Char’s friends Rosa & Joseph invited us to Alonissos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, to celebrate their wedding with a group of friends. Rosa and her sister Dahlia have been going to Alonissos since they were young.We stayed there for ten days, soaking in the Mediterranean sun and spending lots of time on the beach. The island has retained some of its rustic charm, while other Greek islands have become more popular as upscale resorts. We stayed in the Old Village, a collection of stone houses and shops set along cobbled streets at the top of a hill on the southern end of the island.

The Old Village, as seen from a nearby peak

Alonissos bears a strong resemblance to California in some ways. There are steep, rocky hills that meet the beach, and it was about as hot as the warmer parts of California during the summer. There are a few differences, though. The air is more humid, the beaches are rocky, not sandy, and there are olive trees everywhere. We ate lots of fresh fish and calamari, grilled meats, tzatsiki, aubergine dip and Greek salad. It was a very relaxing way to celebrate the wedding, which is happening this weekend in Paris.

Some of these photos were taken by Marika and Jalia, two of our island cohort. I thought it would be nice to put them all together and share them with the group. Wherever you are, friends: I know you know.