Platygialos, Sifnos
The image of Cape Sounion’s Temple of Poseidon remained in our thoughts and dreams overnight, as we rolled south on the following seas and wondered “What could we have done to quell the wrath of Poseidon?” Perhaps we should have offered sacrifice instead of just taking photos and marveling at the dramatic promontory. We were very happy--and very lucky—to finally find shelter on the southern side of the island of Sifnos, some time after midnight.
Sifnos is a characteristic Cycladic island with whitewashed houses of blue trim and church domes. It is visited primarily by vacationing Greeks on the weekends, but there were many boats and ships of all sizes trying to find shelter from the galeforce winds today. It took a lot of shuttling and a bit of patience and improvisation, but we finally got ashore for a long morning exploring the traditional Cycladic villages of Sifnos.
The town of Kastro (which means “castle” or “fortified village”) was a maze of alleyways and steps that opened out to a spectacular view of the raging Aegean below. Some of us hiked down to the charming church below, and others took great photographs from the Periphery Trail before rejoining Sophia and Nani at the busses. We then continued to either the Pottery Workshop, where the kids cast pottery on the wheels, or up to the capital at Apollonia for a wander through town. We spent the rest of a very windy day down on the beach of Platygialos or relaxing on Panorama at anchor in the bay. Who do we pray to tonight, Poseidon or the wind god Aeolous?
The image of Cape Sounion’s Temple of Poseidon remained in our thoughts and dreams overnight, as we rolled south on the following seas and wondered “What could we have done to quell the wrath of Poseidon?” Perhaps we should have offered sacrifice instead of just taking photos and marveling at the dramatic promontory. We were very happy--and very lucky—to finally find shelter on the southern side of the island of Sifnos, some time after midnight.
Sifnos is a characteristic Cycladic island with whitewashed houses of blue trim and church domes. It is visited primarily by vacationing Greeks on the weekends, but there were many boats and ships of all sizes trying to find shelter from the galeforce winds today. It took a lot of shuttling and a bit of patience and improvisation, but we finally got ashore for a long morning exploring the traditional Cycladic villages of Sifnos.
The town of Kastro (which means “castle” or “fortified village”) was a maze of alleyways and steps that opened out to a spectacular view of the raging Aegean below. Some of us hiked down to the charming church below, and others took great photographs from the Periphery Trail before rejoining Sophia and Nani at the busses. We then continued to either the Pottery Workshop, where the kids cast pottery on the wheels, or up to the capital at Apollonia for a wander through town. We spent the rest of a very windy day down on the beach of Platygialos or relaxing on Panorama at anchor in the bay. Who do we pray to tonight, Poseidon or the wind god Aeolous?
