We departed Athens 9:00pm on May 20th, bound for the isle of Chios. This was
our first overnight ship. We sailed the passenger ferry ARIANDE. This ferry
transported about 300 plus a large number of tractor trailers, a small number of
autos and about 10 motorcycles. Our sleeping quarters comprised of a set of bunk
beds one small desk and chair. This area was comparable to a postage stamp. The
bathroom was about one quarter the size of a postage stamp.
We arrive Chios 5am the following morning. Chios is not a large island. It
was ruled at one time or another by the turks, the Ottoman Empire and invaders
from Genoa, when Genoa was a City State. They all left a very large imprint on
this island.
We visited three small towns whose origins go back to the 12th century.
The city of Chios is the only town built directly on the coast. The towns
visited and all others we did not, were built 10 to 20 km inland. This was done
to protect themselves from roaming pirates. The towns look very much like they
did 900 years ago. Castles surrounded by high walls, narrow street and houses
linked together by passageways from one roof top to the next. This allowed
inhabitants to avoid capture. Houses were built of stone. The ground floor
housed animals and the kitchen. The first floor was the living quarters and the
roof was for entertaining. We met a woman who uses the ground floor as a boutique
and lives in the small one room on the first floor in a house that was built 900
years ago. Running water and electricity have been added to allow her modern
living.
Chios is the only place in this world where the mestic tree grows. The soil
and climate conditions are just perfect. The mestic tree is rather short and
somewhat gnarly like a mesquite tree in Texas. In the early summer the owners of
the mestic farms will slash the bark of the tree about 1/8 inch deep. During the
summer the tree will weep sap which will drop on to the well prepared ground
around the tree. This sap by fall will have crystallized into pea sized cream
colored nodules. These are then sold to merchants who use the mestic for
everything from candy, coffee, soap, oil and a liqueur. This is the major cash
crop for Chios.
We also got to visit a black pebble beach. These pebbles range in size from
a chicken egg to a soft ball. This beach is a result of volcanic action eons
ago. Of course, being in Chios, the north end is a nude area.
We shall leave Chios Sunday morning for a 2 hour ferry ride to Mykonos.
Mykonos will be time to relax and refresh.
John and Mary
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