Andrea set out with her camera before dawn to Oia in search of the “perfect shot.” This morning was absolutely beautiful from the terrace and the rain and wind from the day before was long gone. We had to rush the breakfast a little in order to return the car and get to the bus station in time for our ride to the port. The ferry to Mykonos was delayed for an hour so we just enjoyed a “Nescafe” while looking back up to where we were just staying and looking forward to the next island adventure. Two nights was a short stay, but since it is such an expensive and tourist-y island, we both agreed that it was long enough for us.
We took the “fast” ferry since this was our only option. I actually prefer the “slow boat” as it is more like a cruise ship with the option to go outside on the deck or sit in one of the chairs or couches in the lounge area. The fast ferry is like an airplane on water–not much more than the crowded seats facing forward but an expensive time-saver if that is what you like.
We arrived in Mykonos at 3pm and took a taxi to our hotel. It sits at the top of a very steep hill in an area known as the School of Arts. I cannot express how happy I was that we did NOT opt to walk with luggage in tow. The hotel was perfect. A beautiful view, clean, comfortable and modern. Again, Mykonos is one of the most expensive islands, but this hotel was well worth the money and included a great breakfast spread–I highly recommend it if you find yourself in Mykonos. The only negative I could find would be the hill back up from town, but I am in GREECE what in the world can I possibly complain about??
Our immediate neighbors are two English “blokes” and we immediately chatted it up (imagine that)! After a few hours of chatting and watching a beautiful sunset, they invited us along for dinner. One of them, Garry, has been coming to Mykonos and staying in the same hotel for 14 years so I had no doubt we had an excellent tour guide. We had a great dinner in the “square with the pelicans.” If you have been to Mykonos or talked to basically anyone that has, you know about the island mascot. These birds walk through the aisles of the restaurant, follow the servers into the kitchen hoping they will return with a fish. Our understanding is that if you own a restaurant in the area, you are obligated to care for the birds. It was amazing to see them up close and personal.
We spent 3 hours eating (8-11pm) and then headed into the square to experience our first “nightlife” scene at a bar of a greek born Australian named Theo called “Down Under.” Very small, lots of bouncing music, remixes mostly of American artists. Again, something we take for granted at home in California, are the laws that prohibit smoking in small enclosed areas. We ended up leaving the bar mostly because we could barely breathe and our eyes burned. We headed home about 1:30 a.m. It was a great evening, filled with new experiences and new friends. Thank you again Garry for being our excellent tour guide and Roy, a wonderful conversationalist who’s natural curiosity and beautiful English expressions kept us giggling and filled with joy.
