This article best attempts to describe our favourite day on the Greek Islands thus far (Milos, Greece). So, by now you’ve read about Milos from last week’s blog, the nuances, the how and where to’s. This week is all about a day of adventure over the course of a lot of thrills and spills in Milos, Greece.
It all started in our apartment, a home-made breakfast of fruits, yoghurt, honey, walnuts and french press coffee. Sufficiently buzzed, the lack of wind on the water’s surface does not go un-noticed and we know today is the day we head to the north coast of the island to tend to some unfinished business.
We first drive to Papafragas’ car park and walk around, as if looking for something we’d lost. A nice bay to the right: a little tricky to swim though. A private Filakopi beach to the left: a hefty decent into the morning darkness (it gets all of the afternoon sun, but too chilly without it).
But wait, what’s this! Moo heads further left over the rocky cliff edges and finds something else, something we’ve both been seeking for a while. Rock + turquoise waters + sunshine (without wind) = just the adventure we’ve been looking for. We move the car, grab the GoPro and walk down the sharp rock edge for a closer inspection.
What we find is the most spectacular rock pool, but wait a bridge! Let’s jump off it!
Moo goes first and I follow second, it’s freeeeeezing cold. But the water is too clear and too crystal to care, we keep moving to keep warm. We decide to try and swim right around to Filakopi, we swim and we swim, we get so close but can’t seem to get around and before I know it: I feel the need to turn back! I’m a little scared (it was a long way from shore)/tired/cold. So we swim back, warm up and admire the water again, that Mediterranean Sea is so blue.
Then onto Sarakiniko for some serious unfinished business. The wind was intense the day before and we were desperate to jump into the water. Overnight the wind had died and today was the day. One jump, two, three, now we’re on a roll, we cant stop. We take turns jumping one after the other – the only ones game to brave the water.
Sarakiniko is the Instagramer’s dream, many a photoshoot had been observed (and then sufficiently ignored) over the moonscape setting.
A sunbake, a dip, a read, a people watch and another dip. So glad we’d pre-packed a sandwich to mean we could stay a little longer.
Then it’s time for lunch! Back in the car and on to the recommendations I had researched.
First, we drive the 15 minutes to Mandrakia to find the infamous restaurant Medousa – closed
Second we drive another 15 minutes to Klima for their sea front (and sea food fuelled) restaurant – also closed.
We’re getting hungrier and our patience is wearing thin. I think of what Sophia said “everything is open”. Her voice is ringing in my ears.
Third time lucky: a traditional taverna in Triovasalos (Bakalikon Galanis), our saving grace.
I’m so hungry, I notice everything: The tomatoes in the Greek salad chopped so erratically as if to save time (we must have look ravished), the tiny cutlery as if stolen from a very old airline, the lemon and mustard dressing for the mussels; so simple, so light, so decadent.
Our waitress laughed every time a dish was placed on the table, laughing at my expression; my jaw dropped as it kept coming and coming. Did we order too much? Pa! Never!
We devoured the following: a serve of saganaki (fried cheese), plate of steamed mussels, zucchini fritters, fried cod, lamb meatballs and a chocolate cake for the sake of balance – obviously.
Half a litre of rose and I’m buzzed. It’s 4:30pm and I’m not ready to go back home just yet. We stop off at Papafragas one last time, down the steep steps. The steps that are carved into the rocks. The difference now is, this time the sun is shining all the way through.
We get straight in the water, swim through a hole in the rock and we’re exactly where we had been just a few hours earlier, just ten meters short, if we’d just gone ten meters more, we could have swam right up to this beach. Dang!
The narrow beach contains just us and four yanks. Thankfully they leave soon after we get out of the water and we have the whole beach to ourselves – the perks of travelling in shoulder season. Handy hint: for those who are planning on travelling to Milos, Greece!
Home, shower, read my book in bed: lovely. The perfect day of adventure and the ever important search for lunch!
Until next time! xo
PS: Have you been to Milos, Greece?