Saturday, November 1st, 2025

Arginonta

Petra Apartment Villas

Wednesday night we had dinner at Fatolitis Snack Bar, the sort of hippy vibe climbers’ bar we had gone to previously that also serves food, and I had a Kalymnos salad – a greek salad with added rusk/stale bread. It’s better than it sounds. The people watching in town is fantastic – lots of Europeans and a smattering of British/Australian/American people all talking about their various travels and climbing escapades & escalades.

Thursday morning we had our last rooftop breakfast. 😦 The hotel workers were on their last day of work, which is why we had to leave, and were setting up for a celebration. Our hostess wasn’t sure what she was going to do for work after November 1st when the season ended.

After breakfast we decided to head up the road to Palionisos, stopping at the peak to climb at a sector called Prophitis Andreas. The rental car guy told us when we picked up the car that this road would be totally closed due to rock fall, so we wanted to check it out very carefully. The parts we were on were fine – someone must have worked through Greece’s national holiday called “No Day” to make it happen!

The crag was busy, but around a corner on what was called the “Chinese Wall” the views were amazing. We could see the sea, various towns, random small islands, alcoves that pirate ships hid in, a big remote church, old Byzantine stone walls, early Christian baths and basilicas, and Turkey! We were friendly with an Australian couple and climbed some great routes near them, coming eye to eye with goats at the top of a few routes. The walk back to the car was even goat-guided.

We then checked into our new villa that has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a loft, a huge bathtub, and outdoor kitchen, an outdoor patio with a pool, and a view overlooking Arginonta. It feels like suburban paradise, and is fully stocked with kitchen supplies, etc.

In the evening, we went to Emporios, a small town on the north part of the island for dinner on the beach. This town is laid-back, sort of hippy vibes, and known for this bracelet guy that hangs out near the beach. Obviously we got bracelets (J’s is custom so we came back the next day to get it).

We spent the evening at the calm beach eating zucchini fritters, giant beans, durado (not the kind J was expecting), and petting the dozens of kitties. Many of the cats are fixed and ear-notched by the Cats of Kalymnos charity, which we donated to while sitting here. We wanted to take a cuddly one home! Our waitress Eleni told us that their restaurant will close Monday and only about 11 people stay in Emporios for the second half of the year – the rest will return May 1. Yes, someone cares for the cats over the winter!

Friday we had a chill climbing day right above the villa, then hung in our pool and went back to Jack’s in Mirties for more pita wraps. We drove to the big town of Panormous (our favorite name) for groceries, then all the way to Emporios for Jordan’s bracelet pickup. We BBQ’d at home for dinner and watched “The Haunting of Hill House” in the loft. Happy Halloween!

Today may have been the best yet. We drove to Mirties and took a 20 euro boat to Telendos, around the north part of the island to a climbing sector called Irox. We cragged there and at another nearby crag almost all day – awesome climbing, even though my hand is very sore, most likely from belaying! There were also great views, it wasn’t too crowded, the people that were around were really nice, it was perfect weather, and had cool caves. When the sun set at god-awful 5 pm we walked around 40 minutes to Telendos town, a gorgeous hike on an established trail past little alcoves in the sea, growing herbs, flowery bushes, and views everywhere.

We ate dinner at Rita’s – a restaurant our ice climbing guide in France recommended last year. Baked feta in dough, grilled slices of cheese on salad, moussaka and ouzo. Our trip back on the boat was easy – 4 euros each and 10 minutes. A good, full day.

Reading: Circe by Madeline Miller