Yay, we make it to Naxos early Thursday May 6, just a few hours late is all - our first breakfast at left at 10.30 once we got up.Sam says: "Then we arrived at Naxos the man who owned the camp came and picked us up. When we arrived there it was 6 oclock (a.m) an dwe went to sleep immediately. The apartment was very nice, it hasd 6 beds and 2 bathrooms but the pool was never open the whole time. They managed to clean it though."
Ellie: "We went to Naxos one of the islands.It was very hot so we went to the beach every day." At right, on 7km long Plaka Beach (if you look real hard you might see the German guy wandering starkers up and down, up and down - quite a bit of that on Plaka actually) about 200 metres from our 'studio' (2 rooms with Breakfast - needless to say our largest meal of the day - for 55 euros, but that's cos we were early; the season picks up from mid May, and by July-Aug you're paying 70-100 euro for EACH of those 2 rooms)
At right, we promptly turn the resort into a chinese laundry.
Shopping in Hora, the main town, for local olives and cheese, bettered only by the local yoghurt.
Shopping in Hora, the main town, for local olives and cheese, bettered only by the local yoghurt.A winding alley in the Kastro, stronghold of the Venetian Catholics who overcame the Greeks 800 years ago. The kids were also overcome, by the incline, so we never got to see the museum at the top.
Looking back at Hora from the wee temple promontory 
Sam: "We also went looking at fish at these old greek ruins next to the temple of apollo. There were lots of sea urchins all around the coast."
The doorway at right is all that's left of the temple, called the Portara.
Ellie: "We went goggling (ed: snorkelling without the snorkels and with swimming pool goggles) at the ruins of old Naxos town and when we went in the hire car there was sheep all lying on the road"
The ruins are meant to be submerged but they looked pretty much like old rocks to me.
Old windmills minus cloth on their vanes which dot the extremely hilly interior - Naxos almost makes Wellington look flat.
Left, THE best taverna-in-the town-square we saw all trip, and about the only one we sat down in for coffee, beer and iceblocks (8 euro the lot) in Chalki, the tiny ceramic and textile arts capital of Naxos.
Sam: "We also went looking at fish at these old greek ruins next to the temple of apollo. There were lots of sea urchins all around the coast."
The doorway at right is all that's left of the temple, called the Portara.
Ellie: "We went goggling (ed: snorkelling without the snorkels and with swimming pool goggles) at the ruins of old Naxos town and when we went in the hire car there was sheep all lying on the road"
The ruins are meant to be submerged but they looked pretty much like old rocks to me.
At right, amazing how interesting cartoons in Greek can be.
Sam: "we saw quite a lot of lizards and one day me and dad climbed a mountain and saw a big lizard and a barn owl." The climb made more hazardous by justified fear of extremely spiky plants and irrational fear of poisonous adder snakes.
Sam: "we saw quite a lot of lizards and one day me and dad climbed a mountain and saw a big lizard and a barn owl." The climb made more hazardous by justified fear of extremely spiky plants and irrational fear of poisonous adder snakes.
Sam: "On the beach it was very fun, it was hot and the rocks had lots of fishes you could look at them. One afternoon we went swimming in our clothes, it was really warm cos it had been heated by the sun all day."
Old windmills minus cloth on their vanes which dot the extremely hilly interior - Naxos almost makes Wellington look flat.
Left, THE best taverna-in-the town-square we saw all trip, and about the only one we sat down in for coffee, beer and iceblocks (8 euro the lot) in Chalki, the tiny ceramic and textile arts capital of Naxos.
Sam: "We went to the cave of Zeus but it was slippery and we didn’t have a torch and it was very dark in this little tunnel you have to go down so we had to stay in the main part. " 
The entry to the cave, which involved quite a scramble to get to, though more tricky still the one lane 2km long mountain cul-de-sac without a turning circle and with a ruinous fall on one side that led to the track. Below, Sam in the cave.
Below the cave some local Greeks and Germans who live there shared their dolmades, pizza and home-made and v strong wine with us - everyone loved the kids, except on the Athens tube.
My Big Fat Greek Lunch Party.
Chilling out in the northernmost town of Appollonas, all whitewashed tavernas and rocks.
Ellie: "We went out for tea one night, I had grilled chicken with coca cola, and had a yummy breakfeast every day." Food was fab though Greece ain't cheap anymore - eating out cost 55 euro for a main and a drink each. (PS if anyone thinks the ed is hung up on costs, yeh, well .... nah, just trying to make it interesting in case you want to join us some time)
Break-in underway at Naxos' main Orthodox church.
More swimming at the submerged ruins.
Bye bye Naxos.
The entry to the cave, which involved quite a scramble to get to, though more tricky still the one lane 2km long mountain cul-de-sac without a turning circle and with a ruinous fall on one side that led to the track. Below, Sam in the cave.
Below the cave some local Greeks and Germans who live there shared their dolmades, pizza and home-made and v strong wine with us - everyone loved the kids, except on the Athens tube.
My Big Fat Greek Lunch Party.
Chilling out in the northernmost town of Appollonas, all whitewashed tavernas and rocks.
Ellie: "We went out for tea one night, I had grilled chicken with coca cola, and had a yummy breakfeast every day." Food was fab though Greece ain't cheap anymore - eating out cost 55 euro for a main and a drink each. (PS if anyone thinks the ed is hung up on costs, yeh, well .... nah, just trying to make it interesting in case you want to join us some time)
Break-in underway at Naxos' main Orthodox church.
More swimming at the submerged ruins.
Bye bye Naxos.
Sam: "The ferry getting back was very nice."
(The beauty of gruelling days is it makes everything that comes after appear rosy).
(The beauty of gruelling days is it makes everything that comes after appear rosy).
Oh my goodness Phil and Jacqui, you are having wonderful adventures with your lucky children. They will be creating amazing memories.
ReplyDeleteLove to you all
Judith
Hi guys,
ReplyDeleteVery envious about Greece as it is somewhere I have always wanted to go. Especially attractive, as although the weather is mild over here at the moment it is bound to get nasty sometime soon. Rugby update for Phil and Sam - U10 Apex 50 Stokes Valley 20 (Oli scored 2 tries, Jack Moran scored 4, and Hamish 1). Mike did mention the other day that as the NZ$ is so strong against the pound at the moment (50p to NZ1$)that maybe we should just blow some money and come and visit - unfortunately reality set in and he decided that for that amount he could have aboat (which he is not getting). Anyway, we might just have to sttle for a south island ski holiday...will let you know how it goes...Alison
Kalimira (is that what they say for hello - something in my memory triggered that off - probably wrong) - loved the Greek island pics. We've been checking for days to see the next lot (we love looking at your blog - reminds us of the old days) and hoping you didn't get stuck there cos of the Troubles (could be worse places to get stuck of course). All that history and those amazing experiences and meeting interesting people = fab memories for all and sundry. Enjoy the spring in the Mother Country
ReplyDeleteLynda Et al
Hah - this made me laugh - our memories of Naxos are hugely mixed. We were there in 2003 doing a 2-week yacht delivery from Preveza in the Aegean to Pireaus and I was 3-months pregnant (with Laura) at the time. Our mooring lines got fouled in Naxos (meaning we had to cut a mooring line and lose and anchor) and we left in 3m swells through which I had heinous morning sickness but couldn't admit it as I hadn't told anyone I was pregnant yet... Nice to see such idyllic shots and that you are having such awesome experiences with the kids.
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