I often marvel at the variety of beauty that the earth offers us. Beauty comes in different forms. Our senses, heart and emotions help us experience beauty. Each of us lives in a place offering a whole package of environment, people, food, and experiences. Sometimes, however, we need to experience different places to appreciate the beauty of our home.

During our 2021 summer holiday, we looked forward to experiencing South Africa’s beauty again with our senses and hearts. Due to Covid restrictions, the time was unfortunately not yet right, and the Greek islands had to make up. The sun, sea, landscape, people, food, and experiences were like soul food and felt like South Africa.

Swiss feedback about South African beauty

The Swiss woman who helped us at the Covid test centre with our PCR tests immediately recognized my South African accent. With a smile, she told us that their South African holiday at the end of 2019 was their most enjoyable holiday ever. They cannot wait to go back and experience more beauty.

Naxos

Upon our arrival in Mykonos, we immediately boarded one of the large ferry boats to sail to Naxos.

Our accommodation was right next to the beach. During early morning coffee, we watched the town wake up. The roads were full of scooters. We were amazed at how the Greeks managed to talk or text on their cell phones. They even had intense conversations with hand gestures on the scooters. One Grandma and her grandchild on a quad bike delivered fresh tomatoes and melons every morning.

We discovered a stunning restaurant and ate all our dinners there. The friendly interactions, beautiful Greek music and sunset views were medicine for the soul. I tried all the traditional Greek dishes, and we ate tzatziki with our bread every night. Zander caught up with his meat intake. The owner made jokes with Zander and spoiled him with a bowl of ice cream on our last night.

We had an interesting chat with the facility manager at our residence. He lived in England for 23 years and returned to Greece 5 years ago. His remark was,

“In England, I learned to speak English and earned good money but lived little. Now I enjoy life again but sometimes lie awake about money”.

Mykonos

Mykonos was a different experience than Naxos, and we learned a few new things. There are a lot of tourists, and everything is just as expensive as in Switzerland. It made sense when we realized Mykonos is the party island of the rich.

We lived close to Paradise Beach, high up on a hill. We could see and hear the parties on the beach. Private yachts were visible everywhere, and private jets arrived in the early morning.

At most beaches in Mykonos, nudism is acceptable. Zander, who is at a sensitive age, did not know where to look.

Covid impact

The Greek government announced new Covid restrictions in Mykonos two days before our return. The new rules prohibited music at restaurants and places of entertainment and introduced a curfew. The sudden silence was strange.

Our holiday was a memorable experience. I share the visual version of our holiday.

We eventually had the privilege of experiencing a South African summer and Christmas in December 2021!

Kind regards

Emsia