To sea again…

A quick ride into Mytelini in the morning and a short wait at the dock and the ‘Aridane’ was loaded efficiently and quickly. The entrance to the dock loading zone for Hellenic Seaways is on the south side of the harbour and the line up was actually organized and controlled by the Port Police. Good job guys!

https://hellenicseaways.gr/en/routes/view/17
The loading/boarding was also quick and efficient and we were on our way to the upper decks in no time. A purser at the entrance door showed us where to go to get to the Mikinos Lounge on the furthest upper deck. We booked first class window seats and had a excellent view of the beautiful Mytilini harbour as we left port.

The lounge is almost empty and the seats are comfy and can be reclined for even more relaxation (sleep). Unfortunately, there is no internet connection onboard so we will just take in the wonderful views and create some posts to add to my blog tonight.
Around noon the Ariadne sailed into the Port of Chios [pronounced Heos] where she just barely fit! This is a big ship and the port is small so the distance between us and the dock restaurants was diminishing quickly as we came along side and interesting to the point of awe inspiring to anyone who has not seen the docking skill of a Greek Ferry Captain.

After unloading and then loading anew we sailed out of port on time.
Chios is a very long town stretching along the coast of the crystal-clear waters of the Aegean Sea. Ancient sites mix seamlessly with the newer ‘modern’ town of lovely colored houses and business buildings. There are some taller buildings, mainly apartments it seems by the clothing hanging on the balconies, but also some close to the ground and lodged into the hillside like the glue the island is famous for called ‘mastic’.The trees here on Chios produce a specific gum that is used for chewing gum, glue, and other products. This bustling town is the only stop on our Aegean ‘cruise’.

It will be another 6-7 hours before we dock at Piraeus [Athens] and we will sail past a couple of other Greek islands, Andros and Kios. I am hoping that the light will still be good and we will be able to see the islands clearly for some great photos. It is like a mini-Greek Island cruise without the cost!

We arrived in Piraeus [Athens] a little late and were thrown immediately into the fray that is downtown Athens during rush hours! Now heading out to the Marathon Beach Hotel and resort for the night.