Samos was great! The airport is to the south of the main town, also Samos, which is on the northern edge. It has had a chequered history being a Greek island just 1 km from the Turkish coastline, hence the odd few tense times over the years. After a visit to the Monastery of the Holy Cross (19th Century, so different architecture) and the museum in Samos, we explored the foreshore which is wall-to-wall restaurants and cafes catering for the tourist, who are the main source of income for Samos.
Highlights of the day? Well, of course one would have to be Tony Watts’ birthday! I managed to hear from another source back in Aus (he’d told nobody) so the usual chorus, suitably out of tune, was sung in the airport lounge, then again at dinner in the evening. Happy birthday Tony!
Happy Birthday Tony Watts!
Another highlight would have to be the chance to pay homage to Samos’ favourite son, Pythagoras. He was born in Samos and has a monument erected on the foreshore in his honour. Indeed a magic moment for the Maths teachers on board as well as the pretenders. The area or town or suburb is called Pythagorio (I think).
Pythagoras' Monument - Samos
The lunch on the foreshore was superb. Some traditional Greek tucker and local wine, plus some Mythos, a superbly crafted Greek therapeutic drink, which has developed a cult following, probably due to the delicate balance of hops, malt and a few other secret ingredients.
The foreshore at Samos.
On the ferry at present, headed for Patmos. Quite a large ferry with plenty of seating, more in the style of a small Bass Strait ferry and much bigger than any plying Sydney Harbour. We put into some small islands on the way with one of them, Agathonisi, only a stone’s throw from Turkey, hence a Greek warship also present in the harbour.
A short stop in Agathonisi
Also stopped at Arki island for one passenger. A delightful manouevre as they backed up to the wharf, dropped the ‘roll-on roll-off’ tray for the passenger and then pulled away without any attempt at tying up at the wharf. Great seamanship!
The night-time arrival in Patmos marks this as a postcard spot in the Greek Islands. Almost unreal as we stroll down to our hotel past the myriad of restaurants with the church on the hill, yet to be explored, over looking the harbour. Cobblestone roads, the whine of little chaff-cutter scooters zipping past interrupted occasionally by the throaty roar of a Harley or more serious bike. The crash helmet makers would suffer in this region – hardly one in sight. A wonderfully relaxed lifestyle, seemingly, but they pay a terrible price in road fatalities according to the tour guide. Ahh c’est la vie!!
Dinner after Mass was largely uneventful, given the restaurateur’s readiness to play ‘Zorba’ music, but his reluctance to instruct us in the finer art of dance.
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