Monday 16th September 2019
Another blue sky and warm day, lovely. We had arranged to meet at 10 a.m and I had been down to the harbour already and photographed WORLD CHAMPION JET arriving and departing.
We could then get a taxi out to Agios Dimitrios church, which is on one of the hillsides outside Ermoupoli.
The taxi driver gave us the number to ring when we wanted to return to town, and we were left to enjoy the views, and the peace and quiet around us. My friend enjoyed seeing the cats which seem to have made their home near a wall and bushes. The church gates were gilded with the date of 1936, and padlocked against entry. The brickwork of the church looked very attractive in the hot sunshine and just inside the gates we could see the bell hanging from an arch. We wanted to see this in use, because it is known that passing ships always blow their whistle/horn when passing this church and bell. Usually someone from inside the church then rings the bell to acknowledge the ship. Today it seemed that we were to be the only people acknowledging the ships.
NISSOS MYKONOS soon sailed into view and we waited for her signal. It never came but we waved for several minutes as she sailed past. It must be something about public buildings in parts of Europe not being open on a Monday perhaps. Anyway, a while later another ship BLUE STAR PAROS came past and this time she did blow her whistle and again we waved and waved to acknowledge her. Several other ships could be seen at a distance sailing near Tinos.
Duties done we called a taxi and were taken down to the Cathedral to enjoy looking around that.
Walking down again we stopped for coffee and cake at the Hermes Hotel on the waterfront, and enjoyed seeing the model ship KANARIS in a glass case.
This afternoon at 4 p.m. we are due to sail on BLUE STAR PAROS north to Piraeus from here in Syros, but now we had time to enjoy a Greek lunch before collecting our luggage from the hotel and heading for the port. Three other ships were due in so all the passengers were herded into separate concrete areas, with one port official policewoman objecting to anyone taking photos in the port. Her shouted instructions were not well received.
BLUE STAR PAROS arrived and we boarded her for another trip. We had booked a cabin so we could leave our luggage and enjoy the facilities for our sail to the mainland. First however we went out on deck and from the stern we could see someone waving. A man standing nearby thought the female was waving at him, but she pointed at us and we recognised the lovely lady that we met at the Apollon Theatre yesterday. How kind of her to come and wave us goodbye as we sailed away from her island!
As we left the breakwater and the shipyards we rounded the headland and I could photograph the Agios Dimitrios church that we enjoyed seeing this morning.
Then we were off at speed non-stop for our 4 hour trip. We could enjoy the views as we passed islands, we could enjoy tea in the Distinguished Class Lounge and then come up on deck to enjoy our arrival into the Great Harbour of Piraeus. We had watched sunset earlier and were thrilled to see the colour of the sky with the dying light all around us.
We could see various cruise ships and ferries in the harbour, and realised that our overnight departure from here in Piraeus was now to be on BLUE GALAXY. We had booked on ANEK's EL VENIZELOS but because of the high winds at the weekend all bookings had to be changed.
Once ashore just after 8 p.m. we hurried round to the port office to check in and collect tickets and then boarded BLUE GALAXY. We were told that the ship had 600 passengers on board. The ship was due to leave at 9.00 p.m. so it seemed that we had hardly found our cabins and left the luggage, than the departure preparations were under way. We enjoyed a substantial dinner in the A La Carte Restaurant and watched as the lights of Piraeus Harbour were soon left behind.
Tomorrow we arrive in Chania, in Crete, ready for some more adventures, and have arranged that we can stay on the ship until 7.30 a.m. after a much earlier arrival.
Ships seen: World Champion Jet, Nissos Mykonos, Blue Star Paros, Naxos Jet (far away off Tinos), Fast Ferries Andros (far far away off Tinos), an unknown warship, Arctic Flounder, a tiny tug, Kanaris (the ship model in the Hermes Hotel), two tankers Amilla 1 and Michalis outside Syros harbour, Dionysios Solomos seen at a distance;
Out at sea: Horizon, Seven Seas Voyager, Nissos Chios, Dream (superyacht), Blue Star 1
In Piraeus Port: Koningsdam, Celestyal Crystal, Nissos Samos, Mykonos Palace, Kriti II, Blue Galaxy, Speedrunner III, Highspeed 4
To be continued...