What a wonderful weekend we had! It's impossible to cover every detail, but I'll try to recall the moments and feelings and sights that stood out. I feel I finally saw the magic of Greece.
Friday
ACS had a parent-teacher bbq after school on Friday, and it was recommended we stay for at least a while to meet parents. For the first part of the afternoon, the only people there were employees and children running madly about the grounds. Then they started grilling and playing music, and it wasn't long before we were rocking out to the sounds of AC/DC and other hairbands, and I was just waiting for the twangy strings of "Sweet Home Alabama" to come blasting out of the speakers. Fortunately they didn't go that far, but we still felt the need to make an exit. We left a little before 6 o'clock and headed to the Chalandri (or Xalandri or Halandri) metro station with our various backpacks and suitcases. It was a beautiful day with a sun that warmed but didn't bake, and there were a few clouds watching lazily as the Friday traffic scurried about beneath them.
To get to Piraeus requires taking a metro and the suburban railway from Monastiraki station in central Athens. It's not a pain to switch at all, and the suburban railway passes through--not by; through--some ruins before it passes through the seedier neighborhoods of Athens that surround the port. Quite a few people were on the railway, so I found myself standing with my daypack and camera bag near the door of the train. There was plenty of room in the aisle and neer the doorway, so I was a little surprised when 4 men got on the train and clustered quite closely around me. One of the men had his leg pressed a little uncomfortably against my own, and after a few seconds it crossed my mind that I was probably being targeted to be robbed. I surreptitiously let go of the handhold and moved my hand down between one of the men and my leg and found my wallet halfway out of my back pocket. Of course it was dumb of me to have it in my back pocket, and the only reason I did was because I had things of greater value in my front pockets. I kept my hand on my wallet until the next station when the 4 men got off and walked further back on the train and got onto another car. One of the other travelers, a colleague, saw the whole thing but didn't put it together until we started comparing observations. It wasn't a good beginning to the trip, but I feel fortunate to have stopped the theft.
Once at Piraeus we picked up our tickets and sat at a cafe and drank expensive coffee. The port wasn't too busy, fortunately; the tourist season has nearly ended, and soon ferries will change the frequency of their trips to the remote islands. Our boat was a bit late, so we used the time to sit around and fret about getting seasick. One of our group had chewing gum with Dramamine in it, a product that sounds wonderfully pragmatic until you start chewing it and your tongue goes numb.
At 8:45 our boat arrived. We were on a Hellenic Seaways catamaran whose interior was nicer than any plane I've been on. The seats were arranged facing the front as well as clustered around tables, so we sat and had snacks and chatted as we plowed through the dark sea. By regular ferry, it takes 3 hours to get to Hydra, but the catamaran got us there in around an hour and a half. It was a very smooth ride, and because there was little rocking to and fro and absolutely no up and down, none of us lost our bbq!
I don't have the talent to describe the moment we stepped from the boat to the dock; too many of my senses were struck simultaneously by the fairytale beauty of the small harbor town. A brisk wind blew from the west and carried the fresh smell of seawater and boats and gyros; the same wind brought the mewing of cats and braying of donkeys and loud laughter and the muffled grinding and creaking of boats rubbing together; it brought a chill to my arms and blew my hair into knots. The town is well-lit, and the harbor has a string of lights that runs along the quay and around the edges of the small harbor. It wasn't only the physical senses that were struck; I couldn't help but feel I had just left my time and place and stepped into a place both behind yet beyond. Hydra is how a place with a great sense of self-awareness should exist; awareness and appreciation for the past do not preclude accepting and integrating the present in a responsible and intentional manner. For example...
There are no cars on Hydra.
There are no cars on Hydra.
No cars. On Hydra.
Except for two small garbage trucks and a small construction truck.
No cars.
Why should there be cars on an island with a population of 2600 and with a great number of donkeys? The cobblestone streets led anywhere we needed to go, and the small grocers were centrally located. If you needed to go anywhere else on the island, you could take the water taxis that left frequently and traveled at wave-skimming speeds. It was a community so old that it knew exactly how to deal with any arguments for modernization. That's something lacking in the US and in many newly-modernized nations: the confidence to continue doing something the 'old' way because it's a perfectly fine way of doing something. The US hasn't had a moment of reflection in its short life, and all its ways and traditions seem thrown together haphazardly.
Four of us were staying at Botsis guesthouse, "70m from the harbor," and that was probably exaggerating how far it was. We were a 30-second walk up one of the many alleys which wound their way up the hill from the harbor. Another couple was staying about a 10-minute climb from the harbor, and they had to pay a man to port their luggage up the hill on his donkey. Their place was significantly cuter, but it was 20 Euros more a night and wasn't worth the walk.
After we dropped off our luggage, we went back out onto the harbor walk and strolled for a few minutes in search of something to eat. We finally found someone serving up one of the alleys away from the harbor, but Anastasia had only "3 porks, 2 chickens, and saganaki." I'm still not sure what saganaki is, but it's spicily delicious. My lips were on fire. Anastasia was very friendly and a little wild, and we chatted with her for a while after we ate. She was closing down her restaurant for two days to go to a wedding in Thessaloniki, so we didn't get the chance to go back for more food.
We finished dinner well after midnight and walked around the harbor for a while. The wind was picking up and brought a chill with it. There were a dozen yachts anchored in the harbor, each one larger than the last. The most opulent one was from Monaco, a two-level yacht with beautiful wood paneling inside, flowers, mirrors, enormous televisions, and better furniture than I'll ever own. By 'better' I mean more expensive. I love our 19 Euro chairs. As I walked by these palatial boats, I couldn't help but be envious of the ease with which the people could travel around and see whatever they wanted. Money equals freedom, at least in a capitalistic mentality, and for one moment I envied the 'freedom' of the yacht-owners to go anywhere the wind blows. Then I went back to my cozy hotel and slept as deep a sleep as they did.
Saturday
Sometime around 2 or 3 (not long after I went to bed), a rainstorm hit the island and didn't let up until the afternoon. It wasn't sprinkling like it did in Athens a couple of weeks ago; it poured. The cobblestones in front of our hotel were the bedrock of a river which ran from the top of Mt. Eros all the way down to the harbor. We ventured out at about 9 o'clock and had to tiptoe and jump our way down the street as cardboard boxes floated by us and wet dogs sloshed by unhappily. Oh, and the cats were enraged. I've never seen as many cats as I have on Hydra. They're a part of the community, and I fell in love with one named Sissy. She's the mascot at the Pirate Bar, and she walked onto my lap as I sat on a stool, and she curled up as pretty as you please and rubbed my hand until I scratched her head. But that was later.
Miah and I made ourselves comfortable at Tassos, a cafe/bar right on the harbor, and had breakfast. My ham and cheese omelet was good but not as memorable as the Greek coffee. I'm not sure what's in it, but it's delicious and packs a punch.
Three hours later, we finally left the cafe. During that time our travel friends joined us and helped us mark our spot in the cafe as it became a haven for locals escaping the rain. It was a fascinating group of people who gathered in the small room and watched others splash by on the sidewalk and weave through the tables that almost completely fill the quay. There were locals (Miah wondered how to tell the locals from the tourists; I suggested that the people wearing rubber boots were locals and those wearing sneakers weren't) who were obviously torn between being happy about a day off and being glum about not heading out on their boats to fish, and there were the well-dressed people looking at architectural plans for a mansion somewhere on the island. A lot of people told us on our return to Athens that they felt bad for us in the rain, but I honestly am so glad I got to see the island in a state which is quite rare. Seriously, it hadn't rained since February! I spent a rainy day on Hydra and saw the island cleansed of dirt, trash, and tourists. I'm happy.
When we left Tassos, we decided to brave the wind and light rain and head to Kimina by following the road west. It was cold, dreary, and difficult to walk because of the wind, but it was a fun walk through the dead town in search of a restaurant. When we finally found one with shelter (the patio had plastic walls), we planned to spend several hours there. Our waiter wasn't the happiest fellow, but we didn't care and had as jovial a time as the dozen members of a family near us had at their party. I ordered red mullet and was asked how much. I didn't know, so I said 250 grams which turned out to be 3 fish. The taste was fine, but what a pain to pick through the bones! I also found out later that red mullet are attracted to sewage and eat it. No more red mullet for me.
We got kicked out of the restaurant for their siesta time, so we followed suit and took a nap. Later that evening we went to a restaurant near our hotel (though everything was near the hotel, really) where we were fortunate to find a table for 7 before the place packed. There were people from England, New Zealand, and various continental European spots as well Greeks all enjoying the wonderful food. I got boiled octopus from Hydra, something else I'll never eat again. I prefer it grilled.
After dinner we went to the Pirate Bar and spent some time chatting amongst ourselves and with the Greek-English owner/tender. It was a fun time until the 80s and 90s dance party started up (on purpose) and the music got loud. Miah and I took a stroll around the harbor to another party that we'd heard earlier. The music drifting across the water was lively, and it turned out to be an organized party of some sort (wedding, birthday, who knows) with people dressed in white and wearing olive garlands dancing in one of the old buildings along the walk. They were dancing to traditional Greek music, and the circular dances were mesmerizing to watch through the leaded windows. I'm sure their party went on until 6 in the morning, but Miah and I went back to bed at around 2.
Sunday
We got up early Sunday morning hoping to hike up to a monastery and convent about a kilometer from town. We got breakfast at Tassos again and then ended up waiting for the others in our party for about 2 hours. I prefer traveling with a small group of like-minded individuals; night people and morning people don't mix.
The hike up through the town was the greatest part of the adventure as we walked under stone arches and down shoulder-width alleys in search of any stairs going up. I "asked" for directions from an old woman standing on her balcony, and by "asked" I mean I butchered "Where is Profitis Ilias." She understood well enough, though, and pointed up and right. We soon got lost again, though, and got directions from an intimidating German man who yelled in to his wife to bring us a bottle of water for which he would take no payment.
When we finally reached the religious sites, they were closed (no surprise on a Sunday morning on which I'd seen the priest having morning coffee on the wharf). We did get some wonderful views of the town and of the Peloponnesse (which can be spelled 10 different ways), and we spent some time standing at the base of a white windmill which had lost its "sails" years before.
We descended in a couple of groups, one of which got a nice lunch and decided to head home early. Miah, Kate, Jill and I decided to stick about to avoid returning to Athens. It had been a sunny day but was beginning to cloud over again, so Miah, Kate and I raced down to a nearby pebble beach for a swim.
I didn't have my shorts in my bag, so I got to show off my unmentionables in truly European fashion. No, I wasn't naked. It was an adventure for the girls to try and change while maintaining at least some privacy, and I can't say they were completely successful in retaining all dignity. The water made up for it all, though. It was warm, salty, and pastel blue. My swimming abilities are.... I have none. However, the water was so salty that I was able to float for quite a while before I remembered I was in the sea and panic made me splash back to shore. It was worth getting out into the cold wind that was blowing clouds in.
We rode back to Athens on a hydrofoil, a first for all of us. It was weird and not nearly as luxurious as the catamaran. Once in Athens we had to wait for ages at the Monastiraki metro station because they don't run as many metros on Sundays. It was crowded and hot, and I ended up whanging some poor guy in the head with my backpack, but he was gracious and petted my arm to show it was okay.
Being back in Athens isn't fun. I feel stressed. The noise and smells bring me back to the reality of life outside fairytale land rather harshly. At least I can go back again.
Three hours later, we finally left the cafe. During that time our travel friends joined us and helped us mark our spot in the cafe as it became a haven for locals escaping the rain. It was a fascinating group of people who gathered in the small room and watched others splash by on the sidewalk and weave through the tables that almost completely fill the quay. There were locals (Miah wondered how to tell the locals from the tourists; I suggested that the people wearing rubber boots were locals and those wearing sneakers weren't) who were obviously torn between being happy about a day off and being glum about not heading out on their boats to fish, and there were the well-dressed people looking at architectural plans for a mansion somewhere on the island. A lot of people told us on our return to Athens that they felt bad for us in the rain, but I honestly am so glad I got to see the island in a state which is quite rare. Seriously, it hadn't rained since February! I spent a rainy day on Hydra and saw the island cleansed of dirt, trash, and tourists. I'm happy.
When we left Tassos, we decided to brave the wind and light rain and head to Kimina by following the road west. It was cold, dreary, and difficult to walk because of the wind, but it was a fun walk through the dead town in search of a restaurant. When we finally found one with shelter (the patio had plastic walls), we planned to spend several hours there. Our waiter wasn't the happiest fellow, but we didn't care and had as jovial a time as the dozen members of a family near us had at their party. I ordered red mullet and was asked how much. I didn't know, so I said 250 grams which turned out to be 3 fish. The taste was fine, but what a pain to pick through the bones! I also found out later that red mullet are attracted to sewage and eat it. No more red mullet for me.
We got kicked out of the restaurant for their siesta time, so we followed suit and took a nap. Later that evening we went to a restaurant near our hotel (though everything was near the hotel, really) where we were fortunate to find a table for 7 before the place packed. There were people from England, New Zealand, and various continental European spots as well Greeks all enjoying the wonderful food. I got boiled octopus from Hydra, something else I'll never eat again. I prefer it grilled.
After dinner we went to the Pirate Bar and spent some time chatting amongst ourselves and with the Greek-English owner/tender. It was a fun time until the 80s and 90s dance party started up (on purpose) and the music got loud. Miah and I took a stroll around the harbor to another party that we'd heard earlier. The music drifting across the water was lively, and it turned out to be an organized party of some sort (wedding, birthday, who knows) with people dressed in white and wearing olive garlands dancing in one of the old buildings along the walk. They were dancing to traditional Greek music, and the circular dances were mesmerizing to watch through the leaded windows. I'm sure their party went on until 6 in the morning, but Miah and I went back to bed at around 2.
Sunday
We got up early Sunday morning hoping to hike up to a monastery and convent about a kilometer from town. We got breakfast at Tassos again and then ended up waiting for the others in our party for about 2 hours. I prefer traveling with a small group of like-minded individuals; night people and morning people don't mix.
The hike up through the town was the greatest part of the adventure as we walked under stone arches and down shoulder-width alleys in search of any stairs going up. I "asked" for directions from an old woman standing on her balcony, and by "asked" I mean I butchered "Where is Profitis Ilias." She understood well enough, though, and pointed up and right. We soon got lost again, though, and got directions from an intimidating German man who yelled in to his wife to bring us a bottle of water for which he would take no payment.
When we finally reached the religious sites, they were closed (no surprise on a Sunday morning on which I'd seen the priest having morning coffee on the wharf). We did get some wonderful views of the town and of the Peloponnesse (which can be spelled 10 different ways), and we spent some time standing at the base of a white windmill which had lost its "sails" years before.
We descended in a couple of groups, one of which got a nice lunch and decided to head home early. Miah, Kate, Jill and I decided to stick about to avoid returning to Athens. It had been a sunny day but was beginning to cloud over again, so Miah, Kate and I raced down to a nearby pebble beach for a swim.
I didn't have my shorts in my bag, so I got to show off my unmentionables in truly European fashion. No, I wasn't naked. It was an adventure for the girls to try and change while maintaining at least some privacy, and I can't say they were completely successful in retaining all dignity. The water made up for it all, though. It was warm, salty, and pastel blue. My swimming abilities are.... I have none. However, the water was so salty that I was able to float for quite a while before I remembered I was in the sea and panic made me splash back to shore. It was worth getting out into the cold wind that was blowing clouds in.
We rode back to Athens on a hydrofoil, a first for all of us. It was weird and not nearly as luxurious as the catamaran. Once in Athens we had to wait for ages at the Monastiraki metro station because they don't run as many metros on Sundays. It was crowded and hot, and I ended up whanging some poor guy in the head with my backpack, but he was gracious and petted my arm to show it was okay.
Being back in Athens isn't fun. I feel stressed. The noise and smells bring me back to the reality of life outside fairytale land rather harshly. At least I can go back again.
1 comment:
I describe any return to Athens after being away as a slap in the face -- noise, smells, pollution, traffic, honking of horns. Ick.
Saganaki is fried cheese, usually served with a bit of lemon. Everyone does it a bit differently depending on the type of cheese and spices; it ranges from rubbery to absolutely delicious. My favorite way is with Metsovo cheese.
Glad you had a nice time on Hydra. I went once with my brother a long time ago. Some smart guy thought we were a married couple (I guess we don't look alike) and lost his tip.
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