The trip early in the morning to this island wasn’t easy. We woke up very early, quietly gathered our things and then walked to the train station. We were so efficient that we arrived earlier than anticipated and got on a train that was even before I had hoped, which gave us plenty of time to find and catch our fast ferry to Naxos.
The ferry ride was rough. There were moments when the waves came up the sides of the boat in a demonstration of why the windows did not open at all. I had opted for the fast ferry, thinking that quicker was better when it came to body discomfort, but I’m no longer quite as certain about that as I might have been previously. Luckily, I had taken one of those motion sickness pills the MD gave me and I made it through relatively unscathed. Not everyone on board seemed to have the same prescription of anti nausea medicine as I did, though, and there was some suffering to be seen, unfortunately. The sea sickness bags were readily available, distributed with kindness and disposed of without judgment.
The wind when we landed was fierce. There were moments when I did not think I could possibly beat the wind in the fight for access to the hill just outside of town where I had booked our accommodations. Somehow, with the ocean spray christening us in welcome, we made it to our studio to find that, again, we had selected another great location. Our home for the next few days was perfectly situated and comfortable – and complete with a rooftop deck.
While my son slept off his ride here, I wandered through the old city and its labyrinth of narrow, pedestrian-only streets. There was no getting lost because I had no specific destination in mind and the sounds of the sea kept me oriented.
After a couple of hours, and one of the best salads I’ve ever had, I went back to collect Griffin. Together we returned to the port area before, seeking shade, we headed back into the maze of ancient streets dotted with cafes and shops. We stopped for coffee and played some backgammon, in no rush to do anything with the only goal for the day being to catch the sunset from the roof. Goal met, it was time for dinner. I think I’m going to like it here.
DelSo 