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Dude Ranch Tourism
Dude Ranches have since become a fixture in the U.S., as American as apple pie and baseball. Many tourists are drawn to Dude Ranches for the same reasons they were at the beginning of the 20th century: a sense of adventure, a desire to experience...
Inflatable Pontoon Boats
Bryce Whitmore designed the modern whitewater inflatable pontoon boat, and in fact designed several models. The one that has been produced the most is a three-tube model of unparalleled maneuverability and load bearing capacity. This boat which is...
Mafia Island Archipelago
Mafia Island is set off the coast of central Tanzania, twenty kilometers from the Rufiji River Delta. This island is an ideal place to relax after a safari in the Selous Game Reserve. This quiet island offers diving and snorkeling, the whole island...
New Places to Live and Retire Around the World
Places to Live in the World: Emerging Alternatives From Canada to Europe, Africa to Asia, it's time for a fresh look
By Phillip Townsend The advent of fast Internet communication and inexpensive air travel makes it easier to turn any...
The East Coast's Number One Family Resort
Ocean City Maryland is one of the favorite vacation seashore destinations in the Mid-Atlantic Coast. Ocean City has 10 miles of clean sandy beaches on the Atlantic Ocean which includes a boardwalk, approximately 20 blocks long. Ocean City...
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Our Greek Isle
Our Island, Paros
As one reads the guide books or browses the travel sites it is easy to become confused about the character of the Cycladic island of Paros, Greece. Because it has more ferry traffic than any other island --due to being between Athens and the well known islands of Mykonos and Santorini—everyone who visits the area has been to Paros.
Yet each beholder sees a different aspect. The superficial don’t get past the rock & rolling beach clubs or the harbour drive full of restaurants and bars. Some, especially those with young families, pass through to the adjacent isle of Antiparos which is well known for its quiet, laid back, small scale village lifestyle. It is also a favourite spot for Scandinavians who like the nude beaches found there.
For the adventure seekers who wish to stay on Paros we recommend taking the first day to circle the island—non-stop it can be done in less than hour, but that is not the way to sample its joys. There are far too many sandy beaches to enumerate so the visitor has too look a few over and decide if he wants a small cove all to himself , a wider stretch with a small taverna and a few other people or the big Golden Beach with hotels, cafes, windsurfers, waterskiing, etc. Except that is not a necessary decision because a little further around the island at Santa Maria you can find all three types in close proximity.
Paros has two towns and numerous villages. Parikia is the port city and commercial hub; Naoussa the up-scale tourist haven around a picturesque fishing harbour. Piso Livadi is
the archetypical Mediterranean village while it is said about Aliki at the undeveloped south end of the island, “Not many people find their way here, but those who do, don’t want to leave.”
Perhaps we should also visit some antiquities as well. That is easy as you can’t go anywhere without stumbling over or running into ruins from either ancient Greece or the Venetian period about 1,500 AD. One of the best views is from a partially rebuilt Mycenaean site from about 1,500 BC. Behind the main supermarket in Parikia is an excavated ancient pottery factory. Our major Orthodox church, Ekatontapyliani, has plexiglas floor inserts so you can see the ancient temple over which it is built.
For the activity holiday we have horse-riding, yoga clinics, painting and cooking courses, bicycling, hill walking, etc. Of course there is every water sport that you can imagine. Ever heard of kite boarding? Paros is the Greece capital for that sport. Scuba diving, snorkeling and sailing opportunities abound.
This short description of Paros has not included the vast array of art galleries, wineries and the like. We have also selfishly not mentioned our favourite spots, but if you come visit us, we will share our pieces of paradise with you.
Michael Shepherd
http://ParosParadise.com
About the Author
An American-Irish expatriate couple share their Greek island experience by offering lodging and information including maps and photos. They provide content and links for Paros, the Cyclades, Greece and the world of living abroad.
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