Solos en una Isla Griega: Kimolos Top 3

OK, it's time to wrap this Greece trip recap up, before a whole year has passed since we went. Last but not least, was the island of Kimolos. On the whole, our two-week journey was ordered from more hectic to more relaxed. We started off with big-city Athens with lots to see, then coastal towns/cities that were a little slower-paced but still quite busy, followed by the small island of Milos, and lastly the tiny island of Kimolos. Kimolos makes Milos look big and bustling in comparison. 

Apparently, part of Chorio's castle

The ferry ride between the two islands is barely half an hour. Although a smattering of houses can be found near the port and on other parts of the island, Kimolos really only has one village, Chorio. And it's so charming! All painted white with blue accents. Even the stones on the ground were outlined in white paint. (The island's official website has tons of info in English, FYI)

On quiet island time, our schedule was as follows: mornings at the beach, lunch, nap, stroll around town in the mild evenings, catch a glimpse of the sunset, dinner on our patio, bed, repeat.

 

We strayed from our routine on three occasions: 

1. Hike to Skiadi. A must see in Kimolos. The short hike is worth it to see this giant mushroom rock. And frankly, it was nice to do something other than go to the beach. The trail is well-indicated, and for the hour there we were totally alone amongst a barren backdrop. On the way back, we ran into another couple who asked in Greek, ¨How far away is Skiadi?¨ At least that's what I thought they said, so I answered in English. She seemed satisfied enough with my reply. Anyways, you don't have to be a geologist to appreciate this very unique rock formation, nor do you have to be an expert trekker to get there. 

Skiadi!

2. Movie Night. One of the most serendipitous events on our trip was a little outdoor film screening. We had heard about it from some hitchhikers we picked up and decided to check it out for ourselves. As the sun was going down, the water was just warm enough to go in. Crossing ¨sunset dip¨ off my Greek bucket list. That's certainly something you can't do in Galicia...the water would be just too frigid! From the beach we could see a path of tiki torches. So picturesque! We sat on some boulders furthest from the screen to make a quick exit. More than the movie we were just interested in the set up. It was in English (fine for me) but with Greek subtitles (not so fine for my travel companion). Quite amazing that this tiny island has a cultural society that puts on fun activities. Good on you, Kimolos! 

 

Movie Night with the Kimolistes

3. Fancy Restaurant. From our home base, we could see a building on a hill with a wraparound porch beautifully lit at night. Turns out this is one of Kimolos' fancier restaurants. On our last night we treated ourselves to dinner there, switching things up from our usual spread of simple Greek tapas on our little patio. The ambiance of the place was pleasant, and the pasta was pretty good. This was our big ¨night on the town¨ in Kimolos.

Much about Milos

After Carnival there has been a lull in activities. A Lenten lull, if you will. While we had a weirdly hot taste of spring in early February, it's now back to rain, rain, rain. Cold rain. In the mountains it's cold enough to snow, but not here. And since I've had a lot of time on my hands indoors, I've been reminiscing about sunnier, hotter days. Time to finish up the recap of Greece last summer. Better late than never!

This is going to get long...

Cave in Milos

Nafplio, Greece

For a complete change of pace, we swapped quiet Galaxidi for bustling Nafplio, a town perfectly suited for a ¨Mediterranean Getaway.¨ Although they are both on the coast, it's impossible to compare these two Greek towns since their size and popularity are just so different. In Nafplio, tourism was certainly booming, as evidenced by the sheer number of bars and restaurants. And every terraza had a section with couches, something I had never seen before but definitely approve of for all vacation destinations. And whereas in Galaxidi we didn't hear much English, in Nafplio I caught tons of American accents. I wonder if it's thanks to Rick Steves promoting the town on his show.

Bourtzi Castle in background

Nafplio really has style, I think encapsulating an American's typical idea of Europe. You can see the clear Venetian influences in the architecture. And with the Old Town being almost exclusively pedestrian only, it was great to walk around the maze-like cobblestone streets in the evening. In late morning or early afternoon not so much, as it was just too hot! There is also a promenade along the coastline that was delightful to walk along when the sun was low. (Well, we couldn't walk along all of it, as part was closed due to potential rockslides.) From there you can see a Venetian castle on a tiny island just a stone's throw from Nafplio's harbor.

We also were big on watching the sunsets in Nafplio. Our first evening there, we watched the sun dip beyond the hills curled up on a couch on a bar's patio. Another night we drove to a long beach to get a good view. It was funny to me, right before sunset, not everyone was packing up. In fact, some people were just getting there! The water was still warm enough to go in, something out of the question in Galicia.

Speaking of beaches, one morning we walked to the local beach right up and over a hill next to the Old Town. Paradise Found! There, the snack bar was playing the same 1950s beachy and relaxing music we had heard at the Yacht Club in Galaxidi. Maybe it's a beachcomber radio station! The dreamy music paired with crystalline waters and being surrounded by cliffs: amazing. The only downside was the beach was made of rocks which is not so comfortable to set your towel on. We only stayed for part of the morning anyways. So much to do, so much to see! 

Arvanitia Beach

Galixidi, Greece: A Serene Seaside Escape

Balcony view of Galaxidi

After visiting Athens' must-see sites, we rented a car and headed north to experience two very different Greek vacation destinations: Galaxidi and Nafplio. Our first overnight stop was sleepy Galaxidi. We arrived around lunchtime, when the heat was just about unbearable. We stayed at a charmingly-decorated hotel slightly elevated and on the outskirts, with a small balcony which provided a delightful view overlooking the orange rooftops of the old town. That little balcony would make for a lovely place for dinner or a nightcap, but in the afternoon it was just too hot. As we wandered around looking for sustenance, most places were literally shuttered. It reminded me of some Galician villages with decrepit buildings that are now all but deserted. We ended up settling on one restaurant on the corner of the harbor, thinking it was our only hope. Afterwards, we realized that was just the beginning, and that there were plenty of other dining options following it along towards the open seas. (Well, not quite open, as Galaxidi looks on to a bay.)

Clearly the Galixidi-ans respect the siesta time just as their Mediterranean counterparts do in Spain. And for good reason! But once it began to cool off (as in, down to 80ºF), the place livened up a bit. Not much, but a bit. As we were out getting a feel for the town, we came across a sort of yacht club (to call it something). It was a bar/restaurant that had umbrellas and deck chairs available for rent right on its own little pier. And turns out that after 6 PM they were free! Coincidentally, we asked at about 6:15. With this in mind, we returned other days around that time, and certainly weren't the only ones showing up for free deck chair time. It felt like one more little luxury on our trip. Isto si que é lúa de mel! I myself didn't partake, but from the deck chair zone you could hop right off into the sea. Our first Greek Mediterranean Sea experience.

Luxury!

 

As a whole, I enjoyed Galaxidi for the ultra relaxed vibes. Zero crowds, and it seemed like most people there were Greek (along with quite a few French). Added to the narrow streets and retro signs, it really felt like a place from times gone by, like we were walking around on a movie set in Greece in the 1950s. On a nighttime stroll, we saw groups of teenagers hanging out, which reminded me of Miño and other Galician seaside towns. I bet the same families come back year after year and the kids end up making groups of friends. If not for the fashion, that group may have contained its own Danny & Sandy with their old-timey summer lovin'.  Greece's own Grease, if you will. ;)

When it came time for us to head to our next destination, there was a slight hiccup. As we trudged to the car loaded with baggage, lo and behold the formerly empty street where we had parked was now a bustling market street. Unbeknownst to us, the little lines painted perpendicularly on the left side of the road in fact designated market stalls. Now it all makes sense. And of course market day fell on the morning of our departure! So between hand gestures and basic English, we asked the nearest fruit-seller what time they packed it up. Luckily, we only had an hour to wait, so we spent it at a nearby snack bar we had been to the night before. In no time we were able to get into our car and on the road. Profuse Ευχαριστώ (one of the most important words we picked up: thank you!) That was one of our more memorable travel interactions with the locals.

The Birthplace of Western Civilization

Changing of the Guard

One of this summer's main events was spending two weeks in Greece. Making my grade-school Greek mythology geek's dreams come true! First stop was a few days in the capital, Athens. The red eye flight from Porto was useful in that we could take advantage of a full day. Not to mention the gorgeous blood-red sunrise as seen from the sky. 

After getting our bearings, the first step was to caffeinate. I'm not a coffee drinker, but when in Rome Greece, you gotta try the Greek coffee at least. We stopped in a shady plaza near a church. Despite it not even being 10 o'clock, the heat was already setting in. It was going to be a sweltering two weeks. My first experience with Greek coffee was grainy and bitter; certainly not enticing enough for a second experience. And this is where someone else's addiction to Frappes began. But with the heat, it was a no-brainer. Frappes seemed a more vacation-y beverage than just coffee over ice.

On Day 1 our big plan was to visit the Acropolis Museum. I really had high expectations, since from the little research I did, people raved about the museum, especially the upper floor, meant to resemble the Parthenon. The thing about high expectations, though...For me, it was disappointing. There was no audio guide to help you get into the experience. The displays to me seemed chaotic, although I'm sure there was a method to the madness that I just didn't understand. And as far as the top floor Parthenon, it was cool that they had so many copies of the detailed imagery, but since I was expecting to be blown away, I simply wasn't. 

Erechtheion (Temple to Athena), Acropolis

The Parthenon, Acropolis

Similarly, our morning at the Acropolis wasn't the best either. Although we had tickets, we still had to wait in line for ages just to get in. The heat was hard to bear. In fact, around the time we went, they ended up closing the Acropolis and other major sites during the hottest hours of the day, because a tourist had passed out standing in line. Yikes! And we went at 8:30 in the morning, but still it was toasty. And packed. I would recommend going in the evening when I bet it is less crowded albeit potentially no cooler.  Also, they had said that a fountain would be available once inside: a necessity under that pounding sun. But there was no fountain. At least there was a vending machine with cold water, which in Europe is limited to affordable prices (50 cents).

But I don't mean to be such a downer. It was really cool seeing those ancient stones, imagining going thousands of years ago to ask a favor of the gods, and being absolutely awed. So much history! Once again, the lack of map and audio guide was a bummer. However, you can count on Rick Steves to guide you and put you in the historical mood! In fact, one of my favorite historical sites in Athens was the Agora, and it's probably thanks to Rick Steves' audio guide (as well as a break from the heat--we went around 7pm). It was expansive, including a myriad of ruins and buildings, with a museum in the reconstructed Stoa. 

Stoa in the Ancient Agora

Another one of my favorite Athens moments was a special treat: cocktails on a rooftop bar. There are tons of options when it comes to rooftop bars and restaurants, more so than in any other place I've visited, assumedly for the Acropolis views. We went a little too early for sunset, but enjoyed our fancy selves just the same. Afterwards we had a good dinner for the same price as those two cocktails, but hey, once-in-a-lifetime trips deserve a splurge or two!

Booze with a View