Blog Postcard from Europe 2011--Mykonos Greece!!!

Yasas Mykonos!!!

Paradise Nick: Nick Verreos, Paradise Beach Mykonos Greece (in my Brian Lichtenberg tank top, Andrew Christian swim shorts and Zara sandals)

Continuing with my "Europe Summer 2011" Blog Postcards, after our lightening-speed two day London visit (Click HERE for London)...David and I decided to have some much-deserved R & R in the Greek Island of Mykonos. Two years in a row, we had spent our "Summer Holiday" in the Amalfi Coast in the heavenly cliff-side resort town of Positano but this time, we wanted to try something "different". So, why not Mykonos? My dad is Greek so I thought it would be like going back to my "people's homeland" (kind of) and well, neither David nor I had been there (I'd been to the Greek mainland of course and enjoyed plenty of fun times in Athens-- Kolonaki, Glyfada, Vouliagmeni--and the city of Ioannina in North-West Greece). After a 2 hour flight via EasyJet from London (filled with my UK Gays naturally!!!), we arrived in the tiny Mykonos Airport. The runway is so tiny that the A300 made a very quick landing and Oh Dear-that's-the-end-of-the-Runway stop.

Theoxenia Hotel Mykonons, Lobby area

Quick disembarking and then we were on our way to our FAB Theoxenia Hotel, located right behind those iconic Mykonos Town Windmills. The hotel was AMAZING! So chic, very post-modern Retro and "Boutique-y". We were greeted with a Smoothie and our bags were whisked away until our room was ready.

After checking out our "Deluxe" accommodations, and seeing our very nice "Welcome to Theoxenia Hotel" wine and fruit plate (above photo)...

I went to the balcony of our room, and soaked in the Mykonos ocean air and then I headed straight to the pool:

We had four entire days of relaxation in Mykonos before our NIKOLAKI Florence Italy Fashion Show, so the Theoxenia Hotel pool was a great beginning (photo above). The next day, we promptly headed out into Mykonos Town, sightseeing, and well, enjoying the island.

Mykonos Windmills

The Crowds: Lots. There are LOTS of 19-22 Italian and Australian kids!!!! (Gosh, we felt OLD!) The island was--and I'm not kidding--an Italian "outpost"! Granted it is the Summer and the height of Euro Holidays but seriously, I didn't realize it was such a popular destination with the Italianos--and Australians. They love themselves a vacation as much as we do I guess-- Good for them!

The Scenery: Gorgeous. Of course: What part of Mykonos did you not understand? The chapels, those windmills, the roads, the winding Mykonos Town streets, the ABSOLUTELY stunning orange sunset (there's a "Sunset Show" where people clap when it happens!).

Niko's Wine--Niko's Taverna Mykonos Greece

The Food: Delicious. But again, it was a bit of a challenge finding Greek-food places in that every other restaurant catered to that HUGE Italian influx of visitors and everywhere we looked it was Spaghetti Carbonara, Pizza and Caprese Salads. We were going to be in Italy in less than a week so we wanted to wait to eat Italian food...until we were in Italy.

Pastitsio, Niko's Taverna Mykonos Greece

But... we did find some good Greek places after a process of Italian Restaurant elimination, I had the most DELICIOUS Pastitsio (a Greek baked pasta dish--similar Lasagna--including tubular pasta ground beef, cinnamon, nutmeg and béchamel sauce) and Greek Salad on my final night!

Scooter David: David Paul on scooter, Mykonos Greece

Scooter Nick: Nick Verreos, on a scooter Mykonos Greece

Of course, we also hit the beaches! After all, when in Mykonos...We did Paradise, Super Paradise and Elia...One day we even rented scooters and took a ride to the beach and back (taking side-trips through the island). This was one of my favorite memories for sure. Loved the scooters and seeing the island like this. Now, speaking of the beaches...

Mykonos Beach View

They were beautiful and serene. But, just a warning for anyone over 30: Post 4 PM, Paradise and Super Paradise Beaches (a couple of the beaches we were at) become a 19-22 year-old Italian-Australian drinking-and-Lord-Knows-What-Else Fest with an Italian DJ playing loud thumping music and Champagne-bottle swigging kids. If you think I'm kidding, click HERE.

Welcome To Tropicana: Nick Verreos, Paradise Beach Mykonos

I just wished I would have known this back when I was 22!!!! I missed the "Mykonos Boat" I guess "back in the day". But we still had a BLAST! All in all, David and I had a wonderful time in Mykonos: It was GORGEOUS and a nice way to take a respite from our very hectic lives.

Postcard from Mykonos: Nick Verreos and David Paul pose in front of a HUGE Cruise Ship!, Mykonos Town