Life Along the Aegean...

When I went to Europe with Jeshua before, I sang in the collected choir. Not this time. It has been a hard year physically for me--knees, finger, flu, hip, and I wasn't sure I could take either the pace of rehearsing or the standing of performing. So when I say "we" went off to rehearsals, I only went along to see where they were going. 😎

The tall, ornate ceilings and chandeliers in the rehearsal hall.

Once I was comfortable with where they were located and where I could be out and about, I left and wandered. I discovered that the rehearsal hall is on the top floor of a series of buildings that border one long edge of the large, marble paved town square which looks out over the harbor port. I had looked at this area on Google maps and could see it pretty well on my laptop. And here I was!

Hermopolis is a town of about 12,000 folks. The real tourist Cyclades destination is Mikonos Island about 25 miles to the east of Syros. It is more resort minded and has droves of visitors. I'm glad we are not there. Syros advertises itself as a small town. Many of the Islands are wedding destinations, but Syros--with Greek Orthodox and Catholics who apparently get along unusually well-- has decided you have to be a family member of a resident to be married here. Receptions, yes, but weddings are not to be taken so lightly. Obviously the town caters to and depends on the tourist trade, but they have succeeded in keeping the small town relaxed feel.

Miaouli Square had the large Cyclades Islands government building as well as the Syros offices. They are all in these ornate buildings....don’t know my architecture well enough to describe them.

Standing at one end looking down toward the other...it's two blocks long.

At the other end of square, I turned left and found myself on the town's market street. Delightful! Fruit and veggies, meat markets with long ropes of local sausages,

Several of the markets had bird cages hanging out above the stalls. Fun to hear them sing as I wandered down the street.

Bakeries, olives, cheeses, baskets. It is a two block stretch of most anything you need....

Including flip flops of every sort...the standard footwear here just like in Thailand.

There are cats all around...they seem to belong to the community rather than to specific people.

At one of the cafes.

And this one joins us every morning for breakfast. They shy away from being touched, but are can be totally bribed with a tidbit.

Breakfast Kitty.

Fortunately for us, there is a nice market about a block or so from us. We buy our water there in large 1.5 liter bottles--6 to a pack for 1,65 euros or about $1.95. There is a small fruit/veggie section inside. There was obviously a process, so I watched to see how it worked. Then, I picked out my fruit, went to the person manning that market section who weighed, priced and labeled my choice. Then I could take it to the check out at the front of the store to pay. There is an elevator at the back and the dry/canned goods are all on the second floor!

My nectarine was 0,22 euros...or about 28 cents US

For dinner that evening we ate along the Harbor Way. The dinner hour here really starts about 9 p.m. Until then, there are people out and about, but everyone comes out from 9 p.m. on...couples, families, groups...Jeshua ordered a grilled feta appetizer...quite yummy. Then I had pork strips which came on a large round soft pita with fries piled on top and tzatziki sauce, which was really good...it had dill in it, which I like in tartar sauce also.

I wonder if they really meant baked. This was feta with a spicy sauce drizzled around it, sliced tomato and a green pepper strip. Very yummy!

There were so many pork chop strips under there that I had to take half of them home--nice to have a cube fridge in the room--and I had them for lunch the next day!

Jeshua's first bite of the grilled cheese. 

Our view from the cafe table.

So when I mentioned coming over on the ferry, I failed to say that these ferries do something I've never experienced before. All the ferries I have been on that carry cars have openings at both ends. You drive on through one and you keep driving forward and drive off through the other. These ferries come into the harbor and make a 180 degree turn...like on a dime--it happens really quickly. Just as they turn they drop anchor. So all the vehicles make a 3 point turn at a spot inside before driving off the ferry--even the semis!

I spent the rest of the evening writing postcards to the grands...got the stamps at the post office the next day and popped them in the mail. 0,80 for each stamp. I don't know what it would cost to mail a postcard out of the US...will have to find out.

I bought my postcards in the plaka in Athens, so mostly Acropolis in nature. They were 0,50 euros ($0.60 cents) here they are 1 euro ($1.20). Glad for the bargain. 😁