Month: June 2025

The holy trinity

Our first full day in Greece and after a quick swim in “our” pool (our apartment block is owned by the owner of the small hotel opposite, and we have full use of their pool)

we headed, via a bakery for breakfast, to the beach on the inlet parallel to the harbour (we are staying on the top, between the two). As the crow-files, possibly less than 100 metres, but the geography of the island dictated a 10 to 15 minute walk, past some sunflowers

but it was so worth it.

The beach was not big, perhaps 100m wide (?), largely organised (ie covered with sunbeds – 15 euros for a pair and umbrella – and some tavernas, bars and mini-market fringing the beach) but with un-organised space at either end. We found ourselves a rocky jetty to settle down on, and before long I was in the water. It was/is the perfect swimming spot – easy to get in and out, the water crystal clear, getting deep quickly and the cove extended outwards for a couple of hundred metres, flanked by rocky cliffs, topped with green pine trees full of “singing” cicadas. For me, it was perfect.

I found a rock to dive off, and spent quite some time swimming in this idyllic spot. It wasn’t just the perfect water, the surrounding scenery was serene, I loved bobbing around in the water and looking up at the roots of this pine tree, exposed, no do doubt, by some rock fall.

And then, with a loud hoot, a Seajets ferry hoved into view, heading for port in the adjacent harbour: my holy trinity was scored – Sea, sun and Seajet ferries.

We enjoyed a late lunch on the seafront ,

before heading back up the hill, happy and contented after a full dose of Greek medicine. A perfect way to start our latest Greek adventure.

Kalimera!

And so another Grecian Odyssey begins – this time two weeks in the Sporades, a group of islands off the east coast of mainland Greece, perhaps most famous for providing the breathtaking backdrop to the film Mama Mia, much of which was filmed on the island of Skopelos (and we shall be paying our due homage to the movie, and the Swedish super-group Abba later on our travels.)

Today, we flew out from Bristol on a surprisingly empty jet (plenty of empty seats), landing on the island of Skaithos some three and a half hours later. Levels of concern did rise a little (a lot in Becky’s case) as everyone else collected their bags and headed off into the sun, whilst we, and one or two other worried souls, were left bag-less as the luggage carousel ground to a stop.

However, our worry was short lived, “oversized” (or, more accurately, mis-shapen) luggage was delivered to a separate door in baggage reclaim, and, a few minutes later we were reunited with our bags. When using hold luggage, we use rucksacks – much easier to negotiate the chaotic, and often, cobbled streets of southern Europe with a bag on your back, than trying to trundle a large suitcase along a busy and bumpy pavement.

We then caught the bus – 5 mins and 3 euros each – into the town/port, were we had a few hours to kill before catching our ferry – a rather sleek looking hydrofoil straight out of a James Bond movie – to our first destination, the island of Alonnisos.

The journey was swift, if a bit “sporty” (aka rough and bumpy) stopping off at a couple of ports on Skopelos before terminating in the calm waters of Patitiri on the island of Alonnisos. It was picturesque and pretty as we climbed a hill (always a hill!) to our accommodation, before heading back into the harbour area to enjoy a delicious Greek meal, before returning “home” and collapsing tired, but happy, into a deep sleep, dreaming of adventures yet to come.