Vayonia Bay

Vayonia Bay is just below our house and it is our local watering and swimming hole.  It is to this exotic looking bay that we bring all our foreign visitors and then find it so difficult to tear them away to some other of Poros island's delights.  Good coffee, a swim in the calm blue waters and a good book or maybe an ouzo and debate on the latest  political development or the size of tuna this summer.   What else does one need.  Perhaps a cool breeze is what makes it all near perfect.

Vagionia is where I learned to drink ouzo and coca-cola.  Thanks Betsy.  Vagionia is where we meet friends and stay on for souvlaki and really ice cold beer in the late afternoon.  Vagionia is where we go at 7am when the grandkids have a sleep over.  We break that  early morning tranquility with shrill screams and dive into the unruffled waters disturbing the wild life, the natives and all the fishes in the sea.

a small sea cave to explore

Vagionia is where we come in the winter after a good northerly blow to look for treasure washed up on the beach.  Vagionia is where  Jamie fell out of a tree.  Vagionia is where the kids go wild chasing the chooks, feeding the cats and playing with whatever animal is this year's mascot.  One year it was Rocky the sausage dog and then Paraskevas the big fat cat.  Last year it was Ghika the goat.

Ghika the goat keeps us company while he eyes up the next beach towel to chew on

If you want a little more peace and quiet there are  smaller bays on either side. Our favourite has a  tree giving shade right over the water.  You can step in gingerly without being splashed.  A short way out the seabed is sandy and it is easy to make a graceful entrance.  There is a jetty for diving and a place to tether your boat although most of the yachts anchor a short way out and the crew swims in for a beer or beaches their zodiac right below the bar.

The service is quick, Manolis, Marko, Irene, the boys and girls serving are friendly and chatty.  I'll just spit on them three times so I don't give them the evil eye,  ftoo ftoo ftoo.  They've turned a dusty beach into a trendy watering place, palm trees to shelter you from the sun, wooden bar and floors and they keep the beach clean and scoop up any rubbish brought in by the 'tide'.

Ridiculous regulations  have stopped them putting up shade umbrellas and sunchairs until 14th June.  Authorities often don't seem to realise that  Greeks on islands make most of their money from tourism.  1st of April should mean the opening of the summer season, especially  this year  as most of the world celebrated easter a month earlier than us and were here hoping to find everything up and running and somewhere to spend their money.  Money spent is money in the bank and money in the government's coffers to pay our pensions, wages, social security and of course those pesky people at the IMF the european bank and Herr Schauble.

Vagionia beach and bar are ready now and revving up for this first heat wave.  Go down and have a swim and cool off.  You'll love it.

This years beach.  Hopefully soon it will look more like the next photos.

Summer season 2015