Near Sangri, Naxos, Greece."Harrrrgh". It's that exasperated sigh that my husband Steve gives when he's intensely frustrated, so frustrated that he can't even kick anything or throw something. It was windy, cold, something you wouldn't expect on a Greek Island, but this is Naxos, land…Read More

Near Sangri, Naxos, Greece.

It was strange enough to pass by souvenir stands selling chipped candleholders with "Santorini" (the name of another island) written on them in Sharpie marker. But to be prattling through a rocky, uninhabited, Mars-like terrain now on a bargain scooter, which we couldn't get past, oh, 25 mph, was almost too much to take in. But then, how would I know we were only going 30 mph when the speedometer was broken? It was all for the best, I supposed, considering the brakes were so soft.

I guess I wasn't in such a great mood, either, since I burned my leg by getting off on the wrong side of the scooter, precisely what both the scooter-rental store owner and my husband told me not to do. We had been to Mikri Vigla and Kastraki beach the day before, two of Naxos' "most popular" spots. The sand was soft, the sun, pink. The beach was nearly deserted, thanks to the seculsion that the Island offers. The water was clear enough to notice that the smooth, cold stones shifting under the waves were multi-colored. We sat, thought, talked for hours. We smiled a lot. Natural smiles, coming from a place deep within--a place of comfort and beauty, of luscious peace and calm. It had been a while since those kinds of smiles had been for either one of us--we let the teacher smiles, business smiles, I want to buy this house smiles, and wedding smiles crumble and shatter in the afternoon sun, slipping into the Aegean.

Today, an adventure. Head out to Moutsouna, on the other side of the island. Another coastal city, but certainly no Hora. The map in the hotel room was not a topographical map. It was flat and pink, the island itself blue. There were a few red veins running through the map that showed some roads, and mile markers noting the Goody's (like BK, but grosser) and car rental places along the way. Our Lonely Planet guidebook's map wasn't much better--it showed a far away, aerial view of the island, alongside the most eastern part of nearby Paros.

Despite being rather confused, we left early and headed west, in search of something. Cultural, historic, ancient--something besides the isolated beaches and contemplative relaxation we treasured but didn't want to exploit, silently each afraid we might overuse them somehow.

As such, we found ourselves pulled over on the side of the road, trying desperately to untangle Greek signs, cryptic to us despite their feeble attempts to use English and Greek alphabets. A German or Norwegian couple roared past us on the BMW of scooters, a shiny silver Peugeot with an elongated seat that comfortably fit two people, the back rider even raised up a bit for better viewing pleasure. I looked on in envy as the sunglassed pair waved and pointed behind them, perhaps hoping to help us find wherever it was they just came from. If they were there, after all, wouldn't we want to be?

They seemingly shrugged and roared away when we only looked up at them momentarily and then looked back at the hotel map. I shot a glance at our lawn mower of a scooter parked pathetically under what little shade there was, and suppressed a groan when I thought of getting back on. The seat was barely enough for Steve, let alone me. Oh, and in case I forgot to mention it before, there were also no shocks on the bike. Not bad shocks, no shocks.

In Naxos, so many things are left and forgotten, slipping away and shifting over on themselves like grains of sand rolling off the cliffs or dispersed by the wind. Manners, for one - Naxonians possess the most interesting ability to combine European major-city rudeness with the…Read More

In Naxos, so many things are left and forgotten, slipping away and shifting over on themselves like grains of sand rolling off the cliffs or dispersed by the wind.

Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades Islands and is situated pretty much in the middle of the Aegean Sea. You can get there by ferry, as I did, hydrofoil, or by Olympic Airways connections from Athens. The ferries and hydrofoils to Naxos all dock in…Read More

Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades Islands and is situated pretty much in the middle of the Aegean Sea. You can get there by ferry, as I did, hydrofoil, or by Olympic Airways connections from Athens.

The ferries and hydrofoils to Naxos all dock in Naxos Town where the first thing you notice is a bizarre archaeological site standing proud on a headland (see journal entry). The port feels much more touristy than many other island ports, what with the tavernas, restaurants, ticket shops, and tourist shops lining the harbour.

The town is made up of four distinct areas. First, there is the harbour, with its bustling front of bars, restaurants and tourist shops and fishermen at work. Then there’s Nea Chora (Agios Georgios) (see journal entry) to the south with its huge, sweeping, sandy bay. Next is the old town, which starts just behind the harbour and is divided into two areas; the Kastro, where the Venetian nobility used to live, and the medieval Bourg, where the Greeks lived.

The Bourg and Kastro areas of the town are an experience to explore! The narrow winding streets are mazelike and it’s easy to lose all sense of direction. The reason for this is that the Cyclades Islands have a long history of piracy and invasion and the towns were designed like this in the hope of confusing the invaders. Many of the streets, especially in the market area of the Bourg contain quaint little cafes and tavernas that are more authentic than those down by the harbour. There are also many small local craft shops here (often the front rooms’ of peoples’ houses) where you can by items such as hand made lace, pottery and jewelry.

I stayed in Naxos Town for the four days I was in Naxos and didn’t feel any need to see the rest of the island. By day, I relaxed on the beach and by night, I wandered the streets of the old town, or people-watched from one of the many tavernas along the harbour. To be honest, I spent the first day or two feeling very lonely and sorry for myself and wondered if six weeks travelling alone around the islands was a good idea after all! However, it didn’t take long to shift this mood, once the relaxed atmosphere of the place took hold.

The one thing that really struck me though in those first couple of days is how vulnerable you are if travelling alone. Simple things like leaving your table to visit the bathroom or buy another drink aren’t so simple anymore and mean packing up your stuff as if you were leaving completely and then maybe having to sit somewhere else on your return if someone else has taken the table. And on the beach, the simple pastime of going into the sea to cool off is fraught with anxiety as your bags and towel, etc. are left unwatched on the shore. I have to say, though, that it is not the done thing to steal stuff out of an unguarded bag on the beach, so your stuff should be safe, but I still wouldn’t bring out anything that is valuable to you. It’s all common sense really.

On the other hand, travelling alone opens up new avenues of opportunity as well as being a scary experience! People tend to feel sorry for you and treat you better if you’re alone. For example, the son of the lady who rented me a room during my stay here told his mother that I was his friend and got me half rent, as he felt sorry for me for travelling all alone! I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth! People also seem to go more out of their way to help if they feel you’re alone.

Naxos town had a profound affect on me, but I’ve never really worked out why. It is a very attractive town to stay in, there is ample nightlife and restaurants etc, the beach is very good. . . but then many places can boast the same. I suppose it’s also because Naxos town is a commercial hub that does not rely wholly on tourism and therefore is bustling and busy all year round, so you don’t get the feeling that the atmosphere is temporary and put on like a show for the tourists.

This is the most tourist resort-like of the four areas of the city and of the whole island; hundreds of people flock here on beach holidays every year. This area is chock full of hotels, apartments, guesthouses, etc. and is the best bet for finding…Read More

This is the most tourist resort-like of the four areas of the city and of the whole island; hundreds of people flock here on beach holidays every year. This area is chock full of hotels, apartments, guesthouses, etc. and is the best bet for finding accommodation quickly and cheaply. The requisite bars and restaurants of a tourist resort can also be found here in abundance. At the same time though Agios Georgios’ obvious tourist atmosphere shouldn’t put you off visiting it. The area has somehow managed to maintain a certain charm and is certainly worth seeing. Added to that, Agios Georgios can also boast to have one of the best beaches on the island and it REALLY is a good beach too!

The beach is one of the longest stretches of golden sand I’ve seen. . . it seemingly carries on for miles and miles. The beach was very clean and would be perfect for those with small children, as the seabed slopes extremely gently. The sand was a lovely gold colour, not grey, as can be found on many of the other Greek islands. I found that I was still only waist deep in the water when very far out to sea!

The tourist bug has definitely bitten here, though, and this can be seen in the sunbeds and parasols for hire and the row of beach bars along the back of the beach. There were public showers available as well for those people like me who hate having salty skin. There were plenty of water sports facilities available, from skiing to pedaloes to the island specialty, windsurfing. In fact, the far end of the beach was a bit of a windsurfing haven, with many rental centres teaching people how to do it. Apparently, Naxos is one of the best places in Greece for windsurfing due to the strong prevailing northeast winds that can batter the shoreline. Cheap masks and snorkelling gear can be bought in all the little supermarkets scattered throughout the town, although the snorkelling isn’t the best here due to the sandy bay and the number of tourists.

As I explained in "Greek Island Hopping Part 1," I had decided to visit Naxos first on my island-hopping trip and for no better reason than my new American buddies were heading to Santorini and the ferry stopped at Naxos on the way. The ferry…Read More

As I explained in "Greek Island Hopping Part 1," I had decided to visit Naxos first on my island-hopping trip and for no better reason than my new American buddies were heading to Santorini and the ferry stopped at Naxos on the way. The ferry finally pulled into Naxos Harbour around 4pm and waving goodbye to the Americans, I made my way down the precariously slopping ramp to dry land. Lifting my heavy bag onto my poor sunburned shoulders I staggered up the quay towards a huge crowd of people who were stampeding towards the boat.

Within minutes, I was being propositioned with offers of accommodation from all sides (as were all other people who looked like tourists). The selection available was vast, from tents in campsites to big hotels to rooms in local Greek houses. Pushing through the crowd was hard work as everyone was trying to get my attention so they could attempt to sell me something, but somehow I eventually made it to the other side and up the quay to a group of tavernas that lined the harbour. Throwing my bag on the floor I flopped into a seat and ordered my first pina colada of the trip. About half an hour and three quarters of a pina colada later, I realised that I’d made my first huge mistake of the trip in that I’d walked straight past a crowd of people who were all offering accommodation, and I had ignored them. Consequently, I still didn’t have anywhere to stay, and would now have to traipse around town for a few hours trying to find a bed for the night.

Feeling a little despondent, I wandered into the bar to ask the barman if, on the off chance, he knew anyone with a cheap room for rent for a few days. Being a Naxos town local, he did. ‘Of course’ said he, ‘my mother, my two aunts and one uncle all own separate guest houses, I will ring and get you a room!’

So with that stroke of luck, and now full of hope I ordered another pina colada and sat down to wait while this very obliging fella found me somewhere to stay. Eventually he came out to where I was sat (watching the chaos of the ferry loading up to leave for the next island) and informed me that his mother was on the way to collect me and that she had a lovely room available for the four nights that I wanted a bed and that because he’d told her that I was a friend of his, she would only charge me half the rent. Well, I was over the moon and then made my second mistake and forgot to ask how much the ‘half’ rent would be.

As it was, I was lucky again and the ‘half’ rent did turn out to be half the rent (see accommodation entry). Another five minutes later, the barman’s mother turned up to collect me and instead bought me another cocktail and huge glass of ouzo for herself. She had very good English for an older Greek person (in my experience most of the older Greek generation don’t have very good English) and we sat and chatted about random things as the sun started to go down.

Finally, after another round of drinks I managed to tactfully ask this lovely old lady to take me home. And we went outside to where her scooter was parked. I have to say that that scooter ride was one of the scariest moments of my life. The lovely old women that I’d met earlier had disappeared and been replaced by a raving lunatic who definitely shouldn’t be on the roads! But somehow we managed to survive the five-minute trip and arrived at her place in one piece.

I have to add at this point that the behaviour shown me by the barman and his mother were not unique. In my experience, Greeks are very friendly and generous and will go out of their way to help if they can. This is definitely the case on the islands anyway. Obviously there are some horrible people too, as everywhere, but I didn’t meet any.