Category Archives: Greece

February 6, 2013 · 2:37 pm

Our “topless” tour continues around Paros

29th July 2012

Lefkes, Paros

Our little topless car ride all over the island was great, some places we only did a quick drive-by but others we did explore, it’s a gorgeous little island.

After a few wrong turns we eventually ended up in Lefkes, another quaint little village in the hills with the unusual Church of the Holy Trinity. Sarah was behaving like a bogan tourist, running around on someone’s roof trying to find the best vantage point for a shot she was trying to take. Neither of us even realized it was a roof at first – clueless pair we at times.

Paros seems to be very much more a farming island than Mykonos, I’ve seen grape vines, either wheat or barley crops (I can never tell the difference), plenty of olive groves and even little patches of small vegetable crops. Lots more greenery than I expected. We enjoyed our picnic lunch overlooking the stretch of water between Paros and Antiparos, watching the wind surfers do their thing. It would be nice to go scuba diving around here too by the look of the water but that will have to go on the wish list for another time.

Kite surfing Paros

We went for a walk in Marpissa, taking photos of just about every door and building we passed and probably disturbing anyone trying to have a snooze during siesta time. Sarah kept telling me we would get lost but I was having too much fun to worry about it until she put her foot down and said we had to go back. Oops, we really were lost – no idea where we were in relation to the car or anything else for that matter. Needless to say we had different opinions of which way we should go. I didn’t really have a clue but she wasn’t seeing the funny side of things by this time so I thought I should at least offer an alternative. Finally we found a bar that was open but the guy there couldn’t understand us until Sarah showed him a picture of the old windmills where we’d parked the car – aha, lightbulb moment – and guess what – I was right about which way we should be going.

Probably didn’t need quite this big a space

We stopped in at just about every beach and village on the island but Sarah’s tolerance for sightseeing was exhausted by mid afternoon and the pool, bar and our room seemed like a good idea for a few hours. I’m sure I could easily become a fan of siesta time. As if we hadn’t had enough driving excitement for one day we were brave enough to head back to Parikia for dinner. Knowing I’d be driving back in the dark I’m totally surprised Sarah trusted me enough for that. I just love discovering how many ways I can be amused and entertained by simple things – like parallel parking the opposite way. It was strange even after I drove around until I found a spot that would probably fit at least 2 cars our size in before I attempted it.

Enjoying the sunset, Parikia

Dinner was awesome tonight, perched right on the beach watching the sun go down with good food, wine and a couple of entertaining Greek waiters for good measure – what more could we ask for? Deep fried feta cheese balls and pizza won’t help the waistline but then it’s not every day you get to do this. Even though it’s happened everywhere since arriving in Greece, I still get blown away by the hospitality here, complimentary desert wine and fruit after dinner again tonight and no-one is ever in a hurry to kick you out the door.The drive back to Naoussa didn’t bring any dramas with it so bring on tomorrow I say.

Sunset at Parikia on Paros

Good spot for a coldie on Paros

Making the most of every inch on Paros

Cool beach, Paros

on Paros

Awwww – or maybe it should be eee-awww,. He’s so cute.

More doors on Paros

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Filed under Greece, Mid-life travel, Travel

Tagged as Marpissa, old windmills, older female traveller, Paros

February 5, 2013 · 5:21 pm

Paros by Car

29th June 2012

“topless” on Paros

I’ve been busting to hire a scooter at some stage on this holiday but my handbrake (Sarah) isn’t too keen on the idea. So…. we collected some hire car brochures yesterday and this morning I tootled off downstairs to see about organizing one for today. Seeing as I had to opt for a car I chose the “open-top” version. I was feeling very pleased with myself on the way back to our room and looking forward to surprising Sarah with my news. Bugger – I should have known better – she had been checking out the brochures while I was away and greeted me with “I bet you picked the open top one”!! Oh well, we had a good laugh about how well she knows her Mum.We had a few chuckles too about the hire car guy, his name was Achilles and he was so obvious in his flattery it was hilarious. I was elevated from plain old Julie to Julia in no time at all and we were on our way with hardly a glance at paperwork. I hadn’t given any thought to driving on the wrong side of the car and road so took it very slowly at first. I kept going for the gear stick with my left hand much to Sarah’s dismay, but thankfully (for everyone else’s sake as well as ours) there wasn’t much traffic around .

Costas from Kanales had marked a few places on the map for us so we pretty much followed his recommendations when we could find them. I don’t think either of us should get a job as map readers any time soon – we have a hard time working out where we are let alone getting somewhere else. I can’t even begin to imagine how boring it would be if everything was plain sailing – or navigating, we sure gave our laughing muscles a work-out.

Trying to do an open-top photoshoot Paros

Our fist stop was a really pretty beach for a paddle and photos and our second was for a photo shoot of the “open-top” car with a pair of loons jumping around inside. I will admit the sunroof was quite large for a small car but it was still just a sunroof and to try and take photos of us both looking out of said sunroof was quite an achievement – comical but still an achievement. I can’t remember now whose wonderful idea it was to try and capture this truly unique shot but we gave it our all.Because I know how to work the timer on my camera I ended up doing all the running around. Sarah is about half my age and size but she just propped herself in the passenger side of the car looking all elegant with half her body out of the sunroof smiling serenely. I on the other hand was left to set the camera up on the hood of the car, run around the open door, get out of my thongs (flip-flops for non-Australian readers), get in the car and out the roof all before the timer went off – f#@%ing impossible for me to do without ending up looking like a total twit and both of us just about wetting ourselves laughing. Talk about stupid, I did all this at least 6 times before it sank in that we’d be a lot better off if Sarah had a go at being the speedy contortionist-photographer. We had an absolute ball and got some pictures to be proud of and some that should never see the light of day. Doesn’t take much to keep us happy does it?

View from old church on the hill, Paros

You wouldn’t believe it but we got caught in a traffic jam in Parikia, took us ten minutes to go about 500 hundred metres – and then we went round the roundabout and back the way we’d just come because we couldn’t find anywhere to park. Enough of civilization, we decided to try and buy some supplies for a picnic lunch and head out of town again. Between the terrible map reading, neck craning and wrong side of the road driving we spotted a supermarket just after the traffic jam episode. About this time I decided if you can’t beat them you might as well join them – I parked just like a local. Pulled in next to some garage’s driveway, almost on top of another car and nearly over the edge into a six foot ditch – perfect!! Sarah was just about having kittens but it was either that or keep driving round and round wasting good sightseeing time and risking having an accident to boot. Anyhow off we went back to the supermarket for our goodies with me acting all brave and Sarah all worried that we wouldn’t have a car when we returned. It was all good though, they probably thought we were locals.There was just so much to see for such a little island and so many questions to ponder. How they hire out sun-lounges and umbrellas on a tiny patch of beach smaller than our lounge room, then the waiters serve food and drinks to people on those beaches, why are there so many buildings just left to go to ruins, how there is such a contrast between the brilliant blue ocean to the dead looking paddocks and rocks, do many tourists follow the “no toilet paper rule”, how friendly the locals are and how many of them speak English so well.

Paros, Greece

I wonder how many tourists do the right thing?

Boats near the ferry to Antiparos

High & dry – Paros

Attempting an open-top photoshoot Paros

Church of the Holy Trinity, Lefkes, Paros

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Tagged as female, hire car, midlife traveller, older, Paros

February 3, 2013 · 11:52 am

Paros, but first we explore Naoussa

from Naoussa, Paros

28th June 2012

Poor Sarah had a very red and sore eye this morning, it hurt to open it anywhere near light. Sakis thought she’d been out last night and might have a hangover – he offered her an extra strong coffee! Apparently a few of the staff partied last night and he had about an hour sleep. He’s a funny guy, only young and came to Paros a couple of years ago from Pakistan. Breakfast wasn’t quite the same standard as the Myconian K on Mykonos it was still more than enough for us.

More laneway goodness in Naoussa, Paros

We couldn’t wait to go walking down to the town, it’s just so gorgeous here. Took Sarah to a pharmacy where they gave her some antibiotic cream for her eye, so hopefully it will come good quickly. We spent quite a long time talking with the owner of a lovely store named Tantanac. Apart from having beautiful items in his store he was a delight to talk to and we had our first lessons in the Greek language, learning how to say hello, please, thank-you and a few other simple words. He warned us (while laughing) not to say ‘calamari’ for good morning – it has to be ‘kallimera’ – so, no asking for squid for us.

Shady spot in Naoussa, Paros

We finally got round to trying gyros – they are every bit as good as everyone has been telling me. We bought some fruit on the way back to Kanales, it was so tasty and juicy. Can’t you just imagine the ancient Greeks laying back biting on ripe nectarines with the juice running down their chins being all very decadent?

Seeing as we had the whole resort to ourselves now I braved getting out in my swimsuit. The pool water was quite cool and the sun-loungers were definitely built for sleeping – we both dozed off. I woke Sarah when I startled myself awake and started laughing hysterically and couldn’t stop. A few chosen people will have heard how I startled myself, suffice to say it was hilarious but not very ladylike, so I won’t share here. Will leave that one to your imagination!!

Oh what a life – back to the bar for a cocktail before heading up to our room for a shower and change of clothes and a wander back to town for dinner.

Secret men’s business??? Naoussa, Paros

Naoussa’s own version of “Little Venice”

Take me to the beach – Naoussa, Paros

How cool – Naoussa, Paros

Mending nets, Naoussa, Paros

Sunset from our favourite ruin in Naoussa, Paros

Naoussa, Paros, Greece

Gorgeous old Greek couple – Paros, Greece

Laneways of Naoussa, Paros, Greece

Dusk on Paros, Greece

from Naoussa, Paros

Even the stairs look nice, Paros, Greece

Mother & daughter photo op on Paros

Naoussa, Paros

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Tagged as female, midlife travel, Naoussa, older, Paros, traveller

January 24, 2013 · 10:42 pm

Discovering more of Mykonos

27th June 2012

On Mykonos

Do you know that feeling when you’ve got all day to shop and you don’t really feel in the mood or find anything you like and then an hour before the shops shut all of a sudden it hits you and you run around madly buying things and having a great time?? Well, so do I – and that’s a bit what Mykonos was like for Sarah and I, bugger!!!

We’d had a lovely time until now but nothing really to write home about and then we walked to town this morning and found the cutest, prettiest little streets, shops, cafes – you name it, we found it.

Lovely shop under the windmills – Mykonos

SOOOOOOO of course, we dashed around like mad things trying to see, photograph and experience it all before we had to leave for Paros. We found the hill with the windmills and spent ages in the shop there chatting to the owner about the jewellery he makes and sells – and bought a few pieces as well as a little ceramic fishing boat that I just fell in love with. He told me it was called Lady of the Sea. We wandered down to Little Venice and had lunch at a café named Venezia – highly original name (not) but great food and setting right on the edge of the water.

Little Venice – Mykonos

We could have spent days wandering around but it was back to the hotel then the port for another hydrofoil to Paros this afternoon. I don’t think I’ve stayed anywhere before that had such lovely staff, they are all so friendly and genuinely helpful without being obsequious. Really we couldn’t have had anything better – food to die for, day-spa on our doorstep, sea views in a beautiful hotel. Just what you imagine the Greek Isles are all about I guess – kinda sad to leave in a way but looking forward to what’s next.

It was a much shorter trip than the last one, maybe only an hour or so and we were like seasoned travellers this time – only problem is our luggage is getting heavier already. We had a chuckle at the rep’s sign with our names – apparently we are now Mrs and Mrs – guess that’s what happens when you’ve come from Mykonos.

The minibus we were directed to made a few stops dropping other guests at different places that didn’t look to be in terribly wonderful locations. We were both getting a bit worried about where we’d end up and whether our trusty Flight Centre guy Dan had kept up his hundred out of a hundred score for picking awesome places to stay. Then we headed out to the country – and we really started to raise our eyebrows as we passed paddocks and straggly crops with a few animals thrown in for good measure. But …….. Dan had done us proud again, of course, we shouldn’t have doubted him. We were being driven to the other main town on the island – Naoussa. We’re staying at Kanales in a one bedroom suite with a huge rooftop balcony on the highest level and it’s simply gorgeous.

Dusk on Paros

We didn’t venture out again but made ourselves at home, had a few drinks and dinner at the bar and chatted with Sakis the chef/caretaker and Stellios the bartender as well as a couple of Aussies from New South Wales. Oh yeah – took another thousand photos between us I think, it is just too stunning for words.