On Foot or Burro? That is the question.

On the island of Hydra (Greeks pronounce that, 'eee-dra') in the Saronic Islands off the Peloponesse coast, there are no motorized vehicles - except for two small garbage trucks.  So when you step off the ferry onto its near perfect crescent-shaped dock you have two choices for getting to your hotel: on foot or burro. 

              Burro loaded with rebar in Hydra

Unlike Santorini where the burro chain greets the cruise boats and photos are taken of passengers riding up the steep hillside, here the burro is serious business.  They haul produce and people, lumber, dirt, supplies and their handlers sit sidesaddle leading their pack-string along the waterfront loading the items in preparation of heading up the steep, narrow pathways to the town's interior.

Our mainland roadtrip took us to Hydra for a night's stay Sunday.  We had planned to stay in another town on the coast but as with our philosophy of travel, when the opportunity presents itself, take it.  We passed a sign pointing through an olive grove that read "Hydra".  We followed the roadway and found ourselves at a tiny taxi ferry dock, and thought,'why not?'

We parked near the olive grove, packed on overnight bag and hopped aboard the 16-passenger taxi that whisked us across the channel for a delightful evening and morning visit to an island we would otherwise have missed.

In case you are wondering, we walked to the pansion where we stayed for 35E a night. It was an easy walk, not far from the harbor.