Day 7 & 8 - A church, a boat and some goats

According to Google (so it must be true!) there are 9,792 registered churches in Greece, but that’s just those that fall under the jurisdiction of the Greek church. In addition there are 1,000’s more teeny tiny churches that have been built by local communities. On the islands they are everywhere, in almost every bay, practically on every hillside, on Tinos alone there are over 700 churches. The churches all seem to be dedicated to a saint and have been built for a purpose, for example for the safe return of fishermen or soldiers, maybe for a good winter or harvest, it doesn't seem obvious, at least to a foreign tourist. All of the churches are clean, freshly painted, well maintained and always either have a small meths burner or a lighter so you can light a candle. They are a very special feature of the Greek island landscape.

There have been lots on previous holidays which I have photo’s of archived at home, St Luke’s at Colona, Kithnos, the beautiful church dedicated to St Panteleimon on the peninsula at Katapola on Amrogos, the tiny Panagia church on un-inhabited Nikouria overlooking the lovely remote bay we’ve anchored in several times.

But here’s a couple from this trip. The church of Konstantinos which I assume is there because of the small fishing village and next to a beach which has one of the best views of any we've ever seen (it looks out towards the beautiful Chora on the hill above Skala).

This morning we left Symi early, we're moving on the Chalki, but stopped for breakfast and a swim in St George's bay, only accessible by boat and surrounded on all sides by shear 300 foot high cliffs. It is breath takingly beautiful and there on the beach is the church of St Georgios, freshly painted and maintained and clearly important and cherished by the local community.

The last church is on the beach in Marathounta bay on Symi. I couldn't work out what it's called or what saint it's dedicated to. As you'd expect it's freshly painted, well maintained and beautiful inside, but surrounded by boats and goats.

As promised we have lingered in Symi, mooching around the town and hiring a car to explore the rest of the island. We found a perfect bay called Pedi where there was a good deal of this.

Symi, as with most islands we visit, remains unfinished business, we will be back. Un-parking from Symi proved to be easier than we thought it would be, but parking a Chalki more of a test. Ayhow more of that soon.

Stay safe,

Yamas

P.S.

I am proud to say that two local people have now spoken to me in Greek expecting me to reply in Greek. Ellison is also looking very much less Scottish :)