THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION.
Do you ever have one of those days? Weeks? Months? When things are not all rainbows?
You keep hitting that sore finger or toe?
The only news you get is bad?
Out of nowhere, a friend says something devastating?
Reset
Unfortunately, I never found that Calgon could take me far enough away.
Alcohol can get you there sometimes, but ouch, that return trip.
So sometimes, I need to turn everything off and go for a walk.
Recently, most of my steps have been to what my kitties call the magical white box in the kitchen. Hey, if they get to eat 17 times a day…
So I need to walk somewhere else.
Current restrictions do not allow me to jump on my private jet (right) and woosh off to somewhere new.
But there is a place, for now, I can go. While not adding steps on the Fitbit, it still provides health benefits.
Come, We Are Walking.
Hydra is a small island in Greece, about 90 minutes from Pireaus (Athen’s port) by fast ferry.
Upon arrival, you can sense it’s different.
It’s not the architecture. You can see similar houses on other islands.
Is it the color of the water? Nope, the same 4000 shades of blue and green (many that do not have a name) anywhere else in Greece.
Is it all the taxi drivers yelling at… WAIT! Where are the taxi drivers? Where are the taxis? For that matter, where are any cars or trucks?
Nirvana. There are no cars. And the only two trucks on the island belong to the city for trash removal. And I fear as an ambulance when necessary.
So it sounds different.
There are donkeys to help carry supplies and luggage. But as the average donkey can only safely (for the donkey) carry 125 pounds, we need other transportation.
There are private water taxis whose propellers must be of solid gold. They give the private water taxis of Venice a run for their money when it comes to inflated prices.
Public ferries depart from the waterfront throughout the day. They stop at the smaller villages along the west coast. If you are willing to go by their schedule, you will save hundreds of euros over a private transfer. The ferries are not part of an organized company that I can tell, so they all have different boats and schedules.
So there, we can go everywhere by boat.
You can go to many places along the coast by boat, but Hydra is a mountainous island.
So it looks like we are walking.
Short Walks.
From the ferry dock, it is a short walk to many of the local small hotels. The least expensive, for the most part, are not too far up the hillside. I find the more panoramic your view becomes, the higher your rate goes. If you plan to sit in a window all day, keep this in mind.
I choose the small (less than 10 rooms) property closer to the waterfront. Many do not have restaurants, but there is a taverna in the street out front.
They do not have gyms, pools, or business centers. Darn.
Some have sketchy Wi-Fi but consider the trade-off. You have to look up from your screen.
The waterfront is predominantly flat but with cobblestones. Smart walking shoes are still a great idea.
You “could” limit yourself to the first two blocks in from the waterfront and find a motel and places to eat.
Beyond there, you will be more aware of a change in altitude.
Get “lost” in the back streets of Hydra town. Try that staircase, go down that street. There is charm around every other corner.
When you are ready to be “found,” head downhill. Somehow, you always end up back near the waterfront.
Long Walks.
The seaside village of Vlychos is two ferry stops west of Hydra town.
You probably could power walk it in 35 minutes, but why?
There is no fast food on this island. There is no “fast” lane. Not even a fast donkey, so what’s your rush?
I like to take one of the ferries here, then walk back. The paved walking path goes for another mile and a half to Palamidas, but the scenery, to me, does not change much.
The village of Vlychos consists of one small dock, a few guesthouses, and a pebbly beach with lounge chairs. There are two tavernas (maybe), and I would say less than a dozen houses.
This is not Miami Beach or a beach on Mykonos, and I am fine with that.
There is a charming bridge which depending on who you ask, is from the ancient Greeks, Romans, Venetians, or aliens. There is very little information on the bridge. But the style is that of the bridges built in Epirus (Northern Greece) in the 1800s. Much of the bridge you see today has been rebuilt in the last 40 years.
The “road home” is paved with stones that the island keeps in good shape. From time to time, you will find a bench along the way, but no shade after the sun rises.
Luckily, the next village, Kamini, is not that far, and it has even more tavernas with shade.
From Kamini, it is around 20 minutes walk back to Hydra Town’s waterfront.
Keep this in mind about an hour before sunset as Kamini faces more west than Hydra town.
Walking After Sunset
Do not miss the chance to go walking after sunset. The island takes on a whole new mood.
Lengthy dinners are the norm.
Besides charming tavernas for the locals, there are also several upend places for the yachting crowd.
Walks that are Hikes.
For those who may have a goat somewhere in their family genetics, many paths are more vertical.
The most popular hike is to the Prophet Elias Monastery. The hike is only 1 1/2 miles in length from Hydra Town. However, there is an altitude increase of nearly 1500 feet. The top of the Empire State Building antenna is 1454 feet, so you get an idea. Who needs a hotel gym?
The hike up is an hour plus for healthy people, so I hear…
The current monastery, dating from 1813, sits on the site of an earlier chapel. The views can be incredible but also check out the library and its manuscripts while you are there. Nearby is a convent, which at last count, was home to three nuns.
There are hikes on less maintained paths and some places where the path is more a suggestion. Visit the little square cement lighthouse at the east end, or St Nikolaos Beach, on the west. Both are a good two-hour hike out from town. I will be waiting for you at the taverna.
Walks for the Soul.
I am the type who needs to stop and smell the roses or at least take a picture. My walks are rarely for physical endurance.
But what they do build, restore, renew is just as important.
I hope you had fun walking with me this morning. Was it good for you? I know it was for me.
If not, grab a photo album. Take your own walk down memory lane or Penny Lane.
Whatever gets you out of your own head for a few minutes, but avoid the fast lane.
When you remember your favorite things, you won’t feel so bad.
Happy “walking.”
Read more about Hydra.
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“See the World” Continued on Page T3. “Taste the World” Continued on T11.