Nifty Naxos

THE quad bike is the 50-something's Vespa.

And there's no better way to explore Naxos in the Greek Isles than from the back of one.

Stable, not too powerful, will go all day on a tank of fuel, no reverse to get you into trouble, and it goes up hill and over dale (though I admit I did have to get off a couple of times to allow the up hill bit because of the lack of grunt!).

Naxos - with its hills, dirt roads, tiny alleyways and one-way streets, and 150km of coastline dotted with secluded sandy or rocky beaches and resort towns - is the largest of the Cycladic group of islands at 440sq km and is made for quad biking.

Tony's Bikes Moto Rent, near our family-friendly Hotel Naxos Beach 1 accommodation and associated Flisvos Sport Club on sandy Agios Georgios (St George Beach), had us instructed and rearing to go in no time on two MXR 125cc quaddies  (gutless, yes, but my kind of power and budget-friendly, although larger models are available).

First stop on our seven-hour adventure was the the top of a barren hill overlooking Agios Georgios Bay for panorama shots before snorkelling, a swim and a little rock climbing below.

A succession of short and long stops followed at various sandy beaches with crystal-clean turquoise waters to the south - Agios Prokopis, Agios Anna, Plaka and Parthenos - before we settled in for some discounted pita bread platters with cold refreshments at the sister Flisvos Sport Club at Mikri Vigla.

We even had the snorkelling cove nearby all to ourselves ... well, until a small Greek group of friends arrived 20 minutes later.

Using main roads and dirt tracks, we ventured inland as far as Tripodes and saw how the real Greek Islanders live, as well as tiny but pristine white churches with blue domes, old forts, farmland, and even an abandoned windmill or two or three.

We called it a day after heading back to Chora, the main town, and a quick pass by the iconic Temple of Apollo (known as Portara and Palatia).

The photo-frame like temple door - only a short walk from the port - has become the symbol of Naxos.

The tyrant Lygdamis, who ruled Naxos from 545 to 524 BC, started the project but it was unfinished at the end of his reign and never completed.

All that remains today are the platform of the temple, some columns and the north-west portal made from three massive blocks of Naxian marble. 

Naxos has so many more beautiful beaches, historic landmarks and ruins such as the Temple of Dimitra, and is world-famous as a windsurfing haven (especially in the lagoon and St George Bay). 

But three nights was never going to be enough and time was not on our side.

We preferred to pass most of our leisure hours at Flisvos Sport Club, on a comfortable lounge under the pergola or on a lounge bed under an umbrella - swimming, drinking, eating, people watching, wake boarding and watching the sun set late in the evening.

A late-night inexpensive, tasty authentic Greek meal with a homemade cinnamon and nutmeg-flavoured ouzo chaser on the sand under candlelight by the water's edge at nearby Yialos Taverna doesn't go astray, either.

Such is life in Naxos.

Climbing into history

A TWO-and-a-half-hour coach tour to Delphi, 180km north-west from Athens, brings unexpected surprises.

The first is the majestic mountain scenery on both sides of the highway and the great expanse of agricultural farmland in between that is thriving in what appears to be stony, rocky, dead terrain.

The next is the fascinating ongoing lesson in Greek mythology given by our G.O.Tours guide Mikaela, who is as familar with the stories of Zeus, Apollo, Oedipus and Athina as Australians are with primary school-taught stories of Ned Kelly, Captain James Cook, Banjo Paterson and Captain Arthur Phillip.

When we visited Athens in October last year, the city's Acropolis and other incredible ruins, the National Archeological Museum, Acropolis Museum, the restaurants and shops of the Plaka and Monastiriki Square monopolised our two days of exploration.

Although we tried, we couldn't squeeze in a visit to Delphi, which at least a dozen friends had recommended.

There was no way I was missing it this time (though I nearly forgot we had made a booking for our tour and only reconfirmed at 11pm the night before, but that's another story ...).

People from all over the world - from archeologists and history teachers to everyday tourists - come to Delphi, which lies on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.

They visit Delphi, at 1000m above sea level, to survey the natural surrounds: the sea of green olive trees, the high jagged mountain tops and the gorge way down below. In winter, the area attracts the ski fraternity.

Delphi's beginnings can be traced to the second millennium BC, but in the 6th century BC, it was considered the religious centre and symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world.

Its most visited area today is the archeological site that is the Sanctuary of Apollo, from the Pan-Hellenic era. This is where the oracle of Apollo spoke.

The stadium (from the 5th century BC but remodelled with stone seating and arched entrance by the Romans in the 2nd century AD) was home to the Pythian Games from  582 BC, which were held every two years after the Olympic Games, and included arts and dance competitons.

Other highlights include: the remains of the amphitheatre (originally 4th century BC but only the Roman ruins remain including seating); the large white "navel" stone (Zeus is said to have sent eagles across the world to meet at its centre, the "navel" of the world); the Treasury of the Athenians which held offerings to Apollo; and the Stoa of the Athenians which housed the trophies taken in their naval victories over the Persians.

The rock where Sibil made her predictions, the Roman Agora (market) with its monolithic columns, the ruins of a long-gone gymnasium and of course the Temple of Apollo (dating back to the 4th century BC and erected on the remains of an earlier temple of the 6th century BC) can all be found along or seen from the ancient holy road that winds up the mountain.

The nearby Museum is the new "sanctuary" of priceless treasures including the Naxos Sphinx offering to Apollo from the 6th century BC, and the Attic White Ground kylix (plate) of the early 5th century BC with its distinctive depiction of  Apollo, as well as the first Greek cariatides (statues that act as columns or supports).

Mikaela relates the stories here of the tragedy of Emperor Hadrian's male lover and the legend of the twin brothers killed and immortalised after carrying their mother home.

Earthquakes and landslides left ancient Delphi in ruins and deserted for centuries until another community began building on top of the ancient and Roman foundations.

Then, in the 1890s,  a new Delphi town was built nearby to allow the French School of Archeologists to be able to excavate the ancient sanctuary, reveal its secrets and study its history.

With the help of a model and painting by A Tournaire in 1894 created from an ancient traveller's journal, Museum visitors can easily imagine the extent of architectural grandeur, statuesque beauty in sculptures and detailed stories in temple pediments that once existed.

In another unexpected twist, we see the musical notes embedded amid ancient Greek inscriptions in stone (the writing of the time was in capital letters without gaps between words and no punctuation, making initial translation difficult). This was perhaps the first documented Ode to Apollo, the God of Music.

I wonder if the sculptor of the Museum's most famous piece, The Charioteer in bronze, would be as surprised as we were to know that his work was still being viewed in awe 2500 years later.

Cinque star quality

THE Italian flag is red, white and green like a margherita pizza. But the colours of the Cinque Terre are much more complex and captivating.

The mustard, sandstone, ruby, cream, tangerine, salmon, beige and terracotta houses weathered by the elements contrast with the deep dark green window and door shutters, the sapphire and emerald waters and boats of all shapes, sizes and paintwork.

The clothing mish-mash of the hundreds and thousands of visitors daily to the five hillside towns - Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore - only adds to the colourful mix meandering up and down main streets, stairs and alleyways and around the steep  rocky tracks linking them.

Having visited all but Corniglia last year, we decided to take a fresh look at the Cinque Terre this time while still showing our two young companions the best of the region we hold dear to our hearts.

We were unable to book two rooms in our favourite Elisabetta Rooms in Vernazza's Via Carratino (No.62) so did the next best thing and stayed next door with her cousin Andrea at Camere La Torre (No.64) and a little further down the stairs and closer to town at No. 25.

This gave us the best of both worlds with 360-degree views of the town with a maze of homes seemingly built on top of each other, the remains of the medieval castle and fort including two towers, hillside vineyards and Monterosso in the distance, while our son and partner could look out their windows to their heart's content for the passing people parade in the main street.

We enjoyed nothing better than to spend a few hours eating nibblies, drinking wine and chatting on our balcony until well after the sun went down after 10pm (!) each night.

Taking a day or more to explore the shops, cafes and restaurants, beaches and marinas as well as the short walks up hill and over dale to churches, monuments and lookouts is a must in each of these towns.

We found so many new delights on our second visit by simply following our nose to the aromas eminating from focaccia and pizza shops, following our feet up interesting little alleys, and following our eyes to new vantage points for some great photographs.

Regular regional trains (beware running the gauntlet of the ticket conductors and pay your fare or have your rail pass validated), ferries and watertaxis between each town will get you there with a minimum of fuss.

But our real treats this time lay in visiting Corniglia, walking the track between Vernazza and Monterosso and kayaking from Vernazza harbour to a rocky waterfall.

Relatively few tourists visit Corniglia. "Too far, too steep, too small," they may tell you.

And those are its charms.

Corniglia township, 193m above sea level, is a fairly steep incline by stairs or along the winding roadway from the train station, past lemon and cumquat trees and rows upon rows of grapevines. But the lush green and blue panoramas from the town's Santa Maria panoramic terrace and other lookouts and restaurants down the hillsides to the sea and over the whole of the Cinque Terre are worth the effort.

Tiny piazzas, quaint shops and bars and uncrowded alleyways allow you to truly enjoy the surrounds and what Mother Nature has provided. We have vowed to take the advice of friends and stay here next time for some real R&R.

Back on the waterfront, 10 euro an hour each for a double kayak saw us paddling past the moored boats in Vernazza and looking at our pretty little town from a new perspective.

We could keep our distance and look up towards the hilltop farms and vineyards or hug the coastline and explore the small bays and caves at an easy pace.

Halfway through the hour, we found the sheltered bay with the waterfall and "beached" our kayaks on to a shallow, rocky shelf only metres from the refreshing shower.

Although stony underfoot and a little crisp in the water, a quick swim and scramble over the bright green moss-covered rocks (that looked more like a furry carpet) was reward enough for our exercise.

But if it's a bit more exercise you want, the walk between Vernazza and Monterosso takes about 90 minutes at a steady pace, with stops along the way for the million-dollar "Kodak Moments" and quick chats with fellow walkers you'll encounter.

Early morning or late afternoon are best in summer to take advantage of the great light and cool of the day.

If you don't mind a steep climb or descent on steps for about 20 minutes each, you'll really get up close and personal with the Cinque Terre's true personality and five-star quality.

Packed to the max

I LOVE my youngest son the musician. 

He’s very cool and bohemian and is more of a “hippy” than those born 30 years before him.

He has a certain style … let’s call it Bodi-chic.

We seem to have similar taste (!) and he’s even been known to raid my wardrobe and wear outfits I’d long forgotten – hoaded away from the Seventies and Eighties – on stage while performing.

But as a mother, I must give him some advice on how to pack for his next trip to Europe, because he has failed dismally in preparing for this one.

Dear Bodi,

Firstly, I know you prefer bare feet (you did grow up by the beach, after all), but please throw in your backpack some good, solid shoes. I’m not really fussed on what kind.

If you want to eat all that glorious regional food and savour wines that don't come out of a goon sack, a nice pair of shoes walking into a classy restaurant will ensure you aren't shoo-ed out by a maitre d' before you sit down.

Secondly, good walking shoes also are essential (with socks to limit the smell after a long day hiking or treading kilometres of cobblestones).  Thongs that are two sizes too small with a heel overhang just don't do the job and neither do sharp-looking suede op shop shoes that give you blisters.

Thirdly, please leave at home any jeans that have been cut off above the knee and now boast holes in places the sun should not shine. Ditto ones that fall down your backside and reveal parts of the anatomy I last saw when you were in nappies.

Non-iron, easy-to-wash, drip-dry clothes are preferable. But non-iron does not mean your shirt should look like a crinkle-cut chip once on your back.

Finally, don't overpack. Climbing up stone steps in the Cinque Terre already should have reinforced that piece of advice.

Your backpack is like a snail's shell and should feel comfortable as you move your portable "home" around Europe.

By leaving plenty of room and limiting the weight, you will always have more space to bring back  roman sandals, flamenco dresses, leather handbags and venetian glass baubles for me.

Love you, Mum xx

And after reading this, I'm sure he'll send me packing, too ...