Day Five – Mountain of Zeus
Today we had the most spectacular hike up the mountain of Zeus. It is the highest point in all the Cyclades islands, rising to 3000’ at the summit. We started the hike at a tiny little chapel, Santa Marina, one of the many little chapels that dot the hillsides on these islands. The door was open so I went inside the chapel and took pictures. It was really sweet. Full of icons, a stand for the skinny Orthodox version of votive candles, a teeny, tiny altar also replete with icons and many stacked up beside it so they can rotate the images. I loved it, needless to say. We began our hike right next to the chapel, going alongside farm fields with goats enjoying the sun and then ascending steeply upward to predominantly stone paths. The views up there were stunning and the wind was ferocious. I felt like I needed weights on my ankles not to blow right off the summit. Once up there you can see for miles out over the Aegean. They say on a clear day you can see all the way to Asia Minor. It was hazy and there were some clouds on mountains across the way from Zeus Mountain so we couldn’t see that far, but it really was a magnificent view. Our little group of five has two fast hikers (me and the father in the father/daughter duo) and a couple of very slow ones, so Lloyd and I reached the summit about 20 minutes ahead of the rest of the crew. Our guide stayed back with the slower folks who seemed more nervous about the whole venture and Lloyd and I just barreled on to the summit. For the first time we were not the only hikers out there. We passed several groups of European tourists, at least one French group and one German group. Truly the views up there out over the islands and the sea on all sides was just breathtaking. I hated to come down!
The descent was not too bad although I did use my trekking poles in some spots where there were a lot of loose rocks to save my knees a little strain! Again, Lloyd and I got to the bottom way ahead of the others so we rested by the chapel till they all caught up. Our guide had bought food for a picnic and made it right there by the chapel and we enjoyed a delicious, simple lunch before continuing on. He made a salad of tomatoes, cucumber, green peppers, capers seasoned with oregano and dill, sea salt and olive oil, we had tuna with dill and oregano, some sort of beans in tomato sauce, bread drizzled with olive oil, sea salt and oregano and apples in honey and cinnamon for dessert. He also had a liqueur that tasted like apples with cinnamon. Absolutely lovely picnic lunch! Then we walked down the road, through some intricate paths and then through a little village into the town of Filoti where we were met by taxis to take us back to the hotel.
Once back at the hotel I took it easy, going down to the pool to enjoy the sun and read for awhile. Then we went to dinner at a little seafood restaurant right down at the main harbor area where we looked out at the sea and the yachts anchored in Naxos port. By the time we were finished with dinner (another fabulous Greek salad with local cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, potatoes and more, eggplant broiled with spices, tomatoes and local cheese, saganaki, then shrimp in oyzo sauce, calamari and octopus(I passed on those!) and two kinds of fish -a grilled tuna in butter garlic sauce and a local fish the name of which I can't remember! Dessert was yogurt with figs.) Delicious. After dinner I walked around the harbor area which was absolutely hopping with activity. There are labyrinthine little streets off the main harbor drag that are quaint and tiny and filled with artsy shops, bars, restaurants - sort of a Greek version of Commercial Street in Provincetown only in quaint old Greek village style! And coming back at 10:15 things were just getting going down there - lots of nightlife in Naxos in the summertime! I got a little lost trying to get back to the resort - all those twisty, windy little streets got me turned around but eventually I found myself on streets I recognized and was able to wander back without too much trouble.
Tomorrow we have an easy day. Free time in Naxos till our boat at noon and then a boat ride to Santorini. Once there we have time to wander there before dinner. No hikes tomorrow. I may have to go for a power walk in the morning to work off some of the food I'm consuming!!
Today we had the most spectacular hike up the mountain of Zeus. It is the highest point in all the Cyclades islands, rising to 3000’ at the summit. We started the hike at a tiny little chapel, Santa Marina, one of the many little chapels that dot the hillsides on these islands. The door was open so I went inside the chapel and took pictures. It was really sweet. Full of icons, a stand for the skinny Orthodox version of votive candles, a teeny, tiny altar also replete with icons and many stacked up beside it so they can rotate the images. I loved it, needless to say. We began our hike right next to the chapel, going alongside farm fields with goats enjoying the sun and then ascending steeply upward to predominantly stone paths. The views up there were stunning and the wind was ferocious. I felt like I needed weights on my ankles not to blow right off the summit. Once up there you can see for miles out over the Aegean. They say on a clear day you can see all the way to Asia Minor. It was hazy and there were some clouds on mountains across the way from Zeus Mountain so we couldn’t see that far, but it really was a magnificent view. Our little group of five has two fast hikers (me and the father in the father/daughter duo) and a couple of very slow ones, so Lloyd and I reached the summit about 20 minutes ahead of the rest of the crew. Our guide stayed back with the slower folks who seemed more nervous about the whole venture and Lloyd and I just barreled on to the summit. For the first time we were not the only hikers out there. We passed several groups of European tourists, at least one French group and one German group. Truly the views up there out over the islands and the sea on all sides was just breathtaking. I hated to come down!
The descent was not too bad although I did use my trekking poles in some spots where there were a lot of loose rocks to save my knees a little strain! Again, Lloyd and I got to the bottom way ahead of the others so we rested by the chapel till they all caught up. Our guide had bought food for a picnic and made it right there by the chapel and we enjoyed a delicious, simple lunch before continuing on. He made a salad of tomatoes, cucumber, green peppers, capers seasoned with oregano and dill, sea salt and olive oil, we had tuna with dill and oregano, some sort of beans in tomato sauce, bread drizzled with olive oil, sea salt and oregano and apples in honey and cinnamon for dessert. He also had a liqueur that tasted like apples with cinnamon. Absolutely lovely picnic lunch! Then we walked down the road, through some intricate paths and then through a little village into the town of Filoti where we were met by taxis to take us back to the hotel.
Once back at the hotel I took it easy, going down to the pool to enjoy the sun and read for awhile. Then we went to dinner at a little seafood restaurant right down at the main harbor area where we looked out at the sea and the yachts anchored in Naxos port. By the time we were finished with dinner (another fabulous Greek salad with local cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, potatoes and more, eggplant broiled with spices, tomatoes and local cheese, saganaki, then shrimp in oyzo sauce, calamari and octopus(I passed on those!) and two kinds of fish -a grilled tuna in butter garlic sauce and a local fish the name of which I can't remember! Dessert was yogurt with figs.) Delicious. After dinner I walked around the harbor area which was absolutely hopping with activity. There are labyrinthine little streets off the main harbor drag that are quaint and tiny and filled with artsy shops, bars, restaurants - sort of a Greek version of Commercial Street in Provincetown only in quaint old Greek village style! And coming back at 10:15 things were just getting going down there - lots of nightlife in Naxos in the summertime! I got a little lost trying to get back to the resort - all those twisty, windy little streets got me turned around but eventually I found myself on streets I recognized and was able to wander back without too much trouble.
Tomorrow we have an easy day. Free time in Naxos till our boat at noon and then a boat ride to Santorini. Once there we have time to wander there before dinner. No hikes tomorrow. I may have to go for a power walk in the morning to work off some of the food I'm consuming!!
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