Original subtitles

(lighthearted music)

- From the bustling streets of Athens

and the historic port of Hydra,

to the beaches of Zakynthos and the villages of Kythira,

our journey over the coming weeks

spans many of the Ionian Islands,

some well-known, others that few ever get to visit.

But before heading off,

you probably wanna know a little bit about me.

My story starts as boy growing up

in the inner suburbs of Sydney.

Like a lot of Greeks early last century,

my parents moved overseas to find a better life abroad.

They arrived with very little and worked extremely hard

to give my sisters and I a loving upbringing.

They also made me believe that if I too worked hard enough,

I could achieve anything.

54 years later, I've built a successful business.

And that has enabled me to do things I once only dreamed of.

One of those dreams was to step foot

on all 227 inhabited Greek Islands,

and I'm gonna take a big chunk out of that

in this first series.

So far, my journey has taken me from the chaos of Athens

to the ancient city of Epidaurus.

It's only a very short distance from the big smoke,

but feels like it's a million miles away,

and that you've stepped back in time.

Unbelievable!

I heard it from here!

There are incredible sites to discover

both above and below the water,

with fascinating history that tells the story

of not only the region, but the origins of important aspects

of modern western civilization.

I've also met some fantastic characters,

particularly on Moni Island,

where I stopped briefly before heading to Spetses.

To me, Spetses is the cosmopolitan capital of this region.

This is a beach side island where people come here

just to enjoy themselves,

getting out of the heat of Athens in the summer.

Have a look around there, it's just awesome, man!

(pleasant music)

In this episode, I'm gonna explore more of Spetses,

and learn about the most significant female figure

in Greece's maritime history, Admiral Bouboulina.

She was at the forefront of the War of Independence,

and her story has become legend.

From here I'm heading to Hydra,

famous for the horses and mules they use

for transport on the island.

But my plan is to show you there's a whole lot more

to the place than the tourist wants.

It's one of those magical islands

where you can easily succumb to its beauty,

and spend weeks, or in some cases a lifetime,

lost in its charm.

(pleasant music)

I've timed my visit here so I could see the spectacle

that is the Spetses Classic Yacht Regatta.

It's been an annual fixture since 2011

and in a short period of time has grown

to become one of the most important

and popular regattas in the Mediterranean.

It was established in the honour of the Spetsiot seafarers

who fought in the 1821 Greek War of Independence,

and today draws vessels

and spectators from across the world.

They all converge on this tiny island

for a week of events and festivities, all centred around

the long-held maritime traditions of Greece.

The idea of the regatta came from Antonis Vordonis.

He wanted to continue the legacy

of the boat-builders of Spetses

and then shine a light on the island

so outsiders would see the place he loves,

and take the time to travel here.

During the four days of the regatta,

Spetses becomes the yachting centre of the Mediterranean.

Well, at least Greece anyway.

With classic boats sailing alongside

traditional Aegean schooners, lateens and dragons,

with the spectacular Argo-Saronic Gulf

providing the perfect setting.

It's a real community fair with people coming together

to not only compete but celebrate their love of sailing.

(men shouting in foreign language)

(people clapping)

Central to the regatta

is the majestic Poseidonion Grand Hotel.

It's one of the most famous landmarks on the island

and acts as a hub for the event.

- As a shipping man for 42 years,

I had this wonderful life around the Globe,

and I was feeling that I was so lucky

that by travelling and meeting and trading,

I was carrying my country

and all who have created here, to the world.

And for me, it was a great duty.

And I felt very happy,

just really proud for what I was doing!

Now, that I'm here as a hotelier,

I feel I'm doing exactly the same job

I was doing as a shipping man.

- Of course.

- Then I was travelling and conveying my country.

Now I'm welcoming the world on this place.

- I think you have a more important job now as a hotelier,

as a Spetsioti, as a Greek, especially in these times.

Built in 1914, this elegant hotel

is a symbol of the cosmopolitan life of the island.

It was built by Sotirios Anargyros,

a tobacco merchant who was also a visionary.

He had a dream for the island to become a tourist resort

and did much to develop Spetses

to make it a holiday destination

for elite and wealthy Athenians.

Nowadays, people from all walks of life come here.

However, the grandeur of the Poseidonion

harks back to a time

when but a few could afford such indulgences.

Tourism here was at its peak in the '60s,

but with the arrival of package holidays,

visitor numbers dropped significantly

to the point where the hotel was abandoned.

Today, it has been renovated back to its former glory

and once again is a living monument

to the halcyon days of Spetses.

(serene music)

In many ways, the Poseidonion and the regatta are akin.

Both have a certain elegance to them

and are intrinsic to the island's character.

They're symbols of times past but also of rebirth.

The resurrection of the hotel is much like the restoration

of the proud shipbuilding industry of Spetses

that's being inspired by the regatta

and increased interest in the timber boats they made here.

Having the opportunity

to see these magnificent vessels ploughing the sea

is something every sailing enthusiast should experience,

and over the coming days, I'm really looking forward

to the spectacle and tradition of the regatta.

(serene music)

There's more to Spetses than its maritime past.

Like other Greek islands, it has a unique food culture

that's shaped by the people, produce, and climate.

(speaks in foreign language)

To learn more about it,

I coaxed the Poseidonian's head chef Stamatis

out of the kitchen and into the hills

to show me the hotel's farm. - We've got some peppers.

- Tomatoes, look at these peppers, they are awesome!

Tomatoes!

Oh!

(speaks in foreign language)

Everything here hasn't gotten anything on it.

It's all organic.

No, no nothing.

Fantastic!

(crunches)

I could eat here all day.

They could leave me here, and I'd eat everything.

(Stamatis laughs)

(speaks in foreign language)

So they've got everything here!

They've got zucchini, zucchini flower, they've got eggplant,

they've got all forms of lettuce,

they've got the (speaks in foreign language),

the Greeks love!

They've got small tomatoes, they've got big tomatoes,

they've got capsicums, they've got peppers.

They've got absolutely everything here.

And what's amazing, Stamatis,

(speaks in foreign language)

The thing that amazes me here

is that not only do they produce enough for themselves,

which I just cannot believe,

but they are actually producing

for some of the other shops and restaurants around here.

It's so good, it's fantastic.

(speaks in foreign language)

We're gonna go somewhere special now.

Living on a small island,

there's a certain amount of self-sustainability

that's needed in order to survive.

Not only is it costly to get produce from the mainland,

but it also takes time to ship things over,

so essentially anything you want fresh

needs to be grown locally.

It was the way of my father, and my father's father,

for countless generations gone by.

People have had to work hard and managed the available land

to grow the staples to sustain their communities.

Plots like these can be found all over the place

and without them, there's no way the island

could support the population

and such a thriving tourism industry.

(speaks in foreign language)

There's only one egg here and the reason is

it's the morning and Leonidas came and picked them up

so that the guests can have their eggs for the morning.

Beautiful!

Nice and light.

(speaks in foreign language)

(chickens clucking)

Helen!

Helen!

Come here!

Come here!

Come here!

Like my wife running away from me.

(serene music)

It's this simplicity that's the Greece I know and love.

The authentic, traditional, and rustic elements

that hark back to times when things moved much slower,

and the world was a far wider place.

I for one love the idea

that there's a paddock to plate process

happening right here on the island.

It's nice to know a lot

of what I'm eating while spending time here

has been grown in the fertile soil on the hillsides

and harvested only hours before.

Not only is it fresh and healthy,

but it means the money is staying in the local economy.

Mm, fresh eggs, chickens, turkey.

I had no appetite before I got here

and that's all changed now.

(pleasant music)

(transitions to lighthearted music)

(metal clacking)

Of all of the many seafaring Spetsiots

that have done great things,

(speaks in foreign language)

there is a particular individual that stands out

and that's Admiral Bouboulina.

Thank you very much.

She fought during the revolution to free Greece

and was the world's first female admiral.

She was a tough, hard-nosed woman

that didn't take no for an answer.

To learn more about her story, I met with Philip Bouboulis,

who is a direct descendant and also owns her house.

We are short of guides right now.

- Yes.

Of course.

- Philip, every time I think of Spetses,

the first thing that comes to mind is Bouboulina.

- Well, of course.

Spetses is known as the Island of Bouboulina.

(speaks in foreign language)

It's the Island of Bouboulina.

When you talk about Spetses,

your thoughts goes to Bouboulina always.

- Yeah.

So, tell me a little bit about Bouboulina.

- [Philip] Well, Bouboulina,

she was one of the most important heroes

of the Greek War of Independence.

The only woman admiral in the world,

she had a fleet of five, six ships.

She led that fleet against the Turks,

she fought mainly at Nafplion, in the Battle of Monemvasia,

in the Battle of Argos where she lost her first born son,

in the Battle of Tripolitsa

where she saved the harem of the Turkish ruler there.

And she inherited much fortune, she was married twice.

Both her husbands very rich captains at the time

that died in the battles with the pirates in those days.

When she inherited Bouboulis, her second husband,

in whose house we are here now,

she inherited in cash only 300,000 Tallara.

Tallara were silver Spanish sovereigns

that they were using at the time.

In order to make you understand what kind of money was that,

let me say that when Bouboulina

built her flagship, the Agamemnon,

which is still considered

one of the biggest ships in the War of Independence,

that was built here on Spetses,

(speaks in foreign language)

that she'd been ordered to be completed.

It cost Bouboulina 75,000 Tallara.

So you can imagine how much money was a 300,000.

Plus the fleets, the houses, and everything.

So she became a very rich woman indeed.

- [Peter] But she spent all that money

in defending and this independence, the War of Independence.

- Exactly, that's her big sacrifice.

- When I think of Bouboulina,

I think of that wonderful painting up there

that shows Bouboulina, that strong woman in the 1800s,

when it was a man's world!

- Exactly.

This is a very famous painting here in Greece.

It's in most of the school books and magazines

where they talk about Bouboulina.

The thing about this painting,

if you go and have a closer look,

you will notice that all the men are scared.

They're hiding, they are leaning backwards

like they want to avoid something.

Their faces, in comparison to the way

Bouboulina is standing up fearless.

And by the way the gun she's holding there on that painting,

it's sitting right behind you.

- Oh, wow!

- It's there above the safe, yes.

That's her own private gun,

so we presume it's the one she's holding there.

- What a beautiful.

- [Philip] It's all gold-plated, yes.

Let me show you some more of the house because--

- Oh, thank you!

- There are four rooms

and the history of Bouboulina is through those four rooms.

So follow me. - Excellent, Philip.

Thank you.

The house lay in disrepair for years

until it was inherited by Philip.

At first he was unsure what to do with it.

The place is huge!

But as he explored the many rooms

and uncovered the artefacts that had been stored away,

he soon realised that these were the kinds

of things you would find in a museum.

So naturally, he did exactly that

so everyone could learn about this most popular heroine.

Sadly and really not befitting the life she lived,

Bouboulina was killed in a family feud.

Her son had eloped with the daughter of the Koutsis family,

and when her father, along with several armed family members

confronted Bouboulina about it, she was shot and killed.

(romantic guitar music)

- Here, you can see an old photograph of Spetses

taken in the middle of the 1800s.

But the interesting thing is

to see the thousands of houses already been built.

Now, don't be surprised as Spetses in those days,

during Bouboulina's times,

had a local population of 18,000 people.

- So how did Bouboulina, Spetses, the War of Independence,

how did it all start here?

- Well, there were revolutions

before the War of Independence, which all failed

because there was no navy in the blockade.

Without the Navy, there was no way we could win.

Bouboulina raised her own revolutionary flag

on the main mast of her ship, the Agememnon,

on the 13th of March, 1821

which is the first naval a revolutionary flag

in history in that time.

So it all started from here,

maybe from that room that we've seen,

- Wow. - The whole revolution,

the naval part of it.

And of course, Bouboulina,

she was a leader in the naval battles at the time.

She was equal among men, quite unheard being in those days.

As I already mentioned, she gave everything for her country.

- At the time of the revolution,

it's said that you can walk

from one side of the harbour to the other,

just by stepping from one ship to the next.

The fleet that had formed was a unified front

created by the surrounding islands

rallying to the call to revolt led by Bouboulina.

Today, the museum acts as a monument

to the proud history of Spetses and the admiral's family.

Philip is a fifth-generation descendant

and when his time as the warden of this legacy ends,

he'll pass the mantle to his son Pavlo to carry it forward.

(lighthearted music)

Believe it or not, making this show

is actually a lot of hard work.

Not only for the film crew, but the crew of Mia Zoi.

They spend their days keeping the boat in order,

cleaning everything and feeding the guests.

So when I was invited for dinner

in the grand garden of the Posedonion,

it was only fair that they came too,

so we could all enjoy the experience.

The food wasn't just your typical Greek cuisine.

Along with salads, feta, olive oil were barbecued sausages,

chicken and lamb, all done Stamatis' way.

Of all the crew,

it seemed Kyriakos was enjoying it the most.

Mind you, there is more than

just a hint of jealousy when we eat out.

It's like he's a cross between my mother and my wife,

only wanting the best for us.

God love him!

(pleasant music)

(transitions to lighthearted music)

(transitions to pleasant music)

A week in Spetses is never enough,

but with so much water to cover in the month or so ahead,

we had to make a move,

travelling the 40 kilometres or so back to Hydra.

We bypassed it on the way through

so we could make the yacht regatta in time,

but there was no way

I was gonna skip the island all together.

It's way too good to miss!

(pleasant music)

Hydra sits in the Aegean Sea, just off the Peloponnese,

between the Saronic and Argolic Gulfs,

around 70 kilometres southwest of Athens.

About 2,000 people live here

but there's more than twice that number of tourists

visiting each day during the peak season.

You really don't have to travel far in Greece

to find yourself in a place that's completely different

to your last port of call,

and in the case of Hydra, it's even more apparent.

From the donkeys walking the streets

to the amphitheater-like harbour

with centuries-old homes crowding the hillside,

it's a special place that seems trapped in time.

(machine rattling) (pleasant music)

This is Hydra, or as the Greeks call it Hydra.

And what is special about Hydra,

there are no buses, no cars,

no taxis, no motorbikes, no bicycles.

Just donkeys and water taxis.

Why is that so?

Why is this happening here?

We're gonna find out.

We're gonna see what's special about Hydra.

The harbour is the place where all the action is.

As tourists pour from the ferries onto the foreshore,

they stroll along the stone walkway

and fill the cafes and taverns.

Boats constantly move about the port,

adding to the hive of activity on the waterfront.

It's a buzz with energy and as cliched as it might seem,

a donkey ride is one of the must-dos on the island.

Arriving in Hydra,

the first thing I wanted to do was meet the mayor.

Sounds boring, I know.

But I'd heard he was a forward-thinking guy with big ideas,

and at 36 years of age,

he's one of the youngest mayors in Greece.

What I discovered was a man of great passion

with a vision for the future

that maintained Hydra's old-world charm,

while bringing it into the 21st century.

George, apart from the obvious,

what impresses me about this island

is the cleanliness and also the architecture.

I feel like I could be walking through Hydra

200 years ago right now.

- You are absolutely right,

because the architecture of the island

is exactly the same as it was 200 years ago.

The houses that you can see,

they were in existence 200 years ago.

Because according to Greek law, which protects Hydra,

you are not allowed to build a new house,

just renovate an old one.

So it means that everything

that was back in place 200 years ago is still around

and has been maintained.

- Impressive.

They are proud people, Hydriots.

- Absolutely, they are very proud.

(speaks in foreign language)

It's very beautiful and as you can see,

when you get away from the port, Hydra is full of steps

because of its amphitheatrical construction.

So this is the reason why it's a car-free island

and the Greek state wants to maintain that.

- The streets are designed

to allow a mule and a human to pass.

It's been like this for the last 200 years

and I can't see it changing for the next 200.

George, I've seen the mules lifting bricks,

cement, grocery shopping, pedestrians, luggage.

- Yes, this is our taxi.

If you arrive in Hydra,

because you are going to stay in a hotel

and we say it's far away, instead of calling a taxi,

you are calling a mule with his owner to carry your luggage

through the place you are going to stay.

Sometimes, there are adverts on internet,

if you want to have everything done for you

before you arrive in Hydra.

- So I can get online and get my mule

to come meet me at the port.

- Yes, absolutely. - Unbelievable.

Unbelievable! (laughs)

That's fantastic!

- In Hydra, it's a place of very influential people,

the best place, and also the place

where people came here to create.

Leonard Cohen arrived in 1960,

Sophia Loren was here

for the production of the film a Boy on a Dolphin.

It was the first Hollywood production all over Greece.

And for example,

this is the mansion of Lazaros Koundouriotis

who was our leader during the Greek War of Independence.

- [Peter] Right.

- [George] It's amazing history.

This house, you can pay a visit.

It works as a museum

and there are a lot of personal elements

of Lazaros Koundouriotis.

- [Peter] So anybody can come into this house?

- [George] Absolutely, yes.

- Fantastic!

(romantic guitar music)

You'll learn a little more about Lazaros,

the former owner of this house, later in this episode.

He's the one-eyed guy that was blinded by chickpeas.

You'll see what I mean.

(romantic guitar music)

By the left, this is a special house of Hydra.

This is the house of Leonard Cohen.

He bought this house in 1960 with $12,500.

During the '60s, he made a lot of his work here.

He used to party with the local people,

he used to go to local taverns,

and even one of his poems is dedicated to a local tavern.

And if you go to this tavern,

on the menu, you will see his poem.

It has been dedicated to the island.

So we are very honoured

to have Leonard Cohen with us for so many years.

- [Peter] A lot of inspiration here.

- A lot of inspiration.

He created a lot of things in this house.

- But he's not the only one.

There's plenty of writers, there's plenty of--

- Yes, this is the island of inspiration,

of artists, of painters, of writers.

They are spending time here throughout the years,

and they make their work.

- George, I'm starting to feel that inspiration

that many writers, artists, and poets got from Hydra.

It's oozing through my body now.

- Yes, this is common knowledge.

- [George] And a lot of other people

who realised how unique this island is.

(romantic guitar music)

- The hillsides are a complete contrast to the harbour.

Down below, it's buzzing with energy and crowds of people,

but a short stroll up the stairs into the urban area,

you have peace and quiet.

From here you would never know

that thousands of people visit Hydra every day.

I can see why artists find themselves here.

There is a calmness about it that allows you to think,

and being surrounded by so much history

and stunning scenery, you become inspired to create.

There's even a well-known Australian writer, George Johnson,

who came here and never left.

I have to admit though, all those stairs and having no car

would do my head in pretty quickly.

However, the scenery is something

I would never grow tired of.

(romantic guitar music)

(transitions to lighthearted music)

(horn honking)

Because Hydra is only a 90-minute boat ride from Athens,

it's a place that many Greeks visit for the weekends.

Add into the mix the tourists from further abroad

and you've got a whole lot of people

coming and going from a small port.

What often ensues is chaos on the water

and it's the job of Pandelis, the harbour master,

to create some sort of order from it all.

I don't know how he does it!

You've got fishermen, yachts, ferries,

and water taxis all vying for a berth.

And it's not uncommon to see altercations

in different languages as arguments erupt

in the battle for space in the harbour.

It's live theatre and if you wanna enjoy the show,

I suggest you come down between nine and 10 in the morning,

sit down, grab a coffee, and watch it all unfold.

When do you think is the busiest time in Hydra?

- It is always busy.

- Always busy.

- We have a very long season.

It starts from the (speaks in foreign language)

towards the end of March

and goes through the middle of November.

- Yes.

And are you a Hydrian?

Are you from Hydra?

- Oh no, I am, but I grew up in America.

- You grew up in America?

Where in America did you grow up?

- New York.

- New York!

- Guilty.

- So you were born here?

- Yes, yes.

- And you grew up in New York.

How old were you when you went to New York?

- Around 16.

- 16.

How long were you in New York for?

- 25 years.

- [Peter] 25 years.

But it says Vietnam Vet!

Are you a Vietnam Veteran?

- Yes, I served.

I served The United States Army.

- Is that right?

In Vietnam?

Wow!

It's good to meet an ex-soldier that served his country.

You served the American?

- Twice, in the Greek Navy and The US Army.

- In The US Army and the Greek Navy!

- Yes, the Greek Navy.

- Well, I'm proud to meet you Pandelis.

- Thank you. - You're a good man,

having served twice for two different countries!

That's very rare!

- It happens, it happens.

- Even though Hydra's port

is the most chaotic in all of Greece,

Pandelis is like a little general.

He knows everyone, and somehow manages the madness

and keeps it a happy place.

He's been here so long,

he's practically a permanent fixture.

(pleasant music)

Similar to how there's a small amount

of subsistence agriculture happening on the island,

there's also a fishery that has existed

as long as there has been a settlement here.

This is the commercial harbour of Hydra,

with the donkeys, the ferries, the sailing boats.

But we've also got the fishing boats,

and the fisherman has just come back with fish.

And he's selling it to the locals.

The fishing boats are moored amongst the tourist vessels

and although stocks have declined a lot,

they continue to work the surrounding sea,

catching fish like small reef dwellers

or these Barbounia, or as we know them, red mullet.

(speaks in foreign language)

We've got here 30 euros for 1 1/2 kilos.

- In Athens, (speaks in foreign language).

- In Athens?

(speaks in foreign language)

50 Euros in Athens?

(speaks in foreign language)

Yeah, on the fry pan

'cause they're moist in a beautiful way.

(speaks in foreign language)

It's sweet, sweet this Barbounia.

This Barbounia is the Greek fish, isn't it?

- No. - It's the Greek Fish.

(speaks in foreign language)

(both laughing)

Is that what he's saying is the Greeks say that

when you've got a Barbounia in the house, the cats starve.

Because we eat the whole fish, the tail, the head, the lot.

Awesome, eh? (laughs)

(serene music)

These cats clearly had high hopes.

One day, fellas.

It gets pretty warm in Hydra.

In Greece generally.

You need to drink water,

also need a sugar hit every now and then.

Here's the shop I have been looking for for about an hour.

Almond sweets to die for.

(serene music)

(speaks in foreign language)

I've gotta try these things.

They are well-known to be awesome.

Everybody talks about them.

I'm just gonna cut that open and have a look inside.

Have a look at that.

That is absolutely smashing, Hydra.

(pleasant music)

It's called an almond sweet.

- Almond.

- Almond sweet, mm!

(speaks in foreign language)

What's it got inside?

(speaks in foreign language)

Almonds.

(speaks in foreign language)

Sugar.

(speaks in foreign language)

- Rose water. - Rose water.

- The flower water, rose water is the same.

(speaks in foreign language)

- And Semolina.

(speaks in foreign language)

He can't tell us the exact ingredients, he won't tell us.

(speaks in foreign language)

So his grandfather went from Hydra to America,

came back, opened the shop in 1930.

Kyriacos' father then took it over,

and now his bright-looking young son is involved as well.

(speaks in foreign language)

Four generations!

Four generations.

(speaks in foreign language)

So Dimitri is 25 and he's a good chef,

and he makes the best (speaks in foreign language)

in Hydra, possibly Greece.

He's single, he's looking for a girl.

(speaks in foreign language)

(everyone laughs)

If you're on a diet, then skip this place.

The sweets are amazing

and there are all sorts of different ones to try.

So when you come to Hydra,

you've gotta have the almond sweets.

They are absolutely awesome.

Unfortunately, I can't have too many of these.

These are for my guests, they're not for me.

(serene music)

The beautiful thing about Hydra is everything's close.

And after a hot day, what's better than a swim?

There's this beautiful swimming hole

200 metres from the port.

It's where I'm going now to cool off.

Wow.

This is just such a special spot.

(people chattering)

Look at this.

(blows raspberries)

I'm going.

This swimming hole is far from a secret.

It's near the mouth of the harbour

and about 200 metres away from the statue

of The Boy on a Dolphin,

which is a film starring Sophia Loren.

It was actually the first Hollywood feature

to be filmed in Greece, back in 1957.

It's a great romance story of a poor sponge diver from Hydra

that finds a statue of a boy riding a dolphin

on the bottom of the Aegean.

I won't go into any more detail

because I don't want to spoil it for you,

but it's well worth a watch.

It's also well worth you making the time

to come to this little spot for some fun.

It brings out the inner child.

Come to think of it, I'm probably older

than the combined age of everyone else here.

(serene music)

(water splashing)

(lighthearted music)

Every morning before most people are awake,

the harbour promenade is a hive of activity.

All the stuff that's shipped

in from outside of Hydra is quickly unloaded

and transferred to the restaurants, hotels, shops,

and taverns before the crowds arrive.

I've been to a lot of ports around the world,

but I've never been to a port like Hydra.

What's happening here has been happening

for 400 years, the same way,

with the exception of the mechanised stuff over there,

and we've got a donkey coming in behind us.

All the stalls get loaded on these guys.

If you want to take your shopping to your house up there,

you put it on a donkey.

If you wanna take your bricks, your construction materials,

your food, it all goes on these donkeys

and it gets taken up the hills, into the houses,

into the supermarkets.

And it happens every single morning

of every single day of the year.

These poor little guys and gals, they work hard.

I actually feel sorry for 'em.

But that's how they earn their living.

It's in the morning, that's what they do.

Their pals do something else,

and we're gonna go and have a look at them soon.

(romantic guitar music)

There's a reason that like an ox,

donkeys and mules are known as beasts of burden.

Their ability to carry heavy loads

make them perfect in a place like this,

and as much as it might seem like a hard life,

they're treated incredibly well and respected by everyone.

It's amazing to see just how much

they can cart up and down the narrow streets.

Without them, it would all be done by hand

and more than likely, they would need to modernise the town

and allow for vehicles, which would be a real shame

and likely destroy the age-old character of the island.

Apart from moving building materials and the like,

they also cart tourists around,

and as I said earlier, you haven't been to Hydra

if you haven't ridden a donkey.

Or as it turns out, a mule or horse.

(romantic guitar music)

George, someone told me that these were donkeys,

and I've always thought they were donkeys,

but they're not donkeys, are they?

- Not donkeys, this is a mule, the horse.

The horse, the mule too much strong.

- The mule and the horse is stronger than the donkey.

And that's why we have mules--

- Donkey no good.

Donkeys are small.

- Okay, and how long have you been doing this for?

- Me? - Yeah.

- Ooh, ah, 10 years.

- 10 years? - Yeah.

- And how many mules and horses are there on Hydra?

- 700.

- 700? 700? - Yes, everything.

Horse, the mule, the donkey, yes.

- [Peter] Do they get to rest?

Do they get to rest, the mules?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

(speaks in foreign language)

Ah, okay.

(speaks in foreign language)

So, they do get a rest.

You change them over, you change them up,

so they're not working hard.

But it's in the sun, it's very hot for them,

all day here in the sun?

(speaks in foreign language)

This is their zone, they are Hydriot mules.

Yeah, they've been doing this for--

(speaks in foreign language)

Yes, okay.

(speaks in foreign language)

Yes, yes, yes.

(speaks in foreign language)

Fantastic.

(speaks in foreign language)

You've got to look after them.

(speaks in foreign language)

This is your business, that's right.

This is your equity, isn't it?

Of course, so you've gotta look after them.

Well, they're a fine bunch of mules and horses.

(speaks in foreign language)

Yes, of course.

These animals are loved and very well looked after.

They're constantly rotated

so they have a few days off a week.

As George said, this is their livelihood

and they have to take care of the animals,

so the animals can take care of them.

These guys have been doing the job for generations,

making a humble living from a profession

that's existed almost as long as the town has.

It's a way of life that has a simple charm about it,

like being a shepherd or a farmer.

There's a lot more to Hydra than just the port area.

The mountainous countryside that surrounds the town

is also great to explore.

The dry, rocky slopes provide stunning views of the island,

and there's only one way to see them, on horseback.

Showing me around was Harriet.

You'll soon hear by her accent

that she's not a born-and-bred local.

When Harriet was 10,

she and her mother moved here from England.

Her mother has since moved back, but 18 years on,

Harriet has married a local builder

and has a small business taking people on horse rides.

So Harriet how long have you been in Hydra for?

- I've been here for 18 years now.

- 18 years! - Yup.

- My god, you look 18 years old.

How old were you when you came here?

- [Harriet] 10.

- [Peter] I shouldn't have asked

that question on camera, should I?

- [Harriet] No, now you know my age.

- Sorry love, sorry, sorry.

(Harriet laughs)

18 years in Hydra.

You must know it pretty well now.

What's special about Hydra?

- Well, it's a very unique place.

It's very quiet, best place to come and relax.

I love the countryside, I love the fact

that I'm next to the countryside and next to the sea.

- Oh there, this way love, this way.

(clicks tongue)

- [Harriet] Chloe girl, there!

- Chloe go, go, go Chloe.

Chloe go.

(clicks tongue)

Chloe just does not like the camera.

I just don't understand it.

You're a good-looking girl!

Okay?

Oh, oops, oops.

(clicks tongue)

(speaks in foreign language)

Oh, she speaks Greek!

I should talk to her in Greek.

(speaks in foreign language)

Come on.

(speaks in foreign language)

(Peter grunting)

- There we go, off we go.

- [Peter] Harriet how long have you been doing this for?

- [Harriet] This is my fourth year as a business,

but I've been on horses since I was 2 1/2 years old.

- Is it working for you?

- Yeah, yes. - Are you enjoying it?

- I love it. - Wow.

- I've managed to do my passion as a job.

- If you can make money from what you love,

you're laughing, love.

Now Chloe is a bit like my wife.

I think she thinks she's the boss.

She probably is right now anyway.

- [Harriet] Yeah.

- Chloe, let's do it, love.

Let's do it, love.

It's okay, the camera man's cool.

(speaks in foreign language)

You go, I'm gonna get past, don't worry.

(speaks in foreign language)

(clicks tongue)

(speaks in foreign language)

Not gonna happen, not gonna happen.

I look really bad in front of the world right now.

They think you're all over me, can we go?

(click tongues)

(speaks in foreign language)

Loves, you come on.

(speaks in foreign language)

I got to talk to her in Greek.

(speaks in foreign language)

Not gonna happen, not gonna happen.

(clicks tongue)

What do I do?

- [Harriet] Give her a harder kick.

- [Peter] Go!

Oh, I don't wanna kick her hard.

I don't wanna kick her hard.

She's such a nice girl.

- [Harriet] That's it.

You're not gonna hurt my horse.

I wouldn't let anyone hurt my horse.

(Peter shouting)

- [Peter] That's what we do when we dance!

Good girl, good girl, good girl.

We going up that way?

- Yep.

- [Peter] Okay, let's go up this way, Chloe.

- [Harriet] We're on cross country now.

- So you married a builder?

- [Harriet] Yep.

- Good move that one, good move that one.

Harriet, you reckon Chloe's worked me out, eh?

- [Harriet] Totally, she knows you're a softy for her.

- Already? - Yeah.

- Already!

That's not right! - Yeah.

My horses test their riders out

within the first five minutes.

- Why didn't you tell me that earlier?

(Harriet laughs)

I didn't wanna hear that.

(clicks tongue)

Come on Chloe, let's go.

So will she change her opinion of me as we go?

- I suppose so, if you become a little bit tougher.

- Come on Chloe, come on!

That's it.

I'm gonna change your opinion of me.

Whatever happens, you are gonna be my friend

and we're gonna work together.

Go pass the cameraman.

Come on!

Let's show the world that I can change people.

Let's go. (tongue clicks)

That is just an absolutely magnificent view.

- [Harriet] Yeah, it's not bad.

- Worth the ride up here,

but I think it's time to give Chloe a bit of a rest.

I'm gonna give her a big gift.

I'm gonna walk down, Chloe,

'cause I just can't do this to you, love.

Come over here, come over here.

Let's check it out.

Let's check it out over here.

Come over here.

Look at his, unbelievable.

Is this awesome?

Like any good relationship,

Chloe and I just need some time

to sort through a few things.

To be honest, she's not the only unwavering female

in my life right now.

(festive music)

(transitions to lighthearted music)

Since antiquity, Greece has been a maritime nation.

Merchants sailed the seas

and traded across the Mediterranean,

into Egypt, Asia Minor, and Phoenicia.

With this came an exchange in cultures,

the sharing of art and technology,

as well as the establishment of Greek colonies abroad.

It could be said that these early merchants

were the beginning of the diaspora that continues today.

I'm walking up to the oldest merchant marine academy

in the world.

Uninterruptedly working since 1749.

Now, I've checked the bullshit metre to see if it's true

but there's no reference so I've just gotta rely on that.

I'm going in.

Just to clarify, the bullshit metre is Google.

It's my go-to for fact checking,

which is probably not the best source.

The building has a long and fascinating history.

Spanning Civil War, foreign occupation,

and even having been a manor house.

In the period prior to the revolution,

teachers from Portugal and Italy

taught naval theory and foreign languages in the academy,

and through the years, countless important figures

in Greece's naval history have passed through these halls.

It's a living museum that tells the story

of Hydra's connection to the sea,

while also serving to inspire cadets

that may someday become leaders in the navy,

or captains of merchant ships.

I don't think I've ever sat in a classroom on my own,

especially one with 268 years of continual history.

It's a very special place.

A lot of great captains have come out of here,

through to the Navy's admirals,

through the Merchant Marines,

some becoming great shipping magnates.

If only these walls could talk.

And you know what?

You can come here and visit it.

(serene music)

Students serve a four-year apprenticeship at the academy

and in that time, they learn everything

from navigation to engineering.

And for practical experience,

they even work on container ships.

It's said that since its establishment,

some 2,800 captains have graduated from the academy.

It's something the locals are extremely proud of,

and rightly so.

(serene music)

And next to the academy is this beautiful Museum of Hydra.

It's just a treasure chest of Naval history,

and if you like history, this is the place to come.

But if you just like guns and knives

and all that sort of stuff,

this is the place to come as well.

(chuckles)

Now, that's a gun.

(serene music)

On the harbour front

is a statue of Admiral Andreas Miaoulis

who commanded the Greek naval forces

during the War of Independence.

And in that urn is his heart.

It's a little macabre, but it's a different

and novel way to remember a great man.

(serene music)

This wall between the first and second floor

is pretty significant

'cause you can see the number of captains on this wall

that were part of the Firebrand Fleet in the 1800s

that went up against the Ottomans.

They're all Hydriot captains.

Military conflicts dot the history of every nation.

As bad as they might be,

sometimes they're a painful necessity.

And museums like this give you an appreciation

for not only the tools and machines of war,

but also for those

that made great sacrifices for our freedom.

Oh!

This is Lazaros Koundouriotis.

You'll notice the painting

because he's got a patch over his right eye.

I'm told that he was a little naughty

and his wife caught him with another lady

and she threw some hot chick peas at him,

hit him in the right eye, burnt his right eye,

he lost his vision,

and I think he lost his wife as a result.

So far, my time in Hydra has been a real eye-opener.

There's no denying the charm of the place

and the romance created by the simplicity of life here.

The architecture and lack of modern trappings

take you back in time

and give you a sense of what life

would have been like a century ago.

It's easy to see why so many people visit here,

and end up never leaving.

Next episode, I'm continuing my exploration of Hydra

and taking part in the island's biggest celebration,

The Miaoulia Festival.

It's a week-long event

that commemorates Admiral Andreas Miaoulis,

who was a leading figure in the War of Independence.

It's also a celebration

of the Hydriot contribution to the conflict

and includes boat races, concerts, cultural exhibitions,

and a finale like nothing you'll have ever seen before.

It's an annual event that illustrates

much of the proud heritage of the island

and something I've always wanted to see.

But before then, it was time to enjoy

another perfect end to the day,

with a magic sunset over the Aegean.

If you ever find yourself here,

there are few better ways to bring a day to a close

than by having a meal and a drink at the harbour.

The changing colours are spectacular,

with every shade of yellow and orange,

contrasted by the blue of the water.

What's more, the food isn't too bad either.

(pleasant music)