Touring the islands

Monday, September 28, 2015

We got up early this am, had a little breakfast before walking to the pickup point for the boat cruise to three islands: Hydra, Poros and Aegina.  The pickup point was only a short walk from our flat.  It was pretty quiet in town, still early, but once we got to the main road, it was packed!  Tons of traffic.

We arrived early at the marina.

One of the other cruise boats.

We had a short van ride to the marina and got right on our cruise boat.  It was a beautiful morning!  There was another boat leaving within a few minutes of us.  Beautiful day for a boat ride.  I sat up on top, nice breeze perfect temperatures.

Beautiful early morning sunshine.

On the boat for the islands tour.

Nutmeg showing off his bling!

On the top deck of the boat.

windmills are being used for power.

Entering the port of the island of Hydra.

Our first stop was the island of Hydra.  From the Lonely Planet, Greek Islands guide:   Hydra (ee-dhr-ah; Υδρα) is truly the gem of the Saronic Gulf and stands alone among Greek islands as the one free of wheeled vehicles. No cars. No scooters. Just tiny marble-cobbled lanes, donkeys, rocks and sea. Artists, musicians, actors and celebrities and travelers have all been drawn to Hydra over the years. So in addition to the island’s exquisitely preserved stone architecture, criss-crossing rural paths and clear, deep waters, you can find a good cappuccino along the people-watching harbour.

No cars on the island.  Donkeys and horses are used for transport of goods and tourists!

The mules and donkeys are the main means of heavy transport and they, along with the rustic aspects of life on the island, give Hydra its two faces: chic and earthy.

The boat cruise company offers tours: a walking tour of hydra and a bus tour of Aegina.  I signed up for both.  I was the only person that did the walking tour!  It was fun having a private tour!  We wandered through the streets, in and out of shops, got some history, and admired architecture.  Nice way to get a little more knowledge about this beautiful little island.  

The oldest bakery in town.  They make a candy of almonds and rose water.  Very tasty.

The buildings are centuries old.  They can be restored and modernized, but not torn down or remodeled.

The veterinary office.

The vet's dog...

...and cat.

Produce and supplies are delivered on Mondays and Thursdays.

Kimisis Tis Theotokou

Housed in the peaceful monastery complex on the harbour, the cathedral dates from the 17th century and has a Tinian marble belltower. Its Ecclesiastical Museum contains a collection of icons.

The clock tower in the center of town.

After the tour, I still had time to wander on my own, climb the hill to get some beautiful views, take a few (or more!) photos and even have a gelato!

Wheel barrows for hauling supplies.

What's for lunch?

Working on the boats.

The donkeys helping to work on the roads.

Met the gang back at the boat for our next leg of the trip.  Next stop:  the island of Poros.

The Island of Poros

Again from Lonely Planet: Zippy Poros Town is a mishmash of charming ice cream–coloured houses that look out across the narrow channel at Galatas and the shapely mountains of the Peloponnese. Sailboats bob along the lengthy quay while ferries glide through the channel and smaller vessels scurry to and fro. Behind the harbour, plateies (squares) and tavernas hide from view and a rocky bluff rises steeply to a crowning clock tower.

Waiting for a snack at lunch.  She got it.

This was just a lunch stop for us.  We walked to a local tavern to enjoy a buffet lunch.  Then we had a short time to wander the town before returning to the boat.  It was the afternoon rest time, so it was pretty quiet.  Pretty little coastal town.

Water taxi.

Off to the last island of our tour:  Aegina.  From Lonely Planet:  Beyond its bustling port, Aegina (eh-yi-nah; Αίγινα) has the seductive, easygoing character of a typical Greek island but with the added bonus of more than its fair share of prestigious ancient sites. Unique Aegina treats include a special, and delicious, pistachio nut, the splendid 5th-century Temple of Aphaia and the magical Byzantine ruins called Paleohora.

The bus tour gave us a nice overview of the island.  But if you ever take the tour: get on the left side of the bus!  That side has 90% of the views!  Luckily we met a fun lady on this trip, Janet, and she took some pictures that she shared with us.  Thanks, Janet!

Two of the nuns from the monastary.

Aegina was the leading maritime power of the Saronic Gulf during the 7th century BC, when it grew wealthy through trade and political ascendancy. The island made a major contribution to the Greek victory over the Persian fleet at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. Despite this solidarity with the Athenian state, the latter invaded in 459 BC out of jealousy of Aegina’s wealth and status and of its liaison with Sparta. Aegina never regained its glory, although in the early 19th century it played a bold part in the defeat of the Turks and was the temporary capital of a partly liberated Greece from 1827 to 1829.

They grow pistachios on the island of Aegina.  I bought several bags from street vendors.  Fantastic!  Sept is the harvest month.  Will never tasted the same, buying them at home...

The beautiful monastery at the top of the island of Aegina.

The monastery of Agios Nektarios

(Text by Souzana Raphael)

A massive, recently-built church sits up on a hill in the inland area known as Kontos on Aegina island, just a few miles from the port. Built for the most recent Greek Orthodox saint - Agios Nektarios - it is visited by large numbers of people every year, many of them seeking help from this miracle-working saint, who died in 1920.

The last bit of this tour was at a local taverna to have some ouzo, a local drink.  From the Webtender website:

The classic Greek drink Ouzo is made from a precise combination of pressed grapes and herbs and berries including aniseed, licorice, mint, wintergreen, fennel and hazelnut.

When mixing Ouzo with water it will turn whitish and opaque. The reason is that the anise oil dissolves and becomes invisible when mixed with a conventional alcohol content, but as soon as the alcohol content is reduced, the essential oils transform into white crystals, which you cannot see through.

  I tried it all!  Nutmeg really got into the ouzo!

Nutmeg with three glasses of Ouzo, a local liquor.  It tastes like black licorice followed by very sweet flavor.
It is a Greek favorite, served at many functions.

Stacy and Nutmeg with our treats.  Yep, I tried the Ouzo.  Not bad!

The little treat that I am holding is a fried anchovy.  I actually tasted it.  Tastes like tuna!  LOL!  

So I ate the little devil!

Back on the boat for the last leg of our trip.  There was live music and dancing for entertainment.  It was fantastic!  Then they invited guests to dance as well.  You know I jumped up and joined in!  What a fun way to end an excellent trip!

On the final leg of the boat trip we were entertained by musicians performing traditional Greek music...

...and professional dancers.  They were awesome!

The male dancers really do some aerobic moves, Up and down and lots of jumping.

when the musicians invited folks up to dance... I was there!

What a fun way to end the trip!