My Greece
I come from Spetses and I couldn’t choose a different place. In general, I am a child of the Cyclades. If I don’t see little white houses with blue doors, I don’t feel it’s summer. But my island has an aura and vibe that makes me always want to go back. Whether it’s for a weekend or for a whole month, Spetses is always there to offer you new experiences and thrills. The last time I was there was about a fortnight ago. In fact, rarely do two months go by without me dropping by for at least a quick visit!
I will never forget
Nutella, my dog, loves swimming in the sea and in the summer we dive in all together and she enjoys the water more than anything. This year, her first swim in Spetses was a little different! As soon as she ran into the water, she started swimming out towards the deep part, gulping water, paddling her paws like crazy and since we were about 50 meters from the shore, we didn’t know what to do with her. She finally found her own solution to the problem! She climbed onto my back, like a human, and demanded that I swim her back to shore. As you may well realise, carrying a 35-kilo dog on your back, whose claws were digging into your back, but who was licking your neck out of gratitude, was not the easiest moment of my summer!
When I close my eyes
I recall Monemvassia. You wouldn’t say that Monemvassia is the biggest hot spot for a summer vacation, but it can offer you unique experiences. First of all, in order to truly enjoy it you absolutely must stay within the fortress, otherwise you’ve missed out. We stayed at a guesthouse called Ardami, located practically astride the fortress wall and we would go swimming a mere 30 meters away. You would go down 30 Byzantine steps, pass through a beautiful portal and dive from the rocks into a gorgeous sea. When you turned your head to look towards Monemvassia, there was a spectacular view of the fortress looming before you and you could almost see yourself living there in the years of Byzantium! Amazing sight! One day we swam with a sea turtle!
We swam with a sea turtle
Favourite food
They make some hand-made pasta in Monemvassia called gogles. After they roll them and boil them, they drizzle them with local olive oil and sprinkle them with local cheese. You have to taste it to believe it! All the Italian bistros swear by this recipe!
My souvenir
You can’t leave Monemvassia without taking some wine with you. We tried the Malagousia variety, a sweet, white wine that tastes like Vinsanto from Santorini and we were told that it was famous as far back as the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It’s a nice habit to buy a bottle of wine from each place you visit. When you open it one evening after a long while to enjoy it with a group of good friends, all the memories come rushing back!
Next destination
That is a very difficult question since I rarely regret visiting any place in Greece. This country has a way of enchanting you with all its landscapes! But I think I would like my next trips to be to Patmos and Ithaki.
