Today we went back to our secret cove but, for the first time since we left Santorini all those days ago, the wind wasn’t blowing, and the sea was calm. We set up “camp” in the same spot as yesterday and then soon took to the waters, which were still, and so clear.
Yesterday it had felt safe swimming in our little cove as it provided shelter from the breakers, today I was happy to swim out further and deeper and explore what lay to the left and right of our little slice of heaven. Rounding the the “headland” at the top of our cove, I didn’t find another lovely beach, but instead a sea cave going under the cliff face. With the sea calm, I felt emboldened to go in an explore – the cave was, perhaps, 5 metres from the front to the back, and the water about waist high. The light in a sea cave has to be seen to be believed, and it is very different looking into the cave, as from the cave looking out.
But it wasn’t just exploring the cave that was fun, the swimming – in deep (by deep I mean at least out of my depth) clear water, some ten or fifteen metres from the shore was delicious. The best swimming of our trip so far.
And talking of delicious, this evening we returned to the garden taverna we dinned in a few nights ago, enjoying the food, and probably the prettiest setting we have eaten in all trip.
Perhaps the only disappointment (and that is probably to strong a word) has been the beaches and swimming that we have encountered on our trip across the Cyclades – we haven’t encountered any of the brilliant beaches that we have previously found in Corfu, Kefalonia and across the Ionian islands. We like a small cove, pebbles/rock are our preferred surface, and I like crystal clear seas that gets deep quickly. Many of the beaches we have encountered on this trip have been thin strips of sand – and not to far from really being dirt – and very shallow shelving seas. Add in the near persistent wind ruffling the surface of the water – thereby masking its clarity – and the beaches haven’t been the best.
Today, though, we found a secret cove and enjoyed a wonderful, private, day on the beach. We had scouted it out on our first day on Antiparos, and this morning, laden with lunch, water, umbrella and other supplies, we walked over the “other side” of the island (the west side) and continued on past the main beach (with a surf rolling in that would tempt a Cornish surfer) along a track past the “Sunset” taverna before scuttling down a path to our cove.
We cleared some dried seaweed away and set up camp in space more than comfortable for two, but would be cramped if anyone else had wanted to join us. We had a very small bay which took the worst out of the waves, instead they rolled gently in, providing a rhythmic and hypnotic sound track to our stay. And the swimming was good. Sand turned to stone, and a few metres out the water deepened and bobbing in the swell was blissful.
All day it was just the two of us on a deserted Greek beach. Heaven.
Today we headed to the south of the island, to Agios Georgious. You could see across the water to the island of Despotiko, a (now) uninhabited island that in 500 BC hosted a temple to Athena. We make out the ruins of the temple from our side of the water, and we declined the option of going on a boat trip to the visit the ruins (and some sea caves) opting instead to find a small isolated cove/patch of beach to colonise for the day. We sat, swam, read – and roasted: it did get very hot. A chilled day.
Today we hopped on our local ferry for a day trip to Paros, big brother to our small island of Antiparos. After a swift seven minute sea crossing, we got a bus to Parikia – the main port on the island of Paros, where we landed from Sifnos and from where will depart to Syros in a few days time – and from there another bus to the Naoussa a resort on the north west of the islamnd (and yes, each bus journey was 2 two euros!) It was a pretty harbour-side resort, probably best characterised and known for a couple of squares by the sea full of taverna tables that fill up for dinning on the evening.
In the heat of the day time sun, it was not surprising that the tables lay empty during our visit, but clearly dinning is a big part of the Greek holiday experience in Naoussa. We wandered white washed streets, enjoyed a drink by the sea, and a lunch by the habour, and enjoyed the sights and colours of the town.
We then returned to Parikia, spending eventually finding a pretty street to amble along, but in reality it was not as pretty as, and more expensive than, Naoussa. Unless you fly into the island (possible from Athens) you will pass through Parikia, but I’d leave it at that – pass through it on to better places. As we awaited our bus down to the smaller port of Pounda (where we catch the local ferry across to Antiparos) we witnessed another couple of huge ferries arrive in the port, disgorging one set of tourists, and taking another boat load away. I know I’ve written a lot about ferries on this trip – I am in awe of them, some of them are just so, so big.
And on our return to more sleepy Antiparos, and after a gyros to keep us going, we walked over to the other side of the island (a ten minute walk) to watch the sunset across the Aegean sea. Magical.
Seventeen days – well over two weeks – into our Greek Odyssey, and there’s nothing I’m missing from home (sorry kids!) There was a moment today as I drifted serenely through the crystal clear sea when I wondered how my garden at home was doing – what was flowering, had my pumpkin plants survived the slugs and beginning to fruit, but the thought passed in a moment – I’m not there to see it, and nothing I can do about.
Plus, the plants and flowers encountered on our trip – particularly here in Antiparos – eclipse anything I can grow at home. Cacti always impress me, and I love to see “houseplants” outside in their natural environment (Snake plants aplenty in pots and borders out here) but my absolute favourite has to be Bougainvillea, a climbing, trailing vine like plant, festooned with deep pink flowers.
Turn any corner in the street of Antiparos and you will see these vibrant flowers highlighted against white walls and blue skies. This evening we ate at a wonderfully picturesque garden taverna with a canopy of creeping bougainvillea above our heads, creating the most magnificent vista – like a scene from Mamma Mia! I may not be missing anything from home, but I will miss this wonderful plant when I do go home.
This morning it was time to leave Sifnos, and head for our next stop of Anti Paros. Shortly before 9 am, we boarded our last Seajets ship of our journey – Super Jet – for the 50 minute hop to Paros. This vessel was smaller than the previous two we had travelled on, and was foot passenger only, no vehicles. Since our arrival in Santorini a couple of weeks ago, the wind has blown and I will confess to having Googled wind speeds and ferry crossings, and was a little concerned to read that smaller vessels are more likely to be cancelled than larger craft and I figured if we were to hit a snag in our travel plans, it would be this crossing. However, for the last few days, I’ve seen this ship arrive and depart twice a day from Sifnos, so I was confident we would sail today and, bang on time, she docked in Sifnos, and we boarded ready for our journey.
However, a few minutes out of the safety of harbour we could see, and very soon felt, the swell in the sea, often the waves capped with white horses. It was a somewhat bumpy journey – I can now see why these ferries do get cancelled in bigger seas – and we were all happy to reach the sanctuary of Paros port, where we disembarked. However, before we could do so, I had to find our bags from under a pile of luggage – in part I don’t think it was stowed well in the first place, but also it had been thrown around during the choppy journey.
And that still wasn’t the end of the road for us, we still had to get to Anti Paros.
A little disconcertingly, as we walked off the ferry I saw I sign that said ferries to Antiparos were cancelled due to the weather/sea state, however these were the direct ferries from Paros port to Antiparos, we had always planned on getting the bus to Pounda, and then getting a ferry from there. Asking around, it seemed that those ferries were still running, but we had just missed a bus, and needed to wait an hour for the next bus. We went to a cafe and had a coffee and cake (the most expensive so far 5.50 euros for a coffee!), and watched in a mix of awe and horror as big ferry, after big ferry, after big ferry arrived in the port, disgorging ever more passengers. Paros port was heaving, crowded and chaotic and we were glad when we finally boarded our bus, and then the next ferry (7 minute crossing, 1.50 euro each) to the relative calm of Antiparos, and our new home in Pavlos’ Place.
We had a little explore, I had a swim in a sea that Becky described as more like Cornwall than Greece (but the sea was much warmer) and in the evening we headed out for something to eat. Following (another) delicious meal, our plan was to have a quick wander before returning to our apartment, but as we walked it became clear something was happening at the church by the port.
It transpires that today – July 15th – marks the start of the three day festival of Agia Marina in Antiparos. There was a big church service (the church isn’t big, many people were outside its whitewashed walls) and big chunks of bread were being handed out to anyone who wanted them. They were cut from large circular loaves (circa 50 cm in diameter) – we had seen a couple being carried in the street earlier in the day. Then there was music and dancing on a stage – we stayed to watch a group of school children dance to a Greek language version of Bella Ciao. And literally as I type, the sky has just lit up with a magnificent display of fireworks. A surprising end to an eventful day!
Today, we didn’t venture far, deciding instead to simply cross the road to “our” beach, hire a couple of sunbeds and umbrella (15 euros for the set for the day) and relax. We are now about mid-way through our greek adventure and this is the first day that we have done very little. It was quite refreshing to do very nothing other than lie back, read, have a little snooze, and then plop into the sea when the mood took you. The weather remains hot (its been around 30 all trip) but the wind is quite strong – most of the time this is refreshing and keeps the temperature bearable – perfect almost – but at times it gusts and anything not weighed down is whipped away, and any exposed flesh sandblasted by sand blown across the beach. On balance, the wind has been a good thing, but it has, at times, been menacingly strong.
And a day spent on our beach has given me ample opportunity to indulge in my new hobby of ferry spotting. I have enjoyed getting to know the schedules and the different ferries, and watch them dock in the port on the end of our beach. Seajets Champion Jet 2 is definitely my favourite, a magnificent vessel best seen head on, when it looks like some futuristic vessel from a ’50s sci-fi movie. It is the ferry we travelled to Sifnos on, tomorrow we leave the island headed for Paros (and then Anti Paros) aboard the much smaller Seajets Super Jet 2. It will be a shame to leave Sifnos – we both love the island – but new horizons await.
^^^ As the sun sets, the ’50’s sci-fi craft Champion Jet 2 heads into port, shortly after Super Jet headed off into to the sunset, en-route for Paros and beyond.
^^^ Another ferry spotted today – definitely not Super Jet 2!
p.s. Like us – it’s (football) not coming home. Last night, England lost 2-1 to Spain in the Euro 24 final.
Only a brief post this evening – I find myself with a twenty minute window between finishing another wonderful greek meal, whilst watching the sun sink behind the mountains, and Seajets Champion Jet 2 docking, disgorging and setting sail again, and the Euro 24 final – England v Spain.
So a quick round up of today’s events:
Early morning swim
Another bus journey (this time costing 2.50 euros each!) to Faros
Beautiful scenery
Another church
Delicious lunch in seafront taverna
Swimming in crystal clear waters
Delicious dinner in a seafront taverna
A quick stroll along the beach, and settling down to watch the game.
Whether or not football does come home, we aren’t (for another couple of weeks, at least) and to me, that’s a right result!
Today, after my customary early morning* swim, and breakfast in our hotel, we headed by bus up to Apollonia, and then by foot to the small village of Kastro and the iconic Church of the Seven Martyrs – a small church set on a rocky promontory reaching out into the Aegean sea. There are many, many, churches on Sifnos, but this must be the most photographed of them all. We walked down to the church itself, and it was worth the walk, but the better view was from the top of the village of Kastros, looking down onto the church in its splendid isolation. Apparently, a lot of people mistake this church for the one that was in the film Mamma Mia. It isn’t in the film, but is easy to see why the mistake can arise.
*early morning, Greek holiday time, equates to 8 am. Ish.
After the morning spent exploring the village of Kastro and the church, we then walked down to Paralia Seralia – the old port of Sifnos, but now just a tiny beach, with a couple of tavernas, and a concrete platform for jumping into the sea from. We decided to have some lunch (again, we are now firmly on Greek time, so it was about 2.30pm, possibly 3pm, by the time we sat down to eat), choosing Captain George’s – a wonderfully authentic and charming (ramshackle if I was being unkind, but it wasn’t) taverna right on the sea front. If you have ever been to Deia beach in Majorca (or watched “The Night manager”**) and have seen the rustic restaurant their, this was similar, but this was wonderfully un-discovered; its few tables were full but everyone was happy to be there, in the moment, no posing or rich bankers, no one saying “look at me”, and whilst photos were taken, photos and Instagram and tik-tok were secondary to the real purpose of enjoying good (and not over-priced) food, good company and a fantastic setting.
One of our aims on our odyssey has been to “find” real Greece, and here in Sifnos we think we have found it. The trick? Go somewhere that the cruise ships don’t, and lacking an airport. That makes it a little bit harder to get there (but by no means difficult – Becky has has said I am becoming a bit of a ferry geek (I am!) and a quick search showed several easy ways to get here from various different starting points. If you are happy to trade cash for time, you can get here very cheaply (I found a ferry from Santorini for 12.50 euros), but if speed is of the essence you can pay more and significantly reduce your travelling time. ) And if things are a little difficult, many – most – tourists are put off, leaving the destination un-spoilt for you to enjoy.
**its been a few years since I watched the BBC mini-series “The Night Manager”, a thriller set in several locations, with much of it shot in Mallorca, and the restaurant at Deia beach is a wonderful backdrop to a key scene in the first episode. If you haven’t watched it, do so.
Today, our first full day in Sifnos, we headed (by bus, of course; two euros per journey, of course) to Apollonia, the biggest village on the island. Having initially got a little lost (we hadn’t got our bearings, and thought we were at one of end of the village, when really we were at the other) we were soon charmed by the (inevitable) whitewashed buildings and splashes of blue, all set against the bluest of blue skies, and the “arty-ness” of the village. On our way into a roof top cafe – recommended to us by a friendly shop keeper – I spied a brilliant piece of art on a wall – a metre square of rusting metal, with a snail making its way across the surface. I loved it. I simply cannot comprehend how someone comes up with the idea to produce a piece like this, but I’m glad they did.
And later on, we visited an art studio, where artist specialised in ceramics, but my eye was taken by some rusty circles on the wall, clearly just lids of oil drums left to weather in the Greek sunshine. Perhaps it says more about me, that I am drawn to rusty old metal – and perhaps this explains why, back at home in the UK, my car is a rusty old banger!
I also loved the triangle shapes set into walls – I’m not sure what their purpose, if any, is, but I like them.
I could share with you a plethora of photos and words highlighting (again!) the beautiful, simple buildings and blue domed churches as we strolled between the three villages of Apollonia, Ano Petoli and Artemonas, or the wonderful food we ate as we spent a happy and chilled day in “real Greece”, but instead I want to mention my new hero.
Having ascended a fair few steps climbing into the village of Artemonas, we saw two benches bathed in a welcoming shade outside a(nother) church, and stopped for a rest and water. Joining us in the square was a statue of a man, and I took a moment to read the information about him, Nikolas Chrissogelos, an educator and leader and he was a key player in the uprising in Sifnos and across all the Cyclades to shake off Turkish occupation. He went on to hold key posts in the Greek administration and was the Head of the School of Holy Sepulchre in Sifnos – the Educational Institution of the Archipelogo.
Reading on, a line his citation struck me
” A free spirit and competent teacher”
I have decided I would like to achieve such status – to be a free spirit and competent teacher, that will do for me.
