While Easter was being celebrated on the opposite shores, we hit the road. In the light of the plan made a few days in advance, everyone took their places on time.. On the way, the Greek island of Chios (Chios) is in the minds of getting away from everything on the weekend.
After the highway journey accompanied by drowsiness, we park the car in a place close to the port in Çeşme and go to the travel agency.. Our ferry tickets, which we buy online, need to be processed into the system and records need to be entered.
Chios, where mostly green passport holders prefer to travel, is 9 nautical miles from Çeşme Port.. It is about 45-50 minutes away by ferry ride.
After we have our passport procedures done at the customs, we examine the prices of drinks and perfumes at Duty Free.. Since there is still time for the journey, we are in a hurry to linger and get rid of our drowsiness.. On the other hand, based on objective criteria, when factors such as age, interest, and hobbies are added, the harmony of our travel group, which consists of people who are quite unrelated to each other, the communication in the planned activities, the continuation of the journey remains unknown. It is envisaged that people who think they know each other while planning and are together at work every day will get to know each other better during the trip.. Anyway, no matter how much time people spend, they know each other best during the trip.. The bags and runners in the hands have been prepared well in advance for a perfect overnight trip…
***
We reach Chios Port by chat, with the efforts of the excursion group members trying to get to know each other.. Snacks also come into play during the trip.
As two Turkish ships dock at the port at the same time, Turks who want to spend their weekends on the island form long queues.. We take our place at the back of the queue with the conversation.. With the plans developed spontaneously in the queue, we decide to rent a car that we hadn’t thought of before.
With Eren, who joined us from far away, we take our first steps with the entry stamp on our passports on the island we came to to explore new places.
Ferzan. We rent a Hyundai Getz brand car by stopping by Atlas Tur, where Bahadır, his guide friend, works.. Since the season has not started yet, car rentals are below the average prices.. There are also periodic price increases and decreases in hotels.
After placing Ferzan in his hotel, we board the vehicle to find our hotel Grecian Castle.. Located one kilometer south of the port, the hotel, with its unique architecture, was recently renovated and put into service.. The hotel, whose archaeological excavations continue in the area in the garden section, is among the best hotels on the island.
***
The island of Chios with scattered settlements outside the center is 904 km² in total. size and population of about 60 thousand. It is possible to divide the island into two separate days and parts and travel on a south-north axis.
We decide to travel to the south of the island, to Pirgi and Mesta, by going through the list of curiosities.. The car we rent has a daily limit of 150 kilometers. As the first stop of the tour, which we completed with 10 euro petrol, we choose Pirgi, the settlement famous for its architecture and houses on the island.
Pirgi Village
Pirgi, located 25 kilometers south of the island, draws attention with its narrow streets, churches, combination of black and white geometric shapes and houses with unique exterior wall decorations.. Life in the streets where the houses are lined up very close to each other is designed to protect against the attacks that may come from the sea.. Houses with doors and windows facing only the inner walls, small towers on the outer walls, a single door and adjacent battlements. This layout of the building allows to close the entrance and exit of the whole city at any time, while allowing security to be ensured.
We say goodbye to Pirgi, where there is not much movement and where food and drink opportunities are limited, and turn our route to Mesta.
Mesta
Mesta, which is 10 kilometers from Pirgi and has the feature of being a castle-city, was founded after the Genoese occupation of the island.. Considered as one of the best-protected villages in the city walls, Mesta is much more active and full of life than Pirgi.. Since the cultural texture is very well preserved in Mesta, where flowers are gushing from its walls, the interest of the tourists is intense.. It is stated that the current population of the village is around 250.
To feed the hungry stomachs, we enter the city walls and dive into the photos along the way.. The doors, windows and the originality down to the smallest detail of the houses lined up inside the walls draw our attention.
In Mesta, we are faced with the most important examples of how our cultural values can be protected in Turkey.
***
There is a small square in the middle of all settlements in Chios.. There are cafes and restaurants in the squares, which are the meeting point of everyone leaving the houses.. The squares, sheltered by large wide umbrellas, are places where people who want to breathe gather, drink and eat, and socialize.
Mediterranean flavors in Greek cuisine, which has flavors very close to Turkish cuisine culture. It is possible to come across kebabs frequently.. Known as doner, gyros (giros) is served with pita bread, tzatziki, spring onions and mustard sauce in Greece.. Gyros, which are usually sold in two different varieties, pork and chicken, are very popular.. Chicken skewers, which we know from Turkey, are called souvlaki (suvlaki) in Greece.. Souvlaki, one of the most popular dishes for Turkish tourists who want to stay away from pork, is both a delicious and economical option. While observing, we witness the Easter celebrations of the noisy Greeks closely.. A noisy crowd of Greek men fire their cartridges and hurl them into the battlements on the street.. While the firecrackers, which unexpectedly exploded with a loud noise on the people’s transit route, terrified the tourists, the dosage of the group laughter, which added fun to their entertainment, increases. .
Mavra Volia Beach
After we’ve had our fill and harmonize with the rhythm of the island, our next stop is Mavra Volia Beach. Located next to Emporio Harbor, the beach of unique natural beauty is covered with volcanic black pebbles.. With the clarity of the water and the effect of the sun, I put my hand in the water to feel the coolness of the water, while holding ourselves hard not to swim in the sea.. Yaşar Abi and his wife Gülseren, who are watching us from afar just above the beach, share our fun on the beach from the bench they sit on.
While they are discharged by throwing large black volcanic stones into the sea, they are covered with stones that we find it difficult to stand on. we are fighting. What’s happening right now. Ferzan, who walks by staggering and says that he may fall at any moment, suddenly finds himself in the stones.
As Eren and my laughter echo all over the beach, Yaşar Abi, who is trying to perceive the events from afar, thinks that Ferzan fell into the sea.. Our laughter does not stop as Ferzan, who thinks that he will be caught by the wave that is coming towards him amid the screaming noise, can’t stop our laughter…. Our biggest agenda on the road is the beach fall scene…
