Images: SL Basking in the Aegian Sun as Naxos Fades Away; Our First Beach in Milos!
The ferry from Naxos to Milos took 6 hours. It's incredible that we can fly from North America to Europe in that time, but some of the views as we sailed through the islands were magnificent.
We had some reservations about whether or not Milos could live up to Naxos, and it didn't help that we arrived, very tired, hungry and thirsty, at almost 10:00. Unlike Naxos, where our host VanGellis had a big sign welcoming us at the port and a mini-bus ready to take us to the hotel, no one really seemed to know where our hotel was – in fact, no one really seemed to know of our hotel.
We finally found a taxi driver who took us on a fairly circuitous route, but we ended up at our hotel. The Zac-Marie Rooms.
Our hosts here speak absolutely no English at all, so it was a pretty interesting start. I can ask for a beer or carafe of wine in Greek, and I know how to say please and thank you. Our hosts seemed to interpret anything I said as a request for ouzo.
Sometime later, we managed to get a key, and made our way down the road to the closest taverna. This was a family affair, with Ee Meetera out front running the show, O Pateras on the Barbee, O Papoos, e Ee Yaya supposedly minding ta pedhya, who were enjoying the fact that it was long past their bedtime. You don't ask to see a menu – she tells you what they have.
We ended up once again telling them to bring whatever they recommended, so we had grilled eggplant, cheese and onion “pies”, tomatoes, olives, cucumber salads, tzatsiki and souvlaki. There is no wine list – you drink what they bring you. It was a wonderful, warm welcome to Milos.
We realized pretty quickly the next day that Milos would require a different mindset than Naxos. In Naxos, our hotel was actually in a small well-equipped village, a two minute walk from the beach, it had a breakfast room, a swimming pool, it came with a car, and VanGellis and Effi both spoke almost perfect English.
Our room here in Milos is about 2 km from the nearest town, which is Adamas, the Port City, the biggest city in Milos, and very touristy. We are not within walking distance of any shopping, our hosts don't speak English, no Internet at the hotel, and there is no beach nearby. Hmmmm.
We decided to rent a scooter. Brian, you would have been proud of me, I insisted on upgrading from 50 cc to 100cc. Off we went to do our shopping to equip our little room with coffee, milk, fruit, water, etc. You have to give SL credit. Perched on the back of a scooter that is older than I am, as we tear down the narrow town alleys, balancing 3 shopping bags and her purse, all she needs to do now is learn how to do this while keeping a goat, two chickens and a grandchild on her knee, keeping up a shouted conversation with everyone we pass, and she will get honourary Greek citizenship.
Since then, we have been all over the island. We pick a new spot every day. Yesterday, Pollonia, today, it was Paliochori. Our poor old scooter barely made it up some of the mountains, but we got there and it was worth it. Lunch began with fresh, warm bread, olive oil, tapenade, followed by a Greek salad with local cheese, olives, peppers, onions, fresh local tomatoes, capers, and, of course, olive oil. We then had red mullet, grilled over an open fire. Of course, they serve you the whole fish: head, tail, bones and all, and you are left to surgically determine your portion.
This is OK. In fact, I think it adds to the flavour of the fish, and the enjoyment of the ritual of eating. (And I am getting to be an wfully GOOD fish surgeon!)
It underscores an interesting contrast between North American and European approaches to food.
Supermarkets in NA seem to do everything they can to dissolve any connection between what you are about to buy, and the animal it once was. Meat is “aesthetically sanitized”. In the market today, we saw rabbits that looked like rabbits (pretty dead, but still rabbits) heads, feet, even the eyes were still there. Chickens still have their heads and feet – you get the picture. I once asked a darling little 3 year old girl what she wanted for breakfast, and asked if she would like some pig? She laughed and said NO WAY! I then asked if she wanted some bacon, and the little carnivore couldn't get enough!
We had some reservations about whether or not Milos could live up to Naxos, and it didn't help that we arrived, very tired, hungry and thirsty, at almost 10:00. Unlike Naxos, where our host VanGellis had a big sign welcoming us at the port and a mini-bus ready to take us to the hotel, no one really seemed to know where our hotel was – in fact, no one really seemed to know of our hotel.
We finally found a taxi driver who took us on a fairly circuitous route, but we ended up at our hotel. The Zac-Marie Rooms.
Our hosts here speak absolutely no English at all, so it was a pretty interesting start. I can ask for a beer or carafe of wine in Greek, and I know how to say please and thank you. Our hosts seemed to interpret anything I said as a request for ouzo.
Sometime later, we managed to get a key, and made our way down the road to the closest taverna. This was a family affair, with Ee Meetera out front running the show, O Pateras on the Barbee, O Papoos, e Ee Yaya supposedly minding ta pedhya, who were enjoying the fact that it was long past their bedtime. You don't ask to see a menu – she tells you what they have.
We ended up once again telling them to bring whatever they recommended, so we had grilled eggplant, cheese and onion “pies”, tomatoes, olives, cucumber salads, tzatsiki and souvlaki. There is no wine list – you drink what they bring you. It was a wonderful, warm welcome to Milos.
We realized pretty quickly the next day that Milos would require a different mindset than Naxos. In Naxos, our hotel was actually in a small well-equipped village, a two minute walk from the beach, it had a breakfast room, a swimming pool, it came with a car, and VanGellis and Effi both spoke almost perfect English.
Our room here in Milos is about 2 km from the nearest town, which is Adamas, the Port City, the biggest city in Milos, and very touristy. We are not within walking distance of any shopping, our hosts don't speak English, no Internet at the hotel, and there is no beach nearby. Hmmmm.
We decided to rent a scooter. Brian, you would have been proud of me, I insisted on upgrading from 50 cc to 100cc. Off we went to do our shopping to equip our little room with coffee, milk, fruit, water, etc. You have to give SL credit. Perched on the back of a scooter that is older than I am, as we tear down the narrow town alleys, balancing 3 shopping bags and her purse, all she needs to do now is learn how to do this while keeping a goat, two chickens and a grandchild on her knee, keeping up a shouted conversation with everyone we pass, and she will get honourary Greek citizenship.
Since then, we have been all over the island. We pick a new spot every day. Yesterday, Pollonia, today, it was Paliochori. Our poor old scooter barely made it up some of the mountains, but we got there and it was worth it. Lunch began with fresh, warm bread, olive oil, tapenade, followed by a Greek salad with local cheese, olives, peppers, onions, fresh local tomatoes, capers, and, of course, olive oil. We then had red mullet, grilled over an open fire. Of course, they serve you the whole fish: head, tail, bones and all, and you are left to surgically determine your portion.
This is OK. In fact, I think it adds to the flavour of the fish, and the enjoyment of the ritual of eating. (And I am getting to be an wfully GOOD fish surgeon!)
It underscores an interesting contrast between North American and European approaches to food.
Supermarkets in NA seem to do everything they can to dissolve any connection between what you are about to buy, and the animal it once was. Meat is “aesthetically sanitized”. In the market today, we saw rabbits that looked like rabbits (pretty dead, but still rabbits) heads, feet, even the eyes were still there. Chickens still have their heads and feet – you get the picture. I once asked a darling little 3 year old girl what she wanted for breakfast, and asked if she would like some pig? She laughed and said NO WAY! I then asked if she wanted some bacon, and the little carnivore couldn't get enough!
Hi guys!
ReplyDeleteWe miss you up here in MDI! It's been unseasonably beautiful up here. Warm, sunny, lilacs almost all gone when they shouldn't be here for 3 more weeks. Been practicing some new covers for the 16th. Ruth Grierson at 83 is amazing on the violence!
And PJ, you can fool some of the people some of the time. Those orbs are why we called you “Boob”! LOL. And I know the heaviest thing you've been carrying is a 12-pack of Mythos, so don't give me any guff about weight-lifting, body building or Johnny Weissmuller swimming triathalons!
Your trip around the isles sounds more and more awesome. Lots of songs in those islands!
Janie and I send you both love. (We're gonna do a duet of Jason Mraz's “Lucky, I'm In Love at Sips in two weeks!)
Σας ευχαριστώ και αντίο
Rlow