Virtually no trees exist on the island. The landscape is arid, rocky, and devoid of grass. Even weeds are scarce. Nevertheless, with the deep blue Mediterranean surrounding it, and the rich blue sky draped above, Mykonos beckons like a rough, uncut gem.
But all I needed was a sandy beach where I could chill out, backstroke in clear water, watch gentle waves slap against the shore, and party as the sun set. With 30 beaches to choose from -- each with its own personality and style -- Mykonos, perhaps the most famous of all the Greek islands, didn't disappoint.
As is the case with many visitors, my first and most interesting excursion took me to Paradise -- Paradise Beach, that is. The most popular strip of sand on the island, Paradise has all the trappings of a typical tourist beach (inner-tube rides, scuba diving lessons, ferries to other beaches, etc.).
To get here, I rode a motor scooter from Mykonos Town, past isolated farmhouses and tiny Greek Orthodox chapels wearing the uniform whitewash of every building on the island. Some 30 minutes after departing, a winding road led me down to the beach.
Paradise was a smorgasbord of humanity. Rows of thatch umbrellas sprouted from the coarse sand, providing shade to beachgoers from France, Sweden, Italy, Greece, England, the U.S., and countless other countries. Young backpackers lay beside middle-aged tourists. The beautiful people mingled among mere mortals. Men and women, straight and gay, lounged on beach chairs or towels eating salads and gyros sandwiches procured from one of several beachside restaurants.
RINGSIDE SEAT
As is always the case at European beaches, I tried not to stare at topless women. But it became difficult to look away when two statuesque Italians strolled along the beach wearing nothing but thong bikini bottoms. They stopped suddenly, directly in front of my beach chair. Lost in the throes of conversation, the two women gesticulated with a ferocity that shook more than the foundations of propriety. Everyone stared. Even the nudists.
Yes, my periodic sidelong glances had revealed a number of unclothed sunbathers. Most congregated near the right-hand side of Paradise. Every so often one of these brazen souls rose from a beach chair, walked through hordes of people -- all of whom pretended not to look -- plunged into the sea, and sashayed back to his or her chair as if public nudity were as common as the tattoos on their butts. (A healthy lack of courage prevented me from parting with my Speedos.)
Around 5 p.m., dance music blasted from speakers at Tropicana beach bar, which is smack-dab in the middle of the beach. The daily beach party had begun.
I gathered my belongings. The nudists put on some clothes. Together with perhaps 100 others, we made our way to the bar.
I won't dwell on the fact that three Belgian revelers plied me with way too many Kamikaze shots. I won't go into details about climbing on the bar and dancing with two Greek girls half my age. And I refuse to recount the embarrassing tale of how I slipped on an alcohol slick, fell to the floor, stood up, continued dancing and drew thunderous applause from the crowd. Suffice it to say I had a funky good time.
MORE PARADISE
The next day I drove my motorbike to the second-most popular beach on the island. Super Paradise, delivered exactly what the name implies: More of Paradise. More sand, more nudists, more partying.
But soon the music, Kamikaze shots, and ensuing hangovers got the best of me. I set out on my motor scooter and found nearly two dozen beaches that offered an escape.
The most developed and wind-protected beaches (Ornos, Platys Gialos, Psarou, Lia and Elia) lay at the southern edge of the island, not far from Paradise and Super Paradise.
Ornos, the busiest, boasts countless hotels and tavernas that are perfect for people watching. Platys Gialos was packed with families who seemed happy to distance themselves from the nudists. Every inch of sand at tiny Psarou Beach was occupied, mainly by Greek socialites, their children and nannies. Elia and the sandy alcoves nearby, like much of the island, are considered ``gay friendly.''
And Agrarian, one of the most beautiful beaches on Mykonos, lay in sleepy splendor.
But Lia (not to be confused with Elia) quickly became my favorite. Located on the east coast, it's a small isolated beach poised between two rocky hillsides.
Harder to reach than many beaches on Mykonos, Lia has the right combination of zest and serenity. The water here is as clear and cold as anywhere on the island.
The day before leaving the island, however, I made my way back to Paradise Beach.
Relaxed and refreshed after two weeks of therapeutic beach hopping, I lay in a beach chair among thong-clad women, tattooed men, and nudists of every age and sexual orientation.
And like clockwork, at 5 p.m. the music started pumping.
Next stop: Prague, Czech Republic.
Contact Elliott Hester at megoglobal@hotmail.com. To view his photos or learn more about his trip, visit www.elliotthester.com.
