Efharistó

There’s a place for sailors where the wind blows from the North; for hikers where flower lined trails touch the Aegean Sea; and for mere mortals where the food is fit for gods.  It’s The Cyclades of Greece.  Thus far, sailing, hiking and eating are easy.  Communicating in Greek is not.  If it weren’t for the kindness and patience of the locals, we would be at a loss.

Over time, with practice, we have learned enough to be polite. . . I hope.  The day starts with a hearty kalimera (good morning) to all.  Yassas (hello and good-bye) works well in passing.  Efharistó (thank you) and parakaló (your welcome) – obviously, necessary.  Flavio kindly helped us step up our game with Kalispéra, Kalimikta, Kaló mína, and chrónia pollá.  Finally he taught us, the very lovely and very Greek philoxenia (warm welcome/love of the stranger) and sigá-sigá (slowly-slowly)  And so it goes, our pathetic but altogether really fun Greek language learning.

We met Flavio at a bakery in Naxos.  There’s only one reason that we wound up in Naxos and it wasn’t the koulouri (sesame ‘bagels’).  It was the kiting.  We were looking for the perfect spot.  When we arrived at Mikri Bay, the wind went from 30 knots (WAY too much wind for Jill) to 20, the water turned from white capped to rippling, and we decided to give it a go.  Michael is getting quite good and I’m not, but oh my – what a rush!

Then, nothing.  No wind, not one knot, for days.  We looked out over the clear water and saw the goats. . . and paint.  White paint – on the walls, steps, and grout between the stones. . . on the rocks, trees, and churches. 

Churches, I should mention, that are really hard to get to.  A church on a rock in the middle of the sea, no sweat. 

A church stuffed into a cave on the side of a cliff, no problem.  The more challenging the geography, the better for a Greek church!

Everything is a bit too legendary in Greece to pick favorites so I think it’s best to wrap it up with a big, “Efharistó.”

Efharistó to the people of Syros who celebrate Easter for four days and welcome visitors to join in their festivities and to Thannius of Ermoupoli, the best dressed and most welcoming harbor master in the Mediterranean. 

Efharistó to Constantine for driving us to the machine shop in Naoussa so we could fix our passerelle and to the restaurateur in Ios, who introduced us to those overstuffed, olive oil soaked tomatoes.

Efharistó to Michael for sharing the Byzantine road hike to Lefkes, the Grammata Bay hike to Plakaostroto, the Finikas Bay hike, through those amazing poppy fields to Galissas, the Antiparos cave hike, and the surprise cliff walk from Achladi Bay.

Efharistó to Gerty because broken watermaker or not, you’re still our girl and without you North Kavouras anchorage would not have been possible.

Last remarks:

• Cheers to Julia and Julian (sy Lilaria) – we look forward to being in the same harbor again soon!
• Fair winds to Susan and Tom (sy Sirena) and Beve and Kevin (sy Kailani)
• The more remote and more beautiful the beach, the more we want to clean it up.  However, we can’t carry it all on Gerty, so please REDUCE YOUR PLASTICS – Thank You!