kastellorizo

after a very enlightening stay in israel we left towards greece. it was only a short 3 day sail and the weather looked ok. unfortunately this was not so for the entire crossing and we did have to sail through minor storms or no wind at all. but after 72 hours and a very scary water spout right on top of us, we safely arrived in greece. the island of kastellorizo was a great surprise. we fell in love with the place instantly. the simple small and color-coordinated houses with beautiful windows painted in beautiful colors and, the mountains behind, made the view of the town simply spectacular. this island is one of the prettiest spots we have visited on our entire trip not only for the architecture and charm but also for the most wonderful local people we met. we really felt like home and formed and instant great impression of the greeks.





what we had planned to be an entry port became a 4 day stay with new friends. we had dinners on board and at the different restaurants and tried mousaka and all the other fabulous great greek dishes. we were very surprised though of the price of the fish. 23 euro per kilo and 46 if lobster. ouch! something tells me we will have a lot of chicken in this part of the world…





the island does not have a road around for cars. only some paved kilometers that lead to the airport and one taxi that makes the runs back and forth. every other place we went to, we either walked or went by dinghy, or we climbed. there are some steep stairs to the top of the mountain. we climbed with difficulty and while catching our breath enjoyed the picture perfect view.

the history of the island is rather sad. most of the original inhabitants have fled to australia and other countries. they have seen their houses and culture being destroyed by the italian occupation, then the french and later with the second world war and a major earthquake. but after so much tragedy, some have returned to restore their houses and maintain their roots and culture alive. in general the 200 inhabitants now keep the place beautiful, clean and very inviting to the tourists. we would be glad and lucky to come back here anytime.


around kastellorizo there is a cave with an entrance on low tide and with good weather. it is not easy to go with the sailboat because, as with many places in greece, the depths are too great right off the shore. it is like the steep mountain continues its steep slope down the water line and leaves no room for beaches or even a few feet for anchoring. we saw this on the charts and took our dingui around to see the cave. it was a very bizarre experience. the color of the water was an amazing blue and was cold but yet inviting. it was great. we went in for a swim and later explored a second similar cave and other beautiful spots around kastellorizo. definitely a unique spot!