Allie's Greece Trip: Day Two

The second day, we woke up early and refreshed. Today we would be boarding a ferry to Naxos, the main Greek Isle that we would be visiting. The islands just to the west of the mainland are known as the Cyclades

Athens Harbor from our Blue Star Ferry, heading out to Naxos.

This was also the first opportunity the group would have to talk and get to know each other. I had brought along a deck of cards and we played Rummy and talked on the 7 hour ferry ride over. We got to see and feel the beautiful Mediteranean sun and we all got really excited to be going to an island. The group was very diverse, with many people who had already been on the same trip before or traveled extensively in the past; some that had never left the states (like myself).

The group of Appalachian College Association students on the ferry to Naxos.

The only time I ever noticed Greeks in a hurry- when we were disembarking the ferry!

Naxos Island, Cyclades, Greece

Naxos was absolutely beautiful, exactly like you would imagine a Grecian Island, all in white and blue. The first thing that really catches your attention is a large marble doorway that looks to lead to nowhere. This is the Portara, which was built in the 6th Century b.c. as a temple for Apollo, the god of prophecy, music and healing. The Portara was being built under the only dictator Naxos ever had Lygdamis. The Portara was left unfinished when the dictator was overthrown. In the Middle Ages, a Christian church was erected behind the Portara, but no longer exists.

The homes of Naxo's residents, all along the hillside, with a great view of the Aegean Sea.

The whole group at the Portara, on the right is our tour guide, Gabrielle, who was German but spoke Greek and English as well.

In Greece, the Ministry of Tourism is the governing body over all the touring and sights. Gabrielle, our extremely knowledgable tour guide, explained to me that to be a tour guide in Greece you must go to a training which is a two-year program much like college. Once completed you get a photo identifying name badge that specifies the languages you speak and gives you access to the sights. I like the idea of having an entire branch of government dedicated to the largest industry in the country, Tourism.

We took a walking tour through the main city in Naxos, which is called the Chora, like many cities in Greece, the town is built on a hillside and is fortified for protection from enemies. The streets are narrow and winding, making it easy to become lost in the catacombs, which is exactly what the original inhabitants were after. There is evidence that the town was designed and built to a particular plan by an engineer who even divided up the various plots. We know there was no such organizationand attention to detail in the rest of the Cyclades.