General Non-Fiction posted May 4, 2017 | Chapters: | 3 4 -5- 6... |
Greece's carefree little secret
A chapter in the book My Extremely B-O-R-I-N-G Life!
Hydra
by Brett Matthew West
It has been awhile since I bent your ear with a few hundred words about my escapades as a Freelance Writer. So, allow me to start by informing you that one of the distinct pleasures I have often enjoyed over the years is to occasionally visit Greece and some of its many astonishing islands.
Over the course of my numerous trips abroad, I find the Greek Islands to be beautiful places to tour. Confidentially, there are about six thousand of them. Two hundred and twenty-seven of these havens are inhabited.
It wasn't four months ago I last sojourned to the small Saronic Island of Hydra to cover a Greek theatre festival. Previously, I have introduced Danny, my ten-year-old son, to the readers of this series in earlier editions I have posted here on FanStory. My sometimes traveling partner desperately desired to wander with me on this particular trip as he has never set either one of his most frequently bare feet in Greece.
Because of school commitments, and to me nothing is more important than Danny's education, he could not accompany me. Fortunately, for both of us, I have another trip to Mykonos planned for this summer. I do intend to carry my little towhead with me on that expedition when I depart. But, do me the small favor of not telling Danny. I want the announcement to be a surprise for the boy.
Well known for its car-free environment, Hydra is located in the Aegean Sea, between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. Except for trash removal trucks, motorized vehicles are not permitted on the island. Hydra also provides one small village with a crescent-shaped harbor. Other tiny hamlets include Kaminia, Episkopi, Palamidas, Vlychos, Molos, and Mandraki.
Water taxis are the primary means of movement between Hydra's harbor, its pristine beaches, and its popular tavernas. Donkeys, strong and sturdy, are the main method of transporting cargo from one location to another on the island. Each donkey carrying goods has a human pooper-scooper that tags along behind the beast of burden maintaining Hydra's sanitary cleanliness.
The 1957 motion picture known as Boy On A Dolphin, that starred Sophia Loren, and was her English-speaking debut film, cast Hydra onto the international stage. However, that was not the only motion picture that has been filmed on the isle. Others include Boat Trip and Fugitive Pieces.
The 1960s witnessed several famous celebrities transform Hydra into a popular retreat. Among them was the Canadian Songwriter Leonard Cohen, who, inspired by observing one, composed his popular tune "Bird On A Wire" while residing on the refuge. He also wrote "So Long, Marianne," and others there.
Visitors to Hydra can expect to get easily lost on the steep, stone streets of the island because very few addresses and street names are labeled. This lends to more intrigue and enjoyment on the sanctuary. Hydra's economy has been, and remains, based on the sea. The number of extravagant yachts one is prone to observe docked in the water surrounding Hydra testifies to that fact.
Full of a long history, Hydra has produced many influential aristocrats, military heroes, and political leaders of the Greek world. Tourists may also encounter a number of small museums and cafes along their trek. Local swimming spots, one of the most popular activities on the island, include the beaches at Kaminia Castello, Vlyches, and Mandraki Bay. A short boat cruise will carry you to the beaches on Agios Nikolaos and Bisti.
For those who partake in the consumption of alcoholic substances, ouzo and honey-drenched baklava, a tasty pastry, make you want to toss your working itinerary into the Aegean Sea and while away the peace and quiet found on Greece's carefree little secret.
As they say, "Come on down!"
It has been awhile since I bent your ear with a few hundred words about my escapades as a Freelance Writer. So, allow me to start by informing you that one of the distinct pleasures I have often enjoyed over the years is to occasionally visit Greece and some of its many astonishing islands.
Over the course of my numerous trips abroad, I find the Greek Islands to be beautiful places to tour. Confidentially, there are about six thousand of them. Two hundred and twenty-seven of these havens are inhabited.
It wasn't four months ago I last sojourned to the small Saronic Island of Hydra to cover a Greek theatre festival. Previously, I have introduced Danny, my ten-year-old son, to the readers of this series in earlier editions I have posted here on FanStory. My sometimes traveling partner desperately desired to wander with me on this particular trip as he has never set either one of his most frequently bare feet in Greece.
Because of school commitments, and to me nothing is more important than Danny's education, he could not accompany me. Fortunately, for both of us, I have another trip to Mykonos planned for this summer. I do intend to carry my little towhead with me on that expedition when I depart. But, do me the small favor of not telling Danny. I want the announcement to be a surprise for the boy.
Well known for its car-free environment, Hydra is located in the Aegean Sea, between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. Except for trash removal trucks, motorized vehicles are not permitted on the island. Hydra also provides one small village with a crescent-shaped harbor. Other tiny hamlets include Kaminia, Episkopi, Palamidas, Vlychos, Molos, and Mandraki.
Water taxis are the primary means of movement between Hydra's harbor, its pristine beaches, and its popular tavernas. Donkeys, strong and sturdy, are the main method of transporting cargo from one location to another on the island. Each donkey carrying goods has a human pooper-scooper that tags along behind the beast of burden maintaining Hydra's sanitary cleanliness.
The 1957 motion picture known as Boy On A Dolphin, that starred Sophia Loren, and was her English-speaking debut film, cast Hydra onto the international stage. However, that was not the only motion picture that has been filmed on the isle. Others include Boat Trip and Fugitive Pieces.
The 1960s witnessed several famous celebrities transform Hydra into a popular retreat. Among them was the Canadian Songwriter Leonard Cohen, who, inspired by observing one, composed his popular tune "Bird On A Wire" while residing on the refuge. He also wrote "So Long, Marianne," and others there.
Visitors to Hydra can expect to get easily lost on the steep, stone streets of the island because very few addresses and street names are labeled. This lends to more intrigue and enjoyment on the sanctuary. Hydra's economy has been, and remains, based on the sea. The number of extravagant yachts one is prone to observe docked in the water surrounding Hydra testifies to that fact.
Full of a long history, Hydra has produced many influential aristocrats, military heroes, and political leaders of the Greek world. Tourists may also encounter a number of small museums and cafes along their trek. Local swimming spots, one of the most popular activities on the island, include the beaches at Kaminia Castello, Vlyches, and Mandraki Bay. A short boat cruise will carry you to the beaches on Agios Nikolaos and Bisti.
For those who partake in the consumption of alcoholic substances, ouzo and honey-drenched baklava, a tasty pastry, make you want to toss your working itinerary into the Aegean Sea and while away the peace and quiet found on Greece's carefree little secret.
As they say, "Come on down!"
Over the course of my numerous trips abroad, I find the Greek Islands to be beautiful places to tour. Confidentially, there are about six thousand of them. Two hundred and twenty-seven of these havens are inhabited.
It wasn't four months ago I last sojourned to the small Saronic Island of Hydra to cover a Greek theatre festival. Previously, I have introduced Danny, my ten-year-old son, to the readers of this series in earlier editions I have posted here on FanStory. My sometimes traveling partner desperately desired to wander with me on this particular trip as he has never set either one of his most frequently bare feet in Greece.
Because of school commitments, and to me nothing is more important than Danny's education, he could not accompany me. Fortunately, for both of us, I have another trip to Mykonos planned for this summer. I do intend to carry my little towhead with me on that expedition when I depart. But, do me the small favor of not telling Danny. I want the announcement to be a surprise for the boy.
Well known for its car-free environment, Hydra is located in the Aegean Sea, between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. Except for trash removal trucks, motorized vehicles are not permitted on the island. Hydra also provides one small village with a crescent-shaped harbor. Other tiny hamlets include Kaminia, Episkopi, Palamidas, Vlychos, Molos, and Mandraki.
Water taxis are the primary means of movement between Hydra's harbor, its pristine beaches, and its popular tavernas. Donkeys, strong and sturdy, are the main method of transporting cargo from one location to another on the island. Each donkey carrying goods has a human pooper-scooper that tags along behind the beast of burden maintaining Hydra's sanitary cleanliness.
The 1957 motion picture known as Boy On A Dolphin, that starred Sophia Loren, and was her English-speaking debut film, cast Hydra onto the international stage. However, that was not the only motion picture that has been filmed on the isle. Others include Boat Trip and Fugitive Pieces.
The 1960s witnessed several famous celebrities transform Hydra into a popular retreat. Among them was the Canadian Songwriter Leonard Cohen, who, inspired by observing one, composed his popular tune "Bird On A Wire" while residing on the refuge. He also wrote "So Long, Marianne," and others there.
Visitors to Hydra can expect to get easily lost on the steep, stone streets of the island because very few addresses and street names are labeled. This lends to more intrigue and enjoyment on the sanctuary. Hydra's economy has been, and remains, based on the sea. The number of extravagant yachts one is prone to observe docked in the water surrounding Hydra testifies to that fact.
Full of a long history, Hydra has produced many influential aristocrats, military heroes, and political leaders of the Greek world. Tourists may also encounter a number of small museums and cafes along their trek. Local swimming spots, one of the most popular activities on the island, include the beaches at Kaminia Castello, Vlyches, and Mandraki Bay. A short boat cruise will carry you to the beaches on Agios Nikolaos and Bisti.
For those who partake in the consumption of alcoholic substances, ouzo and honey-drenched baklava, a tasty pastry, make you want to toss your working itinerary into the Aegean Sea and while away the peace and quiet found on Greece's carefree little secret.
As they say, "Come on down!"
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Being an Ass, by Eileen0204, selected to complement my article.
So, thanks Eileen0204, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my article.
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and 2 member cents. Being an Ass, by Eileen0204, selected to complement my article.
So, thanks Eileen0204, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my article.
Artwork by eileen0204 at FanArtReview.com
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