Our last day was Lesvos. None of the tours sounded as though they couldn’t be done on one’s own, so Doug and I were game to try one of Ngaire’s adventures via taxi. This turned out to be a great idea, as the shops in downtown turned out to be closed from 2 to 5, the fort closed at 3 and we didn’t arrive until around 12:30, meaning by the time anyone got to town, most things were closed.

There were three tours offered. One was a panoramic tour, one was a tour of an Ouzo factory (it probably offered history as well) and another was an art museum tour of their famous painter, Theophilos Chatzimichael who lived in the late 1800s. They are distinguished by their primitiveness but also for their expressiveness and their color combinations. The paintings of Theophilos are difficult to find today and their value has reached astronomical heights. Large art foundations in Europe and America have opened their salons to his works which have been insured by Lloyd's of London for enormous amounts.

The island is large and it is beautiful, mountainous and there is much to see. However, we found out that the closest town round trip can take one hour and a half, without stopping. With stopping, you need at least two hours. The cab ride was not expensive. We paid about $45 US for three hours per couple including tip. To do the island and to see the most scenic places, you need much more time than that.

It’s the third largest of the Greek Islands and seemed to not be as commercialized as other Greek islands we have visited. This island is the island of olive trees. Our cab driver said that there were 12 million of them (another tour bus said 11 million…just say that there were lots!) and they covered all the hills as far as your eye could see. It is also the island known for the best Ouzo in Greece. So, if you are an ouzo lover, this is where to get it. It has a petrified forest and supposedly beautiful beaches, but we didn’t get that far. It also has two of the finest art museums in Greece, one being that of Theophilos.

Ngaire had suggested visiting Eressos, since it seemed the most interesting town. It has one of the most beautiful and dramatic beaches in all of Greece and a line of cafes and restaurants on the waterfront that may remind you of an Atlantic seaside community without the commercialism. The streets of the town of Eressos which border the beach are closed to all automobile traffic and one can walk without fear of being run over. It is also a great place for snorkeling. However, we were told it would take an hour to get there. So, that wouldn’t have left us much time to do anything once we got there.

There are all sorts of wonderful towns like this and we chose the closest, Agiasos, at the advice of a tour bus guide we asked. We seemed to drive through picturesque areas of olive trees for ages before arriving at a very quaint little town built on a slope of Mt. Olympus. Pilgrims come supposedly “in throngs” to this little town from all over Greece. Its name originates from the inscription on the Holy Icon of Our Lady or “we are going to AgiaSon.” Therefore, this is the foundation of the village. Our pilgrimage led us to discover a charming little town full of icons, wooden furniture, fresh olive products, marmalade, ouzo, cheese, oregano and painted pottery. I was delighted to be able to stock up on some local food products, buying ouzo, olive oil, olive paste, fresh olives, and fresh oregano. It was all very reasonable. There is a beautiful church in town and I think another one further up that we missed. The town also houses a folk art museum. There are lovely coffeehouses to sit and enjoy the charm of this little village who seem pleased to see a “tourista.” We were certainly lucky that this little town wasn’t closed like the port town and had a great afternoon.

Our taxi driver surprised us with a stop at the "home" of the famed artist, Theophilos Chatzimichael, which turned out to be a carved out tree. We were treated to a short lecture on his life in this base of the tree cave and how he came to ridicule and fame on the island. We were shown some prints of his art and why he was considered famous for his work. It was an interesting end to the day.

Our half day, especially an afternoon when shops are closed, is not nearly enough time to spend on this lovely island. But it was a fitting end to our last day of our trip…

We had 10 perfect days … weather, people, ports! We are home again. Everything was smooth.
Disembarkation was very civil. At 8, we all left our cabins. We were all requested to go to public areas. The Compass Rose was open for a FULL breakfast to wait to be called, beginning at 9, by color and we all met there and said our goodbyes. For many of us, this then meant either going to taxis or to a waiting bus. Everything was well organized. Our only almost glitch was that our flight left Athens late and we were concerned that we might miss our flight home. But, they held it and our luggage made it intact. We made it through passport control fast…no wait…our luggage came out almost first and we walked right through customs. No traffic and we were home just too fast and back to the reality of unpacking and laundry.

Doug and I will post more photos and stories later. Now, to enjoy our family and pick up the dog at the kennel.

I really recommend this trip to everyone! I think it was one of my favorite trips.