The Villages of Naxos...

The hire car is delivered to the hotel... Out of Chora... Towards the villages of the interior... Try to follow the map... Give up in favour of following the brown tourist signs...

 

Into the interior.. Into the hills... Steep... Past the marble quarries old and new - the sides of mountains drilled and split.. Excess marble blocks discarded to spill down the mountain side...

 

To ancient sites... The signs herald the European funding that has opened them to tourists... The creeping dereliction of the sites sad... Local commitment to maintenance lacking... Perhaps the paucity of local taxes receipts might explain.... In spite of the dereliction the sites... fascinating..

 

We emerge from the bush near a deserted partially finished ancient statue.. The paradise café... An establishment so deficient in redeeming features that it created a challenge so significant that it proved impossible for three of the four travellers to refuse the invitation to partake of a Greek coffee... The inviter... a local lady who clearly had a propensity to a strict routine of annual ablutions... No more... Possibly less... Penguin number one stoically refused the invitation... Her decision was entirely understandable... An enquiry is made of the café owner.. Toilet..... Puzzled look followed by an evolving expression to understanding... She waves her hands around.... Everywhere.... Everywhere she says... The female tourists decline to use the local facilities...

Onwards in search of the handicrafts of Naxos... Send the underpowered hire car into the lowest gear and climb and climb... Movi... Still low season... Quiet..quiet... The locals friendly.... Stop for a chat... The local ladies spot penguin number one from 50 metres... You follow me.... Naxos weaving.... Appropriate purchases are made.. photographs are taken... The arty farties will be pleased.

To the temple of Demitrius ... More European money... This time local maintenance is appropriate... Beautiful white marble.... Penguin number one poses... Perhaps she needs a selfie stick... Photograph more locals......

Enough is enough... Home for siesta... Consult trip advisor... Best restraurant in Naxos... Call a taxi and indulge.... Slow cooked goat... Delicious... Delightful place... Delightful staff... Enjoy...

 

 

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