HYDRA (IDRA): 30/31st August (VERSION 2)

Blah Blah Blah…

Yesterday (when I was in my philosophical mood) I wrote a long post about how I’ve worked hard all my life and how as a result of some significant health and well-being issues earlier this year, I’m learning to put my well-being first…

I have decided you all have much better things to do then read about why I am who I am, so that post is staying in draft. It could be useful in the future if I go off the rails. 😉 Nevertheless, regardless of the draft post, I will still blog today, but this one will be much more about the fabulous things we have been doing since we arrived on Hydra.

Our ferry, from the Port of Piraeus across to Hydra (via Poros) was more like a plane then a ferry. Safety drills to start, twin adjustable seats down each side and and another four in the middle, seatbelts, mask wearing, officious boarding staff…

We zipped across the Saronic Gulf on ‘Aero highspeed 2’ a very new Catamaran that does the route three times a day. The trip took about 1:40 hours and our window seats allowed us to watch the beautiful seascape passing by.

On arrival into Hydra Port we easily found our accommodation, chosen on advice that we should stay only a short distance from the port. It was a good recommendation – Hydra is an island with no cars, and many, many stairs 😉

My lovely, and similarly travel obsessed friend, Michelle, had told me about Hydra last year, when we were first planning this trip. Its reputation as quiet (without cars), having fabulous restaurants (with fresh seafood) and a heap of natural beauty seemed like the ideal choice for us, knowing we would be wanting some R&R after a busy couple of weeks traversing Central and Eastern Europe.

Immediately, I could understand Michelle’s enthusiasm for the Island and we were warmly welcomed by Petros, the owner of this four-apartment, quaint hotel just 30m from the harbour front (and up 22 steep steps to the front door!). Our room has a loft bedroom above a small, clean and nicely decorated living area, which includes a kitchenette and largish bathroom. While the bathroom doesn’t have a bath, the property does have two outdoor large Jacuzzis high on the terrace behind the apartments, where you can sit in the nice cool water and watch the pretty harbour town below.

Michelle’s recommendations included restaurants, and our first choice based on her list proved to me how much we are alike! Our first evening was as close to perfect as you are going to get, with a lovely dinner at Sunset Hydra, a modern (but still Greek) seafood restaurant overlooking the sea, with views to the west and the setting sun. We started with Taramasalata, a dip made from Tarama, the salted and cured roe of cod. Victoria and I have been obsessing over this dip for as long as I can remember, and one day, when I dedicate a blog specifically to this delicious puree I will definitely write about this fabulous version. Sometimes it is  pink, made with the cheaper red roe, sometimes white, which this one was. Creamy, salty, fishy (in a good way) and VERY yummy!

Next I enjoyed a large bowl of fresh mussels steamed in white wine and dill. We then moved onto our mains, seafood and tomato pasta for me and Grouper (fish) with carrot puree for Dave. Both were incredibly good, but the highlight, strangely enough, was the large plate of steamed vegetables we ordered as a side dish. After 2.5 weeks of restaurant eating we were both craving some simple veggies, these ones tossed simply in olive oil (local) and seasoning. Eating this fabulous dinner, while watching the famous sunset of the Greek islands was simply magical, there is no other word for it!

DAY 2 on Hydra = All things boats!

On Tuesday evening we had visited a small supermarket on our way back from the sunset dinner and bought a few bits and pieces including some eggs, bacon, bread, butter, yoghurt and a very large and attractive white peach. Wednesday started therefore with a ‘home-cooked’ breakfast which we ate on the terrace behind our apartment.

At 11am we met Vasilios, who was hiring us his Nasia 99 15″ ‘rubber ducky’ for the day. After showing my Australian Boat license, proving I could drive a boat, signing some paperwork and measuring the fuel, we headed off into the Aegean Sea! Not dissimilar to Dads boat, with a 70hp engine, it moved pretty quickly and we were soon zipping along the Hydra coastline admiring the beauty of both the turquoise sea and the majestic, rugged landscape. We stopped a few times during the day, dropping anchor and cooling off in the gorgeous 25C water. Dave made a great co-captain managing the anchor, cold drinks and map reading! I could sit here and effuse the fabulousness of our day – but I don’t want to make you all jealous 😉

Our second day on Hydra finished with another fabulous meal, this time at Omilos, probably the highest ‘ranked’ restaurant on the island, with a three-month waitlist on bookings. Of course I had done my research and pre-booked and it definitely lived up to my expectations! In Australia, the difference in price between a high-end restaurant and a more basic one is often in the multiples (eg $150+ pp person compared to $30). In Europe the difference is not that stark. For example the Omilos bill was about 100 euros and an average restaurant (without a view) might be 60 or 70.

Again seafood was the theme of my choice, although Dave chose lamb which impressed him. We started with a potato and tri-colour beetroot salad, picture perfect with its truffle aioli dressing. For my main course I chose pasta again, this time with clams and mussels and a chili, white wine and olive oil sauce. OMG it was so good! Dessert was a lemon yogurt semi-freddo with strawberry gel, also presented perfectly with tiny meringue style crumbs.

And so ended day two in paradise – tomorrow I’ll give you the low-down on my day of riding and swimming with horses – the most fun (and exhausting) activity so far on this trip!