Day Eight

 It must be Monday, we are on the island of Naxos.  

Naxos is the center of the Cycladis Islands with a population of 20,000 in the winter and 150,000 in the summer.  It is noted for its potatoes, cheese, sandy beaches and pure white marble.  Its marble was used throughout the Greek and Roman world for statues and temples and we visited a quarry that ships 1 million tons per year around the world. 

We woke up to the sun, sea and a breakfast by the pool.  We then hopped on a small bus, lead by Fotis and Mary Romeos, into the mountains to see some ruins, several small villages and then to their summer home high on a mountain side. They told the amazing story of how Fotis' mother came to know Christ.  The ride was capped with Fotis and Mary taking us to a high remote village for a traditional Naxos meal. We sat at tables under a tree overlooking the valley below and mountains above. The main course was "Rooster" which is a Naxos delicacy and apparently better than "Hen." It was indeed excellent. In addition I heard some say that the Lamb was the best ever.

We returned to our resort in time for a swim and then a walk into the port city of Naxos for calamari, french fries, gyros, orange pie and ice cream. 

The Island has expanded so much since our last visit in 2021. The port was bustling with tourist, shops, restaurants and ice cream shops. But there is only one "Waffle House" which serves the best ice cream which we were able to enjoy and plan a few more trips before we leave the island.