Mykonos is unlike any place we have been to. We had heard that it is one of those places you would either love or hate.
There are many reasons why someone would love Mykonos. It is a picture perfect island. Whitewashed houses perched on cliffs, a beautiful ocean front, an old town with impossibly narrow streets arranged in a totally random pattern, streets made out of stones fitted together and with white paint over every joint. It is totally magical. Unlike anything we have seen.
There are equal number of reasons why this is a place one would hate. Almost the entire town is a giant upscale shopping mall. Expensive shops line the streets and eating and drinking establishments take up whatever remains. These are not shops selling Greek handicrafts or goods; they are Louis Vuitton, Versace and like, making the whole old town look totally contrived. It is like Venetian hotel in Las Vegas, a fake version of real Venice.
Add to that are the hoards of tourists. There are youngsters galore who come here to party. Many of them look like they are on their honeymoon. Then there are cruise ship passengers…by the hundreds or thousands. They come in a continuous stream of groups of 30-40 each, led by a person with an umbrella or a flag. The participants are almost always middle aged or older. They start arriving in the morning and disappear back in their giant ships parked in the distance as the night falls. Considering how narrow the streets are, this hoard creates total bottlenecks. Streets are plugged up…or constipated if you want to be more graphic. There is no room to walk for people like us.
If you are into shopping in glitzy places, partying the whole day, and Las Vegas, this is your destination. The physical beauty is just a bonus. If you are not, you can’t wait to get out after a couple of days.