Goats, Beef... No Veg

Photo©Nigel Summerley

Like many of the Cyclades, Folegandros has a network of well-marked footpaths. The first that I tried took me east from the Chora to the four beaches spread around Vathy Bay: Fira, Angali, Galyfos and Agios Nikolaos. 

The last of those is designated as clothes-optional. But as far as I was concerned, they all were, since there was not a sign of another person on any of them. My only meeting was with the goats pictured above, and they seemed nonplussed at the presence of a visitor. 

I apologised for disturbing them... and they left me in peace to sit by the sea. 

The path – tough at times – eventually took me northward to Ano Meria and then I hit the road east back to the Chora.

The much talked of restaurant did open in the evening and I went there with quite an appetite. 

Could I see the menu? No. There wasn't one. 

"We tell you what you can have," explained the waiter kindly. 

And what I could have was beef soup. 

I explained I was vegetarian. 

"We can do vegetables," shouted the man in the kitchen, "in beef stock."

Er, no, that wasn't going to work.

"We'll have vegetable soup tomorrow."

I said I'd think about it and headed for the mini-market before it closed.