Autumn in Sweden and winter on Naxos

It's not just off season now, it's also winter. At least if you're to interpret the Greeks' clothing choices. It seems like everyone put away their summer clothes on November 1st, without caring about the actual weather. Most of them are really muffled up. This morning when Camilla went to the baker wearing a tank top, skirt and flip-flops, she met two Greek women dressed in jeans, winter jackets (with fur collars!) and boots. If it's winter, that's it, seems to be the motto. The fact that it's over 20 degrees doesn't matter.

After breakfast we drove to visit Vaggelis and Effie in Agios Prokopios. The hotel was of course closed for the season and some renovation was going on. Vaggelis was going to lay new tiles around the pool, among other things

Then we drove to Stamatis Horse Riding in Agia Anna. Horseback riding was on today's schedule. Even for me. Although unwillingly. (Camilla has tricked me once before. On the island of Aspö outside Karlskrona in Sweden. After that ride, I decided to never get on a horse again.) I was lucky, Camilla was unlucky, Stamatis Horse Riding was closed. But if I know Camilla right - and I do - she hasn't given up. We ARE going to ride horses along the deserted beaches of Naxos. That's just the way it is.

Stamatis Horse Riding in Agia Anna was closed for the day. Thankfully.

I personally prefer the shanks's pony. These shanks's pony came in handy when we walked for an hour along the shore of Plaka beach before lunch. Unlike a few days ago, we were not alone, we saw five people on the beach. We walked barefoot along the beach, partly because it is a wonderful feeling to walk barefoot along a sandy beach, and partly because we don't want to use our new Teva sandals unnecessarily. :-)

An hour of barefoot walking along Plaka beach is good for the soul.

An abandoned wild camping tent was still on the beach

We had lunch once again at Fotis Taverna in Agios Prokopios. We had calamari. Fresh calamari! It's not often you get to eat fresh calamari. During the summer months, it is usually kalimari that has been frozen that is served. The difference between fresh and frozen calamari is enormous. It's important to be in the right place at the right time. Like all the other days we have had lunch at Fotis, we were alone. Wonder how long he can stay open?

We had lunch, as usual, at Fotis Taverna above the beach in Agios Prokopios.

Fresh calamari! Yummy!

We went out a little earlier this evening. We were going with some friends to have dinner in Melanes later in the evening. As we walked past Grotta beach, on our way to our ouzeria to have our evening ouzo, the weather showed its most unsettling side

Grotta beach and the Portara in Naxos Town.

When the ouzo was enjoyed, we went for a walk around the port as usual. Now there were more calamari fishermen, but the catch was still modest. Most of them go home empty-handed. A few are lucky and manage to catch one or two. Those with access to a boat get even more. Lanterns from a number of small fishing boats shine from the otherwise pitch-black sea.

More and more calamari fishermen are standing in the port, waiting for the calamari to start biting

As I said, we were going to Melanes and have dinner with some of our Greek friends from Naxos. Melanes is about seven kilometres outside of Naxos Town, and there is one of Naxos' best restaurants: O'Georgios. We have eaten there before and were really looking forward to a visit. Guess what we were surprised when we arrived, the whole taverna was booked!

We all went back to Naxos Town and went to Metaxi Mas. Again. What did we eat there? Grilled fresh calamari of course! One of our friends told me that for a few years in the sixties he had worked as a butcher where Metaxi Mas is now located. In the same premises. Back then there were six small slaughterhouses in the narrow little alley. At that time - before tourism took over - the alleys were teeming with life. And poverty. More about that another time.

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