Marpissa is a small town just a kilometre away from Pisa Lavadi, and has the most impressive supermarket and a house with a lurid pink door. John had read that the architecture in the town was striking and aptly refleted the Cyclades.

He had also read about a cafe/bar which sold local art, jewellery and trinkets. The little shop was charming and so too was Natassa who was the artisan. She has had an interesting and varied life, working initially as a social worker, then a dancer and now an artisan, shopkeeper, bar and cafe operator at the little store called Kazart that she operates with her husband. I found her warm and engaging and I was particularly taken by the rings she made and had to purchase a couple.

Having experienced the gusty Meltemi for days, I can understand Paros having had 55 windmills at one stage. They were used for grinding wheat for the locals. The windmills of Marpissa have been declared important samples of the ‘pre-industrial era’ and they are to be preserved.

We did find the house with the pink door. The woman raises funds for feeding and caring for the cats that roam the island.Visitors are invited to make a donation.

Lagaras beach was a favourite. Here we could have our coffee under an umbrella in the sand, wander the twenty metres into the sea, float vertically in the crystal clear water and then shower off when we were ready to pack up. A public shower on a beach in Greece is definitely a rare thing.

As a consequence of our regular visits we would run into Jagoda and Dominica, young Polish women. Dominica runs a building design business out of Warsaw and has five employees including Jagoda. She is also a runner. We got talking about the triathlon in Mooloolaba in May and the Noosa Marathon. She is training for an upcoming marathon but indicated she is seriously thinking now of Mooloolaba in May. What a treat that would be!

Tzitziki had been a perfect apartment in a perfect location and Emmanouella the perfect host. Our last night and we decided a meal at the port was most appropriate. We followed that with more beers at the terverna that was showing Australia v Egypt. Not the result we would have wanted but it always fun catching up with other Australians and of course we found some fellow travellers.