Syros

Have we found island paradise? I'm not sure, we certainly rank it
right up there with the best and it really complicates matters now
when thinking of future island trips. Syros is somewhere we simply
MUST come back to.
Ermoupoli is a gorgeous city, mainland in size but island in feel.
It's town hall is the largest in all of Greece with a huge square in
front of it surrounded on three sides by bars, cafes and restaurants.
In the evening it fills with families and children play happily while
their parents look on. The surrounding buildings are as handsome as
they come, some pristine, some shabby, but all gorgeous. Those
opposite the town hall are arcaded and we've eaten breakfast in one of
them each day.
Beyond the city are a variety of beach resort villages. Ignored or
disparaged by our guide book, we love them. They have everything we
want, namely lovely bays, beautiful warm, clear sea, beach tavernas
with tables almost in the sea and a relaxed, quiet atmosphere that is
perfect for holidaying. The place we went to today, Galisas, had a
beach at the back, a lido down one side and a whole array of cafes. We
swam in its safe, enclosed, warm shallow waters until we were almost
prunes, then dried off naturally on the sun before hitting the cafes
for crepes, "toast" and Bailey's frappes. Heaven.
Where to eat tonight is a difficult choice. Literally dozens of places
line the waterfront while what seems like hundreds fill the streets
and squares behind. We had a perfect pizza last night at The Tasty
Pizza, an English named establishment where not a word of English was
spoken and we had to point at what we wanted on the menu. That's been
quite common here. We watched Greece crash out of the world cup there
and later in the main square amongst an atmosphere that didn't once
border on rowdy.
The harbour is a constant source of fascination with its constant
ferry movements, made all the more interesting by the fact that
several ferries are based here, including by big favourite the Aeolis
Kentetis II. These ferries circle the islands without ever going back
to Piraeus and give us further options for future holidays.
Tonight's our last night, replacing a night in Athens thanks to the
one day ferry strike. Are we disappointed to have missed out on
Athens? Not a bit -we gained an extra day on Syros!
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