Woke 08.00 breakfast, a quick tidy up then off for bike hire. Made lunch to take with us just to keep spending to a minimum. Bike €17, fuel €7 we took the road to Chora the town above and well hidden from Katapola the main port. Lovely quaint town lots of little tucked away cafes and restaurants. Plenty of white buildings joined with arched narrow pathways and steps to entice you onwards and upwards. Pretty shops, little markets and churches everywhere you look. Then north to Aigiali the large bay that we visited a few weeks ago which had loud speakers and we couldn't set anchor. A busy little town very welcoming and more commercial than some towns but really nice. The long narrow sandy beach was packed with suncream covered bodies, towels and happy bouncing children. Turkish families gather in huge quantities, food seems to appear from nowhere, cooking pots and utensils produced from their many baskets and bags. An amazing community / family atmosphere flows from these groups. Older covered ladies work alongside the younger bikini clad family members producing copious amounts of deliciousness from their pots and pans. No one is idle, the infants are entertained by their older siblings where giggles and shrieks fill the air as they splash and play around the frothing waves and aqua green sea. The male's from the group set up seating and tables for each individual while laughing and playing with the children. What a solid bond these families seem to have, and a caring loving image they promote to everyone around. Drove to Tholera above this beach, very sweet traditional town. Small shops and bars fit snugly into the rocky mountain side. Churches tucked into crevices between the rocks and trees glowing in their brilliant white coats of paint, flowers climb around each building almost holding the less preserved stonework together. Goats wander freely clinging to the most ludicrous stones and rocks, teetering on edges and balancing on overhangs we almost wait for these sure-footed beasts to topple. The map guides us towards Chora for the Monastery of Hozoviotissa. We have seen pictures and been told of the stunning build, however nothing could prepare us for this creation. The location is on the east of the Island overlooking an aqua green bay with an almost vertical rockface towards the ocean. The Monastery is clinging to this rockface, yes literally clinging. I look upwards from the road as we arrive and suggest perhaps we find a hard hat and ropes each! It looks awsome pure white walls, grated windows and steps perched high above us. Kevin says "looks like quite a climb" really !! There are steps and then more steps. Just when you think you have come to the top this weaving stone narrow pathway climbs around yet another tight bend. Someone had to build this!! Who thought that this would be a great idea all those years ago in 1088 😶😶 It has been built 300 meters from both the sea and the top of the rockface and constructed began from an indentation in the dark stone surroundings. sAs we catch our breath at each new tier of steps we are entranced by the most perfect views. Wild waves batter relentlessly onto the dark rocky beach below us, frothy white foam produced from its force is sprayed against the aqua green sea each colour is glorious and just waiting for our camera to capture that unique scene......I try! We eventually come to the last step to view this entire spectacle from our vantage point is stunning. The building behind us is beautiful pure white covering eight floors with the church balancing at the very pinnacle, this masterpiece of architecture takes the last of our exhausted breath away. Unfortunately and typical of our luck it is closed for another two hours! Even the Monk sitting on the stone steps must await the opening times! Two ladies sit under the shade of a nearby tree with cats, around twenty cats all just lounging around. Perhaps when the doors open everyone is fed. We would wait here however in 36 degrees we know it would be too painful and Kevin needs food !! Back to 'Kejstral' for lunch and siesta. May even go back to Chora this evening for a drink. Decided against that by the time we organised for sail tomorrow. We ate tea on board then wandered out for drink before settling for evening on 'Kejstral' The taverna opposite is always pretty busy, food smelling delicious as each plate wafts it's amazing aroma in our direction. Locals enjoy the social chattering, exchanging banter and laughs while the holiday makers smile and chat looking so relaxed (probably the most relaxed they have felt all year) over their glasses of wine and gastronomic delights. The atmosphere is superb with gentle Greek music lingering in the air, soft melodic sounds playing beautifully in the background. Chinking of glasses and cutlery chiming against china tableware. If I close my eyes I could just drift into the most idyllic sleep, that is, until a group of musicians arrive in the restaurant. Just outside our boat with guitars fiddles and flutes, they fill the air with a lively Greek style of musical entertainment. Wide awake we are now head bobbing to this new vibrant sound in which they are very skilled and passionate in their delivery. Within minutes the locals are dancing , visitors are clapping and toe tapping to the rhythm and notes with a complete change to the once sedate relaxing evening. In awe of the musicians ability to captivate their lazy overfed audience, we gaze smiling and nod in agreement with our boatee neighbours, Greece has a magical feel for many different reasons, and this is just one of them 😁
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Sailing Kejstral AdventuresRetired and following our dream of sailing around the world Archives
April 2019
Categories |