GREEK ISLANDS – PART 5

We’d expected the weather to be in the mid-teens at this time of year but it’s been 20-22C every day since we arrived, not bad for the beach and just right for hiking and visiting. We found it surprising that the tourist season winds down here at the end of October, with many of the shops and restaurants closing. The locals tell us the season lasts only six months.

We squeezed our butts into a tiny Fiat Panda and began exploring the southwest quarter of the island. While there are a few historical sites to visit, the main attractions are the beaches. Driving south along the coast from Chora, we soon entered resort territory; nice beaches fronted by ugly hotels and resorts, all of them closed for the season. The further south we went, the more deserted the beaches. We took a short walk out to Cape Mikri Vigla and took a selfie to mark the beautiful morning. 

Our destination was Agiassos, a tiny village at the end of the road. The water looked inviting so I went for a dip. Elva and I and a young couple were the only ones there on what would have been an August beach day back home.

The drive north toward the center of the island took us through the richest and flattest farmland we’d seen. Sheep and goats gave way to dairy cows, and I even got the puddle-jumper into sixth gear on a couple of flat straight stretches of road! Turns out about 75% of Naxos is hilly or mountainous, so this was quite a treat. 

After lunch in Chalki with the local after-church crowd, we headed south to the settlement of Kalados, once again the end of the road. We enjoyed great views along the way of Mt. Zas, and had to negotiate dozens of switchbacks before we finally got there. 

As was the case with Agiassos and Panormos, we were greeted by a quiet cove and a beautiful beach and had the place all to ourselves. The local MLA (or whatever they’re called here) must have had quite a bit of pull because Kalados has a first-class harbour with all the fixins, including nice paved walkways and park benches. Several fishing boats were tied up, as well as a two-masted schooner and a boat that gives harbour cruises. The latter two were probably based in Chora but tied up in Kalados for the winter months. The sunny day and the calm water made for a pretty picture, and we sat there for a while taking it all in.

There are 18 marked trails on Naxos and they range from easy to difficult and from 2 to 4 hours walking time. On our second day with the Fiat, we walked #4 from Chalki up to Moni through the Targea Valley past dozens of olive groves and one photogenic donkey. The trail was good most of the way with a few scrambles over loose rock and gravel but the scenery made it worth the effort.

In the small village of Moni, we met a woman who works a loom in her home making high-quality textiles and bought a souvenir from her. Although the trails are marked with small signs, it’s not always clear which way to go at an intersection. We missed one on the way back to Chalki, so just followed the road down into the village. After 8 kilometers, we were ready for a rest. To finish our day of exploration, we took a couple of roads we hadn’t been on before and were treated with more panoramic views.

While the weather’s been great since we arrived in the Cyclades, with only one rainy day to speak of, the temperature dropped slightly during our last few days here. The sky above the Portera is a bit grayer now though it’s still a lot warmer than we expected. 

We took advantage of good hiking conditions to continue exploring the countryside around Chalki. On our way to a nearby village, we came by the Church of Drosiani, one unlike any we’d seen before. A man was sitting by the locked door, so we struck up a conversation with Spiro from the island of Korfu; he was waiting for the priest to come open the door.

The main body of the Church dates from the 12^th-14^th century and is surrounded by three side chapels which meet the main one at angles; one dates from the 6^th century. The frescoes are quite well preserved considering their ages and the Church is considered the oldest in the Balkans and one of the most revered in Greece. Spiro, quite knowledgeable about the Church, gave us the grand tour as the priest didn’t speak any English.

He told us that St. John Chrysostom is one of the most important saints in the Orthodox faith and that the day we were there, November 13, was not only his feast day but also the name of the priest. When we told them both that Elva’s native village is Saint-Chrysostôme, they were taken aback at the coincidence, as were we. Once again, we learned the lesson that pure chance often beats meticulous planning and that taking the path less travelled can often mean everything!

A few closing comments about our Greek adventure:

1. The Cyclades, except for Santorini and Mykonos, offer a unique perspective on Greek culture. The pace of life on the islands is much slower than we’re used to at home and in other places we’ve visited. For that reason, they remind us a bit of the best our island has to offer. People here take the time to socialize with one another; they’re friendly and helpful; many do not lock their doors; police presence is somewhere between discreet and invisible; and we saw no evidence of homelessness.
2. I measure three indicators when I visit a new place: graffiti, garbage, and public transit. Naxos, the island we’re most familiar with, scores well on all three. Graffiti is limited mostly to very recent stuff with the message “Free Gaza”. Garbage can be seen in ditches along roadways but the cleanliness of the villages and Chora demonstrate that residents are proud of where they live and work. And the public bus system is very efficient and reasonably priced.
3. We had no plan for our three weeks on Naxos. I like to just let things happen and discover as I go, rather than plan an itinerary in advance. We stayed there for two reasons: because we’re looking for a quieter experience and because a former travel agent recommended it over the busier Cycladic islands. Turns out there is much more to do and see on Naxos than we imagined: many layers of human history; an excellent trail network for those who like to hike; comfortable fall weather; beautiful villages; numerous beaches; and Chora, the main town, which offers everything the visitor needs.
4. There are no fast-food joints here, only local eateries and cafés, no chain hotels, no chain stores and no malls. And what a difference that makes! Small stores sell dry goods, fresh fish and olive products like they have for generations, and you can still find shoemakers, watchmakers, and small appliance repair shops here.
5. There’s no flat ground on Naxos, and on most of the islands we visited for that matter, and there’s no such thing as a straight or a flat road. Traffic is generally light though and vehicles are careful and polite on the narrow streets and highways.
6. Our hosts, Sophia and Padelis, could not have been more accommodating. Not only is their place very nice, it’s ideally located only a two-minute walk from the main street and waterfront. They helped us with suggestions for places to visit, things to do and places to eat, and left us home-made treats several times. When we do come back, Arco Naxos Apartments will be at the top of our list of places to stay.
7. A final note about our Intrepid sailing experience. No regrets, but would we recommend it? Probably not. At $700 a day for the two of us plus meal expenses, it’s overpriced compared to other, much more comfortable experiences we’ve had in our travels. Yes, it’s a neat way to see the Cyclades, but the living conditions aboard a 56-foot sailboat are not much better than a yurt in Central Asia, a swag in the Australian Outback, or a tent on the Inca Trail.