(wonder) :
Hey, what's goin' on with all these fully-dark tanned chicks and dudes? Do they suffer from TANorexia? Please check yourselves in for treatment or something.
trail map
Story:
"Can't you scoot over dammit? Look how much space you have." i said to a stinky-armpit man with the wifebeater who set himself right next to me when all the ship deck was almost empty. He left. Good for him cause i had a bunch of bitchy comments ready to spit. I hate when they do that.
Well, i was on the deck of the ship watching the tiny little islands drifted by as the ship headed to Sifnos island. I knew that ship well. Not only me but everyone who used to go to Cyclades islands over the last 30 years. "Saint George" Yes it uses steam to move its body. It's the one with the unlimited layers of oil-based paint. You've got to dig deep just to find the very first color. Every year a layer, every layer a part of history. It's like a growing metal tree. By cutting the trunk you can see the tree rings which shows one year's growth. The tree rings are now the paint layers. Between them you can find 30 years old air, flies and insects that used to live many years ago, etc. It's a moving museum. Perfect place for archeologists. I felt like Indiana Jones on that ship. And you know something...i think it's too slow because of these layers.
I took a deep breath, some pictures and the stairs to where we seated ourselves , me-nick and peter. I've been in Sifnos 2 years ago with my girlfriend and we had great time.(i wish she was down to earth again :( ...)Anyways.
After 4 to 5 hours we reached the island. I called Aristidis (Aegean Eye), booked a room for 3 and we went to Vathi to eat something. We sat right next to the sea we ordered seafood we ate well even if the portions was the smallest i have ever seen. It was a meal for kids not for 3 hungry adults. If you wanna take a picture of a platter you have to put your camera to the 'macro' mode. WTF. "These tapas are great" i said to the owner but she didn't understand my black humor. But i'm pretty sure she understood the little tiny small-like-her portion tip. Then we left. Next stop was our room. Not much to say about it. Descent. The room master, Aristidis, was a very cool person and that made us happy. We had no beer at all so Nick went to the Tavern Leonidas next door to bought some but the owner said to Nick "No, i don't wanna give you beers" "Why? I'm gonna pay for bottles also" Nick said "Because" she reply. Wow what an asshole, she was so rude, so we put that tavern in our big black list.
Our room was at a place called Kastro (castle). It was an old castle at the top of a rocky hill surrounded by houses. We were in Kastro and suddenly we found the Fidel. Yes, we were face to face with Fidel Kastro the leader of Cuba. Not the real one but the greatest fan of Fidel Kastro in Greece or...all over the world. Mr Kostas, the owner of the Cafe Kavos. The best place in Sifnos, with an amazing view and with the best,friendly and relaxing atmosphere. Mr Kostas was crazy about Fidel and Cuba. He was late 60, dressed in a khaki T-shirt with Fidel's face on it and blue jean shorts. The same set everyday. He was the DJ or better the CD-changer. He was playing only mambo music and only from Cuban musicians that never crossed the sea to go to US and Miami. If a musician abandoned Cuba automatically took place at his black list. You'll never gonna listen to Tito Puente in cafe Kavos. He did the same with the drinks. Only Havana-Club rum not Bacardi or stuff like this. He was a weirdo but in a good way. I like him. He is so authentic. We were drinking at Mr Kostas-Fidel every single night. I was drinking Caipirinha. It's a Brazilian drink but Mr Fidel was all right with that.
I don't know why but i like figs and Sifnos is full of fig trees, so i was always picking figs and believe me were really yummy, a bless for my taste buds.Like the food at Troulaki restaurant.Wooow great super tasty food straight from the wooden oven. Meat that melts in your mouth, extra fresh herbs, giant portions the way that you would invited all your friends just to help you finish the food and...an exotic goat cheese. It wasn't a cheese it was a poem to flavor. Handmade goat cheese that had taken a 'nap' and rest for many months into the lees at the bottom of wine barrels.If your destination is Sifnos you should go and eat at Troulaki and you'll enjoy food better than mom would make if she was getting paid for. You'd better go around 8 o'clock just to see the sunset while you are eating. We did that way and it was awesome guys!
Couple of hours before troulaki we had been at a small rocky beach where only 4 girls was lying on the sunbeds. Topless, full-tanned and lonely. What a combination huh? All of a sudden, a 6 member Norwegian family popped up from the trees around.The moment they arrived the girls found their top and lost their happy mood.So did we.They turned over...we turned the car around and hit the road.
Next day found us in Heronissos at the top-north of the island, a traditional fishing village, where we ate fishes (don't remember what kind of) next to the sea using our hands and gave the left-overs to the stray cats. Before that fresh fish food party i had checked out the sea bed around and found that was full of fish-soles trying hide themselves into the sand.I wish i had an underwater camera. But hey, i've just seen a cool gadget in a magazine insert.It's a scuba diving mask with a built-in high definition micro camera.This is what i want for the next summer.That would be hilarious but i think it can be used for sky-diving also.
Maybe i'm one of hmm.. 3 people out of millions who really like to raising my hands up against the sun, watching my fingers glows red.Sifnos has great strong pure light,like any other island in Cyclades complex. And when there is a good light....you'll get nice photos.(i'd like to believe)So i hung my Nikon FM2n on my shoulder and went to the edge of the Kastro.There's a tiny church on a rocky hill surrounded by the sea.The light wasn't so straight and that made shadows look great.I wanna see the results but i have to wait till i develop that b&w film.
Well, the last day came. "Where are we going to eat now?" was the question. I did palms-up. "Is there anywhere left?" Yes there was. One of these little restaurants at the center square of Artemonas...and we went there and we picked one. It look like the sort of place where a person would eat well but ...no. The last meal was totally awful.A couple next to us complained because they found bags into their bread and hit the road, but we had already finished our food.As we 'run away' from the restaurant i saw a happy couple ready to go there. I look them in the eyes and made a sticking-my finger-down my throat gagging motion. I hope they got my point.Then we chugged some beers while we are waiting the boat to took us home.
As a conclusion. Sifnos is a great island, with great light, great food (except that in Artemonas -the first on the left hand when you entering the square), very friendly and smiling people, good at heart.
Lot of figs to picking at. But the most important is Kastro and Kavos bar with Mr Kostas.
Already start missing those great drinks that amazing view that relaxing atmosphere
and Mr Kostas motto. "Asta siempre"
Asta siempre guys. See you later. Follow me in Barcelona Spain where the first part of the Preparation Course with the "MSF" would take place.
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