It’s our first full day on Astypalea and the last high wind day forecasted, what the weather alert called a yellow wind warning—really hoping that it’s unrelated to yellow snow.
Breakfast was a pleasant surprise. It seems breakfast was included in our stay. As I stepped out of the shower and Karine got ready, we were surprised by a knock on our door from the housekeeper, who offered us a tray with two savoury and two sweet pastries. Considering we get up a little before noon, we’re guessing that soundproofing is not a big thing at our hotel, and she knew when we were up by the sounds of the shower.
Both pastries, a soft feta-stuffed bun and an orange pound cake, were good, and it saved us hunting for a bakery. The bulk of breakfast done, we packed for a day of hiking in the sun and warmth and made our way to Notos for coffee and some extra protein in the shape of Greek yogurt as thick as ice cream, with honey streaks in it. It might not be what we expected, but it was delicious nonetheless.
Notos also helped us gain more insight into the cats of Astypalea. The owner had adopted Ginger, a cute little white and caramel cat who took a liking to me. She decided that my lap looked comfortable and jumped on it for a bit of rest and a session of jaw scritches that I was quickly instructed to give.
It’s unclear how cats came to the island, but they arrived, reproduced, and had offspring. It recently faced a surpopulation problem, prompting veterinarians to conduct a spay and neuter campaign. About 500 cats were caught and sterilized. I’m assuming some vaccines were given, too, as the bulk of the population seems healthy. Not all cats were caught, as we did see relatively recent kittens around, but the adults outnumbered them. Around 20:00, we see people walking around with bags of cat food, leaving food for cats around the city, too. Some cats are “claimed,” like Ginger, and have a collar and a home to go to.
Cat pettins done, we headed for our hike. All the hikes on the island will get you to a beach, according to AllTrails. It’s a 13km there and back (6.5km each way) on the road to Paralia Agios Konstantinos, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, across the bay from the city. While it’s mostly on asphalt, we chose to leave around 14:00, also known as beach O’Clock, when everything closes and people head to the beach, and saw minimal traffic. It being windy too, not many people wanted to drive to a secluded beach. It allowed us to hike in sandals without risking foot injuries, which was a bonus.
On our way, we saw quite a few goats and beehives. Honey being a staple in Greece and goat cheese and goat stew specialties of the island, it’s not surprising. We even had some small green valleys between the sunburned hills of the island with a sheep herd nearby.
Being a civilized hike, we took a half-way rest at the beach, sitting in a long chair not too far from the only other occupants of the beach and relaxed for an hour. We’ve learned from our past mistakes, and Karine and I had our bathing suits with us. Karine chose to make use of hers and head into the water for a refreshing, quick swim. I, on the other hand, decided to take it easy and relax, enjoying the sparkling water we got at the beach bar before they closed for the day due to a lack of visitors.
The way back was, unsurprisingly, the same as the way to. We made it back a little before 17:30 and elected to do laundry. Luckily, Astypalea has a 24-hour laundry-mat, which, although expensive at 6€, did an excellent job of cleaning our laundry. At the same time, we relaxed with some sparkling water at Buenissimo café, a couple of buildings down the road.
Dinner was at Maistrali for a series of mezze, including the excellent braised goat and a surprisingly good moussaka. We were actually unsure what moussaka was, but this restaurant’s came recommended by the Routard. We tried the sampling platter of local cheese, with two out of three being excellent and one being like a crumbly aged cheese that didn’t agree with us. Not sure if they were a mix of sheep and goat cheeses or all goat cheeses, however.
Tomorrow calls for warmth and calm winds, so it’ll be an official beach day. Alternating between listening to books and swimming is the plan.
Places
Notos · Astypalea 859 00, Greece
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www.alltrails.com
www.alltrails.com
Paralia Agios Konstantinos · Astipalea 859 00, Greece
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Buenissimo · Epar.Od. Livadia-Vathis, Astipalea 859 00, Greece
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Maistrali · Pera Yialos, Astypalaia Town, Astipalea 859 00, Greece
Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
maps.app.goo.gl
Astypalea Cheeses - Greek Gastronomy Guide
At Astypalaia , most of the land belongs to Ί forest of Panagia Portaitissa from where, every five years after an auction, the breeders rent the land, the yards - the stone buildings - that are on them and the animal kingdom.
www.greekgastronomyguide.gr
