Ok ok… whats all the fuss? I was really sorry to leave Naxos. This was my initial felling which meant I was setting myself up for disappointment. Like an obstinate child I thought “Sure the beaches are probably nice but they were nice in Naxos as well”. Then we arrived at our hotel and saw our beach… 
We stayed at the Aqua Marina Resort ( http://www.acquamarina.gr ) and had one of the front row blue umbrellas along with two lounge chairs assigned to us. They were exclusively reserved for the duration of our stay. This is definitely a family resort so there are loads of kids scrambling around. Not a big deal if you’re used to yelling, screaming, and crying but of course we are not. 
Our hotel is on a very popular windsurfing stretch of the coast and there is lots of excitement on the sea from newbies just learning the ropes to men and women of all ages expertly speeding in, out, left and right. It’s super cool to watch and found the time just flew by. There isn’t much to see as you travel through the endless rocky expanse of Paros except the odd village… but OMG, some of these towns are amazing. Now if you find yourself on this island I recommend checking out the small community of Lefkes. We went in the 
evening and walked around as the town came alive. It was awesome. 
Old men playing their traditional greek instruments (a drum and what looks like a bladder with a goat horn attached) and though there were two only musicians, a group of about eight were singing (drunkenly I suspect) at the top of their lungs. As we wandered through the winding avenues up and down the hillside we happened upon a hand painted sign which read “Sweet Smelling Kitchen”. We peeked through the window which we found down one set of stone steps then up another only to be surprised by an old woman working away in her OWN kitchen on her OWN stove.
We though we must be in the wrong place but were surprised to be waved in and seated on her beautiful terrace over looking the valley. As it became darker the three windmills on the ridge were illuminated and stood out like ancient Greek jewels against the black sky. A wee cheeky cat sat on the floor and made itself at home. There was no menu, there were no inquiries made about our likes or dislikes… the dear woman. hunched but active, simply lead us into her kitchen and pointed at a variety of dishes she was offering
for the evening and asked us what we wanted. It was charming and surreal. What an experience. At first glance I found the island arid and barren which isn’t a criticism it’s just a what I observed. Over the next few days, driving back and forth bisecting the island over the same route I began to see the beauty. Countless stone fences painstakingly constructed over millennia, hearty plant life, a variety of building types… actually there was a real turn around in how I viewed the entire island.
markncoco 