On the Island

The balcony of our temporary suite

Amorgos is breathtaking. We didn’t realize the extent until we woke to the bright sunshine and gentle Aegean breeze the next morning. Having arrived in the wee hours of the morning and after taking turns showering, (there were now four of us sharing a suite until our regular rooms would be ready later that day) we selected our beds and were ready for some serious sleep. The other two girls, like us, were college friends and we were immediately comfortable in each other’s presence. We had all suffered through a long day of travel and it proved to be bonding.

We oohed and aahed over the room and couldn’t believe our good fortune. My favorite part was the balcony, simply attired in comfy chairs and linen drapes, which framed a picture perfect view. Breakfast was at nine and even though we didn’t get much sleep, we were ready to get our day started and take in the views of Amorgos. The morning buffet was stunning. If you went hungry, you wouldn’t have anyone to blame but yourself. But if you ate too much, that was OK. It is vacation after all.

So to begin, there were six of us: the four students and two yoga teachers. The others would be arriving throughout the day and evening, each coming from destinations across the U.S., one from Saudi Arabia and there would be twelve of us in all. It was a day of recovery from our long day(s) of travel and we had nothing more on our agenda than to explore the property and relax by the pool and that is where we spent the best part of the day. Our first yoga class would be in the evening, just before dinner.

The pool was amazing. Lana says I say everything is amazing, but really, it was! I rarely go in a pool but the water was completely enticing. It was a salt water pool and that may have been what the difference was but honestly, being in the water was like receiving a long hug. The water had a property that’s nearly inexplicable. Treading it could almost be done without moving at all – it was a buoyancy I had never experienced before. Maybe it’s just that everything was enhanced by the beauty of Amorgos.

Late in the afternoon, we checked to see if our real room was ready and it was. We collected our key (old fashioned – no high tech electronic keys here) and hoped we’d find our luggage in the room. Every nook of our resort, Aegialis Hotel & Spa, was filled with flowers and beauty. I frequently noted it was the most “Instagramable” place I have ever visited. The white buildings with turquoise trim made the landscape seem nearly colorless in comparison. Can you tell I was falling in love?

Where the room we had stayed the night before was modern with a touch of old Greek, our new room could have been a throwback to simplicity and charm. I loved it (of course). Lana and I were sharing what we thought to be a double twin room, but upon opening the door we were greeted with a beautiful canopied queen and a twin. There wasn’t a question in my mind that Lana, who had initiated this heavenly trip, would have the queen. Guys, when we opened the door to our balcony (much smaller than the previous), I felt like I was in my own movie version of A Room With A View.

 

We settled in, unpacking and freshening up before our evening yoga class where we would meet some of the others who had arrived. I had another surprise in our room. My husband had sent a lush arrangement of flowers to welcome us and wish me a Happy 52nd Birthday which was going to happen while I was away. How blessed was I? I was really glad I had left him a little love note that he would find on his pillow when he got home thanking him for this most amazing trip.

 

More to come…

MC