Swimming in the Aegean Sea

After leaving Istanbul, we sailed for Mykonos. We had a leisurely cruise back through the Dardanelles and reentered the Aegean Sea some time during the night. We arrived at Mykonos mid-afternoon. And what a beautiful site it was coming up to the island with the sun shining brightly on the town. The buildings were whitewashed with blue shutters or doors - very appealing. As we only had a few hours in the town of Mykonos, I decided to find a beach and at least stick my toes in the blue waters of the Aegean Sea. The small streets of the town were filled with interesting shops and there were windmills all over the city as well as on one of the points jutting into the sea.

Windmills with the sails retracted.  It was blustery on that point of land.

The main shopping areas of Mykonos had very small streets - just two or three people wide.  The variety of stores was interesting with lots of hand crafted items for sale - jewellry, paintings, linens - as well as all of the touristy stuff.

 

Parts of the town built right on the shoreline.  Just think of the sea breeze you would get in these homes.

Walking toward the windmills for a closer look, I found a small sheltered cove in which there were a few sunbathers and a swimmer that I recognized.  It was Kassidy, the daughter of some of our traveling companions.  I joined Kassidy in the water, riding the gentle waves that washed up on the shore and reveling in the sun and refreshing water.

Swimming with Kassidy in the Agean Sea - wonderful!

Following our swim, Kassidy left with her parents for a dinner and I hiked through the small streets and up toward a windmill on one of the hills overlooking the town.  What a delightful view of the harbor and the city.  From that vantage point, I could also see the island of Delos, revered as the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.  Although Delos had been a highly prosperous grain port, it is now primarily known for the grand temples that are part of the archaeological sites that have been preserved.

Even Mykonos has a traffic circle!  This is at the top of a hill where all of the roads seem to come together.  The homes and shops were well tended as were the roads and gardens.

Looking toward the sea is a beautiful panoramic view of the town.

Walking down the small paths leading back to the harbor, the smells of dinner were enticing, making me walk faster toward the dinner I knew was waiting for me back on board.  The food was delicious!

Cheers!
Margaret