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A WALK IN THE
PAST
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An idea for a few hours of exploration which gives you the chance to
see the the more traditional Greek
parts of the island - which do still
exist!
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Take the
opportunity to see traditional,
Greek people in traditional houses
and to learn what life was actually
like here, in the fairly recent
past, and compare with life today.
There is no comparison between the
two!
You will enjoy
the scents of the wild thyme, sage
and mountain tea and see a
kaleidoscope of Mediterranean plants
in their natural habitat and,
depending on the time of year, you
may see local cheese being made.
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It is possible to
walk down into the mountain villages
from Zia which, as you may be aware,
whilst still a beautiful village, is
somewhat commercialised now. For
this reason it is best to meander
through the villages of Assomatos,
Evangelistria and Lagoudi, (villages
which are all totally unspoilt).
This can be done either on foot or,
depending on how lazy you are, by car. To walk down from
Zia and do the circuit of two of
these villages whilst somewhat steep
in places, is not a hard walk and
only takes about 1 hour (depending
upon photo stops!).
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Many of the
houses are in a state of disrepair
but, slowly, cottages are being
restored and people are once more
living in these villages in the
mountains. The views from up here
are, of course, fantastic and you
must take your cameras with you. There are plenty of opportunities to
take fantastic photo's, not only of the local
area, but also of the stunning views
across to the neighbouring islands
and the Turkish coast.
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Passing through
Assomatos, where the church may be
open for you to go in and have a
look (have some change in your
pocket to light a candle), and
walking up through Evangelistria you
will experience a peace and quiet
that is all too rare in our everyday
lives. Just to be away from the
noise of traffic is a rare gift in
itself.
Wandering through
Lagoudi, with its narrow streets and
pretty cottages is quite simply like
stepping back in time, there is very
little to remind you of where and
when we are.
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The church on the
top of the hill affords another
opportunity to appreciate the
wonderful views across the islands,
the salt flats at Tingaki and to the
hustle and bustle that you have left
behind. There is also a local
pottery next door where you can buy
some unique souvenirs of your stay
here. Watch out for the local
cafeneio which was still open until very recently.
It is impossible
for me to describe the atmosphere
and the tranquility in these
villages. It is also impossible to
imagine how life has changed here to
such a large degree, in such a short
space of time. It is impossible to
imagine that these villages were in
danger of disappearing altogether.
Thankfully, it is now recognised
that they are priceless in the
message they can give us about the
recent past, and their heritage will
carry on.
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......Turn the page
for more photo's of the villages
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