And not a drop to drink...unless it comes in a bottle. While you can theoretically drink the water out of the taps here, it comes from the desalination plant, and taste leaves a lot to desire. Hence, the bottled water distributors on these islands surely must all drive Mercedes. But, I digress.
Tired, very tired
. This is pretty much how we felt as we left Athens bound for the Greek isles. The fact of the matter is that independent travel (not with a group) is exhausting. While we are loving the freedom of the roads and seas, it simply takes a lot of effort to make plans, then make arrangements, then go. On a trip like this, we are doing it over and over again. So, we were looking at the next couple of weeks on the islands as an opportunity to recharge our batteries. We're not looking at doing a lot of historic sites or taking any great treks. Instead, we want beaches, and low-key activities to occupy our days. We believe that the islands are the perfect place for this, and it was clear that we aren’t the only ones. We’ve met people from around the globe who have come to the islands for the sheer beauty of the place, the friendliness of the people, the Greek experience, and to lie around for hours in one gorgeous rotisserie. The sky cannot possibly be bluer, the water clearer, the buildings whiter.
MYKONOSMykonos was about 4 hrs away and the first of the islands we wanted to visit. It also happens to be one of the most popular of all the islands. It has a vibe which is both laidback and kinetic. The two big cruise ships docked here, and the number of souvenir shops were a dead giveaway. When we arrived on the ferry, we were approached by a woman offering us a room (a common occurrence) and it sounded good, so we took her up on her offer
. She drove us into the heart of town and led us to a room, which while on the small side, had air conditioning, a fridge and a TV. It was all we needed. We soon explored the city, walking thru the narrow streets of whitewashed buildings and brightly coloured doorways, past the iconic windmills of Mykonos, and were rewarded with a glorious sunset and a dinner of freshly caught red snapper with all the trimmings. We were off to a good start. Refreshed after a good night’s sleep, we did what most visitors here do—hit the beach. It was in a sheltered bay, so the azure-coloured waters of the Aegean gently lapped onto the golden sand, and it looked like a travel brochure photo. We spent 2 relaxing days with the following do-nothing agenda--- wake up, go to the beach, go to dinner, go to sleep. It was just what we needed.
IOSIos is one of the smaller of the Cyclades (the island group we are in), but the description in my guide book was enough to convince us that we wanted to go there. Good decision. You see, Ios doesn’t get the throngs of visitors or the cruise ships. So, for us, it proved to be even more lower-key than Mykonos. And we basically repeated the process of hydrofoil to the island, be approached with room offers, then beach, beach and more beach. However, this beach was even more beautiful, and far less crowded. Our plans to stay for 2 days expanded to 4 days simply because we didn’t want to leave. The hotel was a short ways up into the hills overlooking the town which itself was built up the side of a mountain
. With a breathtaking view of the hodgepodge whitewashed buildings of the town in the distance, the bright skies overhead, and the ever-present slight breeze, it was near perfect. I say near perfect for a reason— because of its non-commercial aspect, its low costs, and a ton of bars and clubs in town, it turns out that this island is a major draw for Generation Xers. There are tons of kids (we call anyone under 35 a kid) from Scandanavia, Australia, Britain, and other parts of Europe (and of course lots of Americans) who seemingly travel in packs. It is a veritable cesspool of testosterone and estrogen, as they undergo their mating rituals. (I just realized that I sound like a narrator on the Animal Planet channel! ). We feel like chaperones at the senior prom! We’re always the oldest people in the crowd wherever we go. One thing though—these kids are away from home, school, and responsibilities and are into serious partying. This hasn’t really deterred us, except for one thing—the nights. Basically, the quiet nights are anything but
. For instance, we have a group of 4 Swedes next door who have made their room Party Central every night. The booze is flowing, and the results evident in the general rowdiness which results. We’re taking it in stride, and are close to comatose at the end of the day anyways, so we mostly sleep through it. As Bonnie would say: C’est la vie!
Despite our love of Ios, it is time to move on, and as we sadly leave this fun paradise, we are now headed to one of the islands reputed to be one of the most beautiful and considered to have the most beautiful sunsets in the world- Santorini. Mikos, the owner of our hotel and my buddy cause we converse in my broken Greek (random conversational phrases acquired after 18 days here) said that we were welcome back anytime, and that was an offer we would love to take. Ios will always have a place in our hearts.
Our next blog entry will likely come in about a week, after we have left the next 2 islands and are beginning the travel that will bring us back home.
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Ios, Cyclades, Greece
Other Entries
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Comments

2025-02-15
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Suresh Chawla
2011-06-22
Daveed, Daud:
Amazing you can get time to compose such luscious compositions. You sure do have talent. Thanks for keeping us posted. You should include folks like us in your next adventures.
Cheers.
Suresh
melissagquest
2011-06-22
Hi, guys, you sure sound like you're having fun. I can't imagine going to Greece and just relaxing!! There's just so much to see and do! LOL. You two set a good example that, some day, I must follow! If you go to Santorini, watch out for sea urchins in the water and be sure to go on a volcano tour! Oh, and buy a bottle or two of their famous local wines!
cissie.retired
2011-06-22
Hi Again, Bonnie and David,
Once again, I'm transported to all the Greek Isles with you after reading your blogs. I love reading these travel experiences, and I don't get nearly as tired as you both! Great idea for you to get some R&R on one of those fabulous islands before continuing on in your travels.
Enjoy the rest and safe journey onward.
Cecile
The Sunnies
2011-06-22
Dearest Cousins,
As is always the case, your vivid descriptions of the places you visit put me into another world.....I feel as if I am traveling right beside you (if only this were the case!) and experiencing the majestic beauty, sights and culture that you are constantly taking in.
I am thrilled that you decided to take it a bit easier......sounds as if the beaches you found were breath taking and truly magnificent! It's okay to be good to yourselves....that, too, is what vacationing is about!
I am so very impressed by not only your written word but also by your photography....the photos you've shared are incredibly beautiful!
Hope to see you in July.....the guest room is waiting for you, as are we!!!!!
Jon Arnold
2011-06-24
Awesome posts, guys! Brings back memories of our honeymoon trip in 1990 - Athens, Paros and Santorini!
Peter Richard
2011-07-03
David and Bonnie: Wow, what a trip! Sorry about the ankle. Have enjoyed your blogs. Where are you now? p.s. I am rebooked on the Navigator for the transatlantic again on April 14, 2012. Can you make it? Take Care