Today, we docked in Hydra, an island that is one of the closest to Piraeus, the port of Athens. I was there in 1972, meeting my former husband at the end of his time in the Navy. We had a short time in Athens, and then went to Hydra. Truthfully, I had no recollection of the town itself. It looked totally unfamiliar.
We took a water taxi from our yacht to the town, where there were many restaurants, shops, and houses that crept up the hills on all sides of the port. We ate first, and then meandered through the various shops, which had beautiful things. I found a pair of shoes (what’s new) that I bought. I figured that they were light and almost flat by the time I scrunched them in my suitcase! And, they fit perfectly. I will be wearing them at home a lot!
There were many donkeys saddled up to take you on a tour of the town, and many boats of all sizes in the port. Every alley and open door offered a view into the lives of the Greek residents there. Some of the jewelry and clothing were incredible, and so were the prices. One group of necklaces looked like they could be copied by me once I was home. We’ll see how it goes. I am never averse to sealing ideas!
We were only there for a few hours before we took the water taxi back to the boat. The choppy water was no fun. I can’t imaging what they do to maneuver during storms. I wouldn’t survive.
When we returned to the boat, we cleaned up and then went to our final Captain’s dinner. It was very special, sitting with new friends, remembering how much we enjoyed each other’s company. After dinner, we had the pleasure of hearing Jennifer sing again, this time songs from “Oklahoma,” “West Side Story,” and finally a little opera. Her beautiful voice radiated smiles and tears from everyone – and a standing ovation!
The Captain said that he had piloted tankers and huge cruise ships for over 60 years, as well as now guiding this wonderful yacht. In all that time, he never had a guest give a concert, let alone one that affected everyone as it did. We were all so proud of her, particularly because she didn’t know she had the talent and confidence to perform in this way.
After dinner, we packed and got ourselves ready to depart in the morning for Athens, our final stop before going to Budapest. Going on a small boat, a yacht for sure, was a good experience. You become part of a family, with smiling faces wherever you went on the boat. And, the staff, especially our cruise director, Sophia, was incredible the entire time. She couldn’t have been more helpful in every way.
The other nice surprise is that one of the passengers, Crystal Yang, is an amateur photographer who documented everywhere we went in great detail. She offered her website to everyone to enjoy and use, to create a lasting memory of the trip for everyone. That was another wonderful treat for us all.
Tomorrow, we start another adventure…