Athens Arachova & Delphi Meteora & en route Tinos & Delos Mykonos & Santorini Naxos & Syros Crete Cats
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Though we loved all of Greece, we think the island of Naxos is the one to which we'd most like to return. While welcoming to tourists, it had a life of its own as well. According to Lonely Planet's Greece, it is the largest and most fertile of the Cyclades. |
 As you pull into the harbor at Naxos, one of the first things you notice is the unfinished temple of Apollo. To the right is the view from the temple, back to the harbor. |
 Photo by Kathie Beckman. |
 The harbor indicates what a busy place Naxos is. |
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 Fishermen unload their catch early in the morning. Photo by Kathie Beckman. |
 There's no doubt what this taverna was offering its patrons for lunch. |
 Strolling under wisteria in downtown Naxos |
 A backstreet apartment. |
 Of course there were churches ... |
 and fresh produce markets. |
 This large patio seemed only for flowers. |
 Look up in a passageway and see really ancient beams. |
 Soon we were walking in the countryside, up a hill, ... |
 ... past small homes with pots and pots of flowers ... |
 discovering unusual wildflowers ... |
 ... meeting a friendly donkey ... |
 ... visiting with the goats and their little kid. |
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 This tiny memorial building, left, was in better shape than this picturesque ancient church. |
 Our destination of this walk was this fallen kouros, a 7th century statue that was left unfinished near the quarry from which it was formed. |
 Lemons on the farm near the kouros. |
 One of our most pleasant evenings of the trip was spent enjoying Danai's (left) delicious meal and Nikiforos' wonderful wine at their beautiful hillside home on Naxos. |
 All too soon, it was time to sail away from Naxos, with the temple fading into the background. |
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 Our final stop in the Greek islands before returning to Athens was Syros, a busy, more populated island, still brimming with charm. |
 The busy quayside with its government building and enigmatic metal sculpture. |
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 Its streets also have plenty of character, motorcycles ... |
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 ... markets and churches. |
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 The beautiful town hall had a large courtyard, including the almost ever-present orange trees. |
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 Mary finally got her hands in the gorgeous Aegean Sea. |
 All good things must end, and it was time to say good-bye to our super-knowledgeable guide, Alexandra ... |
 The delightful Galileo crew ... and captain. |
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 Of course, there was a party and many of our group joined in the Greek dancing. |
 Though some of our group was a bit shaky from the party and the only rough sea of the trip, the crew was there with our next meal. (Food on board was fabulous!) |
 On our way back we got this view of a temple to Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. |
 And, then Piraeus was on the horizon and we were heading back to Athens. |
But for us, the trip was not over, as we'd included an extension to Crete ... | |
Athens Arachova & Delphi Meteora & en route Tinos & Delos Mykonos & Santorini Naxos & Syros Crete Cats