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Athens Diary

If you go to Greece on a holiday, you will surely go to Athens. The other must-do is a cruise to its famous islands...

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Athens Diary
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Chain-stitching the islands

If you go to Greece on a holiday, you will surely go to Athens. The other must-do is a cruise to its famous islands. If you have the time, you can go as far as Crete, mythology-rich Rhodes or spectacular Santorini. But if you can only spare a day while in Athens, then take a cruise to the picture-perfect Saronic Islands, as my wife and I did this summer. Our yacht departed from the port town of Piraeus, which is about 15 kilometres from Athens, at 8:30 am and set course for our first destination, the island of Hydra. We were soon into the Saronic Gulf, which was blue, serene and calm, with the weather clear and the sun bright but not too hot. A cap and sunglasses were nevertheless desirable. The journey to Hydra was about two-and-a-half hours. But it seemed to pass very quickly. We took in the beautiful scenery around us. There was a two-man combo on the upper deck. It was playing and singing popular nostalgic songs, including the evergreen and appropriate Zorba the Greek.

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Hydra harbour is uniquely shaped. It looks like a crescent moon and is distinguished by its grey stone mansions. Many of these date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. They are built on the slope of a hill. Hydra was  popularised by Henry Miller’s book Colossus of Maroussi. It has been a favourite resort of the international jet set since the 1950s. Mick Jagger & the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd have rubbed shoulders with the average tourist here. Ancient cannons surround the port. As you disembark from your boat, the Monastery of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is right on the waterfront. The monastery has a marine museum. Hydra permits no automobiles on the island. But it boasts of a small army of over 500 donkeys that do double duty: they help the locals transport heavy loads and serve as taxis as well! The waterside is full of busy cafes, boutique hotels, and shops selling souvenirs, clothing, silverware and other handicrafts. For better bargains, you might choose to venture inside the narrow and meandering lanes paved with cobblestones.

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Clocktowered Poros

It was time to embark and proceed to the second—and the smallest—of our three islands, the island of Poros. This was a shorter passage, and it took about an hour. Somewhat like Venice, the town of Poros is on a little strip that unites two minor bays. There is a small canal separating it from the rest of the island. In ancient times, Poros was actually two islands, Spheria and Kalavria. The present shape of Poros is the result of the eruption of a volcano in 273 BC. The island has a distinct character. The houses are white and have tiled red roofs. Poros was also the site of the first naval base of modern Greece. The most prominent feature of Poros is a clocktower on a hill, inviting tourists to climb up for a breathtaking panoramic view. Poros is famous for its seafood and yummy gelato. We could have only two gelatos as the time on the island was restricted to 45 minutes.

Pista paradise

We are back on board and heading for our third island, the Aegina, towards Athens; it was time for a sumptuous buffet lunch. We were served a mix of Greek and Continental food with rich desserts. Ouzo could be had on payment. The lunch was accompanied by live music. A sip of coffee and we were at Aegina. Two-thirds of this island is on an extinct volcano. In the old days, it was the seat of a strong naval power. The town now has a neo-classical and modern look. Due to time constraints, we had to choose between driving around the island and going for a swim at one of its famous beaches. We opted for the island trip.

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Immediately next to the harbour is the ancient temple of Apollo. We passed by the house in which Nikos Kazantzakis wrote the iconic novel Zorba the Greek. We had a brief stopover at the majestic Church of Agios Nikolaos, the saint-protector of fishermen and sailors. The island is also home to the temple of Aphaea (also spelt Aphaia). It was built in 480 BC and is the only temple built to this goddess anywhere in the world. The island is most famous for its pistachios. My wife and I had never seen a pistachio tree. Here, we saw them in thousands. They grow in abundance all over the island. The harbourside is lined with shops selling pistachios. We couldn’t resist buying as much as we could for family and friends.

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Dance to a close

It was 7 pm. Time to sail back to Piraeus, a 75-minute ride that we enjoyed. There was a fine song-and-dance session. And full audience participation was ensured. We were literally pulled out of our chairs by the performers, who invitted us us to join in the Greek dances, including, once again, the Zorba. That rounded up the cruise, the high point of our summer tour.

Sailor song

Having been in the navy, for me a cruise meant sailing from one port to another. The voyage was hard work; the fun and recreation was reserved for the ports. On this cruise though, the passage was as much fun as the ports. Must take a longer one soon.

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Delhi-based Ravi Sharma is a retired naval officer and frequent traveller; E-mail your diarist: ravi.akhila [AT] gmail [DOT] com

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