Chapter Naxos

Greece is a part of the EU (which made travelling through multiple countries easy — no passport controls at each landing). I think many people believe the experience of Greece will feel more like Mediterranean France. Knowing about the 2007-2008 economic crisis and Germany’s disdain towards the EU “bailout”, I knew Greece would be different. Greece has been ruled by Venice (12th - 15th century), and the Ottoman Empire from approximately the 15th century until the Greek War of Independence in the 19th century. I found Greece to be an odd amalgam of Orthodox Christians with a Turkish mindset. Chock full of deep history, pride, desert survivalism, and independent opportunism.

Like our other days of travel, we arrived on Naxos by ferry mid-day. A driver picked us up and took us to our hotel. The Argo Boutique Hotel is okay, but not great. (There were a lot of problems with getting coffee.) I would probably look to stay at a different hotel, but few are open in late October. We were in good proximity to walk to the looming Venetian citadel and along the swimming strand from the port. As of October 20th, at least half of Naxos Town is closed for the season.
We found crepes at Choclat for a late lunch. (The crepes in Greece are worth the calories.) Then explored and rested. The beach looks west, and many view the sunset from an ancient Greek ruin site: Apollo's Gateway. We chose a warmer restaurant to watch the sun lower into the ocean. The view; divine. The restaurant; not worth mentioning. The sunset tasted better than the tourist food.

At the port is the Temple of Apollo. A portara (gateway) that overlooks the harbor. To get to it requires a walk over a wet, windswept, wavy jetty. With my current aversion to the motion of the ocean, we opted out. There are other ancient relics on the island of Naxos we wanted to visit, but our tour did not include these. We could have hired another tour, but we filled our time resting and exploring the port.
The next day, the same driver picked us up. Our first stop on our private tour of the island with our amiable young driver was a pottery shop: Pottery Limpertas Manolis. Four generations of artisans have made Pythagorean wine vessels and cups at this unassuming homestead. The design uses siphoning to pour and measure fluids (also the principles for our laundry machines). The clay of Naxos is red and without metals (microwave safe). Interestingly, they used the red clay of Naxos as mortar between the bricks, so this color bled through the white limestone-based paint; this created pink hues on the traditional white buildings. So, today, this island allows light pink houses along with the white and natural brown.

The island of Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades and has a greater history of the Venetian era. Venice had an overseas possession of the islands, peaking around the 14/15th century. The Venetians built many fortresses to protect their resources from the Turk/Ottoman pirates. In modern times, to be considered a city on the island, it must have a Venetian castle. There are thirty-three cities (otherwise, I guess, they are shepherd villages). These square stone buildings have small battlements surrounding the exterior walls. Approximately two feet of square brick blocks rise from the balconied roofs in regiment fashion. The square footage of these minors castle are not expansive but often sit on a high promontory. They built these with brown clay bricks. If you own a home near the castle, you can also paint your house a brown stucco.

Today, most castles are privately owned. Originally, the Venetians gave the castles to the bravest soldiers or most useful slaves; who fought/worked valiantly against the pirates. They often stored gold, silver, salted meats, grains and wines for their robust maritime trade network.

The largest castle on the island is the citadel overlooking the port at Naxos Town, the Fortress of Sanudo. They built this castle with a keep (small city inside) on a butte using ancient Greek marble stones from the original acropolis. (The Venetians pirated from the ancient Greeks) The curtain walls are an eclectic collection of brick passages, limestone walls, and pigeon-dropping doorways. Within is a museum, cathedral, and shops — all (mostly) closed for the season.
Naxos has the best beaches of all the Cyclades (so we were told), and they are lovely. In the high season, I would skip Mykonos and Santorini, and look to stay at the Golden Beach. We went from the soft gold sand beaches to the mountain towns where the true artisans live and work. Across the island, there are tiny villages of 900+ people living in characteristic white buildings, and labyrinth alleys, but many have closed up shop and gone to the mainland for winter. Also, windmills flower the windswept crests, and mountain peaks often have a church and pilgrimage walking trails.

After the pottery demonstration, we arrived in the city of Chalkio and visited the Vallindras Kitron distillery. Here, they make a 60 proof citronella liqueur. We also tried orzo, which I told our guide: no, thank you. And he said: yes! You cannot really visit Greece without trying Orzo. I have had it before, but my daughter had not. Being a good mom, I wanted to show her grace and immersion in foreign lands. I took the tiniest of sips. They make Orzo from the anise star, and it tastes like black licorice (which is revolting, bleh!). I tried not to pull my face in disgust, but a shiver rolled up my spine, and our driver understandably laughed. I swished my mouth with water, sucked a mint, and gave a smile.
Travel tip: water is NOT potable across the islands, it’s easy to order a large bottle at your restaurant and take with, that is, if you don’t want to navigate a grocery store.

Our driver said that he likes the Americans best because we are quick to smile. The Europeans are always so straight-faced and not fun.
After the distillery, he took us to an olive oil maker, the Ergostasio Olive Mill. This family-owned facility has been making olive oil since the 19th century. At first, olive oil was all manual labor. Unlike grapes, feet and body-weight do not work to break down the olives. The makers roll large mortar stones in a vat by pushing long planks (4 inch tree trunks). Three strong men to each side, said our mill tour guide, a nice young lady. Later, in the early 1900s, the family bought a diesel generator — this brought electricity to the town, as well. They became the first electric utility provider on the island.

The city’s main commerce was olive oil, then combined this with the utility company and many a mamá wanted an arranged marriage with this family. Then she, our olive-oil tour guide, (great-great-granddaughter) showed us the press and water/oil separator, etc. I learned more about olives than I knew I needed, but I now know the difference between extra virgin and virgin, etc. Basically, the more virgin it is, the less acidic. (Oh my!) Because of the low acidity, you can also use extra virgin for three rounds of frying. Who knew?

We tried sweet olives (which I have never had — it’s like candy) and several infusions. It’s a good thing I have YKK zippers on my suitcase (although shipping is always an option.) I’m actually quite proud of myself and didn’t buy a clay bowl. I bought a can of crushed olive salts to sprinkle on my pizza, but my house is already overflowing, and I’m at a point where I need to collect memories and get rid of things. (Hence, the blog. Although, what’s another Christmas ornament?) My daughter got a miniature set of the Pythagorean wine pots.

The regular tour did not include the actual highlight of our day. Our charming guide, who flirted with all the other young female tour guides and great-great-granddaughters, took us to the oldest olive tree in the world. Ring counting dates this tree between 5- and 6-thousand-years-old (to give you an idea, the Giant Sequoias are approximately 3000-years-old).
On both Paros and Naxos, our guides have shown us their ancient trees. The trunk of olive trees grows large in circumference, but eventually grow holes through the trunks in a basket-weave pattern. When they hit over 600 years, the center dies away but the roots grow more trunks and limbs, spreading in an ever-widening circle. This tree could fit thirty people in the center, and it still produces olives. It is on private property. The owners, tired of tour groups taking from this giving tree (leaves and olives), closed it off and forced the information off the travel sites. (I don’t blame them.) It has since rebounded.

Anyway, our tour guide is very local: one grandfather from the mountains, and one from the beaches. He loves to hike and decided we were worthy enough to see the tree. We walked down a path filled with tiny lizards and goat droppings, along a natural spring, through a wired gate, and over a stacked wall. He told us it’s okay to take an olive or a leaf, as now there is plenty.
So, with a quiet breath, I thanked the spirit of the tree and Mother Nature. I can’t explain the goodness I felt under this ancient olive tree. Growing on this planet before Jesus, surviving wars and invasions, and twice as much older than the nearby eruption on Santorini. It pays to give away your smiles. (And I am not telling you where it is.)

Our charming tour guide educated us more about the white houses. White limestone paint reflects the heat of the sun on the houses. The limestone also keeps the bricks from growing molds. They also use limestone as an antifungal around the base of the trees. The stucco, as I understand, is mixed with limestone — which is plentiful throughout the islands.
From there, he drove us to the apron wall of the Naxos Town Sanudo and suggested we take the elevator. This took skyrocketed us to the top (eight flights). It lands at a balconied rooftop restaurant bar, Avaton 1739, but the elevator is public. You don’t have to dine, you can just look. We were actually quite hungry, so we ordered food and drinks, and enjoyed the alluring views of the island. Then we walked through the half-closed shops of the keep, to the port, past the strand, to our hotel.

Later, we had a light dinner and sunset at the Ippokampus, with food and good wine to match our pink sunset.
In the morning, our charming friend picked us for the ferry. He suggested we had time for a coffee. We chose a cafe between the port and the Portara of Apollo. It actually was the best latte I have had all trip. We also ordered a gyro. It came with fries on top! So good. Both Paros and Naxos are known for their potatoes (potatas), so it was a pleasant conclusion to the agrarian islands before we embark on our next controlled chaos boat ride to the rich life of Santorini.



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