On to Syros

Because of the Seamen’s Union strike, Daniel and I were left with only one day to explore the island of Syros, so we weren’t able to wander much further than the main port and the adjacent medieval hilltop town of Ano Syros.  Ermoupoli is an elegant city, the capital of the Cyclades, formerly Greece’s main port, named after Hermes, the messenger of the gods (and the protector of travelers).  We stayed in the Vaporia, a seaside neighborhood of neo-classical captains’ mansions, marble balconies, and winding paths.  The mansions are painted in delicate shades of pink and yellow, yet the churches and interior public spaces burst with vibrant colors and patterns.

The town hall is a neoclassical building designed by Ernst Ziller, who designed many such elegant royal and municipal buildings in late 19th/early 20th century Greece.  There is a remarkably uninteresting archeological museum located in the backside of the town hall.  A sculptural fragment from Astypalaia, in the Dodecanese, of some rather large testicles was the only object to catch my eye. Just across the square from the town hall is one of the most delightful restaurants in town, the Avant Garden.  The setting is spectacular, a lovely courtyard garden open to the sky.  The staff is friendly and welcoming, and very enthusiastic about the food, which is inventive and flavorful, classic Greek dishes reimagined as modern plates highlighting local ingredients.

At the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin, barely visible beyond the very reflective protective glass, I stumbled on an early El Greco, painted before he was El Greco.  He was in his early 20s when he painted it.  His signature, clearly painted on the bottom of the painting, reads Domenicos Theotocopoulos, maker, which even I could read, yet was only noticed in 1983.  Everybody looks at the pictures.

Daniel and I hiked up to Ano (upper, very very upper) Syros, a medieval hilltop town adjacent to Ermoupoli with winding narrow streets and breathtaking views.  Ano Syros is inhabited by Catholic Greeks, who settled here after the 4th Crusade.  All of the churches here and around the island are delightful and lavishly decorated colorful light-filled spaces.

Back to Athens for Daniel’s last night, and then on to Nea Koroni… stay tuned!