Paros

The final island on this walking tour of Greece was Paros.  We stayed at lovely hotel called Argo directly across from the beach in Parikia.  An old Turkish castle was nestled into this old town amongst shops, homes, stunning flowers, and friendly Greeks.

Our walk on Paros started in Lefkus and took us through three villages across the island of Paros.  A consistent breeze throughout the day made today's trek more bearable.  Come the evening, dinner and much wine was had with a lovely, interesting group of folks exploring the world alongside me.

Santorini

Santorini lies along the rim of a dormant volcano.  It is the most popular island of Greece.  Even celebrities like to make their appearances here.  A dark island set off from the mainland where people stay is the volcano top.  Beautiful beyond words.  Crisp, turquoise waters lie next to a true island paradise.  Many many tourists stroll through Fira, the capital city.  Jewelry shops, clothing shops, restaurants, bars, the list goes on.  Through the scorching sun, today included a five hour walk across the island from Fira to Oia, where a refreshing Mythos beer was had.

The following morning we ventured to Akrotiri, an ancient archeological site from 1700 BC.  Very advanced society and to imagine that artifacts are still in tact from that long ago is beyond amazing.  As an aside, we wandered to the well-known Red Beach and stopped for some beer on the way back to the bus.  The day ended with a ferry ride to the next island, Paros.  The few of Santorini from the ferry is breathtaking.  Beautiful!

I'm a horse of a different color right now, and loving every single minute of this sweet, sweet life I lead.

Naxos

Hop on the ferry and five hours later.....built by the Venetians when working to reconquer Turkey, Naxos is a dream.  Famous for potatoes, it has a very Italian-feel, though don't dare say that their Kitron, which they produce in a distillery from 1897, is just like Limoncello!  A gateway honoring Apollo stands at one end of the island, a portion of a temple that went unfinished.  A five-hour walk across Naxos led us through miles of stone walls amidst rocky terrain and gorgeous views.  Several ancient toppled statues were stumbled upon while the blazing sun singed my winter-worn flesh.   The shoreline is simply gorgeous with Greece's well-known white, stone homes sprinkling the island.  Every Easter the homes are painted white as a cleansing and sort of rebirth with the arrival of Spring.  Some Moussaka for dinner and a lovely two-day visit to Naxos was finished.  On to Santorini!