Tinos, Cyclades Islands, Greece
Sea Cloud anchored off the main port of Chora on the island of Tinos this morning. We tendered ashore and met our buses, which would transport us around this beautiful island community.
Chora is home to a beautiful and extremely important church, the Panagia Evangelistri. This neo-classical, marble complex is a deeply spiritual pilgrimage site, with an icon of the Virgin Mary. Pilgrims make their way up the long street from the harbor on their knees, following a carpeted path, before climbing the last stairs of the church itself. We made a brief visit during the morning service and admired the incredible and ornate artifacts inside.
Tinos is very mountainous and green in comparison with the many islands we have visited thus far on our journey. The road to Pyrgos is high and winding, and afforded beautiful views of the Aegean and the island of Syros in the backdrop. We watched peregrine falcons and hooded crows soar on the breezes, and admired the ubiquitous yellow broom on both sides of the road. One of the highlights of the island is the Venetian dovecotes which dot the landscape. Intricately carved, these towers are found all over the island in lower ravines, out of the high winds which are so common on Tinos.
We arrived in Pyrgos and visited the wonderful Museum of Marble Crafts. A relatively new installment, this small museum does a wonderful job of explaining the process of taking marble from quarry to finished product. Our guides Stella and Smaro next walked us down into the town. The main square is dominated by a huge Oriental plane tree and most everyone took advantage of time to sit in its shade, enjoying coffee or beer.
Our final walk through the town brought many discoveries in the small shops lining the alleyways and another focal point for photos was the stunning marble bus stop. Shortly after this, we drove back to Chora and re-boarded Sea Cloud.
Our afternoon was very calm and beautiful and we took the opportunity to get in Zodiacs and photograph the ship in full sail. It was a fitting way to end our time onboard, seeing the beautiful Sea Cloud in all her finery. After a last Q & A session with Smaro and Stella, we gathered for the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail party and a decadent dinner. Our week on Sea Cloud has filled us with images of the Cyclades Islands, but the ship herself will remain an integral part of the wonderful experiences we have shared.
