Here we are living through our last week in this gift we have savored each and every day.
The weather with the start of the month reminded us that after all it is November, yet by noon the sun took over and cleared the atmosphere as if it just could not accept the clouds and the cool air yet!
We have taken more walks and more rides around the island trying to take it all in.
Somehow the familiarity of the little things have become so special to us, the way the light shines on the fishing boat differently each day, how the flag blows by the sea breeze certain mornings.
We anxiously look around in the event we might have missed another special place, sure enough, we notice a tiny little church up on the top of one of the large rocks on the hill near where we live, we missed it before, at one point I thought it was just a small little building, this time we paid more attention with the camera zoom.
One finds little churches in the most remote and highest spots on the land, built and dedicated to a patron Saint, in the name of a loved one.
As we pass by familiar people in town we talk about next year and how lucky we have been with this perfect October.
No matter how hard life is for the local people and how the very near future is still looking so hard
for their families and their businesses, their smile inviting us back for next year never ends. A great number of the inhabitant's livelihood depends on the few months that Tourism starts with the arrival of the sailing boat traffic as well as the summer vacationers that mostly flood the island during August, as most of Europe vacations a that time. Making the late fall through the early spring months very long and hard.
Inevitably the harsh economy has shrank the season and income more than ever this year.
A great number of people have second and third jobs to make ends meet during the off season.
We decided to reverse our road trip around the island on our bike, some how it was a great idea, we discovered more than before and saw the vistas at a different angle it was so much fun.
Once we reach the higher altitude the pine forrest get thicker, it is so marvelous, one feels as if they are receiving the embrace of the soft pines and a warm scent surrounds us.
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Bellow we see the fisherries that are growing everyday in Greece and it has become a very important part of the economy and Greece is the leading provider of farm raised fish in Europe and plays a great role in the world wide seafood market. |
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On previous rides we had not taken a picture of the bay bellow that has a very obvious heart shape, it is very remote and has a couple of beaches that are so secluded one would think it is their own.
As we were parked to take a picture the pretty substantial yacht pictured below on route back to Athens detoured there
to most likely swim in the beautiful crystal clear waters of the bays.
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We went back home and enjoyed some quiet time during the last few days of this so special stay.
While a lone windsurfer was taking a few more rides on the autumn sea on the bay bellow us.
What a perfect sight once more, we have been blessed with the perfect sunrise as the sun is continuing it's trip West.
The wind started to change playing games on the surface of the calm sea.
The monastery was receiving the warm sunlight and appeared from the early morning shadows.
That night, I met with a few ladies and spent some time enjoying each other's company sharing stories while Ron was watching a very important soccer game between a Greek team and a Portuguese team that
are competing for a World cup spot.
Something that everyone was watching, each cafe, bar and home in the country.
In this case a wide screen TV was on for everyone to see with their friends over a drink at this bar located by the sea and dock. Thankfully the results were great as the Greek team won 1-0,
a very tough game indeed.
This morning, as we have been expecting, the front from the East that started hitting hard the UK and the Netherlands came upon us.
Even though we still had around 70F, the heavy clouds rolling thunder and lightening were a wake up call. Time to start our packing...
We started breakfast but not before we faced this at the window next to our front door!!!
One of our neighbor's cats was avoiding the rain under the eaves of our porch.
Looking at us wondering if she was invited at our breakfast table!!!
She was adorable,mind you neither of us are cat people, yet we have started enjoying her morning visits
at our terrace.
After the storm quieted down, we went to the port town and had a coffee and cheese pie
at one of our favorite coffee shops and worked on our blog.
The streets were quiet, the sun and the heavy clouds were playing games,
one minute pouring rain and the other the sun could appear, marvelous moments of Nature's play.
And then the piece de resistance, another of nature's wonder.
I could not get enough of the two extremes .
Hope one would agree, nothing like what the rain can do to nature just after it ends.
