When we left Chios for Izmir 3 days ago we still didn’t know if Rouketopolemos (also known as the Rocket Wars) would go ahead. The event consists of the rival parishes of St. Mark’s and Panaghia Ereithiani firing thousands of homemade rockets at the church towers of the opposition. This isn’t without its casualties. Nearby properties…
As we sailed back into Chios from Cesme with our haul of bargains we were greeted by a magnificent rainbow over the town. The weather looks a little unpredictable but we just hope it remains dry for the Good Friday processions this evening. It’s a 10 minute walk from the Customs building to our hotel….
I’m not going to lie, running around Izmir for half a day amongst all the craziness of May Day has taken it out of me – or rather my back. I’m in agony but I’m not going to let that defeat me. I throw back a couple of painkillers, shower and change and we head…
The next leg of our trip will take us to Izmir where we will stay for 2 nights. Although I’m not a history buff, I’ve been interested in recent Greek history and in particular, the events that led up to the great population exchange in 1923. It’s incredible to think that this historical event took…
This is our last day in Pyrgi and tomorrow we will leave for Chios Town on the 7am bus. There is a method behind the madness of getting up at this ungodly hour. As the Easter holidays approach, I’m mindful that we have to make the most of the bus service before they are suspended….
Yesterday Mr Kosta and his beloved parrot Fidelina arrived back at To Pounti. He had been attending to business at their other house in the north of the island – Mr Kosta and Toula’s house that is! Fidelina as far as I know doesn’t own any property! Fidelina immediately goes into her repertoire of words…
When travelling in Greece my preference is to use public transport wherever possible. This at times can be challenging and not always for the faint-hearted, but I love it. For me, it’s a gives a more authentic experience than travelling by car. It forces you to walk further and absorb more of the landscape. To…
Today is Sunday and as there isn’t a bus service running today, we plan to stay close to Pyrgi. After another spectacular breakfast prepared by Toula, we head out of Pyrgi village into the mastic plantations close by. We exit this medieval fortified town by the gate on the Western edge of the village. After…
After our interesting visit to the Chios Mastic Museum, our next destination is Emborios Bay. I’d had a fleeting visit on my last trip to Chios but wanted to explore it further. Our only way to get there is an hour’s walk or by taxi. We chose the easy option and asked the gentleman in…
Toula has prepared an amazing breakfast for us this morning. This feast includes thick creamy yoghurt with Toula’s homemade rose petal spoon sweets, boiled eggs and a selection of local cheeses, ham and cheese sandwiches, freshly baked fruit sponge cakes and some sweet and savoury pastries. This is more than enough to set us up…
This trip will take me along a well-trodden path. 18 months ago I had one of my most enjoyable Greek island hopping trips to date. The thing with solo travel is there are so many moments along the way that you wish you could share it with your loved ones. This time I will be…
When I first planned this trip, I had no real idea what kind of a trip it would be – how does anyone know beforehand how a trip will turn out. As it happened, this was probably the best trip that I’ve done to date! I had kept things quite ‘loose’ because travelling out of…