I arrived on the somewhat remote island of Amorgos yesterday morning at three-thirty in the morning after a 10.5 hour ferry ride from Pireaus. I say ‘somewhat remote’ only because it is not like the tourist destinations of Paros, Aegina, Naxos or Santorini. There are tourists here, this is true, but they are mostly small groups of sailboats cruising the Aegean, en route to other parts. It is too far from the other islands to make it worth a day trip and the beaches, although lovely, are not as accessible as in other parts of the Kyklades. It is a rugged place, looking in parts much like its larger neighbors Naxos and Ios. In the higher elevations there is still a fair amount of greenery and the goats here wander freely along the roads. It is place for hikers and ramblers and I have had two good hikes already. Detailed topo maps exist so I won’t bore anyone with too many details, but this place is not for the lazy or uninspired. The trailheads are easy to find but can quickly shift from an easy walk to some serious bouldering if one is so inclined. I have already found myself in tough spots, having to remember the ‘three points on the rock’ maxim, a rule that has saved my bacon more than once. My hiking has led me to some of the more lovely, isolated beaches this island has to offer.
My lodging is clean and comfortable and I have rented a FIAT Panda to make transit easier. The island is long, about 25 km, so waiting around for the bus is not for me. I am here for another three days and then I head to Si
kinos, a place even more remote. Hmmm…I have more to say, certainly, but not now. I will sit here in the Akrogiali Cafe, enjoying my espresso freddo metreo. I’ll add more in Part 2, including pictures. I have included a b/w image of some walls running along a hillside, a favorite subject.
JDCM
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