Monday, May 4, 2009

Spring Break Greece Part II: Paros

On our second part of Spring Break, Morgan and I went to the island of Paros, about a four-hour ferry ride from Piraeus, the port near Athens. The night before we left, we tried to call a taxi to come pick us up at 6 in the morning so we could get to our 7:30 ferry in time, but all the companies told us to try in the morning, due to reduced taxis during the Easter weekend. We did call in the morning, and no one had taxis available! So, we rolled our suitcases a few blocks down the street to a main road and waited there for a cab. We were really lucky, there were barely any out at that hour, but finally one swerved over to get us and took us to the boat.




The ferry was actually rather nice. For an economy class ticket, it wasn't too crowded, and we were able to find a table to ourselves and spread out our books and journals. The ride was a good opportunity to read and write and prepare mentally for relaxation! When we arrived in Paros, in the port of Parikia, it was about noon, and a man on a moped was waiting to show us to the hostel.




We stayed at Pension Rena, which was about two blocks from the harbor. It was an adorable little hotel, and our room had a balcony, tile floors, its own bathroom, and a refridgerator! The balcony looked out over the hotel's garden courtyard, and towards the ocean. The location was also great -- the hotel was right between the beaches in the area and the old town of Parikia, which was very picturesque.






The rest of the day was spent exploring the little town, which is a quintessential Greek Island village replete with white-washed walls, blue shutters, windmills, and bouganvilllea vines. There were several cute shops with olive oil and honey made on the island, and stores with hand-made leather craftswear. We took a long nap with our balcony windows open, and let the fresh breeze and sounds of birds singing come in. At night, the town we stayed in was fairly quiet, but there were plenty of little tavernas open and we had dinner, then went to bed.


On Tuesday, we rented bikes down the street, which only cost 5 euro for an entire day! We took the bikes all along the coast of the bay of Parikia, and rode through farmland, ocean-view hills, and gardens. The weather was warm and humid, and if you didn't know where you were, you could be tricked into thinking it was Hawaii. We stopped at a beach north of Parikia, and laid in the sun for a few hours. I was so engrossed in my novel that I didn't turn onto my back the whole time, and got a little burnt! When some clouds started to roll in and cover the sun, we decided to bike back to the town and had lunch. After, we rode the bikes south of the town, where there was a lot more lush vegetation, and hung out at another beach for a while, before heading back and returning the bikes. We had dinner that night at a cute little taverna with an adorable owner, who talked to us the whole time. Everyone in the town so far had been so nice and friendly, and it was starting to feel like a very relaxing vacation. I felt so far away!






On Wednesday, we took a bus to the fishing village of Naussa, which is on the northern end of the island. The town was so picturesque, and all the fishing boats really completed the picture. There was a beautiful old Venetian "castle" at the port entrance, from which you could see into the shallow parts of the water. The sea was so clear and blue, and absolutely beautiful. We walked through the village and then to the other side of the bay, where we walked for about an hour along the rock edges, where it was very windy but perfectly clear and just gorgeous. After lunch on the rocks, we sat down at the beach and had a few hours of perfect bliss in the most amazing sun. I think that after being in colder weather for so long, we appreciate warmth and sun even more! We found a bottle on the beach and put a note in it and sent it out to sea...maybe someone will reply one day! (I put my email on it haha--what a funny blend of nostalgic past-times with modern technology!) After a few hours, we went back to the town and had milkshakes while we waited for a return bus to Parikia. And that night, we had another delicious dinner in town--I had Moussaka, one of my favorite Greek dishes!





On Thursday, our last full day on the island, the weather was a bit more windy and cool than it had been, so it was the perfect time to explore the inner part of the island, away from the beaches. We yet again took a bus, this time to the mountain village of Lefkes, where the Greek Islanders had escaped to during the Turkish invasion. The hills and trees were absolutely beautiful, and there was a gorgeous church on the summit of the town. We took a 5 km hike down an old Byzantine stone path that leads from Lefkes to the seaside town of Prodromos. I picked amazing wildflowers (which I pressed in my journal later), and we saw incredible foliage and tons of sheep, goats, and olive vineyards! When we got to Prodromos, we took another bus to the Golden Beaches, the most beautiful sand beaches in Paros. While it was too cold to sunbathe, the weather was still gorgeous, and we had a delicous lunch at an outdoor taverna by the beach. After a long, luxurious meal, we took the bus back to Parikia and walked around the town a bit more. Then that night, we had our last dinner at a great restaurant with an immense menu and romantic ambiance.





On Friday morning, we took the ferry back to Athens, and after dropping off our belongings at the apartment, we headed to the Acropolis. It was the perfect day for photos--there were lots of intimidating clouds in the sky, interspersed with bright patches of blue. The marble monuments on the hill are absolutely incredible, and being there, one feels transported back to Ancient Greek times. It is so incredible that these structures have lasted so long, and through so much history. We were also very lucky because there were not many people there, so it wasn't very crowded. We spent a couple hours there, then headed back to Soulis and Voula's, where we had a delicious farewell dinner with several types of meats, and of course, Voula's famous "Greek" Fries--cooked in olive oil, bien sur!


On Saturday morning, we had to get up at 4 am to catch our plane home to Paris in time, but although we were tired, I still felt very rested when we returned. It was such a relaxing and glorious vacation, and I feel so lucky to have been able to go to Greece. The island was everything I had imagined, and more--the people were friendly, the wildlife and nature were astounding, and the ocean was the most pristine blue I've ever seen. I came back with a little bit more golden skin than I had before, and I felt great. Coming back to classes wasn't even a challenge, because after a two-week long vacation I felt ready to get back into the swing of things.




In a bit, a post on this past weekend: my return to Boran, the French countryside! But for now, please check out my pictures, they're on the list to the right!


xoxo, et a bientot!


Ashley

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