Paros & Naxos (Paronaxia…as called by the locals!)
Traveling through time, seas and light can be an intoxicating voyage, a voyage which is different and special every moment of the day, a moment that must be lived and drank like the last sip in a glass of wine!
On a bright sunny day full of light, phos … photography, the righting of light … we found ourselves traveling through the seas kept calm by Poseidon, who was on our side, it seemed for the entire journey. There we were laid back, gazing at beautiful blue, gazing at the island of Paros. The view of Naoussa, one of its picturesque small harbors seemed very inviting but the call for a swim was even more inviting!
We had a crash lesson in Greek by Elli and Laura and by the end of it we were able to fluently read Greek, even though it was really still Greek to us! After practical instructions given to us by Michel and Markos we were ready to start enjoying the sea with an exciting water sport experience offered to us. We relaxed by the beach, and swam and kayaked our way across to some of the nearby isolated beaches.
After a relaxing morning and a good lunch we were now ready to do something a bit more active! We sailed to the nearby island of Naxos, the largest of the Cycladic islands but by far the most authentic in character of the ones that we had visited up until now.
We drove inland, through cultivated plains, terraced steps, endless stone walls covering all the hills, olive groves with grey green trees that had seen generations go by… to reach the tiny village of Damalas. We walked to the old olive press of the village, the center of activity for over one hundred years and learned all about how the precious olives became precious extra virgin olive oil!
Manolis was already waiting for us by his potter’s wheel and turned a chunk of clay…into a vase! He showed us the way to drink the wine in a just way…so that all would drink equally the same! He sang as beautifully as a bird to us with his fun water whistle and waved us goodbye with his mother that has a face that makes you to want to paint it!
We now found ourselves sailing through the streets of Naxos town and its castle. We learned that the town was built in such a way that it formed a typical Cycladic castle. We wandered to the top of it where the Catholic cathedral crowned it and then down and around…it was indeed a labyrinth of a castle! We tasted the typical liquer of the island which is made from the leaves of the citron tree.
Naxos was the Greece that we had expected to find…full of life…full of locals…full of taverns buzzing with life and laughter!
The Cyclades are the heart of the Grecian sea, in a place where the word “seduction” applies…Naxos had done exactly thus…she had seduced us!!!
Licensed to tour…to guide through myths and stories!
