Saturday, May 12, 2012

Saturday's postcards: The Greek island of Mykonos


Today's two old postcards highlight the Greek island of Mykonos. In the above postcard, a woman in a striking red dress hangs laundry out to dry while the waves of the Aegean Sea crash into the shore.1

In the background are some of the famous windmills of Mykonos. Many of the island's 16 windmills were built in the 16th century, primarily to be used as wheat mills. It has been decades since any of the windmills have operated, but they remain a strong tourist attraction. One reviewer on Greeka.com wrote the following in 2010:
"The spectacular windmills, the hallmark of Mykonos, was the best spot to relax and enjoy the view. They are located in a walking distance from Chora2, on top of a hill. The dynamism of the windmills made me look at it from the viewpoint of an artist. The quintessential features of these traditional structures made me forget the traffic jam, honking cars and the hectic lifestyle of the modern city. Even if you are at a distance, you can view the majestic windmill and its revolving beauty that exudes elegance. The best spot to unwind, although ironically enough the wind blows a bit strong there!!"
Here's the other postcard from Mykonos, which features a windmill as its focal point...


Some other tidbits about Mykonos:
  • It is believed that the island's first inhabitants were the Carians (perhaps dating back as far as 3000 BC).
  • The island is composed primarily of granite.
  • The Mykonos vase, discovered on the island in 1961, is the oldest-known object that depicts the Trojan Horse during the Trojan War.
  • As previously mentioned, tourism is now its major industry. But, despite the ongoing debt crisis in Greece, it's not any less expensive to travel to that country for tourism these days, according to my online research. And you might find yourself inconvenienced by strikes, which are now frequent.3

Footnotes
1. Mykonos is part of the Cyclades group of islands in the Aegean Sea. And the Cyclades, interestingly, has its own cat -- the Aegean cat. Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia about this breed:
"It is considered to be the only native Greek breed of cat. ... Although the Aegean Cat has only very recently begun to be bred systematically, it has been domesticated for many centuries and thus has become adapted very well to humans. It is a social pet that tolerates living in an apartment rather well. It is intelligent, active, lively and also communicative, not hesitating to draw a person's attention."
2. The largest town in Mykonos is also called Mykonos. Because of this, locals call the town Chora (The Town), following a common practice in the Greek islands.
3. For more information and opinions on traveling to Greece, see:

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