LOST IN PARODISE
We wandered again today, choosing our roads randomly just to see what was there. After being given rice pudding by Efi
we were on our way to breakfast to a bakery outside of Naousa that Susie had noticed. But before that we turned left down a narrow road that took us down to the sea to an area which appeared to be a development of houses for wealthy people on a hill above a cliff along the sea with views of the blue Aegean and an island across the way.
Again the white rectangular houses were separate from each other in a multicolored pastel sea of grasses and shrubs. As we drove a long the cliff top road we came to an area still being developed and could see the multi squared skeletons of new houses against the sky
until we reached a point jutting out into the sea and curved back around to town and the large church that can be seen from anywhere in town. This is an upscale newly developed area with lots of boutique hotels and tourist shops and a beach.
When we extricated ourselves from the narrow winding lanes we hit the highway and found the bakery with bread of every kind. We had Americano coffee with a sweet roll dripping with honey and a sesame seed roll stuffed with feta cheese.
But before we got to Lefkes (only 7 miles from Naousa, the trip took us five hours) we saw a sign for an ancient marble quarry and turned off to find it. It wasn‘t much to see but were were delighted by an old man we found selling his version of Greek art carved in marble in a little shop covered with morning glory vines.
We looked through his wares and bought a few small pieces, not expensive, and took some photographs.
Then we took a back road to Lefkes following the signs to
and climbed to another monastery, which may have been what this sign referred to.
We tried to circle back down on back roads that got narrower and narrower and stonier and stonier and steeper and steeper until our Chevy Spark was sputtering and shaking. Twice we hit dead ends where it was difficult to turn around and then finally returned to the monastery and came down the way we went up. We went down the main road for a little while and then took a main road to Lefkes.
But before reaching Lefkes we spotted a beautiful church, stopped to take photographs and found ourselves in the enchanting village of Kostas. There was a beautiful small park, the church and then radiating out from the church narrow lines with the same white and blue houses seen all over Paros, but no people, only cat after cat sunning themselves.
And then, finally, we reached Lefkes ate at the same outdoor restaurant we ate at two days ago. I was tired so we didn‘t try to do anything more. We left Lefkes at 4 and when we got back stopped at a grocery store and bought butter, eggs and spaghetti and I napped while Susie explored.
But the day wasn‘t over. At 8, the beginning of the magical dinner hour in Naousa, we searched for a new cafe to eat at and ended up at the harbor
where in a large square four or five restaurants, each with their own color of chairs served dinner under radiant heaters to a hundred people in a square of maybe 50 tables. I had shrimp served with new potatoes.
And then at 9 we went back to Efi‘s rooms and fell asleep.
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BILLYBABA’S WANDERING 