On this windy day, Sea Cloud threw anchor in the protected port of Katapola, where we boarded the coaches and started the scenic drive up the switchbacks to the eastern shores of the island. There we climbed more than 300 stairs to the thousand years old Monastery of Hozoviotissa, which is carved inside cliffs right above the Aegean Sea. The Virgin Mary’s icon is considered holy by the islanders. After this “pilgrimage,” our next stop was the island’s biggest chora (town) with a population of about 400. We took a short tour and had some independent exploration time to enjoy little cafes, shops, and mazelike alleys. We greeted locals: humans and cats. Some of the explorers went back to Katapola a little early for a swim in the crystal-clear blue waters of this Cyclades gem of an island.