MILOS, GREECE

TIMING IS EVERYTHING 

replica Venus de Milo

Had we visited the island of Milos first before all the others on our “Unexplored Greece” excursion with Variety Cruises, we would have been delighted. Afterall, the island has a lot to offer. From history; it was here the famous Venus de Milo statue was discovered; to the hill-top Plaka that is like a Disney-land version of Greek islands; to the lunar landscape beach of Sarakiniko that is carved from ancient lava flows; to a port burgeoning with yachts and cafes and tavernas all filled with tourists from across the world, with many of them having loud conversations where every other word is italicized.

It’s a very popular island and though we were happy to have visited it because of all the aforementioned sights, it was very busy…too busy… We had grown accustomed to relative solitude throughout our cruise and Milos was far from quiet and overwhelmingly touristed. Even Kalymnos, though busy, had a very working-man Greek feel to it and the tavernas at the port were all filled with locals, while Milos was hedging on more a party atmosphere.

We stopped at Milos because of inclement weather that altered our planned itinerary.

I GO SWIMMING

Provatas, Milos

As always, the day started with a chance to swim and Provatas Beach, on the south side of Milos, was perhaps the nicest on our trip so far. Long and sandy with placid refreshing water, there was even a lifeguard. There were little beach bungalows, looking more like garages (which would be explained later on during our tour of the island), were for rent and there was a bar at one end and restaurant a short walk up a hill that had the owner  arranging the catch of the day on ice.

Provatas, Milos

WALKING ON THE MOON

There are several notable beaches on Milos, but the most unique was Sarakiniko on the north side of the island. The white volcanic tuff of the area has been described as a lunar landscape.

Sarakiniko, Milos

Once the Panorama was docked at the busy Adamas port, situated on the north side of the large sheltered Ormos Miliou bay, we took an optional tour of Milos.

The first stop was to visit the very popular Sarakiniko Beach. Though blazingly hot with the unrelenting sun beating down, people climb all over the white tuff that has been carved into wild shapes by the wind and weather over time.

The azure blue Aegean was inviting and people would either jump into the water from the rocks or enter the sea by a long narrow niche in the tuff that ends in a small beach.

the "beach" at Sarakiniko, Milos

Descending from the parking lot the niche looks like Sarakiniko was cleaved in two. At the end of this finger of water there is a lifeguard stand and behind them there are caves that can be explored. They were carved into the tuff and used both by pirates as a hideout to ambush passing ships and later, Greeks to store provisions. 

Sarakiniko, Milos

cave at Sarakiniko, MIlos

There are no amenities at Sarakiniko once you leave the parking lot. It is a bit of a hike to reach the water. At the parking lot though there is a food truck. 

As we were on a tour, we did not have the opportunity to linger at Sarakiniko; we had less than an hour to explore; although other Panorama passengers took a taxi to reach the beach and spent the afternoon there. If you visit remember the sun heats the white tuff making it very hot and there is really no shade. Bring water.

Here is a Google Earth map of Sarakiniko and you can see the long narrow “beach” and surrounding terrain:.GOOGLE EARTH SARAKINIKO

 

cave at Sarakiniko, Milos

MIGHTY APHRODITE

In 1820 a farmer working his fields discovered the statue called Venus de Milo. Venus is the Roman name for the Greek god of love, Aphrodite. The statue was subsequently spirited off to Paris and has been on display at the Louvre ever since. Our tour of Milos next took us to the exact spot where the statue was found and a little further along was an amphitheater dating from Hellenistic times. Some scholars say the statue was part of a display on the side of the road leading to the amphitheater.

amphitheater with bay and
Klima in the background

From our vantage point we could see the stage, the vast expanse of the bay and a hint of Klima, a little fishing village whose colorful boat houses have been converted into accommodations. Never had the chance to explore Klima though because the tour was moving on to the next location, the Plaka.

Klima

TOO TOO

The Plaka is the capital of Milos and atop a hill overlooking the island and bay. The narrow streets with boutique shops and restaurants with waiters hawking passersby to stop seemed preternaturally too idealistic. It was everything one would expect on a visit to a Greek island, with tourists milling about and waiters scurrying with plates of food and drink, but it seemed “too perfect” if one could be so callous. 

It’s difficult to explain, but after flitting through several islands that were quieter and relaxed the Plaka on Milos seemed very aware of itself and this had more a façade than a place where people lived and drank. We were there just less than an hour, and it wasn’t until we were leaving that I finally saw a group of old men and women sitting around the corner from the Plaka kind of hoping no one saw them.

This is not to say we didn’t enjoy our time there. The Plaka is great for catching a sunset, but we didn’t even have time to visit the Sand Museum. The owner there has collected samples from all over the world (sounds like me) and visitors are invited to view some of the sand underneath a Microscope. Sadly, I found out about the Sand Museum only after we left. 

Avii, Plaka, Milos

At least we found the Avli Milos Taverna where they serve a beer brewed specifically for them.

AVLI-MILOS, PLAKA

bay view from the Plaka, Milos

ADAMAS / WE KNOW BETTER

In the main port there are countless shops and tavernas and restaurants. We had dinner in a crowded street-side taverna. Filled with everyone from everywhere we shared a Greek salad and Souvlaki. Tour buses rambled by, trust-fund kids chattered away as we ate in silence and soon thereafter made for the relative quiet of the Panorama. Adamas was too busy, and yet this was the “off-season” in June.

Again, if this were the first stop on our adventure, we would have been very happy. We knew better though. We were thankful to have visited Milos, but it was time to move on.

Maybe I’ll go back someday…just to go to the Sand Museum.

You should go too.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

Plaka, Milos

© 2026 by Gregory Dunaj

YOU RUN AND YOU RUN TO CATCH UP WITH THE SUN

BUT ITS SINKING

You sainted readers who are checking in at Vacation From Home expecting another installment of our travels through some very small Greek islands, I have to digress today. Today is my daughter’s birthday. She is now 40. I guess you can call that middle-aged, but I would never level that accusation to her personally, lest I am flattened by her feisty vitriol. It is that feistiness that I’ve passed on to her that makes me happiest, because rather than lamenting the passage of time we both embrace the opportunities a new dawn brings us. Afterall, the alternative is bleak.

She is my first born and that always comes with a cache of pride.

Her birth was a bit tumultuous as we got to the hospital at 1:00 pm and she arrived less than an hour later, much to the chagrin of the nursing staff and the OB-GYN doctor. We were in a birthing room (as young parents we had “planned” the event). But, when I tried to retrieve the boom box (yes, that was 40 years ago) to play soothing reggae music, the future ex-wife demanded I stay. The doctor wanted to move us to a more spacious OR, but my Lamaze training kicked in and as the HC I said the child was not going to be born in the hallway….it was happening that quickly.

The doctor gave me that patented dirty-doctor look and acquiesced. While telling the attending nurse to get supplies, my daughter exited her mother and he literally caught her.

Then peed on him.

Everyone was stunned with the speed of this “event”. My first words to the wife were, when we learned it was a girl, (we were expecting a son): “Honey, we’re going to have to pay for the wedding.”

I opted not to cut the umbilical cord and the doctor had the blood splay across his scrubs.

When the nurses finally cleaned her up and wrapped my daughter in a blanket and cap they presented her to me. My wife was in the throes of anguish and my daughter hearing her voice began to cry.

I said to the as yet unnamed human in my arms, “Don’t worry little girl, I’m your father. I've got you, and you are safe.” She opened her eyes, a minute old and sighed, comforted by my voice, and went right to sleep.

Happy birthday to my daughter, long may she ride. She will always be safe with me.

Thanks for reading.

Love, always greg and Janet

Hawaii

© 2026 by Gregory Dunaj

ASTYPALAIA GREECE

TRULY A HIDDEN GEM

Chora on Astypalaia

Like a modern-day Odyssey, the captain of the Panorama veered off the scheduled itinerary as we flitted through the many islands of the Aegean, but rather than being tossed about by Poseidon’s ire, the captain chose to steer clear of the capricious god. The itinerary originally had us calling on three islands, Amorgos, Koufonisia and Iraklia, but calmer weather had us sailing to Astypalaia, Milos and then Serifos.

SERENDIPITY SIMPLICITY

Astypalaia (we were calling it Asti Spumante) proved to be a wonderful stop. The butterfly-shaped island with white-washed houses looking like stacked sugar cubes trimmed in blue is not a prime tourist destination. In fact, later in the day when we took an electric bus to tour Chora and her windmills, and climbed to the Querini Castle, we learned many of the owners of the little shops and restaurants there were excited their island was being visited by a tour ship! With just 38 passengers the Panorama isn’t a big tour ship, but our visit elated the population. It was interesting to learn that even some of the crew of the Panorama had never been to Astypalia as well.

Astypalaia is quiet and maybe that was the allure. The island did not have the throbbing crowds of other islands like Santorini or Crete, but its relative isolation had every passenger on the Panorama saying Variety Cruises should make the island a scheduled stop.

As we were in the shoulder season, July and August are the busiest time, the island seemed empty.

BEACHES, TAVERNAS AND SUSTAINABLE SERVICE

We had some idle time to walk around town and found a small family run taverna to have ouzo. We were entertained by their precocious young daughter who kept sneaking looks at us from the interior of the taverna while we sat in the shade of their patio.

It’s very hilly away from the port so we limited our stroll to just one set of stairs where we were greeted by an inquisitive clowder of cats looking for a handout.

There is a lone beach near the port, but my understanding there are several beautiful beaches around the island. All are accessible by car, motorcycle, ATV, taxi or limited bus service by the electric Astybus. We had a swim stop before we made port and the beach was sandy and the water clear and refreshing. It was the nicest beach so far on the trip, though amenities like a beach-side bar were not yet open.

By the way, Astypalaia is the first European place that is seriously trying to become completely eco-friendly and completely decarbonized with a partnership between Volkswagen and the Greek government. Currently the fleet of rental cars offered by many of the rental companies are a mix of ICE and EV vehicles.  

VERGOULIS CAR RENTAL ASTYPALAIA

VENETIAN CASTLE, WINDMILLS…and CRAFT BEER

After dinner onboard the Panorama we went on a tour of Chora, the main town of the island and on a hill overlooking all of Astypalaia. There are several beautiful red-capped windmills called xetrochari there, used by the people for centuries to mill their crops grown on the island. The roofs rotate to catch the wind. Some are still used today, although one serves as a tourist center for the island.

Astypalaia "map"

The eight windmills stand along the edge of a plaza with shops and confectioners tavernas and restaurants. Presiding over all of this is the remnants of Querini Castle erected as a defense against pirates when the island was under Venetian control. Citizens lived within the walls for protection, but ultimately built homes outside the walls. The castle itself is derelict and there are no tours, but we did trudge up the steep path and meandered through alleyways to get near the summit affording us a spectacular view of the Aegean.

With a Greek naval vessel anchored far enough off shore we had ouzo and meze at an outdoor hilltop taverna with views of the entire island and the Panorama far below.  

As we made our way back to the square and the windmills our cruise director, Kristina called out to us from a taverna where she was having dinner. She knew I was always looking for craft beers and introduced me to 8 Mills, a session IPA brewed on Astypalaia. The three of us lingered over the beers and yet another ouzo before the trip on the bus back down to the port, the castle illuminated in the gathering night sky.

It was especially sad to leave this beautiful quiet hidden gem.

Janet and I would revisit Astypalaia.

Thanks for reading.

Love, always.

© 2026 Gregory Dunaj

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY?

LET THAT S*T GO…. 

Life is good

I think I’ve reached an age where there are more recollections than aspirations. That’s not a maudlin thought, but rather an observation. What would be sad is to labor over the past and not live the rest of my days in this Garden of Eden with an elan that befits this fine world and this wonderful precious life.

All the things that to us seem to be so dreadfully important today, all the trespasses, all the perceived slights will be forgotten much sooner than we would give them credit.

It’s better to “let it go,” or in the words of Dave Mason, “Let it go, Let it flow.” Or, the old Buddhist tenet: ‘LET THAT SHIT GO.”

Enjoy your day. I am going to do my part today on my birthday.

Love, always

Greg

© 2026 by Gregory Dunaj

 

KALYMNOS

SPONGES, THE BENDS AND ROCK CLIMBING

diver

We recently sailed with Variety Cruises on what they termed “Unexplored Greece”. The Panorama first took us to Ikaria, where the mythological tragedy of Icarus ended, Patmos, where St. John wrote the Book of Revelations and Lipsi, where we drank a lot of wine.

The next stop in our island-hopping adventure in Greece had us in Kalymnos, one of the larger islands in the Dodecanese with a greater population than any islands we had visited up until then. The island is famous for the harvesting of natural sponges that since ancient Greece have been harvested by divers. For centuries sponges was the main source of income on the island. Sons would learn the trade from their fathers and the island’s identity was with the sea.

A BIT OF HISTORY

For centuries men would freedive to depths reaching 100 feet. They would use a heavy stone, called a skandalopetra that was rounded with a rope threaded through a hole in the middle to help speed their descent and to preserve air. Depending on the diver’s lung capacity he could remain underwater for up to five minutes. The diver, usually naked, would fill a net with sponges before being hauled up by the crew at the surface. Since ancient Greek times this was the method of harvesting sponges.

Sponges at museum

Although freediving for sponges was a dangerous profession, the industry took a tragic turn for the worse with the use of diving suits, that began in the mid-1860s. Air would be pumped down to the diver wearing a helmet and suit. This allowed the diver to stay underwater longer and deeper than with freediving. Not understanding the dangers of decompression sickness, where dissolved gases, primarily nitrogen form bubbles in the blood and body tissues, causing excruciating pain. Also called the bends, thousands of men were crippled, paralyzed or died when they came up too quickly. 

When we took a tour of a sponge museum in Kalymnos the guide spoke of seeing men crippled from the bends. As scuba divers we know that we need a “safety stop”, about 15 feet below the surface for five minutes to allow our bodies to reacclimate to surface pressures. At the museum there was a picture of a diver on the surface smoking a cigarette. We were told that if a man could inhale cigarette smoke after he ascended, he was okay. If not, he would go back into the water to decompress.  

picture displayed at
Kalymnos sponge museum

Different safety protocols.

SPONGE WORTHY

Ancient Greek writings of Aristotle and Plato both mentioned sponges. Homer mentions sponges in both the Iliad and the Odyssey. They were used in a myriad of ways, from bathing, as padding for helmets, portable drinking vessels, and as a contraceptive. The Romans used a xylospongium, literally a sponge on a stick, to wipe themselves after defecating.

By the mid-20^th Century though overfishing and pollution nearly drove the sponges, and the industry of harvesting them, to extinction. The introduction of synthetic sponges was another debilitating blow to natural sponge harvesting, which involves a labor-intensive process of cleaning and shaping to ready them for market.

Roman xylospongium 

 Today, the tradition of harvesting sponges continues on Kalymnos, albeit at a much lesser scale when fleets of trawlers would go out for months to harvest sponges. In Pothia the main town of Kalymnos, and where we docked overnight, there are still a lot of boats devoted to sponge harvesting and workshops and museums selling sponges to tourists.

CLIMBING

Less than 20% of Kalymnos can be farmed, the rest is barren and rocky, which has proved to be another tourist attraction to the island. In the past several decades Kalymnos has become a rock-climbing holiday destination with several outfitters serving this new reason to visit this island.  

OUR VISIT

After a swim stop on Kefala Beach where the Panorama’s tender ferried us to shore and the crew set up umbrellas for shade on the sun-splashed cove we docked the busy main port of Pothia, the main town of Kalymnos.

 

It was hot, but we had time to head into town for lunch. Several tavernas line the port and we went to To Steki Ton Nautikon as per a recommendation by our cruise director Kristina with four other passengers from the Panorama. The table shared several appetizers. Janet and I shared a Greek salad and a bottle (small) of ouzo. You’ll know the restaurant when you see it by the boat suspended over the entranceway.

TO STEKI TON NAUTIKON, KALYMNOS

Our tour began with a very touristy tram ride through the town with the guide pointing out different statues, one of a naked freediver and another of a local diving legend, Antonis Kampourakis, wearing a dive suit. Still alive,  Antonis dove until he turned 72. 

Freediver statue
Kalymnos

The tram tootled through town with the guide pointing out that streets here were not named, but are known by the church that is in that neighborhood. We then went to one of several little museums along the port for a demonstration about the steps to glean and shape natural sponges for market, shown artifacts like the diving helmets and skandalopetra and an array of sponges from luffa rough to silky smooth. All were for sale. They also had displayed a picture of a diver smoking a cigarette, obviously free of decompression sickness.

Variety Cruises made our stay on Kalymnos “Greek Night” and ouzo flowed freely and Greek food was served for dinner. On the sun deck afterwards we were entertained with traditional Greek dances including the Kalymnos Sponge Diver dance, which has a man crippled by the bends, at first unable to dance, but “cured” by the music.  

Antonis Kampourakis

Janet retired, but I wanted another walk around town and settled on one of countless tavernas in Pothias all blaring the Stoiximan Greek Basket League Finals for one more ouzo and meze.

BTW the Olympiacos Heroes defeated the Panathinaikos Fighters to take the Stoiximan GBL 2026 championship.

 Thanks for reading!

Love Janet and greg

© 2026 by Gregory Dunaj

Here is a Youtube video of a Kalymnos Sponge Diver Dance:

 

PATMOS / LIPSI

FROM THE END OF DAYS TO THE END OF A WONDERFUL DAY

Lipsi

 Two islands in one day.

The first one you might have heard of, but probably not the other. 

On our second day of sailing with Variety Cruises for their “Unexplored Greece” excursion aboard the beautiful three masted Panorama we got to visit Patmos and then sailed on to Lipsi.

PATMOS

The Book of Revelations was written on Patmos by St John the Divine, aka St John the Theologian, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ. He was banished to Patmos by the Romans, but only after they dunked him in boiling oil, but he emerged unscathed.   

Revelations is the final book in the New Testament and foretells the second coming of Christ and the end of days.

Monastery of
St John the Theologian
Patmos

Appropriately it was on a Sunday morning we visited this revered Orthodox Christian destination. We went on a guided tour of the Cave of the Apocalypse, where St John wrote Revelations, and the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, of which the earliest parts date from the 11^th Century. Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites. The monastery also has a museum with several manuscripts and relics including, believe it or not, the skull of St. Thomas. (Pun intended.)

There was an admission cost to both, but that was covered by Variety Cruises.

After our tour we had an hour or two to idle away on this tranquil island. We found a shady table of an outdoor café in the quiet port town of Skala and relaxed over freddo espresso, (Greek iced coffee), with metrio (a little bit of sugar) before heading back to the Panorama. 

Monastery of
St John the Theologian
Patmos

Patmos

LIPSI

There is absolutely nothing to do on Lipsi except walk the 8-kilometer island, swim on any of the quiet beaches, go diving or sit at an Ouzeri along the lengthy quay to take in a brilliant sunset. There are no cultural attractions on Lipsi as there was on Patmos. The island of just 800 residents has no large hotels or resorts, and there is an ordinance limiting buildings to just two-stories. Janet and I thought the island was perfect, very peaceful and tranquil. It does get busier during the months of July and August, but it felt like we had the island to ourselves as we explored it on an early Sunday evening this past June.

Brilliantly white-washed buildings with daubs of color, usually blue (as this is the cheapest pigment) for accents lined the meandering pathways that served as streets away from the port.  Lipsi is an actively working marina, with lots of colorful fishing boats moored, the ship’s nets spread out drying in the sun. 

The island is a popular stop for yachts as well and this easternmost Dodecanese archipelago is closer to Turkey than mainland Greece.

Lipsi

WINE NOT

Our island excursion was a visit to the Nico Grylli Winery where our group was seated at a long table overlooking the marina and the vineyards to sample their five wines paired with different foods. The last was the Aposperitis from the unique and rare Fokiano grape variety which was served with perfectly spicy nibbles.

Seating at Nico Grylli Winery

We purchased a bottle of their Rose Water to take home.

NICE GRYLLI WINERY LIPSI

OUZERI

LIPSI

We opted to not take the van all the way back to the Panorama and decided to walk the quiet streets before finally settling in on the colorful chairs of the Asprakis Taverna (or Ouzeri) for Ouzo and a Mythos beer and meze to watch the sunset. Yacht kids tootled past on their scooters, people walked their dogs and it was just the perfect place.

We weren’t done for the night though. We ambled over to Nick and Louli’s Ouzeri for more ouzo and yet another meze. This place was even quieter and locals seated near a rack of drying Octopus tentacles happily waved at us when we approached to enjoy one final stop on this tranquil island where there’s nothing to do.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

LIPSI

LIPSI

LIPSI

LIPSI WITH DRYING OCTOPUS

© 2026 by Gregory Dunaj

IKARIA, GREECE

 SO, YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER?

ICARUS

There are places in this world that just seem right. On Ikaria, the first island we visited on our Variety Cruises’ “Unexplored Greece” island-hopping adventure, we slipped easily into an easy way of approaching the day.

Perhaps it was because the island was our first stop of our 8-day cruise aboard the Panorama and everything seemed fresh and new? Perhaps it was because we alighted on Ikaria in the “shoulder season” and not at the height of tourist revelry in the months of July and August and the plateia tables of the port town of Agios Kirykos although filled that first night held a certain calmness to them? One would imagine a Saturday night would be livelier, but on Ikaria an easier unrushed approach to life is the norm. Afterall, Ikaria is an island where people forget to die.

AGIOS KIRYKOS

BLUE ZONE

Ikaria is a “Blue Zone”, one of just 6 in the world. This moniker is given to places where people live exceptionally long lives, often exceeding the centenarian mark. The longevity evidently stems from a combination of physical activity, strong social interactions within the community with low stress levels and maintaining a primarily plant-based diet. Whatever the reason the pace of Ikaria is slow, meals take a long time, people linger over conversations and drinks deep into the night. Sunsets are appreciated. 

Why hurry? The island ranks up there as the Bluest of Blue Zones.

To read more about this phenomena: IKARIA AND BLUE ZONES

RADON LOVE

Another reason …maybe… for increased longevity are the number of spas on the island that people soak in for the therapeutic effects of the radioactive waters.

COMMUNAL SPA IKARIA

 

Don't be too alarmed, but Ikaria has the highest concentrations of radon found in Greece and all of Europe and studies have shown that long-time beneficial rehabilitative effects can be achieved from the “therapeutic waters”.

You don’t believe me:

GOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU

Our excursion on the island was to visit the spa town of Therma where we swam in the communal hot springs, although we were told to limit our time to just 20 minutes. Because there is a gentle ocean flow here the concentration of radon is less than other spas and there will be warm and cold spots.

When our noisy group arrived, there were several locals also enjoying the waters.

It’s rocky and the steps into the pool are steep. Make sure you wear water shoes.  

ICARUS 

MEZZE 

After our dip and with no one claiming hair loss our cruise director from Variety Cruises walked us over to the Icarus café, one of several hedging the beach for drinks and meze. Meze is the snack one often gets served when ordering drinks, like a Greek tapas.

Janet and I had ouzo, having grown fond of this aperitif while in Athens and we shared a craft beer brewed on Ikaria!

Ikariotissa Beer offers a porter, ale, unfiltered ale and a lager. We used the ale to help wash down the last of our meze.

Above the café’s doorway hung a painting of the establishment and the island’s namesake, Icarus.

In Greek mythology Dedalus and his son escaped King Minos and his labyrinth on Crete by fashioning wings of feathers and wax and flying away. Sadly, Icarus in his youthful exuberance few too close to the sun and the wax melted and he plummeted to this island. 

Great story, great beer, great island.

IKARIOTISSA BEER

The sad part of a sailing adventure is there never is enough time to fully explore a place. Our visit could have lasted days. You get a taste or an image before having to move on, never fully understanding where you just left, but it anything is to be taken from Ikaria it is to enjoy yourself, and forget to die.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2026 by Gregory Dunaj