Our approach into Paros this morning, it was hard to deny two things; one the air seemed cooler than in our previous weeks travel through the area – a welcome change! And with the tourist season drawing to an end with the coming of September, the crowds were undeniably thinner and the presence of ferries and cruise ships had dropped off considerably.
I was pleasantly surprised as I stepped off the ship’s tender into the busy little port town, Parikia. For a Sunday morning, there was a lot going on. Cafes were busy serving up warm cups of coffee, cappuccinos and warm pastries. Shops were open, selling everything from fine table linens and pottery (locally made) to post cards and tee shirts. I found a small antique shop that occupied me for over an hour and I browsed antique ecclesiastical items and olive and Ouzo crockery dating to the early 1800s.
Some passengers took local transportation to the nearby town of Naoussa where high-end designer shops cater to the large yachts anchored and tied along side in the harbor. I chose to linger in Parikia, where church bells echoed through the streets, signaling the end of morning services while families gathered to celebrate Sunday with friends over a noon time meal at the outside cafes that lined the narrow streets overlooking the water.
Parikia certainly rated high on my list of photogenic Greek towns. At the heart of the port town is a typical Cycladic chora, complete with the odd wall of a Venetian kastro, built on the site of the ancient acropolis in the early 1200s from fragments of the ancient temples that stood on the site. Pink and red Bougainvillea tumble over fences, rooftop garden walls and weaves its way up the sides of brick and white washed buildings. Charm does not begin to describe the effect. This is a place I would like to return and stay a few days – immerse myself in the laid back atmosphere. Yep – I could get used to this.
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