At last, the Cyclades!

Okay. Blowers got fixed, water pump went! We really do seem to have had more than our fair share of bad luck with things giving up this year - I'm tempted to take out extra life insurance, just in case!
We eventually left Athens on Saturday afternoon; the wind had dropped from the previous day, which was just too lumpy out at sea, and although it was still a little brisk, we had a pleasant journey down the mainland coast of Greece and then out to the islands. I've been longing to get back to the Cyclades, an island group I visited over thirty years ago, and after all the recent set backs, was beginning to think my dreams were doomed, but we've finally made it!
Kea was the first island we visited. It's fairly barren and a cross between the traditional Cyclades style and that of the mainland. Although it's not particularly developed, it is suddenly becoming popular with Athenians who want an island bolt-hole that is not too far from the city, so there are a number of elegant properties being built on the hillsides overlooking the Aegean. The port we went into was tiny, and as the waterfront was crowded, we dropped the anchor in the bay, promising ourselves that if the wind came up as per the forecast, we could easily move to the opposite side of the deep inlet for better shelter. The wind did indeed come up during the night, but only very briefly, so there was no need to up anchor and we had a pleasant night, swaying gently with the waves lapping on the hull. In the morning we took the dinghy ashore for breakfast but as none of the little cafes seemed to be serving breakfast, we amended it to an orange juice and coffee. As we motored back to Zaffina, a yacht race was starting in front of a nearby headland. The sails, all white or pastel coloured, looked beautiful and dramatic against the intense blue of the sea.
Promising ourselves that we would return to Kea at some time during the summer, we pulled the anchor up and set out to sea again, turning to the east and passing several islands over the course of the next couple of hours, some with light development, some without a single building on them. Our destination was Mykonos, one of the two best known of the Cycladian islands and a beautiful place to be. The new port, sadly, is a short distance from Mykonos town, and our arrival wasn't the most elegant, as the wind was blowing straight across the berth as Frank brought Zaffina back into position. It took us a while to make fast, but eventually we were in situ and able to appreciate our surroundings. A water bus runs between the new and old ports and so, after an afternoon of sorting things on board, we headed across to the vibrant little town.
Only development in the traditional style is allowed on this island, so the hills are scattered with little sugar cube houses adorned by mainly brilliant blue shutters, although sometimes they're green or mauve but nothing jarring or garish. Some of the most elegant homes incorporate the local stone into the intense white buildings, and the combination is lovely - traditional and yet contemporary and cool in every sense. The town is a jumble of houses rising in apparently haphazard fashion up the hillside, and there's a multitude of colourful shops (how many jewellers does one town need?), thriving restaurants and buzzing bars.
Our evening meal was at a gorgeous restaurant called Remezzo, sipping cocktails from the bar as we gazed at the sun sinking into a pool of molten gold as it dipped behind the horizon. Our meal was memorable for all the right reasons (apart from the bill!)
Yesterday morning we grabbed a hire car and set out to explore. We didn't get that far, as we found a pleasant beach in the south west of the island, nicely sheltered from the wind. The beach taverna looked remarkably familiar and turned out to be the one featured in Shirley Valentine - the quintessential Greek Taverna, albeit a little more polished than the norm! The weather wasn't quite as good as it could have been and by late afternoon we gave up on the beach and headed back into Mykonos Town. We discovered that there is a lot more to it than first meets the eye, and were soon lost in a multitude of narrow back lanes that criss cross and back track until you have no idea where you are. Eventually we disgorged onto the sea front and straight into a bar, so it seemed rude not to sit and sip a Cosmopolitan whilst we watched the world go by. (Orange juice for the driver...sorry Frank!)
Last night we ate on board and this morning, horror of horrors, rain! And wind. Not quite what you expect in Greece in early June, but hopefully it'll pass through soon, although things are still looking quite murky. We're not sure whether to leave tomorrow or stay put, in which case we'll be here until at least the weekend as sea conditions aren't looking too good for the next few days. Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll find some way to amuse ourselves!