Mykonos: Ornos Beach

Down the hill from the villa was Ornos beach. This is a "family" beach, meaning that it's not a bunch of drunk people looking to hook up. Mykonos is known for being Europe's premier gay tourist destination. Regardless of preferences, the think I noticed was that Americans have a LOT MORE MATERIAL in their bathing suits! I had on my lovely new Land's End tankini, and let me tell you, I looked like freakin' Aunt Bea in her swim dress. Everyone else...I mean EVERYONE...had one tiny string bikinis...like women of all ages and all sizes were wearing swim suits with as much materials as you see in Hannah's string bikini below. I stuck out like a seriously sore thumb...and I could hear those liberated Europeans thinking, "On that poor American woman...she really needs to get over her Puritan background."

We spent a LOT of time on this beach. The shaded lounges rented for the day, and behind us was a lovely restaurant that would bring food and drinks to us as we sat there in a stupor. The beach was reasonably crowded but not unpleasant. The water was a delicious slightly cool temperature...it felt fantastic and was so beautifully clean and clear. Incredible.

When Hank wasn't eating the delicious "Mykonos Meatballs" (pork, veal, fresh herbs rolled in a very light crumb and deep fried!), he was asleep in the shade. This photo is from early in the day. The chairs would fill up around 10 or 11 AM and would remain full until late afternoon.

When we arrived, our suitcases were stored while the villa was cleaned...for FIVE HOURS. So we were at the beach with no swimwear. And it was hot. So Hannah got a string bikini, which as I mentioned above, fit right in. She loved this freaking swim suit...when we got back to Doha, she got to wear it for about a month, and then I threw it away. The bottoms got droppy...she looked like the little kid on the old Coppertone ad.
Can I just add that Dad was not pleased by this particular choice of swimsuit. Not pleased at all. (there really were no other choices) I can see my future, and it involves keeping a loaded shotgun handy.

Starting mid-day, people would begin trolling the beach selling stuff. Clothes, sunglasses, jewelry, henna tattoos, massages, watches, purses, CD's, and DVD's. It was totally like QVC in the sun and sand! We might have purchased a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2...about 7 days after the movie came out in theaters...for 5 Euro...it might have been a bootleg from a Greek theater...with Greek subtitles...
I don't know what she's talking about.