My mother always babbles on about her summer holidays to the Greek islands. ‘It’s the best place to be in the summer girls!’ she always says in a manipulating way (a character trait I clearly inherited from her.) It’s only pretty recently that I realised that she was right. Listening to her describe her holidays year after year was tiring until I started to get a taste for myself a couple of years ago.
I always preferred other destinations because they sounded more appealing and more in line with my new take on things and also because I probably felt Greece could be done anytime and it is only ‘up the road’. In all likelihood I didn’t think it would be much of a holiday due to the fact that I was going with three children one of which was a toddler. Funny how you always lack faith in things that are ‘close to home’ or there for the taking. Well I was completely wrong, wasn’t I? It really is the best place to be in the summer. For me I can truly say that the natural beauties all over the world are encapsulated in Greece. From the laid back Greek attitude to the amazing Greek salads and souvlaki to the crystal clear waters and spectacular views. Whether the Ionian, the Aegean, the Cyclades, the Agro Saronic Gulf or the Sporades, each and every island is paradise on earth. I think for me it’s the combination of sea, sun, food and culture that make it so much more appealing than the Caribbean.
This year, apart from going with hubby to the infamous Mykonos, which we refer to as ‘THE’ island, for obvious reasons, we also went to the Saronic Gulf with our family and family friends. Upon arriving at Poros I sensed an air of class and sophistication. Beautiful Poros was our base and from there we went on a day trip to Hydra. Hydra, well what can I say about this breath taking place where time has stopped still? It was as if I had entered a time machine and was transported back to a time in history where there were no cars, polluting the air and where people were used to doing as much as they could on foot. Donkeys would help out if transport were needed. A man pushing along an ACS wheel barrow really made an impact on me as soon as we arrived. I found myself completely taken aback at how the islanders still found a way to deliver an important parcel on time in a completely old fashioned way. Whilst on the island my friend and I went on a mini tour around the town each of us sitting on a donkey. We felt we had entered a Finos film setting and that we were starring in an Aliki Vougouklaki romantic comedy. With our large straw hats sitting astride on our very unhappy looking donkeys, Panayiotis and Arabis we looked quite the part.
The last four days of our trip saw us part ways as a family. My husband and my two sons came back home after nearly two weeks of vacationing whilst my daughter and I continued island hopping to find my friend Sara, on ‘her’ as she claims it to be, island of Angistri. I felt like I had travelled back to a time where life was simple and easy and the days were lazy, long and blissful, back to a time where coffee time was coffee time, not express coffee time. The only thing express in Angistri is the Angistri express (a water taxi) which took us from Angistri to Aegina in 10 minutes. This express water taxi service allowed us to pick up fresh fruit and vegetables from the Aegina markets, go to the monastery, have a continental breakfast and wonder in and out of the mesmerising shops. It was a really different experience for both me and my daughter.
Poros and Angistri are forever green, partly beach, partly dense forest and this is what made it really intoxicating, I lived and breathed in every minute. Lying on the beach soaking up the sun, eating fabulous food, drinking cocktails and going for long walks during the day and night was simply enough to re charge our batteries and help us create unforgettable memories. The cobbled narrow streets of these islands, the beauty of the buildings and the idyllic marinas along with all the sailing boats and yachts at bay, evoke an air of aristocracy.
The shops on these islands are to die for (my friends would definitely comment here!) Small boutiques with character and flair selling island inspired jewellery and white linen clothes just add to the experience. Dressing appropriately is necessary to say the least. Light coloured tunics, long or short flowy kaftans, knitted crochet sleeveless dresses, oversized straw hats and leather sandals is the laid back island look one must go for.
Good things have to come to an end as we all know and my summer hols were over all too soon. So with my suitcases packed to the brim, my daughter and I headed to Cy – it was back to reality once again, back to routine, back to husband, back to sons and back to our home. Ok ok! Until our next escape.
