Breaks and Strikes and plan B’s

It never pays to think you have outsmarted fate.  A strike by dock workers was scheduled for 48 hours from Monday 6 AM to Wednesday 6 AM.  I had all of our reservations set for Santorini made back in August for Wednesday and it was going to work perfectly.  Hah!  They extended the strike another 48 hours until Friday at 6 AM, stranding our plans as well as the plans of thousands of others.  All of a sudden we had a stay-cation in Paros.  This is the windmill overlooking the harbor which was one morning’s expedition – or excuse to have tea and pastries somewhere outside my apartment.

Then we took a day trip by bus to the mountain town of Lefkes.  This looks like a lovely flat Byzantine Road – what you don’t see is the precipitous climb down to it (couldn’t take a picture I was more concerned about my footing) as well as the up and down motion once the road was manifest.  But hike it we did for an hour in each direction – with a lovely view of the Aegean and the island of Naxos in the distance. 

To reward ourselves we stopped briefly at the square right below this stairway and had a fabulous piece of homemade baklava and bottle of water.  I’m sworn off baklava now because I have eaten the best – and the little old lady who sold it to us was so proud of herself for making it – precious memory.

We also visiting the Paros Archeological Museum, Naoussa (which was so windy the port was overflowing and we couldn’t walk around it), and traversed Paros several times in search of restaurants.  Everything has closed down for the winter season all over the islands.  It is lovely having the place to ourselves, but the amenities are getting pretty slim.

Yes, we changed our reservations for the hotel and got new plane flights when the strike was finally over on Friday morning.  When the ferry arrived from Athens we were amazed at the number of trucks, people, and hubbub – the normal 15 minute turn around time was almost 45 minutes as supplies were unloaded and reloaded.  The day was gorgeous and the 4 hour ride was delightful – it didn’t hurt that the little cafe on board had the best chocolate dessert I have had in Greece.  This is the view from our balcony at the hotel.

In our short time we managed to see the Museum of Prehistory with the frescos from Akrotiri, Akrotiri itself, climbed the mountain to Ancient Thera, walked a portion of the path from Oia to Fira, and then walked to the very end of Oia.  A great meal at a Taverna recommended by the driver and the hotel staff – no Americans only Greeks, so it was definitely off the beaten track – the taxi couldn’t even get us there, just let us off at the back of a parking lot and told us to walk down to the end of a street we couldn’t even see.  The feta baked in filo drizzled with honey was unbelievable.  Can you tell that eating was a priority over break? 

As you can tell from the picture, the break was wonderful despite strikes and multiple plan B’s.  Now I am down to 5 weeks before I come home.  Much time will be spent in the studio and the digilab as we prepare for the final exhibition and then end of our term.  There is a different feel as the seemingly forever semester becomes ever shorter.  I have to run now to a one-on-one meeting with my photo instructor.  Ponderings will come in a day or so.  All the best from Paros!