Today is the day for Zas. We arrive at Agia Marina and park at the church. This cuts out the steep walk from Filoti. By car it is a steep windy road so I am glad we have a car and and cut this out! At 930 am there were 2 other cars there already but plenty of parking on the road too. The summit is the highest in Naxos at 1001m high. The instructions are not really needed as the path is well marked. It was a moderate walk, steep parts but mostly a gradual,climb until you reach a mountain crest and then once around it and you start going up its all up until the top! The path is laid out in the last section with cairns and you can see the red soil tracks. The views all the way are just spectacular and get better and better. The views of Amorgos, and the other Cyclades islands were cystral clear and just stunning. The last climb was a bit tough but once there and the west coast opens up you virtually have 360 degree view. We had the summit to ourselves for a while,other than alone walker.

Russ is sending videos to a friend of him doing 22 press ups for charity at unusual locations so,this was another choice for Russ to partake, on top of Mount Zas. An Austrian couple looked on as I videoed Russ doing the sit ups on the ledge!

It took us around 3 hours in total there and back, we stopped more than we walked! Distance according to Runmeter app was 3.45 miles.ascent 1360 feet. Think if you took off stops it was an hour from the church to the summit.

This is a must walk really is and I can certainly see why others recommended it.

We then decided to hit a beach and drove to the east coast to Mountsouna and further along to Psili Ammos. We parked in the beach bit realised it wasn't the main one. So we ate our picnic and packed up but the path did not lead around, the clouds, dark clouds were rolling in over the mountains we had drove down so decided to head back to Mikra Vigra with sight seeing along the way.

A wee bit tired at this point we stopped off in Mountsouna for a coffee. It turned out to be a comical event. We wanted to be quick so sat at the first taverna. The hosts looked like twins, one came with table cloth and we asked if ok to,have just coffee, he whipped away the table cloth and left us! The other one came over and it took a while to explain a milky coffee, coffee with milk, latte, nothing he seemed to recognise. ( yes I know I should learn Greek) he left us to! The other one returned with menu, I pointed out to him, Nescafé hot with milk.

Th skies then rolled in the black clouds and rain drops started. I got up and went over to the under cover along with everyone else. The brothers were not amused at everyone as they had to rearrange tables, bring some in. It was funny to watch as no sooner did they seem annoyed they then burst into song, harmonising as they worked away to accommodate their customers! The rain of course had stopped!!!

On return back to Mikra Vigla enjoying the mountain roads we stopped at Ano Sangri to visit the Demeter Temple, This with Mount Zas in the back ground is rather a site to see and certainly worth visiting. We stopped off at Mikra Vigla beach around 1730 enjoyed the swim and chilled for an hour.

Tonight we drove along the long un finished roads to Plaka, ate at a beach front restaurant which was the most expensive meal to date. Was it worth it, for those that like separate knifes and forks even though didn't not use the first lot given, to be presented on a plate then suppose so! For us the food was good but not a lot of it. Russ had fillet steak 29 days hung with 6 chunky fries. We ordered more! I had a special dish Naxos pasta with 20 hour cooked pork. Was this all worth with one drink each €50 I dont think so, yes the service was good but the owner sat behind a desk watching so I am sure they dare not take a step wrong. Petrino Beach restaurant.