisable) trying to find a petrol station.

Car people took us to airport where we caught a bus to Pireaus. Pireaus gets very bad press. Lonely Planet suggest you don’t stay there at all but as our ferry left at 7.30am the next morning, didn’t think we had a choice. However, booked a hotel in advance and after some wandering around the streets found it. Hotel was just near the market but by the time we had checked in and got something for lunch, the market had closed.

Wandered the streets of Pireaus for a few hours, fine in the day but not sure how we would have felt at night in some parts. Couldn’t find anywhere near our hotel to eat dinner so just ate in the hotel and had an early night.