After a hectic work schedule all summer, Vincent and I decided it was time to take a relaxing holiday. We opted to go to a Greek isle and relax on a beach. Mykonos was one of our considerations, but we heard it has been overdeveloped and become very expensive in recent years.
Our friend Chris Boicos (a former Parisian of the Month) recommended Paxos, a small island near Corfu, where he owns an art gallery and home. He told us it was an easy trip from Paris with direct flights to Corfu and an hour boat ride from Corfu to Paxos.
The flight from Paris to Corfu was three hours and we stayed overnight in Corfu. The 8:30 AM hydrofoil landed us in Paxos by 9:30 and by 10:30, we were checked in to the Paxos Club Hotel and already sunbathing by the pool. The hotel was terrific- we had a spacious two-room suite with an outdoor terrace and lots of room to spread out. The sprawling pool area had every variation of comfy seating including padded lounge chairs, sunbeds, couches, and rocking chaises. I immediately dipped into the inviting pool and was refreshed by the salt water. My favorite thing about the hotel was walking to our room through the gardens of the hotel, taking in the arresting scents of the lemon trees, oregano and mint leaves, and the intoxicating perfume from the bougainvillea vines.
The next day we took a bus to Lakka, a small, seaside village about 30 minutes from our hotel. We climbed a narrow, winding walkway, arriving at an inlet lined with sailboats docked on crystal, aqua water. We parked ourselves on beach chairs and savored a few hours in this idyllic setting.
One evening, Chris’s gallery and the local art association organized a walk through remote parts of Paxos. A group of approximately 30 people, we hiked up steep hills on rocky pathways where we spotted panoramic views of the harbor. The landscape was dotted with olive trees, piles of rocks, and unkempt construction sites. Once at the top, we were led to the remains of an ancient monastery, with abandoned stone and roofless buildings. We also visited two small 18th century churches, which had paintings, frescoes, and relics that were in the process of being restored.
In the evenings, a shuttle from the hotel took us to Gaios, the main town of Paxos. Lively but charming, Gaios, is filled with shops selling local products, including olive oil and soap, artwork and kitschy souvenirs. Gaios is also the main harbor of Paxos and while dining at the restaurants facing the port, we admired the sailboats with towering masts, and ferryboats.
Envying the massive yachts, we conjured up visions of Ari Onassis’s yacht in the 1960s with Jackie O, sauntering down the plank of their yacht, looking stunning and chic, with her signature, oversized sunglasses, her hair covered by a neat, triangle-shaped kerchief, crisp white Capri pants and handmade, Greek leather sandals.
We consistently had excellent food, savoring the flavors of eggplant, tzatziki/yogurt with chopped cucumbers, homemade moussaka, and divine Feta cheese in every form- plain drizzled with olive oil, fried, and in chunks tossed in a Greek salad. Mambo, overlooking the boat-lined waterfront, easily had the best food we had in Paxos. We made fast friends with our genial server Vanessa, and she spoiled us the three times we dined at Mambo, never faltering on her menu suggestions. A stew of slow cooked lamb in garlic accompanied with tomatoes and peppers was tied up like a birthday surprise in parchment paper. I fiercely tore into the paper with my knife and fork uncovering the steaming stew and while tasting it, I took a momentary trip to food heaven.
The weather for the week was sunny, clear with temps during the day in the low 80s and comfortable 70s at night. We spent our days lazing on chaise lounges on the beach and pool, catching up on our book reading and eating delicious but mostly guilt-free Greek cuisine.
Paxos was a perfect 10 vacation.
Paxos Club Resort https://www.paxosclub.gr
I am so pleased to have Ann Mah as my guest this week at on A Bite of Paris. We went to Le Mistral, her favorite Paris bistro and had their signature dish, aligot, a rich, creamy mix of whipped potatoes and cheese from the Aveyron region.
Click here or link below to watch Ann and I enjoy aligote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiRHIW7Oitw&t=4s
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