THE CYCLADES - Part Two

NAXOS

Our ferry left at 15:45 for a two-hour open-water crossing from Santorini to Naxos, the center and largest island of the Cyclades.  The afternoon we left the wind storm had mostly passed; but the air was thick with dust and the seas were angry.  Later, we heard that the storm continued to Turkey with winds of 50 mph that killed four people.

The port was over a thousand feet down the caldera face to a man-made waterfront plaza for trucks, cars, and a few commercial shops.  Navigating the hairpin turns with oncoming coaches and semi-trucks was an adventure only Bill can love with a stick-shift.

Bill driving down Santorini Face to the port the day before departure.

The Blue Star ferry came into port at speed and turned sharply to starboard to bring the stern to the pier. Naxos is a major exporter of agricultural and stone products to the rest of Greece and the world.  In the wind and rain passengers were corralled on shore in groups and directed to inside escalators that whisk you up several levels.  The comparison to WA state ferries is like comparing Light Rail to the Orient Express.  

Ferry coming into Port.  Note listing to port

Designed for long haul transit there was a reception area for sleeper cabins, a bar lounge, several restaurants, and a tastefully appointed lobby with sofas and tables to watch the scenery go by. In off-season it was delightfully quiet and empty. 

Bill with view of dust, wind and waves

We staked out our sofa and table and commenced our separate activities.  After four months together in small spaces, we've learned to give each other room.  As we left port, the calm waters inside the caldera gave way to froth covered waves and blowing spume.  Such a large ship barely rolled, although it did periodically shudder.  The waves and the shuddering caused Robin anxiety like plane turbulence. Being across the table from me hand-holding was not an option. Having crossed the Drake Passage to Antarctica Bill took a nap; Robin chose not to look out the window. We arrived after dark in Naxos.  Not a phrase used very often for Greece, but the ferry transit was an example of efficiency and quality service.  

It was a classic arrival by sea. Passengers were disgorged from the ship and walked toward the harbor lights on a wide pier filled with vehicles, and export and import goods. It felt like real working people lived here. I instantly liked it.  Google said our AirBnB was only a three minute walk away. The map took us down narrow stone pathways inaccessible by cars.  The closeness of buildings caused Google's marker to be very skittish and unreliable.  I finally had to call; in broken english we got the directions - sort of.  After three calls and help of a local resident we found the place.  The building was in labyrinth of cobbled paths.  The room was on the second floor, nicely appointed and had a terrace over looking courtyards and paths, looking directly at white buildings only feet away, but it was delightfully Greek - and quiet.

Narrow cobbled path near our apartment

Our first day we explored Chora (also Hora, common name for the largest town center).  The harbor and the next couple pedestrian streets were geared toward tourists with tavernas, artisan shops, and greek specialties.  Most of the harbor restaurants, and all the back streets, were closed for the season. Too bad as the interior Tavernas all looked quaint and charming.  The rest of the city is a real town with schools, gas stations, auto repair, commercial.  We got a coffee from Angela, our barista at the far end of the harbor - our soon to be morning stop and friend.  (Our last day she gave us free coffee and we gave her some groceries we couldn't use).

For the first time on this trip we found Classical Greek temples.  Overlooking the west end of the harbor where we arrived is the Portara, the entry frame to an ancient temple to Apollo from 6 BCE.  The tyrant intended it to be the biggest and best of its time, however, the temple was never finished after he was disposed, and only the frame and foundation remain.  Facing the setting sun it is spectacular in the evening.

Town of Chora to the left, ferry to the right, and Portara in Center.

Setting sun through the Portara

The second day we rented a car and explored the island.  The first stop was to the archeological site of Viroulas, Sangri. Originally built in 530 BCE as temple to Demeter, the goddess of harvest and agriculture, to ensure the fertility of the land - they were farmers!  By 400 AD the newly powerful Christians persecuted the pagans - typical, the persecuted becoming the persecutors. By 600 AD it was demolished and reused to make a Basilica which was later enlarged.  The restoration is interesting in that they reconstructed key forms of both religious buildings without prejudice.  

Temple to Demeter.  The columns on left were reused in the Basilica
and on the ground to the left is the foundation of semi-circular apse.

Throughout our travels, from the Caucasus to the Balkans to Italy, we encounter this layering of history and religions.  In Georgia an orthodox Basilica was built over a pagan ritual sacrifice site (skelton still visible in the foundation window), in Naples a church's facade is four greek columns and a pediment from a temple, the marble of St. Peters in Rome is from the Coliseum, and of course Haigh Sofia was a church before the 1435 conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans when it was converted to a mosque.  

After our temple walk we explored "the villages", as they are referred to.  Lovely little hamlets clinging to the hillside or nestled in valleys in the mountains along the eastern edge of Naxos.  Most of them had only one or two tavernas, which were closed for the season, but the largest village of Filoti had a couple open. The mountain villages are noted for their meat dishes, so we had several kabobs and a wonderful tomato, peppers and feta baked stew.  We also checked out a couple of trailheads for our next day's hike up Mt. Zeus (Mt. Zas in Greek). 

Mountain town of Filoti

Taverna in Filoti

Orthodox church on rocky hill in Mountain Villages

Our final day in Naxos we drove back to Mt. Zeus trailhead at a modest chapel.  Mt Zas is claimed to be the birthplace of Zeus.  It's also the highest mountain in the Cyclades so we had to do it. The trail was rocky and wove through goat herds, donkey pastures, and olive trees surrounded by stone walls gleaned from the fields over the centuries if not millennia.  

Bill with very friendly donkey who came right up to be stroked.

As we climbed over 1000' the scrubby landscape became just ankle twisting rocky.  When we reached the summit ridge, the wind became intense and gusty, at one point literally blowing Robin over.  We considered turning back only a couple hundred feet from the summit it was so strong.  But looking around we descend into a gulch on the leeward side of the ridge out of the wind.  Thus we continued our ascent.  At the summit marker the view was spectacular with all the cyclades islands laid out before us, and the wind kindly calmed down.  

Bill on Leeward side of ridge with Summit in distance.

View from Mt. Zas.

After our descent we drove through winding roads to other villages and discovered a mountain being removed for its marble.  The marble here has been excavated for millennia and is still a major export.  In the evening we enjoyed our last greek meal with a bottle of their excellent white wine. 

Marble mountain being carved up over the millennia.

Our next day we were supposed to fly to Munich and meet Teigan for the Christmas markets in Germany. But several days before Germany required all visitors, including vaccinated, to quarantine for ten days.  So we had to make adjustments.  The next blog will be about Travel in the time of Covid (Delta and Omicron). How to navigate the requirements and be safe - and flexible.