Yesterday I did a small hike and ended up at a deserted beach where I spent the day. If I was a nudist, it would’ve been the perfect place to hang out. Which now that I’m thinking about it, I’m surprised I didn’t see any naked guys there. That’s a first!
Today is clear skies so I’m taking a 30 minute high speed ferry to the island of Sifnos for a day visit. I had intended to just relax my last few days in Milos but my feet are itchy for new adventure. When boarding the ferry, I greet the captain with “Geia sas”and after punching my ticket, he proceeds to speak to me in Greek. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” He laughs “It’s ok. I thought you were Greek.” I’ve become a local after only a month!
The high winds make for a less than palatable journey and I swear the ferry caught air a few times. I’m trying to keep an eye on the horizon while at the same time searching for a vomit bag. My stomach is doing somersaults. Passengers are turning green and I hear a couple of people moan. I make eye contact with one of the pursers and he just shrugs. I guess if he’s not concerned, I won’t be. I’ll just concentrate on keeping my breakfast in my stomach. We arrive 40 minutes later and I’ve never been so happy to disembark a boat. I feel for the people that are stuck on it all the way to Athens.
I grab a taxi to the village of Kastro on the opposite side of Sifnos. I tell my plan for the day to my driver, Kostas, and she helpfully suggests a couple of routes I should walk and gives me her my card in case I get stranded. During the tourist season she drives a taxi and in the winter she helps her husband with their small farm. “One more week and no more tourists visiting. This wind is keeping them away.” I tell her I’m ok with the wind when it’s sunny skies as I’ll most likely be going home to months of rain.
Kastro is built on top of a mountain with ancient fortified walls and an endless view of the sea. The Church of the Seven Martyrs sits alone on a piece of rock jutting out into the sea and the wind is intense. I struggle to stay upright as I walk down the hundreds of stone stairs to reach it. Walking the alleys of Kastro it feels like it has already closed for the season. I see two other tourists and a couple of locals but other than them, it’s deserted and the shutters on most of the houses are shut. It’s peaceful to have the village to myself and wander. A couple of cats sidle up to me looking for a pet and then prance away with their tails high in the air.
From Kastro I’m walking to Apollonia which is a couple of kilometres away. I’m following the route suggested by Kostas which consists of flagstone stairs and a dirt path through the mountainside. I follow a stone wall and go through farmland. Goats are bleating and donkeys are braying. Numerous little churches dot the countryside. I come to a little village with a beautiful blue-domed church and an elderly woman sitting with her little dog. This village is deserted as well and then I realize that it’s lunchtime. All the shops are closed and everyone is with their families for the day’s main meal. I hear people chattering inside their homes and the clatter of silverware on plates as I walk past.
I continue on the trail to Apollonia and see yet another beautiful church perched on a small mountain and attempt to find it through the maze of alleys. I get lost and Google is no help. “Hello” comes from somewhere in front of me and then I see a woman pop out of a house. “Geia sas. I’m lost. I’m trying to get to that church and the map told me to go this way, but I can’t find the route.” She laughs and says that Google maps doesn’t recognize private property but she says it’s ok and leads me through her yard and onto a stone path. “Ah, thank you! I didn’t want to walk through people’s yards so thank you very much.” She waves me off and I continue to the church.
I decide to hike up to Agios Andreas (Church of St Andrew) and add more steps to my workout today. The path is switchback after switchback up the mountain and what a view at the top. I can see Apollonia and Kastro in the distance. I try the church door and it’s unlocked. It’s gorgeous inside with ancient paintings on the walls and artwork. I still can’t get over that these churches don’t get vandalized or the artwork stolen. I hear the wind howling around the dome above me and I feel safe in this little sanctuary.
I return to Apollonia on the Firogia trail which winds it’s way through the mountains and past numerous churches. I don’t know why the churches are built in the middle of nowhere but I’m guessing that shepherds and farmers were in the area long ago and needed places of sanctuary and worship. Kosta had mentioned to me this morning that Sifnos has more than 350 churches.
The trail is well-marked and I find my way back to Apollonia. I’ve been on my feet for eight hours now and I’m dead tired. I decide not to walk the 7km back to Kamares where the port is located and think I may call Kosta for a ride. As I’m coming to this decision, I receive a text from the ferry company and am advised that due to the high winds my ferry is delayed an hour. Shit. I kind of expected it after this morning’s fun ride but I’m worn out. I was hoping to get back to Milos ASAP. I find a tourist information centre and the gentleman there is super helpful with a bus schedule back to Kamares and a spot to watch sunset.
I go to a bakery and snack on my usual spinach pie followed with an apple turnover. While there I meet a young girl from Athens. “Are you a photographer?” I’m puzzled by the question as my camera isn’t in view and I tell her it’s just a hobby. “I saw you earlier in Kastro and you had a big camera. I’m also a photographer.” We chitchat while waiting for the bus and she is a law student in Athens but is visiting Sifnos for the week. She introduces herself as Dimata (most likely wrong spelling) and tells me I have a wonderful smile. “Thank you!” She wants to be a diplomat and travel the world. She’s been studying for twelve years but luckily university is free in Greece. I share some travel stories and she suggests some local cuisine I must try. We continue our conversation on the short bus ride and she promises to email me some of her photos. We say our goodbyes and I go in search of the sunset.
I get an update from the ferry company and the ferry is now 1.5 hours late. It’s getting cold with the wind and I stupidly didn’t bring pants or a scarf. I thought I would be back at the hotel before it got too late, so didn’t come prepared. I don’t feel like sitting in a restaurant so I go to the dock to wait and meet two men from Portland, Jeff and Michael. They’re very chatty and are well-travelled so we have lots to talk about. The ferry is now two hours late so I’m grateful to have their company.
I’m concerned the return ferry trip is going to be just as heinous as the ride over and now that it’s dark I have no horizon to watch. This could get ugly. Finally the ferry arrives and the skipper has two goes at trying to dock the boat. Is he a new driver? What is he doing? The first try he comes in hot, misses the turn and douses the entire dock and dock workers with a wave of water. His second try he has realized he needs to take it slow and come in from a different angle and has success. We all look at each other with our confidence a bit shaken. The crew is yelling at us to get on the boat as the plank is swaying drunkenly and we grit our teeth and make a run for it.
The first thing I look for upon embarking is a sick bag as I want to be prepared for the worst. The few people already on the ferry aren’t looking so hot and a little green around the gills. Fortunately we have smooth sailing and we arrive in Milos without incident. “Whew! That wasn’t so bad! Thank God!” We disembark and I say my goodbyes to Michael and Jeff. I’m so exhausted I want to take a taxi back to my hotel but she wants to charge me the exorbitant rate of ten euro for a five minute drive and I decide I’ll hoof it up the hill.
It’s been an extremely long day but I’m so happy I went to Sifnos. It was well worth the trek and although I’m exhausted, I go to bed with a smile on my face. Tomorrow is for relaxing…
