Evening view of Mykonos; the waterfront pier at dusk.
Mykonos cafés facing Little Venice; entrance to Lena's house.
Arriving in Mykonos close to dusk gave us a quick impression of the landscape before the evening curtain fell. Although the cruise schedule allowed us only a few hours, we traipsed around the tiny downtown labryinth of passageways and paths to inhale a sense of the port town. Grey street stones that resembled cobblestones were paint-outlined in white, appearing like a fantasy island setting when contrasted against bright white, smooth stucco exteriors with shutters and doors in rich crayola primary colors of blue, orange, green, or red. I shouldn't have been surprised if a white rabbit popped out of nowhere!
A short walk quickly placed us high atop an outlook watching the sun set, Mykonos' picturesque windmills squatting at the waters edge in the distance. High class well-lit boutiques, outdoor café tables & chairs perfectly set with bright white coverings awaiting patrons who hadn't yet arrived, a posted menu, sometimes a bottle of wine, flowers, plants or romantic candles beckoned passersby; another time, it might have been some beautiful woman in repose, waiting, gently swaying a leg crossed over the other, tamping a cigarette into a glass ashtray glancing about for her anticipated partner.
We accidentally "found" Lena's house, a late 19th century home left intact just as the owner, Lena, had willed it to remain. Now, furnishings stay just as they were. It's basically a museum and interesting to see how an upper class Greek would have lived at the time.
Drifting past Little Venice, the waterfront area of houses built out over the water, and cafés whose tables extended like the spread of lava poured out their front door, our ears ringing with a cacophony of loud music, youthful laughter and chatter conversely mixed with the aromas of cigarette smoke and luscious culinary items, we waved Mykonos 'bon voyage'.
