Love & Laughing in Naxos

“That is the best – to laugh with someone because you think the same things are funny.”

– Gloria Vanderbilt

Boy oh boy, is that ever true with me and my friend, Lynne! And it’s a good thing we find the same things funny…because traveling together for months at a time is not always fun. In fact, it’s a heck of a lot of work at times – physical, mental & emotional.

But I will say this: with Lynne & I, it is also always an adventure, with loads of learning cool stuff about new places…and plenty of opportunity for personal & spiritual growth!

In fact, our journey through Europe has been such an adventure that I have fallen behind, yet again, on my weekly blogging. No surprise there 🙂

So I shall pick up where I last left off…

After leaving the sweet solitary bubble I’d created during my ten glorious days of writing solo on the beautiful island of Folegandros, I met up with Lynne on the lovely island of Naxos. We stayed on Naxos together the year before (and I was there with my niece, Emily, the year before that) and had both loved it.

This time, we loved it even more!

We stayed at a delightful apartment-hotel called Blue Harmony (20 min bus ride from the main Naxos town) that was just few minutes walk to beautiful Plaka beach. Both Lynne and I agreed that Blue Harmony was probably one of the most special hotels either of us had ever stayed in. Not because it was fancy or expensive…but because of the kind & welcoming owners who treated us like long-lost family returning home.

We were staying at their hotel at the very end of their season and were, in fact, their last guests of the year…so pretty much had the place to ourselves 🙂

Not only were our rooms spotlessly clean, cozy, quiet and functional, I would receive a knock on my door every morning at 9am…and open it to find our happy host holding a giant breakfast tray laden with homemade deliciousness (right down to the jam)!

Trying to somewhat continue the cocoon-like creative bubble I had created on Folegandros, I would write for a couple of hours in my room in the morning and then we’d go to the beach in the afternoon and/or explore the island.

In a restaurant one evening, we met a lovely gal (a nurse from California) by the name of Lauren and the three of us got into all sorts of trouble together!

Then, on about the third day, the rains came…and boy, did the skies open up! It was torrential and we all got drenched! But we were having so much fun skinny-dipping in the sea, then warming up in a hot tub and eating pasta, it didn’t matter 🙂

We were all sad to leave Naxos 🙁 But the neighbouring island of Paros was waiting for us…on which I had a bit of a mixed experience.

Leaving Blue Harmony was like leaving home…we didn’t want to go but we knew we had to – if for no other reason than because our hosts were shutting the hotel down for the season and wanted to take a much-needed holiday themselves. So, just like parents, they had to gently but firmly kick us out of our cozy, comfortable nest 🙂

That’s it for now…thanks for reading, take care & I hope things are going well with you!

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

– Eleanor Roosevelt

Maryanne Pope is the author of “A Widow’s Awakening.” She also writes screenplays, playscripts & blogs. Maryanne is the CEO of Pink Gazelle Productions and Co-Founder of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund. To receive her blog, “Weekly Words of Wisdom,” please subscribe here. And be sure to visit our PinkGazelleCards Etsy shop.