Saturday 14th July 2012 Kos Marina, Kos Is to Mandraki, Nisyros Is

 

Today was a full day with an enormous amount of photos taken and it was hard to resist including so many. Our departure from Kos Marina, which was a comfortable mooring for the night, was later than we wished however we took the time to detour past the small island of Yiali. Despite the amazing turquoise waters here, the island’s landscape was scared by the mine that dominated the surroundings. We chose to continue on to Nisyros Island, as there was a lot to see on the island and we did not have an enormous amount of time on our hands to do so. Arriving in Mandraki Port we were welcomed by some locals that helped us tie up beside the fishing boats. Although the port of Pali along the coast was probably a better choice of mooring, we decided to stay here overnight in Mandraki Port. Close by was a Car Rental depot which suited our needs for the next 24 hours. Once settled after a welcoming swim in the extreme heat, we departed for some sightseeing of the island. We first stopped at the ancient well preserved old city walls and then followed the road, which we believed was to the Monastery. Continuing on and on, which then became a dirt road, which at times was quite treacherous and steep, we reached the point of no neturn. Fortunately after clinging on to our seats for some time, we reached the hills that surround the volcano crater that we had heard so much about! The sight was a wonderful relief to us and Ric, our capable Kia driver, was proud of his sense of direction!! The view from all angles of this amazing crater was outstanding. We were tempted to walk into the crater as a few other visitors had done, however with the 40+ temperatures of the day, we were told that it would be much hotter in the crater. We continued our drive and visited a couple of the small hilltop villages nearby and then went to the port of Pali. This indeed would have been a nice port to stay overnight however as we had the car available, we thought we would come back for dinner in the evening. It was a nice surprise to hear, after chatting with the owners of the Aphrodite Restaurant, that they had lived in Australia many years ago. Their daughter, who also worked there was born in Australia and she and her children hold Australian passports. The food and the lovely friendly service given to us and all the other customers on night was really delightful. We would return here again if we had the opportunity. After such a long day we could not help ourselves and walked into Mandraki town for a nightcap. This town has such an enormous amount of character and was alive with many locals and a few visitors like us, enjoying the very warm evening. All along the walled foreshore there were many nice little bars, all set up with couches and tables and chairs. There were rugs placed on the low walls for seating and behind, the waves rolled over the rocks. How idealic!!! Here we enjoyed some nice cocktails Anthony ordered for us!