Click on the photos (left) to enlargeThe port of Naxos.
Octopus drying in the sun at a taverna.
A 50ft. unfinished Kouros statue, supine, in an ancient marble quarry. (Peter is standing by the head).
My husband and I spent four refreshing days on Naxos, exploring its various facets by motorcycle. We urged the bike up marble-filled mountains dotted with goats and laced with wildflowers. The fields, fragrant and colorful at this time of year, yielded daisies, camomile, oregano, and indigenous pink, purple, and white flowers.
Naxos is known for its high-quality marble, and the ancients of this island were the first to use the stone in sculpture and architecture. On one of our mountain-top excursions, we found a colossal marble statue tucked away in a secluded quarry (above photo). These days, the only company this stonehead entertains are lizards!
The beaches of Naxos were quite different from any we've seen in other parts of Greece. In some places, the sand felt as soft as castor sugar. Although my husband and I did not swim, several tourists braved the brisk April winds to plunge into the chilly sea.
Concluding our sightseeing, we toured the port city--also called Naxos. There, separated on a peninsula, an ancient marble portal frames the view of the island's buzzing restaurants and shops (above, top photo). Crowning the contemporary spectacle is the old city--an area rich with the cultural reminants of early Venetian settlers.
BTW, we did not eat octopus this trip, but we have indulged many times before. The Greeks prepare the cephalopod grilled over coals and served in a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, & oregano. It tastes like rubbery lobster, only w/suckers. The tentacles are the best part!
