Trapped on Tinos by the Meltemi 5 days down at least 5 to go!

In the northern hemisphere, the air rotates clockwise around a high pressure system and anti-clockwise around a low pressure system.. Right now we have a huge high camped over central Europe and a low over southern Turkey. So, imaging these two wheels rotating towards each other generating a wind which just happens to be blasting in a southerly direction straight down the Aegean Sea and directly at where we are now moored in Tinos Harbour. It is very very windy and this wind is called, the Meltemi, or as we describe it.. The Sow. It blew us apart on the way to Syros. It filthied the boat in Mykonos and it is now holding us hostage in Tinos... It is apparently all the fault of Boreas, the Greek God of the Cold North Wind who mourned the loss of his children here by unleashing these winds.

We have been here for five days, we'd planned two or three and our wind app shows us that it will continue for as far into the future as the app can go. So here we sit. 

There are worse places to be. Tinos is a delight and well worth the visit..

It is famous for its healing powers. Pilgrims come in their droves and literally crawl on hands and knees the 500 or so meters from the water, up the main drag to the church at the top of the hill. Then onto the red carpet (red in order to disguise the bloody knees) and into the Church where the Virgin Mary heals their ailments or those of their loved ones.. 

Now doesn't that sound like a fun way to spend a Sunday? .

We may give that one a miss even though the townsfolk have laid a strip of carpet all the way to make it a little less uncomfortable.

So, what to do with all this time on our hands and two kids to entertain? 

Thankfully we now have some help with that. Al Reid, our semi permanent crew member arrived from Canada, on Canada Day.

Sal hired a car and the German car rental person pointed out some items of interest on the island.

Here are some highlights...

Isternia. A misunderstanding had us looking for three tavernas in this hilltop town, one expensive and the others less so. After an extensive and interesting walk or climb with hardly a soul about, no tavernas to speak of?

The beach, hundreds of meters below on the coast was recommended, we were hungry and so we descended and what do you know? Three tavernas and all so attractively situated. 

Lets take this one as that one looks like the expensive one.... wrong!

The menu, way to good to pass up, the recommended wine had us track down the most discreet of wineries two days later and the whole experience was well worth it. 

A nice beach with the ubiquitous grass brollies to sleep it off then home to a comfy bar to watch the European cup game of the day

Volax, another hilltop town where herbs and basket weaving are the attraction. Hard to understand why, but Volax is like a 'Greek Show Town'. Winding, immaculately paved streets meander through beautifully finished homes, hidden tavernas a modern amphitheater, an ancient well surrounded by wild bursting mulberry and plum trees with the ripe fruit just there for the taking. 

As for the baskets and herbs... Happy they took us there, but certainly not the reason to visit this place.

After several phone calls and some of Sal's persuasive powers, the vintner finally agreed to open up the T-Tinos winery for us, show us around and let us sample the wares....

Thanks to the now all too familiar wind, the grapes are grown on poles rather than trellises so that the wind can pass through without stripping the vines of their leaves. 

Total planted area is 11 hectares and all but that supplied to the restaurant that introduced us to the Clos Stegasta dry white is exported. Their top customer being Alain Ducasse who operates a number of restaurants including at The Dorchester which holds three stars in the Michelin Guide. The Mavro 2011 Red will answer any questions as to why that is! 

After learning the trade in France, the Mavro 2011 was Eleni, our host's first vintage for which she is justifiably proud. 

We managed to 'sample' an entire bottle before we bought a justifiable amount.

Not cheap, but oh soooo good.