Wanderlust: The Cyclades

So a week after arriving in Athens we were at Piraeus looking for a boat to Ios which we’d heard was very nice. Unfortunately there wasn’t a ferry until the following day and not wanting to hang around the port we opted for one to Mykonos instead.

The crossing was perfect and we arrived around 2pm. Without much cash and realising it was a Sunday and banks would be closed we settled on the old favourite, a loaf of bread. On discovering there was a bus to the other side of the island where there was a lovely beach named Heaven we took it. It was a rough ride, but on getting there we bumped into some English lads we’d spoken with at Dafni and ended up staying with them, reading, talking and playing cards. We slept in a sort of rough rock shelter, a bit like a cave, as we couldn’t be bothered to pitch the tent and awoke to another perfect day.

Now to find that ferry to Ios.

There wasn’t a ferry until the Tuesday so we spent the rest of the time sunbathing and swimming and on the Monday evening we built a beach bonfire which was quite a disaster as the lads got very drunk.

We finally departed Mykonos around 4:15pm, an hour late due to the windy weather, so we only arrived on Ios at 7:45pm where we went for a meal at the harbour front and camped on the harbour beach for the night. I slept badly as it was cold and windy and we hadn’t pitched the tent, just using our sleeping bags which ended up coated in sand. After fortifying ourselves with bread and honey and a milky Nescafé we set off up the hill to the town of Chora the main town or capital of many Greek islands and regions, typically characterized by traditional Cycladic architecture, white-washed houses, narrow streets, and elevated, defensive locations. There were a lot of steps!

We stopped for a drink at Yannis café before continuing along the rough track to an unspoiled beach ‘Mylopotas’  that we had heard was a popular place for camping. The views from the top were stunningly beautiful. Blue sky, blue sea (nothing like our usually brown North Sea) and a wide curving sandy beach.

The route down to the beach was rather precarious, basically clambering down the cliff and one we would find even more difficult in the dark. There were already several tents pitched alongside the rough stone with olive trees which ran alongside the beach and which provided some shelter.

We found a space and pitched our tent and went for a swim, this island looked like it was going to be a lovely relaxing place for the rest of the week which was when the next ferry back to Piraeus was due.

That evening we went back to Chora and discovered Homer’s Cave – a disco with the tiniest dance floor heaving with crowded sunburned, sweaty bodies – all frantically dancing to The Who, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Poco, the Rolling Stones etc. We had a great time. Homer’s Cave became a regular evening event, the days spent sunbathing and swimming, drinking Nescafé and socialising.

There were two small cafés to choose from, one at either end of the curved bay, where we had breakfasts of honey and thick Greek yoghurt, or fried eggs! Even octopus stew one evening – we saw that one being caught! We met lots of lovely people from the USA, Canada, Europe, and a couple of Spanish guys who were – you guessed – musicians! So some evenings were spent around a fire on the beach listening to the guitars. And everyone joined in singing to the popular songs.

We were offered a lift all the way back to Munich by the English guys who had joined us from Mykonos, but we were undecided. We really didn’t want to leave this idyllic place. On Friday evening we were back at Homer’s having fun and we were escorted back to our camp by Major who was a very interesting character. He was a Canadian and a definite fruit loop – but so very cheerful all the time.

Anyway Saturday came and went, and we decided to stay on for another few days enjoying the weather and the company. Sunday was very quiet. Apparently some dope had arrived on the island brought in by someone on the ferry and everyone seemed to be sleeping off the effects. Everyone except us it seemed.

We bumped into another couple we’d met in Dafni, Terri and Richard from London, who had arrived on yesterday’s ferry and took them to Homer’s. Terri wasn’t feeling so well though so instead of camping they took a room at Yannis café. We joined them for a meal on the Tuesday where we learned that because of the windy weather there would be no more ferries until the following Saturday when we decided we had to leave.

Money was getting quite short and it was time to head north.