The Greek chair

They're everywhere you go in Greece, the Greek taverna chair. They are standard issue and whilst they come in a variety of colours they all have the same universal characteristic. They are the most uncomfortable chair you will ever sit on. Over the years I've tried to understand the Greek nation's persistence with this awful seat design to no avail. Everyone you talk to seems to agree how horrible they are and yet, to this day, they remain as much a part of Greek life as they always have. The most you can hope for is that the restauranteur has a modicum of sympathy and adds a seat cushion. However a better idea, in my view, would be to burn them, every last one. Here is it, the Greek taverna chair, in all it's horribleness.

As I write this it's our last day in Folegandros and the end of our 4 week island hopping adventure. Time to go home, we're running out of clean clothes, there's no laundry on Folegandros and the appartment doesn't have a washing machine. It's also the true that the weather is starting to change, autumn is coming to Greece and temperatures are starting to fall.

Everything's pretty much gone to plan and we've been more than happy with our choice of islands. Naxos was great, so much more than the famous Portara and Naxos town. With it's beautiful villages, landscape and some of the best beaches we've seen anywhere, it is the complete package. Paros too was just lovely, in lots of ways it lives in the shadow of Naxos but has a a lot to offer. We especially liked Piso Livadi, which we failed to visit when sailing, it's definitely somewhere we'd return to one day. Koufonisia was like visiting an old friend, we've been there a few times before and it is one of the most laid back, relaxing islands we've stayed at. It is charming, beautiful and in our view has the best beach to swim from anywhere with the bluest, bluest sea. Last of all Folegandros, which I'm loathed to say to many good things about in case the word spreads and it becomes another Santorini. This is a different view of Folegandros we found when we hired a car for the day earlier this week and a couple of piccies I forgot to add to a blog earlier in the week taken from the path up to the monastery.

It's enough to say that if Folegandros is not on your bucket list of places to go, it needs to be.

This trip has been a very different view of the world for us, ferries and apartments instead of a yacht, but we've loved it and would absolutely recommend it. The biggest question is where next?

Yamas!

P.S.

As some may know from previous year's blogs I've long been fascinated by small Greek churches, which are everywhere. Folegandros has over 200 on an island with 750 inhabitants. That seems to be the average, a church per 3 people. There are at least 4 large churches in Folegandros Chora, two built side by side. Most small churches are built and maintained by individuals, families or local groups, all dedicated to a specific Saint. Almost all that you'll see are well maintained, usually recently painted, and all will have candles and something to light them with. Churches facing the sea are generally there for the safe keeping of fishermen, many are dedicated to mothers and some to a family member who has died. Some are very, very small but I think, after a long search, we've found the smallest by the side of the road at Ano Meria.

P.P.S.

Apparently there is a bakery in Ano Meria which struggles to attract passing trade (there is a surprising amount). Let's hope their signage helps.