4 May 2018, Friday

It was a very relaxed day as we didn’t have any agenda at all. Most people who visit Mykonos will do a day trip to the nearby island of Delos, which is significant for being the birthplace of Apollo (god of daylight) and Artemis (god of night light), according to Greek mythology. If you’re a history buff you will probably be interested, but I’ve seen photos of Delos and they didn’t look enticing enough for me to pay 20 Euros for the return ferry ride there. We had encountered a fair bit of ruins in Athens already, and that was quite enough for us.

After having breakfast at our Airbnb apartment (we brought two cans of tuna spread and our favourite Old Town instant coffee from home), we ventured out to the small alleyways and to the Old Port again. It was nice walking around in the morning when some of the shops were not open yet, while others were just opening and setting up shop. It was mostly quiet and there weren’t many tourists yet so it was good for taking photographs.

The shopkeepers and restaurant owners took great pride in keeping their premises clean. They washed and mopped the floors outside their individual shops so the general area was very clean and free of litter. Goods were being delivered by deliverymen who drove small little trucks. It took a lot of skill to squeeze through the tiniest of alleyways, and the drivers even had to retract their side mirrors at some areas. We were amazed how they managed to do it!

Before long, we inadvertently found ourselves at the Old Port area again. It was more delightful than when we visited yesterday afternoon, mainly because the morning sun was less harsh and the temperatures were cooler. It was a comfortable 20 degrees Celsius so it was very pleasant. The water in the sea was clear and very enticing, so much so that Dad felt like taking a dip in it! We also caught a glimpse of local life as we saw people selling fresh vegetables and flowers from the back of their vans and trucks.

We then strolled back to our apartment and just relaxed…I worked on my blog posts and uploaded photos onto Facebook while dad took a rest and mum did her Sudoku puzzles. The apartment was super comfortable and we felt right at home there.

For lunch, we went to a place called Crepa Land in Little Venice. We had walked past it a few times before and spied on people eating crepes and waffles. They looked really good so we decided to try it out and have something different for a change.

Dad had a savoury tuna crepe, I chose a sweet chocolate banana crepe while mum had a chocolate banana waffle. We also ordered a banana milk shake, amounting to 29.40 Euros (S$48) altogether (yeah, everything in Mykonos is expensive). The crepes were good but I found that the amount of chocolate in mum’s waffle was overwhelming. Never thought I’d complain that there’s too much chocolate! It would be better if they toned it down by maybe 30%.

At about 6:40pm, we went to the windmills again, simply because there wasn’t anywhere else to go, especially since we didn’t rent a car to explore the other areas and beaches of Mykonos island. Compared to yesterday, there were much more people at the windmills and in Little Venice today. Mykonos is catered to tourists and we could really feel the touristy vibe today.

We took some time to decide on a dinner place and eventually settled on Gyros Corner. We ordered a salad, a half-portion of chicken souvlaki with pita bread, a half-portion of pork souvlaki with pita bread and a half-portion of chicken gyros with pita bread. This was the only restaurant that offered half-portions, perfect for small-eating Asians like us. At the end of the meal, we were also treated to a free surprise stick of chocolate ice-cream each. Seems like it is customary for restaurants to throw in surprise desserts here in Greece. I’m not complaining, please keep them coming!

We spent the rest of our evening soaking in the atmosphere of Little Venice for the last time before heading back to pack our bags for our departure tomorrow. Mykonos is a small and compact place and we enjoyed it a lot. It also helped that our Airbnb apartment was so comfortable and perfectly located. We were literally in the heart of Little Venice yet it was very peaceful because the apartment was tucked away in a quiet side street away from the shops.

Mykonos is said to be a party place like Ibiza with a lot of clubs and bars but I didn’t find that to be the case. It is classy and chic but not wild or over-the-top. Maybe it will be a different story if you visit during the high summer season. Things are expensive here so we didn’t do any shopping, spending mostly only on food. I would recommend dropping by Mykonos for two nights. Don’t plan to do too much but just relax and enjoy a nice dinner with the sea view, and have fun exploring the labyrinth of alleyways and discovering interesting shops at every corner. It’s a unique place and I’m quite sure you’ll enjoy it.

And that’s the end of our Mykonos visit. Santorini up next!