It was a short walk to Logaros beach in the next bay. The Meltemi was keeping everything cool but if we were going to be at the beach for more than five minutes I wanted an umbrella, sun lounge, table and a sycophantic waiter who has mistaken me for an American tipster. It was earlyish, about eleven and we were a little surprised how many lounges were spare. It was too early for lunch. A beer would be perfect. He arrived, took our order and announced the beds would be 50 euro. O!M!G! so that’s why so many and this was a much less popular beach and the start of the season! I could only imagine the prices on the likes of Mykonos! I was not budging. Pay up John, we are staying a wee bit longer than initially planned…maybe a month!!! You have the bed until you leave.
The umbrella was fixed so to stay shaded there was call for constant repositioning of the sun lounge. I’m way too old to be intimidated. I even venture out in my almost onesie compared to the babes in ‘briefs’!! We settled in at Cactus Beach and Bar, John sampling a Mango Velvet cocktail and me some other exotic drink the name of which escapes me and we had a thoroughly enjoyable day. Swimming was fabulous. I love it when you can float vertically effortlessly. It could relate to body mass of course. The skinny kids seemed to sink. Despite being determined to stay forever, we packed it in after a couple of hours and I took my fake golden tanned moisturised body back to the apartment for an afternoon nap.
Naousa has always been a favourite, but things change. It’s the beginning of the season so we took the car and headed into what has become the new party town for the bold and the beautiful (12 to 15 year olds by the look). We jagged a park, found a café and indulged in our new favourite drink- cappuccino freddo- a delicious, iced cappuccino with a momentous crème and just a hint of sweetness.
We sat for some time trying to connect John’s e-sim, to no avail. He ran dry just a few days into our trip and although there is wifi everywhere every now and again you need a secure connection. Eventually we contacted Airalo and they were amazing. John got a refund and a local connection and everything worked brilliantly.
Naousa is always nice to explore with great boutiques, interesting design shops and a smattering of galleries. It really comes into its own at night when dinners flock to the harbour to seek out their favourite seafood restaurants and savour delicious fresh food. It also very trendy with the younger scene where fishing warehouses transform into waterfront bars and clubs and the music thumps and the oldies retreat.
Before heading back, we made a detour to the 56 Isles Brewery. John was taken with the blue bottle and the beer was good too. We came across a fellow Aussie and his brother-in-law, Tom, the American. You could say Mark and Tom were connoisseurs, well seeing we’re in Greece – zythologists, zythos being the Greek word for beer, or perhaps simply zythophiles – lovers of beer. While Tom was a bone-fide brewer at one time, Mark is an aficionado having consumed a multitude of flights on his journeys around the planet. It was such a treat to sit and trade stories with such talent.
