Naxos, home of the nudes

After an amazing time in Santorini we caught the ferry to another Greek island for more of the same. Naxos is the largest of all the Cyclade islands and is also the greenest and most fertile. We loved it here! We’ve had an amazing relaxing beach holiday – within – a – holiday. Nothing to do all day except lie on the beach, go for walks and eat out every night.

Naxos was a lot more low key than Santorini, we arrived at the port and found out that there was only a couple of buses out to the rest of the island and the next one wasn’t for a few hours. We now have some Greek Islands playing cards.

Our hotel was pretty awesome, right on the beach (Agia Anna), we had a lovely veranda with a beach view plus it was crazy cheap. However as its only the beginning of the season we were the only ones staying there!! You may or may not know that I get super awkward when we’re at a restaurant and we are the only ones there. I feel so uncomfortable with the fact the waiters are watching and waiting for just you. Back home it does Jonos head in because I will absolutely refuse to enter a restaurant with no one in it. Over here I’m getting over my aversion pretty well but Mr. Hover Hover at our hotel made me so uncomfortable. The manager was a really nice, quiet man but at breakfast he would just stand in the corner and watch you eat. Agh I get awkward shivers just thinking about it. He was only trying to he a good host but he would try and anticipate what you were going to get, like if you reached for the yogurt he’d run over and stop you, open the lid for you then gesture for you to continue. After 4 days I wanted to bop him on the head and say ‘for goodness sake man I can do it myself’.  I went down to breakfast earlier than Jono one day and it was the longest 20minutes of my life. Don’t think I’ve ever been so relieved to see Jono.

I love hiking, mountains and a great view and so I was pretty stoked when I found out that there is a mountain on Naxos called Mount Zas (or Zeus in english) and its the highest in all of the Cyclade islands (1003m)!!! Jono was not so stoked. So we had a ‘do your own thing day’  (this is how we don’t strangle each other) and I hiked the mountain while Jono lay on the beach eating an ice cream.

It was pretty amazing, I caught a bus into the middle of the island and the bus man told me the bus would come back in the afternoon. I had to make it back in time for the last bus. He dropped me off in what felt like the middle of nowhere and off I went. I had trip notes to follow on my phone and I promptly got lost. I take trip notes way too literally and you second guess everything when you’re by yourself. Anyway I ended up on this goat path on the wrong side of the mountain and the track was covered in big spiders.

Finally sorted myself out and made it to the summit. The view was incredible!!! All the way up the mountain there were goats grazing and the sounds of their bells was the only sound other than the wind, it was so peaceful.

At one stage though I thought I might die. No seriously. I stopped for a drink of water, it was so hot and sweaty and I’d been rushing up the path. I looked down and there were 3 big splotches of blood on my arm. Weird, but not crazy I probably just scratched myself. I wiped it off and there was nothing there, no bites or scratches. Then I walked like 10 more paces, the glands in my neck started killing and then I remembered why you shouldn’t hike alone in the middle of no where on an island with no hospital when you have no mobile reception. Then nothing happened, I didn’t die.

On the bus on the way home I chatted to this Australian lady who was on a crazy ‘swim trek’ holiday. These people go on holidays to go long distance swimming. They’d just spent 10 days swimming around the Greek islands. Literally. I still haven’t decided if it sounds amazing or hellish.

Friday night we had a few drinks on the deck then went down to the beach for some awesome Mexican. Our last full day Jono suggests we go and visit a different beach for a change. Off we went and it was a beautiful beach! The water was incredibly clear. Also clear was how incredibly naked everyone else on the beach was. People (mostly old) lying spread eagled everywhere. I must say I find the sight of the completely tanned old human body much creepier than one with tan lines.  It made for many a laugh.

 

We have a new love for frappes now. Everyone drinks them here in Greece, they love it. You can buy one for 1 euro and Jono has decided he will continue the tradition at home.

Next stop Mykonos.