Part III- The Magic of Paxos

Paxos, Sunday, May 21-Weds, May 24.

Days among the lotus-eaters: how to describe the sensory overtones of this trip? From the moment we arrived in Greece we could feel the sweetness of the air, even in the city of Athens. These overtones have resonated more richly and ever deeper as we explore the islands and the sea. And now we are in Paxos. 

There is the same salty tang as at home, the seagulls sing the same song. But the colors are softer, the language exotic, and over all rings the ancient history of this place. There are thousands of years of life brimming over here. 

From my perch in the stern I could see lemons ripe in trees, bougainvillea, geraniums, pink, yellow and cream-colored buildings, all with red tile roofs. Tavernas lure locals and travelers, men are driving by on motorbikes and tiny cars and vans. The harbor town of Gaios on the island of Paxos sits mostly along the long shoreline, where fishing boats and charter boats come and go, but none so lovely as Impala, an elegant Sparkman & Stephens boat built in the 1950s. We were greeted by the owners of the taverna, Pan and Theo, who recognized the boat and made us welcome. We ate most of our meals there, took showers, used their internet, enjoyed their relaxed friendliness.

The people of Gaios are warm and have good humor. Hunt had an encounter with an elderly man (the people in the tavern told us he is 95 years old)- they both shook their canes at each other with knowing grins. 

We strolled the streets past charming ancient doorways, under stone arches, down incredibly narrow streets lined with shops that mingle tourist goods with hardware, groceries and services used by locals and visitors alike. Hunt bought me a ring at a local jewelry store, made by designer Doretta Tondi. We had a final dinner at Mediterranea, a restaurant whose grilled fish gave us an out-of-body experience. Our young waiter reminded us of a friend back home. And when he learned we were American, he said, “Oh! Will you take me home with you??” It’s good to know the dream is still alive. Conversely, Hunt and I dream of renting a villa on one of the steep streets above the town and staying here for a month of painting, writing and exploring.

As we left Paxos, we headed up the coast towards the harbor town of Lakka. On our way we encountered a Drascombe Lugger, a delightful open-hull boat, with a man and woman aboard whom Hunt and I would have loved to befriend.

Lakka harbor was filled with pleasure boats, and as the afternoon wore on, the boats kept coming. The mouth of the harbor was nearly filled with a giant yacht named King Louis; they pulled out in early evening to reveal the occupants on the topmost deck sitting in their hot tub, watching the crew go through their paces. Alfie took us in the dinghy to a small beach for our first and only swim in the Med, delightfully crystal clear turquoise water, warm yet refreshing. Later that evening we put music on the sound system and danced on deck.

Next stop: Albania!