Hydra
In most places around the world, there are distinctive characteristics all tourists share.
- Talk in a different language
- Wear shorts when it’s clearly freezing
- Use a backpack
- Indulge in touristic experiences
- Eat like the world is going to end (local food specially.)
- Insist on bathing in inhuman temperatures (deemed so by trusty hotel receptionists, who every good tourist knows is the best source of information)
- Carry around a huge camera
- Buy a hideous souvenier from the first souvenier shop found
- Chat at length with locals
I must admit that we fit in with many of the tourist qualities.
We talk in a different language, we wore shorts when it was 20 degrees C (terribly cold, according to our receptionist.) I wear a backpaack for comfort.
For our instagram worthy touristic experience, we rode on mules, as cars or other electronic vehicles aren’t allowed on Hydra (even if they were, it would’ve been difficult to use them, as the streets are tiny and most are just infinte steps.)
It’s a highly reccommendable experience, the mules take you all around the island at a steady pace so you have time to truly enjoy the views.
Unfortunatly, there were jellyfish in the sea, but we would have bathed otherwise. “What?! At this time of the year? No, no we do not swim when it’s this cold! ” Says every local with an incredulous look on their face.
On the other hand, we saw some english teenagers splashing around as if it were the pinacle of summer; having lived in England, I can understand them completely.
We did not carry around a camera, or buy a hideous souvenir; although we entered a souvenirr shop and were horrified by th edisfigured mules staring back at us from every t-shirt, keyring, and mug.
They eye of good luck painted on some steps.
Octopus drying.
A shop owner iniciated conversation with us, and we were delighted to discover that one of her friends living in Hydra was argentine, it feels so good to discover brethen in far off places.
We also visited the Hydra museum, which has an excellent collection of painings.