Land of Ouzo and illegal immigrants

Until recently I thought  the Peripherique out of Paris was the road of no escape, but I've revised my opinion: getting out of Mytilene, the capital of the Greek island of Lesvos would try a saint's patience.  This is a very small but crowded town looping around a port, and everyone is out and about the day we attempt to navigate our way out.  Every narrow street is a dead end or one way, generally the wrong way.  I almost miss that bitch Marija - the GPS we had in Croatia - but even though I navigate us into a dead end car park, I've done a better job than she would have! 

Once we'd managed to get the hell out of town - incidentally everyone else we spoke to had the same problem - it was only 40kms to Plomari, our destination on the south coast. Forty kms of a long and winding road that traverses several mini mountains.  

Plomari on the south coast of Lesvos

We were here in early June for a friend's 60th birthday celebrations which she wanted to have in Plomari, her grandmother's birthplace. Over the week we enjoyed gatherings and parties which involved lots of food, lots of ouzo, a seemingly unending number of local relatives (none of whom my friend had met before) and some energetic Greek dancing - oompah!  However no plate smashing - the fun police have outlawed it.

Crystal clear water and a pebbly beaches

Lesvos is the island Greeks go to holiday - it is no Mykonos or Santorini, with their picture postcard whitewashed houses and churches, long sandy beaches and thigh to thigh bronzed German tourists in too small swimsuits. The island is rocky, steep and covered with thousands of ancient gnarled olive trees, and beaches are pebbly rather than sandy. It has a certain rustic charm. 

Molyvos, clinging to the north coast

One day we drove north over more mountains to Molyvos, a beautiful little town perched on the coast. Here, just 10 kilometres of ocean separate Lesvos from Turkey. 

octopus - the true meaning of hung out to dry 

After yet another delicious lunch of crispy little fried fish and squid we took some of the the roads less travelled along the coast. 

As long as you don't mind slamming on the brakes to avoid a head-on with a beat up local car hurtling at you, this is picturesque countryside. In the narrow village streets a good natured (mostly) battle of wills determines who backs up.

these little fried sardines became an obsession for the h-g

It was on one of these steep side roads down to the coast for an after lunch swim that we encountered the dark side of Europe in 2015. 

In the sweltering early afternoon sun a large group of people were slogging their way uphill. They appeared to be Muslim (women in headscarves) and we wondered where they were going.  When we got to the beach we found the remains of a couple of inflatable dinghies and lifejackets on the beach.  The coast of Turkey is clearly visible and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out these are refugees/ illegal immigrants (see linked news item from April 2015). 

On our drive back we passed the same group. They made it the 3.5 kilometres to the top of the hill and were heading towards Mytilene. Then we passed another group, and another, and another, carrying packs or bundles; family groups or groups of young men, sometimes taking a break from walking by sitting in the shade on the side of the road.  We must've passed more than 100 people - and that was just one day.  Many looked too Arabic to be Turkish and we assume they're Syrians who have fled to Turkey then onwards.  

If you haven't already gathered, Lesvos is a quiet island. In the early 1900s it had a thriving soap industry, and continues to produce olive oil and lots of Ouzo.  Of course we had to visit a factory and take a tour of the museum and the production plant and do a tasting.  Making ouzo is a basic distilling process and just uses locally grown aniseed, alcohol and water.  

We learned quite a lot about Ouzo but the only thing I remember  - possibly as the result of an over enthusiastic tasting - is that you mustn't add ice, just a dash of cold water to bring out the aroma and flavour (like a good Malt Whiskey)

the original stills in the museum, over 100 years old

modern stills in use

As we were famously travelling with just carry-on bags we couldn't pack any to bring back. Ever resourceful, the h-g convinced the distiller to siphon 100mls of the highest quality Ouzo from one of the vats into a small bottle. Take that airport security!

Rocking it on Niue

On a recent cruise up the North American coast to Alaska, my brother noted there were more whales on board the ship than in the sea.  Luckily for us, the reverse is true on our week on Niue and we see whales in the ocean most days, although it's fair to say some of the locals do carry quite some heft.

It's July and the humpback whales are migrating to warmer waters for a winter getaway and some fun in the sun.  They come into the bay outside our accommodation, wave a dorsal fin, blow a little spume, then show us their graceful butts as they dive deep again.

Also known as the Rock of Polynesia, Niue is a different little island. North east of Auckland by 2,400kms, the island is tiny -  260 sq kms, a raised coral atoll with its highest point just 69m above sea level. A lava shelf extends into the sea and then drops to a depth of about 30 metres. This extends about 200 metres or so then the outer reef drops very steeply to 2000 metres of very deep blue.  

Forget long sandy beaches, a hammock and sheltered lagoons - you have to take ocean paths and often need to climb down steps or ladders to get to the swimming and snorkelling spots on the rugged coastline.  Even then it is only possible at low tide as the swells rolling in hit the lava shelf pretty violently. The coast here is a slap up side the head rather than a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Makes you wonder why you'd come doesn't it?

mid tide with the reef becoming visible

There's sunshine and warm water, snorkelling, diving, fishing, swimming with dolphins and whales, exploring chasms and caves and rocky coves, and a very laid back vibe.  It doesn't attract lots of tourists, possibly because it lacks the requisite sandy beaches. Anyway there are only two flights a week so that limits numbers.  So exciting are flight days pretty much the whole population turns up at the airport and enjoys a picnic while waiting for the flight to land. There's not a lot of entertainment on the island.

Once a month a freighter brings supplies. The reef shelf means it can't dock at the wharf so it anchors off and a barge ferries containers to the wharf where they are winched ashore.  It's lucky for us our visit coincides with the freighter's arrival -  an hour or two of entertainment PLUS the supermarket will be resupplied!

the barge ferries two containers at a time

everything is winched ashore

As with all the Pacific Islands, everything is very relaxed and runs on "island time". That means the OPEN sign may mean open later, open sometimes, open only on Friday, or on rare  occasions, open right now.

Swanson's supermarket is the only game in town

 We pick up our rental on arrival at the airport and are told to come in to the office in Alofi (the main village) sometime during the week and pay.  No perusal of licences, flashing of cash or credit cards required at this point. One requirement is a local driver's licence but it's Friday, so we are told to call in to the Police station on Monday. The licence costs $22 and this is so clearly a money making exercise we decide only one of us needs one.  So it's pay up and come back later for the licence. 

Later, at 4:00pm, "we're just closing, come back tomorrow".  Tomorrow we get the licence, and chat to the Sergeant who admits that for an island of 1200 people a Police force of 14 is probably 10 too many.  You think??? There's not even any evidence of crime on the island.  Besides, everyone knows everyone else and where the hell are you going to hide? Or how are you going to get off the island? 

Usefully, the licence is valid for a year in New Zealand, so if you are high on demerit points it may be a good idea to pop up to Niue for a spare licence!

one road circumnavigates the island and a few more criss cross it

The island closes on Sunday and the place to go is the Washaway Cafe at Avatele, a sheltered bay on the southern end of the island.  An honesty system operates - a serve yourself outdoor bar, write your name and what you had in the book and pay before you leave.  I think they do great burgers, but as the place was packed there was an understandable and very relaxed long wait for it, and after several gin and tonics I could've been eating whale and wouldn't care.   

Rumour has it some people come to Niue and don't leave, or come back year after year because they fall in love with it.  After a week we are pretty relaxed and another few days or a week would be welcome. But all in all, there;'s something to be said for a sandy beach, a hammock and a sheltered lagoon.