Dirk, my fellow guide and I, accompanied by our "imbeddded" journalist Dan headed back into town still in search of something snacklike for our sunset hike and really got to wander (albeit quickly for the town pace!)amongst the ante- mykolos streets of the Horio, we met an elderly woman who lived inside the medieval castle walls sitting on her porch tatting(embroidering) her eyes were sparkling and alive and she gladly put down her wellworn thimble, needle and cloth to show us where to come and eat dinner (restaurant opens at 9pm!) and walked with us to the castle gate to say goodbye. The streets were a maze of painted white washed steps and paths (so easy to get lost in) and amazing churches, the oldest being the Birth of Jesus Christ, built in 1592 and the village dominating cathedral with it's domed roof(1874) We wished we had more time to explore this but we were on a mission and were extremely elated to find a bakery open at 6pm and bought some deliciously honey sweetened baklava pastries(of which we 3 had to independently taste test of course!)
We sped back to Aliki to collect "the family" and all 15 of us piled lap sitting intimately into the van for a fun trip to the geological epicenter of Kimolos in search of Skiadi( the big mushroom rock) Rick got to ride these wild roads as the trunk/boot boys Dirk and Dan got jostled around amongst the beverages. Funny how a small open bottle of tequila smell can permeate such a space!! they probably needed it or at least deserved it!
We arrived at the Church of Prophet Ilias(where I had been told to leave the car by the locals) and we hiked further up along the road past grazing donkeys...in search of the yet unexplored by NWP hike to Skiadi. The hike was beautiful, the light gorgeous...the vista of islands off shore stunning...no sign of Skiardi but what a magickal place!! We finally saw our mushroom rock but by now had been hiking 40minutes plus and the glorious golden hour of sunset was fading fast so we climbed on top of the roof of an empty farm house to sip champagne and to toast to Seth his
50th, share baklavas and watch the sun slip into the sea as the full moon rose spectacularly over the highest peak on the island behind us.
What a packed day !and we would still make it to our restaurant after it opened at 9pm for a later than usual meal for us (but traditionally Greek dining hour) I wasn't hungry, nourished by the beauty of Kilmolos (and a little baklava)...but then I hadn't paddled all day and I knew that there wouldn't be too much after dinner lingering tonight for these tired folks... as soon as their heads hit the pillow....ZZZZZZzzzzzz I'm sure...
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