Departing from Piraeus, my sister and myself take a tour of the of the surrounding island of Athens around the Saronic Gulf onboard the Hermes, a tour cruise boat. From here, the boat makes stops at the Greek islands of Poros, Hydra and Aegina. Along the way, a taste of the colours and culture that make up each island are accounted in this journal entry and the accompanying photos.

We sailed out of Piraeus early in the morning on board the Hermes, filled to the brim with tourists. As it was still low season, it was better to stick with the tour operators at the time, since the ferries in the Greek islands, including the hydrofoil (or so called "Dolphins") have a horrendous timetable. While on board, the guides gave us a summary of our itinerary in various languages. To summarise, we were to stop at Poros, Hydra and Aegina. On arrival, we had about an hour to go through Poros and Hydra and a couple of hours to walk or join a tour at Aegina (Pretty short?). After our debriefing, we headed upstairs to enjoy the sun and the rolling commentary as we sailed passed Aegina and the Athens coastline.

A few hours later, Hermes arrived at the island of Poros. On Poros, the clocktower upon the hill is the most striking feature, but we instead found ourselves drawn to the colours of the harbour and the shops in this small fishing village. The fishing boats were bright and sharp, their hulls painted with crisp hues of blues and whites. Inside the village, restaurants advertise their daily specials amid their brightly painted doors, while numerous souvenir stalls display their enticing merchandise ranging from the usual postcards to colourful fridge magnets, clothing and diningware. Of the most unusual souvenirs were candles with blue transparent wax poured into cups containing miniature models of Greek villages. By the end of our short stop, we arrived at a church before heading back to the Hermes.

After a short lunch onboard, Hermes arrived into Hydra shortly after. Originally, Hydra staked its livelihood on piracy, eventually using its seamanship to facilitate trade and and thus was of great strategic and importance to the Greeks during the fight against the Turks for independence. Hydra is now known for its quiet seaside harbour and bright and colourful villages. Remnants of the conflict still exist, including the defensive fort at the entrance to the harbour, which now has a statue of A. Miaoulis erected at the fort. In the centre of the harbour is the abbey that has now been converted into the Town hall of the Island - probably one of the most striking and noticeable features in the harbour.

As in Poros, we explored the streets of Hydra and was awed by the whites of the terrace houses and their brightly painted doors and windows. The predominant colours of the doors and windows were bright aqua, greens and blues although we also saw one in orange and brown. In a world where the digital revolution dominates our world with 1's and 0's, it is heartening to see that the villagers of Hydra tries to paint their world in bright colours. Since many of the streets are narrow and old, the mode of transport is usually by donkey, but there is a wider street just north of the abbey where there are numerous shops and restaurants.

We made our way back down this wide street to the harbour before returning to the Hermes. The harbour is the real centre of Hydra, containing souvenir, clothing and jewellery shops, large restuarants, food kiosks and bars. These different areas of commerce has perhaps helped Hydra to survive and place itself as a popular tourist destination since the decline of its shipping industry in the last couple of centuries.

Leaving the island of Hydra, the beautiful weather at Poros and Hydra had started turning ugly by the time we got to Aegina late in the afternoon. As a result of the weather and also the cost, we opted out of the Aegina bus tour. Instead, we sat in a cafe for nearly an hour until the showers stopped. Then we walked around the streets hoping to encounter the same sort of colours and atmosphere found in Hydra and Poros. Apart from a couple of churches, the white chapel at the entrance to the port and shopfronts selling pastachio nuts - the main industry in Aegina, Aegina seems to be the bland cousin of the two islands. Maybe it was the weather, but most of the town seems to have been completely redeveloped to make it easier for tourists. There are lots of restaurants serving westernised meals and there are numerous cars along the roads and narrow streets. The port has also been modified to allow facilities for car ferries. But there are ancient temples (such as the Temple of Aphaia 10km from Aegina) and the beachside inlet of Angistri which probably offer something more interesting.

By the time we returned to Hermes for our voyage home, the wet weather had returned to the island. All in all, this was probably the most memorable visit to Greece apart from the dissapointment of Aegina and the bad weather that caught up with us late in the afternoon. And, with a world dominated by the digital revolution with its 0's and 1's, the Saronic gulf successfully paints its world in different moods and emotions, with its culture, history and simple but colourful buildings.