Recharging in Paros

The whole time I was exploring Athens and Crete at an adventurer's pace, I was secretly looking forward to my time in Paros, which I planned as a relaxing beach getaway. A 3-day "vacation-within-a-vacation." Though once I arrived, I had to fight my instinct to plan day trips around the island. Paros is small (especially compared to Crete) but there were still some interesting towns, beaches, and hikes that were outside of my immediate range. Seeing a bit of rain the forecast was a good nudge, reminding me not to be overly ambitious and to just enjoy!

The ferry from Heraklion to Parikia was a different experience than my overnight cruise. Paros was just one stop along the route. I had to go down to the cargo bay a few minutes before arriving. As the ship spun itself around and backed up to the pier, a blaring siren filled the air. The ramp slowly lowered, revealing the town. Then the tourists stormed onto the pier, charging into a sea of taxi drivers holding signs. It was quite the deployment!

I treated myself to a private apartment, after around 20 nights of sleeping in a hostel dorm. It was so nice! I could fill the fridge with breakfast goods, adjust the temperature to the perfect level, fall sleep without a cacophony of snoring, and wake up without the sound of crinkling bags. Though I definitely had the chance to decompress, the narrow roads were dangerous for pedestrians so I had to keep my guard up when walking around town.

My first evening, I started with a large meal at an ouzeria. Curiosity got the best of me, and I ordered the stingray salad despite my love of stingrays (other restaurants translated it as "skate" salad). It was a tender light meat, served with green onion, fennel, and parsley for a wonderful dish. I also had some stuffed grape leaves, grilled octopus, and my first ouzo of the trip. It reminded me of absinthe, due to the anise flavor and hazy color. But I don't usually like drinking absinthe with food, nor do I see absinthe on many menus, so the popularity of ouzo in Greece was a bit surprising to me. The meal ended with an impressive baklava and ice cream. The portion was enormous but I managed to find room for it.

From there I walked along the beach, stopping to pet cats and watch a fisherman cast his line into the sea. The horizon was obscured by the clouds but the sunset colors were pretty. As it got dark, I picked up some groceries and headed back. Since I like sampling local fruit, I bought some cactus fruit to try. It was disappointing - more seeds than actual fruit. Also, tiny cactus spines got stuck in my hand and were there for several days. 0/10 do not recommend.

The next morning I lounged at the beach, reading on my Kindle between trips into the water. The water was wonderful, shallow with smooth sand and gentle waves. Farther out it transitioned into clusters of seaweed, which I realized explained the different shades of blue when viewed from above. Small fish wandered around my ankles, and only a handful of people were also there. Later in the day, the sun broke through the clouds, and I ended up a little pink, though I suppose that's one hallmark of a successful beach day. The rest of the day, I retreated to the comfort of the AC, sampled a few Greek beers, and emerged only to watch the sunset and pick up a cheap souvlaki.

After a good night's sleep, I hiked up the mountain for views looking down at Parikia Bay, and even to the far side of the island. It was an overcast day, but I still broke a tremendous sweat going uphill. There was a monastery at the top, which was a nice place to sit and take in the scenery.

The town of Parikia was very charming. I spent the rest of the afternoon meandering through the pretty streets, with their white lattice of dark cobblestones and twisting paths. I had a no-frills lunch at a local hole in the wall cafeteria, with cheap but excellent eggplant casserole and roasted veggies. Later I stopped for coffee in front of a particularly beautiful alley with an arch of pink flowers. I worked up an appetite browsing through souvenir shops, and had some chocolate covered Greek donuts, a bit like fresh donut holes.

I followed the advice of a local sign board - "Sunset and cocktails, the best plan." I picked a table by the beach and ordered a glass of mastiha, a liqueur made with mastic "tears" which are a special kind of tree sap/resin only produced in the Greek islands. It had a foresty liquorice flavor, and I bought a small bottle at the grocery store to enjoy a few more tastes over the following days.

Alas, my beach vacation had come to an end. I waited on the pier and once again stormed up the ferry ramp with the horde of tourists. The ferry didn't linger, and had already left Paros before we filtered through the entry staircase and into the seating area. A few hours later it arrived at the port of Pireaus. I had decided to stay in a basic hotel in the port town, and walked over to check in. The lady at the front desk gave me bad info about the metro vs. the suburban train, so I went down to the suburban train station to clear it up and buy my ticket in advance. It was hard to find the right station on Google Maps, especially for such a basic route from the port to the airport, but I persevered. For my last dinner in Greece, I had a nice fillet of sea bass with spiralized veggies at a popular restaurant on an unassuming city block.

The last few logistics were a bit stressful. I wanted to catch the first train at 4:45am so I could arrive at the airport around 2 hours before my early morning flight. I wasn't sure if I would be able to get a taxi from the hotel that early, and dreaded walking through a deserted port town in the dark, but thankfully the hotel was able to arrange a taxi. The train required an unexpected transfer that caught me off guard, but I made it to the airport and caught my flight.

I'm so glad I got to spend 16 days in Greece. It has an amazing variety of sights, from the blue waters of Balos Bay and the green canyons of the Samaria Gorge, to the breathtaking cliffs of Meteora and architecture of the Acropolis. The food was also a highlight - I rarely repeated an order, and rarely did they fall short (looking at you, frappes). The Greeks have perfected their meats and seafood, but also their cheeses, pastries, and desserts. The Greek systems, like public transportation and historical site tickets, did not inspire confidence but with upfront research, I didn't have any snags. To sum it up, the country is a great destination for lovers of history, food, and nature!