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(energetic music)
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- From the bustling streets of Athens
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and the historic port of Hydra,
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to the beaches of Zakinthos
and the villages of Kythera,
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our journey over the
coming weeks spans many
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of the Ionian islands, some well-known,
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others that few ever get to visit.
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But before heading off,
you probably want to know
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a little bit about me.
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My story starts as a boy growing up
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in the inner suburbs of Sydney.
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Like a lot of Greeks early last century,
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my parents moved overseas to
find a better life abroad.
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They arrived with very little
and worked extremely hard
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to give my sisters and
I a loving upbringing.
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They also made me believe that
if I too worked hard enough,
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I could achieve anything.
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54 years later, I've built
a successful business.
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And that has enabled me to do
things I once only dreamed of.
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One of those dreams was to step foot
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on all 227 inhabited Greek
Islands, and I'm going to take
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a big chunk out of that
in this first series.
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In the last few days, I finished up
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an in-depth exploration of Nafplion.
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It's a gorgeous port with
a huge array of ruins
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and architecture, spanning
centuries of varied occupation.
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Right through this valley
there are tombs for kings,
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archaeological digs that
are happening everywhere,
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it's a treasure trove of history here.
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A highlight was walking around
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the ancient pyramid of Hellinikon.
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This crumbling ruin is
shrouded in mystery,
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and believed to be a tomb for soldiers
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lost in a great battle
in the nearby plains.
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From there, I made my way to Monemvasia.
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It's an awe-inspiring
island with an imposing fort
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that towers over the sea below.
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My journey continues this
episode as I delve deeper
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into the story of the region.
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I'll be visiting one of
the world's most historic
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wine-growing areas, checking out a church
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that's said to be one of
the oldest in the country,
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then raising anchor and
heading to Elafonisos.
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It's gonna be a busy few days,
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but I wouldn't have it any other way!
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Right now, I'm in the Monemvasia,
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amongst the ruins of the
fort, as my guide Effie
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and I continue hiking up the hillside.
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Last episode, we explored
the lower section,
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but it's near the summit
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where the most interesting things are.
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Now, I understand there
is a wonderful church
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at the top here, Agia Sofia.
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- Yes.
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- Can we go and have a look at it?
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- Of course, we will.
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- Let's go.
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The climb up the countless stairs
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to the top is well worth the effort.
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Apart from the amazing views,
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there's plenty to explore along the way.
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And it doesn't cost you a single Euro.
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On the way up, we passed the
ruins of the ancient villages.
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It's a living archaeological dig,
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with up to 20 people
working here at one time.
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In amongst the rubble and remnants
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of the houses and churches,
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they're constantly unearthing
new and exciting things,
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that tell the story of the people
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that lived here hundreds of years ago.
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What I love about it, is that the castle
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was never conquered.
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Yes, it was taken over by
invaders on several occasions.
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But this was always achieved peacefully
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through negotiations, which is why many
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of the original buildings still remain.
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(dramatic music)
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- Mind your head here.
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This is typical Monemvasia dwelling
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and this is maybe the most
important part of the house
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because we have the storage room here.
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It was important because
they would grow everything
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on the mainland, carry it here,
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and they needed to have a lot stored.
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And at the back, this room is the cistern.
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That's maybe the only
disadvantage of this place,
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and maybe one reason that
would make you not to choose
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this place to stay.
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There's no water, no springs, nothing.
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So, they were totally depending
on collecting rain water
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from the roof.
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- How many people would
have lived in this house?
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- 10 maybe more.
- 10 people!
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So, there's one floor above
us, and this is storage.
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So, they would have lived on
the floor above, 10 people.
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- Yes.
- Wow.
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And these holes would
have been for some beams,
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with a mezzanine?
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- Exactly.
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They needed to have a lot of storage,
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especially for the times
that they were under siege.
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The family living here must have been one
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of the most prominent families.
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We know the aristocracy lived
in this area of the castle,
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the upper town in general, but
this house is also very close
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to the gate, very close to Agia Sofia,
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they have a great view.
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And those are all signs that the people
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living here were important.
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- Okay, well, we're close to Agia Sofia,
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so why don't we go and have a look at it?
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- Let's go.
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- Thank you.
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The people here had to adapt
to the harsh environment
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and rigours of life in a
relatively remote hilltop town.
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Today, I live in a home
where I store my food
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in a fridge and pantry,
that take up 1% of my space.
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These people had to use
two thirds of their home
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in order to have enough
to survive during winter,
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drought or siege.
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It would have been a tough existence.
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Is Agia Sofia the only church
in Monemvesia, the rock?
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- It is the most important,
but we have many.
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We have 27 churches today and
we know that there were 46
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during the 18th century.
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- 46?
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- You know, this was a
very cosmopolitan place.
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So, rich people also.
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Catholics, Orthodox
populations at the same time,
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they needed different churches.
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- Unbelievable, it's only like one third
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of a square kilometre
and they had 46 churches.
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- 46.
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- Unbelievable.
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- Every community, every
neighbourhood, had its own.
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- Well, 20,000 people,
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you needed a few churches, didn't you?
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This is absolutely magnificent.
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So, how old is Agia Sofia?
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- [Effie] The church was built
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in late 11th, early 12th century.
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- [Peter] 1,000 years old,
it's standing in front of us!
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- [Effie] Mm-hm.
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- [Peter] Wow, and is it still used?
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- [Effie] Twice a year
only but, yes, it is.
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- It is.
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Fantastic.
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With all the stops along
the way and so much to see,
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the long walk to Agia
Sofia went by quickly.
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That's not to say my
legs weren't feeling it
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by the time we reached the top!
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The heat of the day
can also take its toll,
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but all that disappears when
you walk into the church.
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Effie, thank you for bringing me up here.
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I've been here before, and I must say,
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this church would have
to be my favourite church
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that I have seen, in all
the churches that I've seen
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for many reasons.
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But one, as a builder, I
realise the amount of work
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it would have taken to build this,
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to take the materials
up to this promontory.
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And just the architecture for its time,
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1,000-year-old church,
you see the central dome,
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there are another three or four domes,
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there's a number of vaulted
ceilings, the columns,
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the stone work, and that
it's a thousand years old.
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It feels like it was built yesterday.
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- [Effie] It was restored
recently, but no, it's that old.
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It's a rare type of church,
there's only seven or eight
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of this kind in Greece.
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- [Peter] Is that right?
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- [Effie] Yeah.
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- Well, there might be a reason
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behind my liking of it so much.
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- Yes, maybe.
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- [Peter] After a thousand years,
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the church still has
an undeniable presence.
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It's as much a symbol of faith,
as it is a place of worship.
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So, regardless of how often it's used,
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and of your stance on
religion, simply looking at it
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from afar, gives you a sense
of its impact on the faithful.
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I can imagine that for those
living in the streets below,
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looking up to Agia Sofia
would have given them
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an incredible strength during hard times.
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(energetic music)
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The fort of Monemvasia
is full of quirky hotels,
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restaurants, taverns and
shops, that sell things
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unique to the region.
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There's jewellery stores,
antique dealers, art galleries
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and other weird and wonderful retailers,
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all crammed in amongst the
laneways and narrow streets.
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Whatever you're interested in,
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there will be something
to tickle your fancy.
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Even if you're not keen on shopping,
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a walk around the old town is a great way
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to spend an afternoon.
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Just make sure you've got some cash handy
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because I'm certain you'll
end up buying something!
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Being an old town with narrow streets
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and plenty of hills and stairs,
they use trolleys to cart
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your luggage up to your hotel.
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It reminded me a bit of Hydra,
only here the work is done
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by fit young men instead of horses.
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The mornings here are relatively quiet,
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but, as the day progresses,
the streets gradually fill up.
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Anyway, there's no point
being an early bird
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on the Greek Islands
because nothing is open
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until later in the day!
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In the afternoon, the
place really comes to life,
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with everyone heading
to the taverns and bars
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for a meal and a drink.
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There are plenty to choose from
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with many serving local delicacies
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and regionally-produced
wines that taste amazing.
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Whether you find a spot
in the heart of the town,
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hidden in an alleyway, or you go to one
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of the more popular establishments
overlooking the water,
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you'll discover there's a bit
of quirk and plenty of charm
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to be enjoyed in Monemvasia.
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There's even a local wine you have to try!
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- [Effie] Okay, there's
something I have to show you.
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There is local produce you have to try.
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- Monemvasia local produce?
- Of course.
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- Fantastic!
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- Two famous products,
two important things.
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This one, Melitokraso, that's mead.
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It's made of honey only, nothing else.
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And it's something that is
produced by one bee keeper
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all over Greece, you can find it locally.
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- Wow, fantastic.
- So, that's a unique thing.
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But I also told you
about trade in Monemvasia
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and how important it was.
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And the important local produce was wine.
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- Right.
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- Wine produced locally, in
the mainland near Monemvasia,
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and apart from the rest of
the wines, what you see here,
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there's something that is
really, really important.
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This wine is called Malvasia,
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and it's the most historical
produce of this area
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that was being exported abroad to Europe
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since the middle ages.
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- [Peter] Wow, so this is
symbolically Monemvasia.
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Malvasia Monemvasia, that sounds--
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00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:09,410
- Malvasia is the Venetian
name of Monemvasia.
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- Right, well, I want to taste this.
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Where do they make it?
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- Ahhh, we will go to the
winery if you want to!
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- Let's go, let's go!
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All right, I want to taste this!
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Thank you very much!
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00:10:21,399 --> 00:10:22,742
- You're welcome!
252
00:10:22,742 --> 00:10:24,315
(speaking in foreign language)
253
00:10:24,315 --> 00:10:25,148
Bye!
254
00:10:27,333 --> 00:10:30,280
- Throughout summer, Monemvasia
is alive with tourists
255
00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,360
and locals, all going
about their business.
256
00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,820
It's a stark contrast to life in winter.
257
00:10:34,820 --> 00:10:36,020
During the colder months,
258
00:10:36,020 --> 00:10:38,340
there's only a handful
of families that stay.
259
00:10:38,340 --> 00:10:40,540
So, you can imagine how
peaceful it must be.
260
00:10:42,021 --> 00:10:43,500
(speaking in foreign language)
261
00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:45,990
Effie, there is nothing
like a Greek coffee
262
00:10:45,990 --> 00:10:47,450
after the day that we've had!
263
00:10:47,450 --> 00:10:48,283
- We deserve it.
264
00:10:48,283 --> 00:10:49,460
- We deserve it, you bet.
265
00:10:49,460 --> 00:10:50,460
Let's see what it's like.
266
00:10:50,460 --> 00:10:54,330
(speaking in foreign language)
267
00:10:54,330 --> 00:10:56,300
Oh, that's awesome.
268
00:10:56,300 --> 00:10:57,520
That's fantastic.
269
00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:59,070
I love Greek coffee, you know.
270
00:10:59,070 --> 00:10:59,903
- I do too.
271
00:10:59,903 --> 00:11:01,140
- That makes me truly Greek.
272
00:11:02,893 --> 00:11:05,643
(dramatic music)
273
00:11:09,810 --> 00:11:13,200
A short drive inland are the
mountains and fertile plains,
274
00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,050
that acted as the breadbasket
for the fort centuries ago.
275
00:11:18,650 --> 00:11:20,360
Today, it's not a whole lot different,
276
00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:22,700
in that the traditions of
making wine and growing olives
277
00:11:22,700 --> 00:11:24,140
are still maintained.
278
00:11:24,140 --> 00:11:26,090
One place that's producing
some of the best wines
279
00:11:26,090 --> 00:11:27,650
is Monemvasia winery.
280
00:11:27,650 --> 00:11:30,320
It was founded by George
Tsimpidis and his wife Elli,
281
00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:31,300
who still run the place today.
282
00:11:31,300 --> 00:11:33,643
Their story is a fantastic one.
283
00:11:35,420 --> 00:11:37,530
George took a 1,000-year-old recipe
284
00:11:37,530 --> 00:11:39,250
and engaged the best sommeliers,
285
00:11:39,250 --> 00:11:42,790
archaeologists and historians,
to reproduce a sweet wine,
286
00:11:42,790 --> 00:11:46,313
that was the basis of trade
in this region, for centuries.
287
00:11:47,210 --> 00:11:48,137
He essentially brought back to life,
288
00:11:48,137 --> 00:11:50,883
one of the oldest wine
varieties in the world.
289
00:12:00,310 --> 00:12:02,740
Apart from its archaeological history,
290
00:12:02,740 --> 00:12:07,270
Monemvasia has given the
world a wonderful gift
291
00:12:07,270 --> 00:12:09,740
in these babies right here.
292
00:12:09,740 --> 00:12:12,090
And four other varietals
of grapes themselves
293
00:12:12,090 --> 00:12:17,090
which together produce one
of the most award-winning,
294
00:12:18,140 --> 00:12:20,190
sweet wines in the world called Malvasia.
295
00:12:21,580 --> 00:12:24,960
And it all started in 1200 AD.
296
00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,110
When the Byzantines here in
Monemvasia produced this wine
297
00:12:28,110 --> 00:12:30,770
and the pirates and the
traders came here and spread it
298
00:12:30,770 --> 00:12:32,300
right around the world.
299
00:12:32,300 --> 00:12:36,310
To Portugal, and Madeira today, to Crete,
300
00:12:36,310 --> 00:12:39,483
to Spain, to Italy, the Venetians took it,
301
00:12:40,770 --> 00:12:44,530
and it was from this mixture of grapes,
302
00:12:44,530 --> 00:12:46,330
and this beautiful, sweet wine,
303
00:12:46,330 --> 00:12:51,230
that George decided to
reproduce that ancient wine
304
00:12:51,230 --> 00:12:54,573
and create what is today,
an award-winning, sweet wine
305
00:12:54,573 --> 00:12:56,950
that is delivered all around the world.
306
00:12:56,950 --> 00:12:59,253
But what gets me is why did he start this?
307
00:13:30,727 --> 00:13:31,650
- Let's go and taste it, hey!
308
00:13:31,650 --> 00:13:33,223
I've heard so much about it.
309
00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:39,130
Some say that the Madiera,
and other similar sweet wines,
310
00:13:39,130 --> 00:13:42,190
were derived from Malvasia, as
a result of its distribution
311
00:13:42,190 --> 00:13:43,693
by pirates and other traders.
312
00:13:45,990 --> 00:13:48,110
We're just about to taste the Malvasian
313
00:13:48,110 --> 00:13:49,360
coming out of the barrel.
314
00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,150
Now, I'm not a wine expert.
315
00:13:59,150 --> 00:14:02,553
But I'll tell you what
I think, as an amateur.
316
00:14:07,300 --> 00:14:08,133
Oh.
317
00:14:09,370 --> 00:14:11,063
It's truly God's nectar.
318
00:14:13,070 --> 00:14:15,600
If the amount of awards this
family-owned winery has won
319
00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:17,890
is anything to go by, then you can be sure
320
00:14:17,890 --> 00:14:19,570
it's a fantastic drop.
321
00:14:19,570 --> 00:14:21,230
In the 20 years they've been operating,
322
00:14:21,230 --> 00:14:22,950
they sure have achieved a lot.
323
00:14:22,950 --> 00:14:24,200
But, perhaps, the greatest
achievement of all,
324
00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:26,390
is that they have resurrected a wine,
325
00:14:26,390 --> 00:14:28,460
that to a certain extent,
put this part of the world
326
00:14:28,460 --> 00:14:29,420
on the map.
327
00:14:29,420 --> 00:14:30,370
The wine industry in Greece
328
00:14:30,370 --> 00:14:32,230
is having somewhat of a renaissance,
329
00:14:32,230 --> 00:14:34,540
largely thanks to producers like George.
330
00:14:34,540 --> 00:14:36,410
You can once again find Greek wines
331
00:14:36,410 --> 00:14:38,013
in restaurants around the world.
332
00:14:45,530 --> 00:14:48,113
(gentle music)
333
00:14:53,266 --> 00:14:56,099
(energetic music)
334
00:15:05,389 --> 00:15:07,056
I love these places.
335
00:15:08,450 --> 00:15:12,063
Monemvasia is well known
for its amygdalota.
336
00:15:13,050 --> 00:15:16,740
These almond cookies or almond biscuits,
337
00:15:16,740 --> 00:15:18,000
are absolutely magnificent.
338
00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,650
I haven't tried one yet, but
I'm going to try one soon.
339
00:15:20,650 --> 00:15:23,830
We have Maria here who
owns this establishment.
340
00:15:23,830 --> 00:15:26,600
There are four
establishments in Monemvasia
341
00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,890
exactly like this, and
the reason we came here
342
00:15:29,890 --> 00:15:32,110
is because Maria makes
them without butter,
343
00:15:32,110 --> 00:15:34,240
so they're less fattening here.
344
00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:35,330
Maria is going to tell us what's in it,
345
00:15:35,330 --> 00:15:37,103
and make some for us.
346
00:15:43,435 --> 00:15:45,710
- So, this is the almond.
347
00:15:45,710 --> 00:15:47,770
It used to be local but
it comes from Volos now,
348
00:15:47,770 --> 00:15:50,240
and that is stripped of its shell.
349
00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,050
So, we got 36 eggs, in egg white.
350
00:15:53,050 --> 00:15:53,883
Castor sugar.
351
00:15:55,513 --> 00:15:58,630
- Six kilos, vanilla essence, baking soda.
352
00:16:00,250 --> 00:16:01,843
- And we've got rose water.
353
00:16:09,027 --> 00:16:12,352
- Oh, there's 12 kilos
already mixed in there,
354
00:16:12,352 --> 00:16:15,110
of the peeled almonds.
355
00:16:15,110 --> 00:16:17,153
Now, you can work out your own fractions.
356
00:16:21,694 --> 00:16:24,130
- So, if you want to make 600 pieces,
357
00:16:24,130 --> 00:16:24,963
that's how much you need?
358
00:16:24,963 --> 00:16:27,113
So, you need to do the
mathematics on your own.
359
00:16:32,580 --> 00:16:33,693
Jeez, that looks good.
360
00:16:35,184 --> 00:16:38,280
Here we go with the
vanilla essence, one, two.
361
00:16:39,521 --> 00:16:41,263
One and a half teaspoons.
362
00:16:44,690 --> 00:16:46,340
Jeez, that looks nice
and fluffy, look at that.
363
00:16:46,340 --> 00:16:47,193
What a great job!
364
00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:49,633
And it goes in.
365
00:16:49,633 --> 00:16:50,466
How wonderful.
366
00:16:50,466 --> 00:16:52,370
Look at that, what a lovely emulsion.
367
00:16:52,370 --> 00:16:54,900
You must understand
this is a secret recipe,
368
00:16:54,900 --> 00:16:57,243
and you can't tell anybody about it.
369
00:17:02,450 --> 00:17:04,917
- She's saying it's a secret,
370
00:17:04,917 --> 00:17:06,767
so you can't tell anybody about this.
371
00:17:14,028 --> 00:17:16,693
Oh!
372
00:17:25,610 --> 00:17:28,173
Yours are much better, look at, look at!
373
00:17:28,173 --> 00:17:29,673
Hang on a second.
374
00:17:34,543 --> 00:17:36,212
That's like my nose.
375
00:17:36,212 --> 00:17:38,545
Aye, see, it's like my nose.
376
00:17:40,646 --> 00:17:42,158
I can't make 'em, I'm
gonna make them my nose!
377
00:17:42,158 --> 00:17:44,130
People will throw them away.
378
00:17:44,130 --> 00:17:48,420
Anyway, from here, Maria
will put them in the oven
379
00:17:48,420 --> 00:17:52,745
behind us, like we said, and
they'll turn out like this.
380
00:17:52,745 --> 00:17:55,313
Now, I have been dying,
to have one of these.
381
00:18:08,300 --> 00:18:09,577
- They normally put butter in these,
382
00:18:09,577 --> 00:18:11,030
and I'm pretty sure I taste butter.
383
00:18:11,030 --> 00:18:12,920
Maybe she's lying to me, I don't know.
384
00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:14,000
But she's not, she's a good woman.
385
00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:15,700
These are awesome!
386
00:18:15,700 --> 00:18:17,800
You got to come to Monemvasia
387
00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:22,400
and have the best
amygdalota I've ever had!
388
00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:23,713
Better than my mothers.
389
00:18:30,451 --> 00:18:32,270
- Of course!
390
00:18:32,270 --> 00:18:33,300
Fantastic.
391
00:18:33,300 --> 00:18:34,940
These delicious almond biscuits are made
392
00:18:34,940 --> 00:18:37,070
in many different ways, all over Greece,
393
00:18:37,070 --> 00:18:41,060
with butter, without butter,
with icing, without icing.
394
00:18:41,060 --> 00:18:43,130
everyone has their own spin on it.
395
00:18:43,130 --> 00:18:44,990
Captain Yianni thinks
the tastiest are the ones
396
00:18:44,990 --> 00:18:46,000
we saw in Hydra.
397
00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:49,000
While my sister believes
these are the best.
398
00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,600
I'm of Kythirian descent, so
I'll wait until we get there
399
00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:52,950
before choosing a favourite.
400
00:18:54,700 --> 00:18:56,910
Back at the boat, we
had an unexpected guest.
401
00:18:56,910 --> 00:18:59,240
One that had swum some 200 miles or more
402
00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:00,830
from its nesting place.
403
00:19:00,830 --> 00:19:02,300
Of all the critters that live in the sea
404
00:19:02,300 --> 00:19:03,650
in this part of the world,
405
00:19:03,650 --> 00:19:06,110
turtles are one of the most nomadic.
406
00:19:06,110 --> 00:19:08,730
They're protected in Greece,
and on the islands of Zakinthos
407
00:19:08,730 --> 00:19:10,460
there are sanctuaries for them.
408
00:19:10,460 --> 00:19:12,810
I'm looking forward to visiting
the nesting beaches soon,
409
00:19:12,810 --> 00:19:14,520
but for now, watching one feed
410
00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,960
on a fisherman's scraps was a joy.
411
00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:19,280
The Sea Turtle Protection
Society of Greece
412
00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,330
has been working with
authorities and community groups
413
00:19:21,330 --> 00:19:24,370
since 1983, to protect
these amazing animals
414
00:19:24,370 --> 00:19:25,941
and their habitat.
415
00:19:25,941 --> 00:19:28,670
Each year, over two and a half
thousand nests are protected
416
00:19:28,670 --> 00:19:31,280
and some 300 turtles
are tagged for research.
417
00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:32,940
It's an important task that relies heavily
418
00:19:32,940 --> 00:19:34,690
on volunteer support.
419
00:19:34,690 --> 00:19:37,090
This footage was actually taken
by one of the ship's crew,
420
00:19:37,090 --> 00:19:38,200
the engineer, Rhette.
421
00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,800
He plays a hugely important
and quite varied role
422
00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:41,840
on Mia Zoi.
423
00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:43,460
He's essentially in charge of running
424
00:19:43,460 --> 00:19:45,070
and maintaining a mini city.
425
00:19:45,070 --> 00:19:47,460
Not only does he make sure
the boat's engines work,
426
00:19:47,460 --> 00:19:49,940
but he keeps the water
flowing, the power running
427
00:19:49,940 --> 00:19:50,900
and the toilets flushing.
428
00:19:50,900 --> 00:19:55,690
He's an electrician, a plumber,
a carpenter, a window washer
429
00:19:55,690 --> 00:19:57,920
and also a mean water sports teacher,
430
00:19:57,920 --> 00:19:59,590
which makes him a favourite with my son
431
00:19:59,590 --> 00:20:00,690
and any kids on board.
432
00:20:02,980 --> 00:20:03,960
- [Rhette] Come down Pete!
433
00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:05,590
- [Peter] I'm coming mate, I'm coming.
434
00:20:05,590 --> 00:20:06,720
Man, its warm in here!
435
00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:08,200
What's the story?
436
00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:09,380
- [Rhette] We run the pre-heaters
437
00:20:09,380 --> 00:20:13,100
on the main engines 24
hours before departure,
438
00:20:13,100 --> 00:20:15,276
just for basic wear and tear, you know?
439
00:20:15,276 --> 00:20:17,620
- Mate, we got everything
on this boat, it's amazing.
440
00:20:17,620 --> 00:20:21,650
At the heart of Mia Zoi
are these two MTU engines.
441
00:20:21,650 --> 00:20:24,757
There's 5,600 horses between them
442
00:20:24,757 --> 00:20:26,830
and Rhette calls them his babies.
443
00:20:26,830 --> 00:20:29,230
It's a love affair only
a seaman can understand.
444
00:20:30,087 --> 00:20:33,777
I understand your family,
they are all sea men!
445
00:20:33,777 --> 00:20:34,756
- Yes, they are!
446
00:20:34,756 --> 00:20:36,790
- So, it's in your blood,
in your genes, hey.
447
00:20:36,790 --> 00:20:39,280
- Yeah, I'm a third
generation prawn fisherman.
448
00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:42,390
My grandfather started fishing
up in the gulf of Carpentaria
449
00:20:42,390 --> 00:20:46,080
in the 1970s and I've had
all of my uncles and aunties,
450
00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:47,877
grandparents, basically, work on trawlers.
451
00:20:47,877 --> 00:20:48,940
- And your dad?
452
00:20:48,940 --> 00:20:50,010
- And my old man as well.
453
00:20:50,010 --> 00:20:52,810
He sold his trawlers in 2001
but he's currently working
454
00:20:52,810 --> 00:20:56,600
on a yacht, similar to this,
in Indonesia at the moment.
455
00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:57,433
- Wow.
456
00:20:57,433 --> 00:20:58,700
- Someone spending their life at sea,
457
00:20:58,700 --> 00:21:00,863
I think it's a big
commitment but you know,
458
00:21:01,839 --> 00:21:04,520
we wouldn't do it unless
we didn't love it.
459
00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:05,460
- And you see the world!
460
00:21:05,460 --> 00:21:07,305
- And we see the world, yeah.
461
00:21:07,305 --> 00:21:08,138
- You like Greece?
462
00:21:08,138 --> 00:21:09,090
- I love Greece.
463
00:21:09,090 --> 00:21:10,640
It's my favourite country so far.
464
00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:11,890
- Really!
- Yeah.
465
00:21:11,890 --> 00:21:12,723
- Oh fantastic.
466
00:21:14,028 --> 00:21:15,030
The boat was designed and built
467
00:21:15,030 --> 00:21:17,870
by the world's best boat
builders, the Dutch.
468
00:21:17,870 --> 00:21:19,340
They've managed to fit everything you need
469
00:21:19,340 --> 00:21:22,750
to run a small city in this limited space.
470
00:21:22,750 --> 00:21:24,650
For a person that's into their machines,
471
00:21:24,650 --> 00:21:27,443
the hum of the engine room is orchestral.
472
00:21:27,443 --> 00:21:29,082
Amazing!
473
00:21:29,082 --> 00:21:30,376
You have to, don't you?
474
00:21:30,376 --> 00:21:33,071
- I also wear 'em when my
girlfriend's talking too much.
475
00:21:33,071 --> 00:21:35,321
(laughing)
476
00:21:36,959 --> 00:21:39,709
(dramatic music)
477
00:21:43,700 --> 00:21:45,440
- Leaving Monemvasia, we made our way
478
00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:47,700
to the south-eastern
tip of the Peloponnese,
479
00:21:47,700 --> 00:21:50,490
and the beautiful island of Elefonisos.
480
00:21:50,490 --> 00:21:52,980
It's located just a few hundred
metres from the mainland,
481
00:21:52,980 --> 00:21:55,140
so getting there is relatively easy,
482
00:21:55,140 --> 00:21:56,713
even if you don't have a boat.
483
00:22:02,380 --> 00:22:04,200
We arrived late in the afternoon
484
00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,090
and were greeted by a stunning sunset.
485
00:22:07,090 --> 00:22:10,130
The colours of the sky reflected
off the mirror-like sea,
486
00:22:10,130 --> 00:22:12,670
to create a spectacular scene.
487
00:22:12,670 --> 00:22:15,763
It's times like this that you
sit back, and take it all in.
488
00:22:16,870 --> 00:22:20,300
We've seen some amazing
landmarks, built by human hands,
489
00:22:20,300 --> 00:22:23,110
however, Mother Nature has a
way of making everything else,
490
00:22:23,110 --> 00:22:25,518
pale into insignificance.
491
00:22:25,518 --> 00:22:28,268
(dramatic music)
492
00:22:31,842 --> 00:22:34,675
(energetic music)
493
00:22:45,489 --> 00:22:48,190
Apart from the beautiful
beaches of Elafonisos,
494
00:22:48,190 --> 00:22:50,600
there's also great diving and snorkelling.
495
00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:52,430
There's even sunken ruins you can swim
496
00:22:52,430 --> 00:22:55,160
on called the Lost City of Pavlo Petri.
497
00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:56,950
At 5,000 years of age,
498
00:22:56,950 --> 00:23:00,100
it's one of the oldest
submerged cities in the world.
499
00:23:00,100 --> 00:23:02,130
For those not so keen
on getting in the water,
500
00:23:02,130 --> 00:23:03,750
a coastal walk to see the old graves
501
00:23:03,750 --> 00:23:06,140
is a fascinating way to spend your time.
502
00:23:06,140 --> 00:23:07,850
To tell us more about the areas past,
503
00:23:07,850 --> 00:23:10,419
I met with the head
archaeologist of the site,
504
00:23:10,419 --> 00:23:12,070
Despina Koutsoumba.
505
00:23:12,070 --> 00:23:13,910
She's the leading expert
on the ancient history
506
00:23:13,910 --> 00:23:16,740
of this fascinating,
and beautiful location.
507
00:23:16,740 --> 00:23:19,440
- So, you have to imagine that all these,
508
00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,940
from here to Elefonisos
was land, in antiquity.
509
00:23:22,940 --> 00:23:27,240
- Wow, so we have Elefonisos behind us,
510
00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:29,680
we have the main land of Peloponnese here,
511
00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,270
and the whole sunken city is through here.
512
00:23:32,270 --> 00:23:33,630
- Yes.
513
00:23:33,630 --> 00:23:35,790
- [Peter] And tell me,
Despina why has it sunken?
514
00:23:35,790 --> 00:23:37,210
I don't understand.
515
00:23:37,210 --> 00:23:39,700
- This is a major
question for the science.
516
00:23:39,700 --> 00:23:41,050
The truth is that in Peloponnese,
517
00:23:41,050 --> 00:23:45,210
we have many, many tectonic
movements of the sea shore,
518
00:23:45,210 --> 00:23:47,490
mostly from earthquakes.
519
00:23:47,490 --> 00:23:51,510
We know that Pavlo Petri sunk
in three different times.
520
00:23:51,510 --> 00:23:55,050
Maybe a major earthquake or a tsunami
521
00:23:55,050 --> 00:23:58,390
that occurs after an
earthquake, sunk the place.
522
00:23:58,390 --> 00:23:59,640
- [Peter] So, how much did it sink?
523
00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:02,079
How far down did this city sink?
524
00:24:02,079 --> 00:24:05,024
- [Despina] 4.5 metres.
525
00:24:05,024 --> 00:24:06,206
- [Peter] Right.
526
00:24:06,206 --> 00:24:10,600
- [Despina] In 4.5 metres
depth, we have sunken sea shore
527
00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,330
of the third millennium BC.
528
00:24:12,330 --> 00:24:13,200
That's for sure.
529
00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:14,800
- [Peter] And how old is this city?
530
00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:18,540
- The first settlers came here
before third millennium BC
531
00:24:18,540 --> 00:24:20,190
because we found Neolithic finds,
532
00:24:21,041 --> 00:24:26,041
that means something like
5,000 BC or 4,000 BC.
533
00:24:26,130 --> 00:24:30,034
But the city itself was built
in the third millennium BC,
534
00:24:30,034 --> 00:24:32,953
when we have a very flourishing,
535
00:24:34,330 --> 00:24:36,890
Greece flourishes, has
many, many settlements.
536
00:24:36,890 --> 00:24:39,480
And you know, this is a crucial place
537
00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:44,480
because we are, it connects Peloponnese
538
00:24:45,340 --> 00:24:47,210
with Crete through Kythira.
539
00:24:47,210 --> 00:24:48,920
- We're going to dive with scuba tanks,
540
00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,230
but four and a half metres
and two and a half metres,
541
00:24:51,230 --> 00:24:52,810
I would have thought
anyone could snorkel here.
542
00:24:52,810 --> 00:24:53,643
Could they?
543
00:24:53,643 --> 00:24:55,527
- Yes, and we are lacking that also.
544
00:24:55,527 --> 00:24:58,690
We encourage people to
come here and snorkel,
545
00:24:58,690 --> 00:25:00,450
because it is a place underwater,
546
00:25:00,450 --> 00:25:03,380
a very nice, a very
important place under water,
547
00:25:03,380 --> 00:25:08,380
that even a child can come
with a snorkel and visit it.
548
00:25:08,430 --> 00:25:11,290
- So, it's not forbidden to
snorkel here and look at the--
549
00:25:11,290 --> 00:25:12,123
- No, no no.
550
00:25:12,123 --> 00:25:14,525
It's just forbidden to dive
if you don't have permission,
551
00:25:14,525 --> 00:25:15,358
which you do.
552
00:25:15,358 --> 00:25:16,191
- Which we do!
553
00:25:16,191 --> 00:25:17,110
- You do have permission.
554
00:25:17,110 --> 00:25:18,887
But everyone can come and swim,
555
00:25:18,887 --> 00:25:21,037
and there is a very nice beach here,
556
00:25:21,037 --> 00:25:24,180
and see also the remains of Pavlo Petri.
557
00:25:24,180 --> 00:25:25,990
- Well, what a good day you'd have here.
558
00:25:25,990 --> 00:25:27,400
You'd come to the beach, have a swim,
559
00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:28,710
and then go and snorkel on this.
560
00:25:28,710 --> 00:25:29,693
Let's go and have a look!
561
00:25:29,693 --> 00:25:33,473
(speaking in foreign language)
562
00:25:33,473 --> 00:25:34,930
I'm very lucky to have the opportunity
563
00:25:34,930 --> 00:25:38,130
to spend so much time with
someone who is so knowledgeable,
564
00:25:38,130 --> 00:25:40,400
and passionate about this site.
565
00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:42,650
Despina brought the place to
life, with fascinating stories
566
00:25:42,650 --> 00:25:44,780
about who they think
would have lived here,
567
00:25:44,780 --> 00:25:47,250
and what life was like
thousands of years ago.
568
00:25:47,250 --> 00:25:49,830
The research she and her
colleagues are conducting here
569
00:25:49,830 --> 00:25:51,740
has far-reaching impacts.
570
00:25:51,740 --> 00:25:53,680
It helps piece together civilizations
571
00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:55,950
and the movement of
populations through time.
572
00:25:55,950 --> 00:25:58,520
It tells the story of
Greece's ancient past,
573
00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:00,620
and provides information
for not only historians
574
00:26:00,620 --> 00:26:04,270
and archaeologists, but
oceanographers, geologists,
575
00:26:04,270 --> 00:26:06,453
marine biologists and
other scientists too.
576
00:26:09,380 --> 00:26:11,310
You're probably wondering
where all the houses are.
577
00:26:11,310 --> 00:26:14,400
Well, after 5,000 years
of being submerged,
578
00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:17,380
the mud bricks have dissolved
and the timber rotted away.
579
00:26:17,380 --> 00:26:18,940
What remains are the foundations,
580
00:26:18,940 --> 00:26:21,390
that were built using
stone quarried from nearby.
581
00:26:22,670 --> 00:26:24,710
We carefully explored the ruins,
582
00:26:24,710 --> 00:26:27,390
looking at the footings of the
homes that once stood here,
583
00:26:27,390 --> 00:26:29,220
and the streets that,
thousands of years ago,
584
00:26:29,220 --> 00:26:30,793
would have been bustling.
585
00:26:32,590 --> 00:26:35,740
To the naked eye, and the
layman, there's not much left.
586
00:26:35,740 --> 00:26:39,210
But for the experts, there are
gems hidden amongst the silt.
587
00:26:39,210 --> 00:26:41,540
Little pieces of history that
tell the story of the city,
588
00:26:41,540 --> 00:26:43,320
and people, that once lived here.
589
00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:44,530
It's a struggle for the archaeologists
590
00:26:44,530 --> 00:26:46,030
to find definitive answers to many
591
00:26:46,030 --> 00:26:47,250
of the questions they have.
592
00:26:47,250 --> 00:26:49,500
However, through painstaking
work and dedication,
593
00:26:49,500 --> 00:26:51,660
they're managing to chip away at it.
594
00:26:51,660 --> 00:26:53,697
We may never truly know
what happened here,
595
00:26:53,697 --> 00:26:55,890
but one thing's for sure,
the likes of Despina
596
00:26:55,890 --> 00:26:58,670
and her colleagues will spend
years searching for the truth,
597
00:26:58,670 --> 00:26:59,953
behind this lost wonder.
598
00:27:03,380 --> 00:27:05,440
The great thing about this
location is that you don't need
599
00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,750
to be a historian or
archaeologist to swim around here.
600
00:27:08,750 --> 00:27:12,150
Anyone can pop on a snorkel
and mask and explore the ruins.
601
00:27:12,150 --> 00:27:13,600
It's a lot of fun and makes you imagine
602
00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:15,470
what life was once like.
603
00:27:15,470 --> 00:27:17,050
Just be careful not to touch anything,
604
00:27:17,050 --> 00:27:18,333
leave that to the experts.
605
00:27:23,300 --> 00:27:26,180
Back on dry land, the day
was quickly warming up.
606
00:27:26,180 --> 00:27:28,410
With that comes a load of tourists.
607
00:27:28,410 --> 00:27:30,470
Lots of yachties and
day-trippers come here for a swim
608
00:27:30,470 --> 00:27:33,990
in the warm, clear waters,
and it's not hard to see why.
609
00:27:33,990 --> 00:27:36,520
This place is stunning, and,
regardless of which direction
610
00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,080
the wind is blowing, one of
the beaches on the isthmus
611
00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:40,330
will always be sheltered.
612
00:27:42,620 --> 00:27:44,730
Just a 400-meter ferry ride
from the south east tip
613
00:27:44,730 --> 00:27:49,201
of the Peloponnese, is this
beautiful island of Elefonisos.
614
00:27:49,201 --> 00:27:50,750
Elefonisos (speaking in foreign language)
615
00:27:50,750 --> 00:27:51,853
in Greek means deer.
616
00:27:52,730 --> 00:27:55,943
And many centuries ago, deer
roamed this whole island.
617
00:27:57,224 --> 00:27:59,810
But that's not what's
special about this island.
618
00:27:59,810 --> 00:28:01,720
Just pass those sail boats over there,
619
00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:05,210
a couple hundred years
ago, the French, British,
620
00:28:05,210 --> 00:28:08,730
and Russian fleets met to
strategize the battle of Navarino.
621
00:28:08,730 --> 00:28:12,560
The last battle, fought
with sails on ships.
622
00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:14,720
Turned the Greek War of Independence.
623
00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:17,167
It all happened here.
624
00:28:17,167 --> 00:28:19,753
Enough with history though,
I'm dying for a swim.
625
00:28:24,090 --> 00:28:25,870
Lazy days in the sun.
626
00:28:25,870 --> 00:28:29,030
That's what a trip through the
Greek islands is all about.
627
00:28:29,030 --> 00:28:31,180
You come here to not only
explore the ancient ruins
628
00:28:31,180 --> 00:28:34,810
and eat great food, but to
switch off for a little while.
629
00:28:34,810 --> 00:28:37,630
Back home, life moves at
a million miles an hour.
630
00:28:37,630 --> 00:28:40,280
There's noise, stress, constant activity
631
00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:42,110
and a lot of headaches.
632
00:28:42,110 --> 00:28:44,950
Here though, it's the complete opposite.
633
00:28:44,950 --> 00:28:46,710
Everything slows down.
634
00:28:46,710 --> 00:28:51,260
The days seem longer, my heart
rate drops, I sleep well,
635
00:28:51,260 --> 00:28:52,940
and the most stressful thing I have to do
636
00:28:52,940 --> 00:28:55,310
is decide which swimmers
I'm going to wear.
637
00:28:55,310 --> 00:28:57,230
It's the flip side to my life.
638
00:28:57,230 --> 00:29:00,470
Don't get me wrong, I
love my work and home,
639
00:29:00,470 --> 00:29:02,360
but I'll take any chance I can, to explore
640
00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:05,311
the hundreds of islands
Greece has to offer.
641
00:29:05,311 --> 00:29:07,894
(gentle music)
642
00:29:09,872 --> 00:29:12,705
(energetic music)
643
00:29:24,070 --> 00:29:25,470
I've said it before and I'll say it again,
644
00:29:25,470 --> 00:29:27,490
we Greeks love a good panigiri.
645
00:29:27,490 --> 00:29:30,070
We'll find any excuse we can for a party.
646
00:29:30,070 --> 00:29:32,110
A lot of the time when
you visit a small town,
647
00:29:32,110 --> 00:29:33,540
there will be some sort of festival
648
00:29:33,540 --> 00:29:36,190
honouring a saint or martyr, after all,
649
00:29:36,190 --> 00:29:37,340
there is a lot of them.
650
00:29:37,340 --> 00:29:39,630
In this instance though,
the people of Elafonisos
651
00:29:39,630 --> 00:29:42,380
were celebrating independence
from the British in 1850.
652
00:29:43,307 --> 00:29:46,140
(energetic music)
653
00:29:48,090 --> 00:29:50,260
I love these little snapshots of the past.
654
00:29:50,260 --> 00:29:52,190
It gives you a taste for
the culture of the islands.
655
00:29:52,190 --> 00:29:55,660
A lot of the old ways of
life are slowly disappearing.
656
00:29:55,660 --> 00:29:59,040
As people move away and
technology wields its influence,
657
00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:02,080
many of the traditions are
no longer being practised.
658
00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:04,140
One example is the fishing trade.
659
00:30:04,140 --> 00:30:06,360
It was once the lifeblood of the island.
660
00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:08,290
A massive fleet was based here,
661
00:30:08,290 --> 00:30:09,820
but as fish stocks have declined
662
00:30:09,820 --> 00:30:12,000
and the cost to import
seafood has reduced,
663
00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,250
many of the fishermen have
lost their way of life.
664
00:30:14,250 --> 00:30:15,650
The boats are still plentiful,
665
00:30:15,650 --> 00:30:17,800
but the bounty is hard fought.
666
00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:21,310
Today, the main source of income
for the island is tourism.
667
00:30:21,310 --> 00:30:22,980
Which means the restaurants
are always in need
668
00:30:22,980 --> 00:30:24,370
of fresh produce.
669
00:30:24,370 --> 00:30:27,070
So, anything that is caught
locally, stays on the island,
670
00:30:27,070 --> 00:30:29,240
and generally ends up
in one of the taverns.
671
00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,600
The deer on Elafonisos are all but gone.
672
00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:33,433
Basically, nothing lives on the island,
673
00:30:33,433 --> 00:30:35,703
it's only 19 square kilometres.
674
00:30:36,550 --> 00:30:38,560
So, they have to live from the sea,
675
00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:40,010
and if you have a look around me,
676
00:30:40,010 --> 00:30:41,820
there is a lot of fishing boats.
677
00:30:41,820 --> 00:30:44,290
As a result, fish are huge here.
678
00:30:44,290 --> 00:30:47,680
And the barbouni is the fish of Greece.
679
00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:50,740
This is the barbouni, which
is a red mullet basically.
680
00:30:50,740 --> 00:30:54,090
Mullet, where I come from,
is not a famous fish.
681
00:30:54,090 --> 00:30:58,460
But mullet or barbouni in
Greece is absolutely awesome.
682
00:30:58,460 --> 00:31:01,010
It's a really sweet fish, this is it here.
683
00:31:01,010 --> 00:31:02,027
Generally, it's fried.
684
00:31:02,027 --> 00:31:05,290
You can have it grilled,
but fried it's so sweet.
685
00:31:05,290 --> 00:31:07,010
I'm actually looking forward
to having some right now
686
00:31:07,010 --> 00:31:07,973
to be honest with you.
687
00:31:12,047 --> 00:31:12,880
Oh, man.
688
00:31:14,300 --> 00:31:15,133
She's a beauty.
689
00:31:17,609 --> 00:31:19,040
Mm.
690
00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:21,650
With every Greek meal,
one dish is never enough.
691
00:31:21,650 --> 00:31:23,540
We aim to please everybody.
692
00:31:23,540 --> 00:31:27,510
Today, accompanying the barbounia
we had horta, zucchinis,
693
00:31:27,510 --> 00:31:32,110
calamari and sardines, all
washed down with a Greek beer.
694
00:31:32,110 --> 00:31:33,740
It's not the healthiest of meals,
695
00:31:33,740 --> 00:31:35,490
but, man, does it taste good.
696
00:31:35,490 --> 00:31:36,323
Cheers buddy!
697
00:31:42,105 --> 00:31:43,600
Mm.
698
00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:47,150
Song, dance and costumes are
all part of Greek culture.
699
00:31:47,150 --> 00:31:50,270
Any good celebration features
a bouzouki or laouto,
700
00:31:50,270 --> 00:31:53,700
a bit of percussion, in this
case, some folk clarinet.
701
00:31:53,700 --> 00:31:55,680
Throw in a splash of
colour and lots of laughs
702
00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:57,953
and you've got a great
way to spend an evening.
703
00:32:02,910 --> 00:32:04,740
This annual festival is
one of the most important
704
00:32:04,740 --> 00:32:05,690
to the people here.
705
00:32:05,690 --> 00:32:07,540
It celebrates the end
of over a thousand years
706
00:32:07,540 --> 00:32:08,990
of foreign domination of the island,
707
00:32:08,990 --> 00:32:10,653
which occurred on July 6th 1850.
708
00:32:10,653 --> 00:32:13,130
Throughout that period,
there were different powers
709
00:32:13,130 --> 00:32:15,750
that controlled Elafonisos,
each leaving their mark,
710
00:32:15,750 --> 00:32:18,830
which is most visible in the
varying architecture you see.
711
00:32:18,830 --> 00:32:22,360
Today, it's a generally
relaxed and peaceful island.
712
00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:24,620
The summer evenings are
spent dining by the water
713
00:32:24,620 --> 00:32:27,520
and watching the always
spectacular sunsets.
714
00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:29,980
Life here has changed a
lot through the centuries,
715
00:32:29,980 --> 00:32:31,740
but one thing that will
always remain the same,
716
00:32:31,740 --> 00:32:35,563
is the stunning scenery and,
hopefully, the delicious food!
717
00:32:36,840 --> 00:32:39,230
Leaving Elafonisos is always tough.
718
00:32:39,230 --> 00:32:41,340
The slow pace of life
and romance of the island
719
00:32:41,340 --> 00:32:44,020
can be seductive, but where
we were heading to next,
720
00:32:44,020 --> 00:32:46,050
is even more alluring to me.
721
00:32:46,050 --> 00:32:50,100
A short distance away is Kythira,
the island of my heritage.
722
00:32:50,100 --> 00:32:52,360
It always amazes me how you
don't have to travel far
723
00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:55,030
in Greece to find very
different experiences.
724
00:32:55,030 --> 00:32:56,760
The landscapes change quickly,
725
00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:59,210
and so too does the history and culture.
726
00:32:59,210 --> 00:33:02,010
Everywhere has its unique
quirks, and for me,
727
00:33:02,010 --> 00:33:05,890
this island will always be
a favourite destination.
728
00:33:05,890 --> 00:33:07,530
We're coming into Kythira now,
729
00:33:07,530 --> 00:33:10,540
the birth place of my
parents and forefathers.
730
00:33:10,540 --> 00:33:13,430
And I always love coming in
here, it's a special feeling.
731
00:33:13,430 --> 00:33:17,383
It's a slow reveal by boat,
and I get really emotional.
732
00:33:18,470 --> 00:33:20,050
At my age now, I'm passed my 50s
733
00:33:20,050 --> 00:33:22,850
and I've really never discovered my roots.
734
00:33:22,850 --> 00:33:24,460
In this trip, I'm going to do that.
735
00:33:24,460 --> 00:33:26,290
I'm really looking forward to it.
736
00:33:26,290 --> 00:33:27,190
Let's go, captain!
737
00:33:30,450 --> 00:33:32,970
Our first stop is the port of Diakofti.
738
00:33:32,970 --> 00:33:35,160
I don't think I've visited
any port in Greece,
739
00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:36,550
or the world for that matter,
740
00:33:36,550 --> 00:33:39,530
that has such a beautiful
beach within its harbour.
741
00:33:39,530 --> 00:33:42,120
If you arrive by ferry, this
is your first impression
742
00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:44,723
of Kythira, one that you'll never forget.
743
00:33:46,490 --> 00:33:48,340
The small concrete (mumbles)
in the centre of the harbour
744
00:33:48,340 --> 00:33:50,960
is shallow, and only
used by fishing boats.
745
00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:53,550
Captain Yianni brought
Mia Zoi in with only 200mm
746
00:33:53,550 --> 00:33:55,040
of clearance to the bottom.
747
00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:57,260
It was a gutsy move
that I didn't know about
748
00:33:57,260 --> 00:33:58,610
until after we had birthed.
749
00:34:00,830 --> 00:34:02,340
As soon as I arrived, I got the sense
750
00:34:02,340 --> 00:34:03,990
that things weren't as busy as normal.
751
00:34:03,990 --> 00:34:05,740
The beach was a hive of activity,
752
00:34:05,740 --> 00:34:07,260
but the taverns were quiet.
753
00:34:07,260 --> 00:34:09,580
It turns out the ferry from
Pireaus was broken down
754
00:34:09,580 --> 00:34:10,880
and not working this season,
755
00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:13,080
which meant local
businesses were suffering.
756
00:34:15,550 --> 00:34:19,140
If you take the car ferry
from Neapoli to Kythira,
757
00:34:19,140 --> 00:34:20,310
it comes to Diakofti.
758
00:34:20,310 --> 00:34:23,960
The first thing you will see,
is this magnificent shipwreck,
759
00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:24,793
The Northern.
760
00:34:26,240 --> 00:34:27,730
And, if you look at it,
761
00:34:27,730 --> 00:34:28,950
it looks like it must have been doing
762
00:34:28,950 --> 00:34:32,934
some pretty major speed,
to be up right like that.
763
00:34:32,934 --> 00:34:34,330
Well, it was.
764
00:34:34,330 --> 00:34:38,120
The story goes that the crew
had put it on auto pilot
765
00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:39,930
when they left Pireaus.
766
00:34:39,930 --> 00:34:44,468
And they were downstairs,
watching the world cup soccer.
767
00:34:44,468 --> 00:34:47,273
It kept going, and they
didn't see what was coming.
768
00:34:48,160 --> 00:34:48,993
Pretty awesome.
769
00:34:50,780 --> 00:34:52,160
Rhette, let's go a bit closer,
770
00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:55,090
and I might put on some
goggles and have a look, hey.
771
00:34:58,290 --> 00:34:59,930
You shouldn't be surprised
that there's a shipwreck
772
00:34:59,930 --> 00:35:00,990
in this spot.
773
00:35:00,990 --> 00:35:02,940
The straight between
Kythira and the Peloponnese
774
00:35:02,940 --> 00:35:06,050
is quite narrow, and a heavily
congested shipping route.
775
00:35:06,050 --> 00:35:08,830
The majority of ships leaving
the Bosporous or Asia Minor
776
00:35:08,830 --> 00:35:11,460
and heading for Europe,
travel through this passage.
777
00:35:11,460 --> 00:35:13,560
There are many well-documented
wrecks on the northern side
778
00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:16,510
of this route, largely thanks
to the rough weather it gets.
779
00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:26,360
I always get a bit of a kick out
780
00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:28,070
of exploring old shipwrecks.
781
00:35:28,070 --> 00:35:29,210
They're like sleeping giants,
782
00:35:29,210 --> 00:35:32,110
slowly being eroded away by the elements.
783
00:35:32,110 --> 00:35:34,000
It can sometimes be a bit daunting,
784
00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:36,800
looking into the shadows
of the ghostly remains.
785
00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:39,330
But it's also really interesting
to see the marine life
786
00:35:39,330 --> 00:35:40,843
that has made the wreck its home.
787
00:35:45,340 --> 00:35:46,850
If there's one positive that can be drawn
788
00:35:46,850 --> 00:35:48,730
from this disaster, it's that its created
789
00:35:48,730 --> 00:35:50,630
not only a great snorkelling location,
790
00:35:50,630 --> 00:35:53,460
but an artificial habitat
for fish and other critters.
791
00:35:53,460 --> 00:35:55,790
All the more damaging
pollutants have been removed
792
00:35:55,790 --> 00:35:57,730
and anything of value salvaged.
793
00:35:57,730 --> 00:36:00,040
In days past, they may
well have tried to recover
794
00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,070
a lot of the steel, or even
attempted to float the vessel.
795
00:36:03,070 --> 00:36:05,270
But such was the damage
that it was decided
796
00:36:05,270 --> 00:36:07,520
that this would forever
be its resting place.
797
00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:16,600
You don't need to snorkel on the ship
798
00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:18,350
to enjoy the wow factor.
799
00:36:18,350 --> 00:36:21,010
Coming in on the ferry or
looking at it from the shore,
800
00:36:21,010 --> 00:36:23,410
you can see the wreck
rising from the water.
801
00:36:23,410 --> 00:36:26,740
It's something so unexpected
that your imagination runs wild
802
00:36:26,740 --> 00:36:28,372
questioning what happened here.
803
00:36:28,372 --> 00:36:30,607
Well, now you know!
804
00:36:30,607 --> 00:36:33,190
(gentle music)
805
00:36:40,526 --> 00:36:43,359
(energetic music)
806
00:36:56,610 --> 00:36:57,597
Looking north from Diakofti,
807
00:36:57,597 --> 00:37:00,510
you can see the southern
tip of the Pelopponese.
808
00:37:00,510 --> 00:37:02,090
Apart from the ferry from Pireaus,
809
00:37:02,090 --> 00:37:03,850
there's also a daily car ferry that runs
810
00:37:03,850 --> 00:37:06,743
between the mainland at
Neapoli, across to here.
811
00:37:09,980 --> 00:37:12,290
Lots of people drive from
Athens, along the coast,
812
00:37:12,290 --> 00:37:15,516
visiting the Corinth
Canal, Nafplion, Tripoli
813
00:37:15,516 --> 00:37:17,740
and Monemvasia on the
way, finally boarding
814
00:37:17,740 --> 00:37:19,170
the transport ship over.
815
00:37:19,170 --> 00:37:22,330
It's a great road trip and
a fun way to get to Kythira.
816
00:37:22,330 --> 00:37:24,280
Perched above Diakofti is a monastery
817
00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:26,530
that's a sentimental favourite of mine.
818
00:37:26,530 --> 00:37:28,390
As a 10-year-old, I spent
a couple nights here
819
00:37:28,390 --> 00:37:31,010
with my mother and sister,
and I have wonderful memories
820
00:37:31,010 --> 00:37:33,010
of playing soccer with the priest.
821
00:37:33,010 --> 00:37:36,100
As a boy, I found priests
difficult to approach.
822
00:37:36,100 --> 00:37:39,000
But this guy helped me open
my mind to our cultural faith.
823
00:37:39,930 --> 00:37:41,880
Father George explained
everything in a way
824
00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:43,510
that even I could understand.
825
00:37:43,510 --> 00:37:46,020
This icon for example,
has an interesting story
826
00:37:46,020 --> 00:37:49,140
that if you were none the wiser,
you would just walk on by,
827
00:37:49,140 --> 00:37:51,063
oblivious to how significant it is.
828
00:38:26,270 --> 00:38:28,480
- I reminisced as Father
George took me on a tour
829
00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:29,470
of the monastery.
830
00:38:29,470 --> 00:38:31,120
He's spent his entire priesthood here,
831
00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:34,230
devoting most of his life to
the clergy and this one spot.
832
00:38:34,230 --> 00:38:36,810
It's a commitment that
should be respected.
833
00:38:36,810 --> 00:38:39,700
Talking to this quietly-spoken
man made me wonder.
834
00:38:39,700 --> 00:38:41,670
He's kept himself relatively isolated
835
00:38:41,670 --> 00:38:43,090
from the outside world.
836
00:38:43,090 --> 00:38:45,760
Away from the rat race,
politics and technology
837
00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:47,800
that have made the earth so much smaller,
838
00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:49,680
and life so much faster.
(bells tolling)
839
00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:51,380
He's avoided many of those little things
840
00:38:51,380 --> 00:38:54,440
that clog our minds and complicate life.
841
00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:55,930
You would think that it
may well have given him
842
00:38:55,930 --> 00:38:57,930
a narrow perspective on things.
843
00:38:57,930 --> 00:38:59,440
But then it happened.
844
00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:02,707
He showed me something that
blew my rationale out the door.
845
00:39:11,260 --> 00:39:15,370
Father George has built,
with a local Catherian,
846
00:39:15,370 --> 00:39:20,330
the only candle-making
machine, in all of Greece.
847
00:39:20,330 --> 00:39:21,650
I love this machine.
848
00:39:21,650 --> 00:39:24,230
He puts the paraffin or the bees wax
849
00:39:24,230 --> 00:39:26,710
into this container here,
850
00:39:26,710 --> 00:39:28,640
you can see there is a furnace underneath
851
00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:31,527
that melts the wax, it
goes back down into here,
852
00:39:31,527 --> 00:39:33,100
and there's a floating balance.
853
00:39:33,100 --> 00:39:37,000
There's a float that makes
sure that the wax is topped up.
854
00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:40,720
And here you can see the wicks,
855
00:39:40,720 --> 00:39:43,570
and they get dipped in, and out.
856
00:39:43,570 --> 00:39:47,250
As they come out, they go back
over seven or eight times,
857
00:39:47,250 --> 00:39:48,680
and it becomes a candle.
858
00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:50,300
This is an awesome machine!
859
00:39:50,300 --> 00:39:52,383
And he's had it for about 15 years.
860
00:39:55,920 --> 00:39:58,180
- Oh, and there is a fan just here!
861
00:39:58,180 --> 00:39:59,110
This fan is awesome.
862
00:39:59,110 --> 00:40:01,010
You've got to come and
have a close look at that.
863
00:40:01,010 --> 00:40:03,560
Very technological, but it works!
864
00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:06,873
And this is all Father George's idea.
865
00:40:09,936 --> 00:40:14,230
- So, he makes 1,300 candles an hour!
866
00:40:14,230 --> 00:40:16,083
He should make a business out of this.
867
00:40:22,203 --> 00:40:24,630
- So, he gives them of course,
he's going to give them away.
868
00:40:24,630 --> 00:40:25,960
In another life, Father George
869
00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:27,710
could have been a mechanical engineer.
870
00:40:27,710 --> 00:40:29,750
His simple creation supplies
the churches of Kythira
871
00:40:29,750 --> 00:40:32,360
with candles for
parishioners, solving a supply
872
00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:33,560
and demand problem.
873
00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:35,630
Some of the engineers
I know should come here
874
00:40:35,630 --> 00:40:38,300
and take a few lessons
from this humble inventor!
875
00:40:38,300 --> 00:40:40,760
Father George built the
machine from discarded parts
876
00:40:40,760 --> 00:40:43,480
of bicycles, cars, sewing machines
877
00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:45,800
and electrical appliances, even a toaster!
878
00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:48,420
You have to marvel at the
ingenuity of the contraption.
879
00:40:48,420 --> 00:40:50,570
It's a great example
of overcoming adversity
880
00:40:50,570 --> 00:40:53,710
with a little brainpower,
elbow grease and creativity.
881
00:40:53,710 --> 00:40:56,140
He's a modern-day Archimedes!
882
00:40:56,140 --> 00:40:57,720
Many months of trial and error
883
00:40:57,720 --> 00:40:59,930
went into the design you see today.
884
00:40:59,930 --> 00:41:03,000
The simple idea of winding
the string to set the candles
885
00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:05,730
took Father George and his
friend a year to get right.
886
00:41:05,730 --> 00:41:07,520
This machine allowed
them to go from making
887
00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:12,520
200 candles per day, to
over 400 every 20 minutes.
888
00:41:12,550 --> 00:41:15,100
It's candle making on a
mass scale, in a monastery!
889
00:41:26,573 --> 00:41:29,156
- So, Father George is amazing.
890
00:41:30,030 --> 00:41:32,470
What he could do in 20
minutes with his machine,
891
00:41:32,470 --> 00:41:36,233
would take three or four
people, two or three days to do.
892
00:41:42,490 --> 00:41:43,323
It's awesome.
893
00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:47,330
Just like the first priest I
met at Agia Moni 44 years ago,
894
00:41:47,330 --> 00:41:50,060
Father George has again not
only made me feel comfortable,
895
00:41:50,060 --> 00:41:51,860
but has shown me that despite being remote
896
00:41:51,860 --> 00:41:54,170
and somewhat disconnected,
it doesn't have to limit
897
00:41:54,170 --> 00:41:56,170
your capacity as a person.
898
00:41:56,170 --> 00:41:58,440
I not only felt culturally
connected to Father George,
899
00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:00,080
but it was a real eye opener.
900
00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:02,180
You know, spending the
day with Father George
901
00:42:02,180 --> 00:42:05,820
here at Agia Moni and listening
to his wonderful stories
902
00:42:05,820 --> 00:42:08,530
and the history of this
beautiful monastery
903
00:42:08,530 --> 00:42:10,900
has been an uplifting experience.
904
00:42:10,900 --> 00:42:13,128
But have a look at it.
905
00:42:13,128 --> 00:42:14,990
It's a beautiful summers
day and it's empty,
906
00:42:14,990 --> 00:42:16,560
there's been only a few
people go through here,
907
00:42:16,560 --> 00:42:17,800
and that's a function of Greece
908
00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:21,240
and all these churches and monasteries.
909
00:42:21,240 --> 00:42:24,130
On Kythira alone, there are
between 350 and 400 churches
910
00:42:24,130 --> 00:42:29,130
and only 15 priests, as
a result, Father George
911
00:42:29,900 --> 00:42:31,190
has to look after two or three churches.
912
00:42:31,190 --> 00:42:33,570
He can't look after them all.
913
00:42:33,570 --> 00:42:35,900
They can't look after them
all, and a lot of the churches
914
00:42:35,900 --> 00:42:38,913
are being dilapidated, a lot
of history is fading away.
915
00:42:39,850 --> 00:42:40,683
It's sad.
916
00:42:42,250 --> 00:42:43,240
Time moves on.
917
00:42:43,240 --> 00:42:46,590
Populations rise and
fall, and cultures evolve.
918
00:42:46,590 --> 00:42:49,180
With these changes,
there's sometimes loss.
919
00:42:49,180 --> 00:42:52,010
While it's a shame, as I'll
show you in the next episode,
920
00:42:52,010 --> 00:42:53,850
there's often a lot of gain as well.
921
00:42:53,850 --> 00:42:55,470
Kythera is a great example of a place
922
00:42:55,470 --> 00:42:57,360
that has undergone a huge transformation
923
00:42:57,360 --> 00:43:00,200
through the centuries, but
not forgotten its past.
924
00:43:00,200 --> 00:43:02,880
Many of the old-world charms still remain.
925
00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:05,340
However, there's plenty of
modern influences that have added
926
00:43:05,340 --> 00:43:07,590
to the rich fabric of the island's story.
927
00:43:07,590 --> 00:43:09,640
I'm going to explore my family's heritage
928
00:43:09,640 --> 00:43:11,560
and also show you some
of my favourite things
929
00:43:11,560 --> 00:43:12,900
about the place.
930
00:43:12,900 --> 00:43:16,040
It's a hidden gem and while
I might be a bit biassed,
931
00:43:16,040 --> 00:43:18,000
no doubt, you'll see why I think Kythira,
932
00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:21,430
is one of the best places in
Greece, possibly the world!
933
00:43:21,430 --> 00:43:24,610
It's been a fascinating and
fun adventure full of laughs,
934
00:43:24,610 --> 00:43:27,320
great people, and incredible experiences.
935
00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:29,060
But we've only just begun!
936
00:43:29,060 --> 00:43:31,380
There's so much more to
see in the weeks ahead,
937
00:43:31,380 --> 00:43:32,710
and I can't wait to show you
938
00:43:32,710 --> 00:43:34,443
where My Greek Odyssey takes me!
939
00:43:35,399 --> 00:43:37,982
(gentle music)
940
00:44:01,151 --> 00:44:03,901
(logo swooshing)
74267
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