Up early – no one is surprised I know!  We have our coffee then hit the streets and do a quick little morning walk along the shoreline.  There is no one about besides us, a couple of runners and workers who are trying to clean up the mess from the torrential downpours that happened yesterday.  Our cab driver even remarked about how bad the rain was right before we arrived.  It looks like it was a deluge, from the huge canyons gouged out of the sand from water run off.  Glad we missed that!

Packed and ready, we take our big bags down to reception for them to hold until we return on Friday, then order a cab and wait outside for a ride into Kos-town and the ferry.  The cabbie is a typical crazy Greek driver, not as bad as the guy yesterday in Piraeus – but still, I’m closing my eyes a lot here!  Once in town, we actually hop out before the port because we have had the brilliant idea to rent a car on our return.  We have tons of time to waste on both ends – when we return on the ferry and the next day before our 6pm flight – and hey- the total price will end up just a little more than these damn cab rides to and from the port and the airport! 

We walk down to the rental place we used before when we were in Kos and book a car from the same 2 folks as before – must be husband and wife – and are so sweet.  Now we are set!  Walking back down the shore line, we find the port, scope out where we need to be, then reverse course back into town for a coffee.  We end up at the same place where we had our evening drinks last year when we were on the cruise!  Too funny!

Then it is ferry time!  In comes the ferry, off come the passengers (a big group of refugees being escorted by police onto a big police bus and a HUGE group of little kids all in yellow caps doing who knows what, but happily off the ferry and not riding with us!), and on go us.  No sooner than we board – we leave. These ferries are fast!  We find some nice seats downstairs and settle in – grabbing a ham and cheese sandwich and a beer and water for our breakfast from the “saloon” upstairs (very reasonably priced I might add).

We spend the 2 ½ hours  , reading, blogging, watching different islands slide by, stopping at a few, watching the cleaner come through the cabin after every port – she’s amazing!  Vacuuming, changing out head rest slip covers and whatever is in the seat backs.  Crazy efficient!

Finally we arrive in Patmos and are greeted by Liza, holding up a sign for Dimitrius – our host for the next 4 days.  She greets us and escorts us through the winding little alley type streets off the Skala, around the main square, up some stairs, more little streets, more turns, more stairs – I’m ready to drop bread crumbs to find our way out and back!  Seriously though, after a few minutes of walking, we arrive at the door to the stone house.  What an amazing place!

It is everything as advertised, looking just like the photos online.  A gorgeous garden, sweet little open plan living, dining and kitchen area, then that incredibly cool loft with winding wooden staircase that holds the bed.  Plus the rooftop patio with umbrella, 2 recliners, one of those hanging nest type chairs and a little café table with chairs. Perfect!  And all right in the heart of the Skala. We’re so excited for the next 4 days!

All checked in and educated on the power breakers, the hot water, the stove and the keys – we are left to our own devices, which means lunch!  On the way back into the main area of town – just to be certain – we take pictures of the lane where the house is located, and some of the more important turns we’ll need to take to return there.  LOL.

Back down on the main road through town, we grab a table at Pantelis, a seafood restaurant we wanted to try last year, but never managed to find the time.  Well worth the wait!  We had the best eggplant salad (think baba ghanoush, but different), these awesome little cheese pies with honey (OMG – out of this world!), the special local Kefalotiri cheese and a grilled sausage – all so yummy and so filling!  Oh, and a big beer and a ½ liter jug of wine (6 euros, thank you very much!). Welcome to the island! 

After lunch we wander down to Patmos Rental car to book a car for Wednesday and Thursday. There are ships in tomorrow, so we don’t want to have to fight that traffic and figure 2 days will be great to explore around and finish our hikes and go new places we didn’t have time to visit last year on the ship.

Then we hit the grocery store to stock up on supplies, and spend the rest of the afternoon peacefully in the beautiful garden and up on the rooftop staring out at the gorgeous view of the Skala, the harbor and the Monastery up on the hill in Hora.  Nothing wrong with that!

Later that evening, we venture out onto the town again to Try Gyro, a little place down a lane off the harbor, but with a sandwich board sign in the middle of the sidewalk advertising their location with menus you can take. We didn’t want anything too heavy after that huge lunch (hohoho) and figured souvlaki and a gyro would be just right.  Ha. We made the tactical error of ordering cheese balls, which were excellent fried cheese balls, but so rich and heavy.  Then we ordered the pork souvlaki. OMG! The portion was monstrous!  And of course the gyro – or as our precious little waitress says, the pork souvlaki that is wrap-ped (emphasis on the “ped”).  What have we done???? Over ordered is what we’ve done!  Sigh.  But – all is not lost!  Everything is excellent, and we have a full kitchen!  So, we finish the wrap-ped gyro and the cheese balls, but take the souvlaki and pita and Tzsatziki sauce home for our lunch tomorrow. 

On our way out, I asked if they thought they would begin to open for lunch again soon – trying to find places for Mark and his pals to come and eat when they arrive in Patmos in the next couple of weeks.  Papa doesn’t speak much English at all, and he looks at me in horror when I start talking, immediately summoning sweet waitress girl (daughter we guess) who translates.  Papa says yes, Mama argues and says no.  Ok, it’s a definite maybe then!  Too funny!

Toting our food haul home, we secure it in the fridge and head upstairs to the lovely rooftop patio to spend the rest of the evening in heavenly peace and quiet staring out at the lights of the town and the stupendously lit monastery up on the hill.

This is heaven – and so unlike everywhere we have been in the past 2 months.  We know it is because it is early in the season and the crowds were more than likely start to build, but for now, we’re going to enjoy every single second of being here virtually alone.