May 4, 2009 – Day 130 – Tinos, Greece

Stepping off the ferry onto Tinos, we quickly sized up the tiny isle. It was perfect for us. Despite the cold weather and fierce winds with clouds threatening rain at any second, we were ecstatic at everything that lay before us. It was the white buildings with classic Greek blue shutters and rich pink flowers in the window sill, small streets winding uphill and between buildings, the absence of people and thus, the absence of noise. Everything came together to make us forget the crummy weather and appreciate the misty fog passing across the highest mountains and ancient stone walls and the numerous dovecotes left over from Venetian rule around the 18th and 19th centuries. We spent the day driving around in our tiny rented Yaris admiring the charming countryside of the island.

Our hotel

Our mean little Yaris

Small town on the coast

We went to a marble beach with the biggest, meanest waves we’ve yet to see where broken bits of green, pink, and black marble took the place of what would otherwise be sand. There was a small fresh water stream protected from the ocean by massive towering boulders that eventually ran around to the water’s edge, combining on the wet sand until it was longer evident where the ocean ended and the stream began. The waves were at least 7   feet tall and would’ve thoughtlessly bashed anyone or thing that tried to even stand in the surf. It was stunning. All around us we were surrounded by hazy mountains as rain drops fell on our shoulders prodding us to get back in the car. But this particular beach was so extraordinary that it was incredibly difficult to leave, as if those powerful waves were pulling on us keeping us mesmerized by its immeasurable strength.

The surging waves

Marble beach

A totally delightful day despite the unfavorable weather!