Sifnos
The smooth round shapes of pottery filled the shops and topped the roofs on the windswept island of Sifnos. We kept an eye out for the pregnant shapes of flaros pots used as chimney toppers, on porches and patios stood larger vessels which some of our smaller travelers could easily hide inside, of whose original purpose was for the storage of olive oil, and gastras, a traditional piece of pottery made specifically for slow cooking meats in an oven. But Sifnos was so much more than pottery.
It was a sandy beach; it was splashing and frolicking in the salty Aegean waters; it was the charm of blue shuttered windows against the whitewashed buildings splashed with the vibrant colors of purple and fuchsia bougainvilleas. The winding streets and alleyways of Kastro mimicked the disorienting tunnels of the labyrinth, but our journey ended not at a monster, but opened to a stunning vista framed in three layers of blue; a cloudless cobalt sky meeting a calm cerulean sea with the smooth curve of an indigo domed church in the foreground.
Upon our return to the Panorama, some took a quick dip to refresh themselves after a warm afternoon ashore, and then the dancing started. Filling the lounge we held hands, studiously counting to six and watching our feet as our instructor patiently coached us through the steps of two different Greek folk dances. We generally headed all in the same direction as we silently counted to six while gyrating in our circle. Foot stomping was kept to a fair minimum. We could tell we were getting a bit more self assured in our dancing ability when we actually looked up from our feet to smile at each other. Apparently we became a bit too cocky as our instructor decided we were ready for the next dance which consisted of twelve steps. With this we garnered a few more spectators and a few less dancers, but an entertaining time was had by all.
For the evening some of us chose to bathe in the cool of evening out on deck as the full moon’s reflection added sparkle to the waters off our starboard side and the lights from Sifnos glittered off the waters of our port side. Surrounded by these shimmering highlights we bid farewell to the day, and looked forward to our adventures of tomorrow.
The smooth round shapes of pottery filled the shops and topped the roofs on the windswept island of Sifnos. We kept an eye out for the pregnant shapes of flaros pots used as chimney toppers, on porches and patios stood larger vessels which some of our smaller travelers could easily hide inside, of whose original purpose was for the storage of olive oil, and gastras, a traditional piece of pottery made specifically for slow cooking meats in an oven. But Sifnos was so much more than pottery.
It was a sandy beach; it was splashing and frolicking in the salty Aegean waters; it was the charm of blue shuttered windows against the whitewashed buildings splashed with the vibrant colors of purple and fuchsia bougainvilleas. The winding streets and alleyways of Kastro mimicked the disorienting tunnels of the labyrinth, but our journey ended not at a monster, but opened to a stunning vista framed in three layers of blue; a cloudless cobalt sky meeting a calm cerulean sea with the smooth curve of an indigo domed church in the foreground.
Upon our return to the Panorama, some took a quick dip to refresh themselves after a warm afternoon ashore, and then the dancing started. Filling the lounge we held hands, studiously counting to six and watching our feet as our instructor patiently coached us through the steps of two different Greek folk dances. We generally headed all in the same direction as we silently counted to six while gyrating in our circle. Foot stomping was kept to a fair minimum. We could tell we were getting a bit more self assured in our dancing ability when we actually looked up from our feet to smile at each other. Apparently we became a bit too cocky as our instructor decided we were ready for the next dance which consisted of twelve steps. With this we garnered a few more spectators and a few less dancers, but an entertaining time was had by all.
For the evening some of us chose to bathe in the cool of evening out on deck as the full moon’s reflection added sparkle to the waters off our starboard side and the lights from Sifnos glittered off the waters of our port side. Surrounded by these shimmering highlights we bid farewell to the day, and looked forward to our adventures of tomorrow.
