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(THEME MUSIC)
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Well, I can't believe
we're already into series six.
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And this year, we're travelling
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to the Central Cycladic,
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the most popular islands in Greece.
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And if we're lucky, we'll see
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some of these beasts
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that have been hibernating
for the winter.
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These guys, they can't get
into the nooks and crannies
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that we can get to.
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So, Mia Zoi is gonna take us
right into those lovely islands,
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and we'll see
the famous one, Mykonos,
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but also the tiny ones
that you know nothing about.
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I'm really looking forward to this.
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I'm about to jump out of my skin.
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PETER VOICEOVER:
This episode
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continues my time on
the Island of Naxos.
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It's a huge land mass.
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And to do it justice,
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you really do need to spend
a couple of weeks here.
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And to properly appreciate
what Naxos has to offer,
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you've got to invest the time
and energy to walk and talk
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with the people that call it home.
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In the last episode,
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I began unravelling the complexity
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of this diverse
and colourful destination.
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On face value,
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you might just see it
as an island of beaches,
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tourists, and bars.
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But once you peel back
that initial simple aesthetic,
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and start to dig a little deeper,
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you see a depth of life and history
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that inspires you
to keep wanting to unearth more.
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It's like being an archaeologist,
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where instead
of excavating ruins or bones,
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you're coming across a wealth
of culture and human interactions
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that constantly force you
to re-evaluate
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your understanding
of what defines Naxos.
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It's an island of contrasts,
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where one minute you can walk
amongst the crowds on a beach,
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then the next,
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you can be lost in the peace
and serenity of the inland,
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where there's little more
than a handful of people
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living in a mountain village.
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There's the modernism
of the shopping strip
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and contemporary trappings
of the tourist haunts.
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But then, there's the ancient ruins
and old world charm
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of the traditional way of life
that many Naxians still enjoy today.
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This dichotomy of experiences
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is what I really love
about the place.
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Largest island in its group
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and the tenth largest island
in all of Greece,
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Naxos has never really had to rely
on seafaring.
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Its personality is developed
from a large area of agriculture,
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and specifically, mining.
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And you can see,
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from behind me here
in the Port of Moutsouna,
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there's a bunch of mountains
behind us.
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And they were exploited
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through this port
for years and years and years.
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And I'm so excited to go
and have a look at all that stuff
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that's back there,
all the engineering stuff.
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As pretty as the island is,
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there's an industrial heart
to the place
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that stems from ancient times.
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They've long extracted
the valuable underground resources,
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put them to use locally,
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and shipped it offshore
as a source of revenue.
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The harbour side
has decaying remnants
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from this past.
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However today,
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it's no longer a working port,
but a place of relaxation.
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The warehouses and hoists
have been replaced by bars and cafes
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that buzz with activity
throughout the day.
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And the sea that would've once been
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full of cargo vessels
and fishing boats
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is now a place of recreation.
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And the workers
have been swapped for tourists.
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If you didn't do your reading,
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you'd be none the wiser as to
what this place would've been like
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just a handful of decades ago.
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But the people of Naxos
haven't forgotten their origins.
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And there's still
some inland mining going on,
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albeit at a smaller scale
than times gone by.
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The surrounding mountains
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are full of this hard
and extremely heavy rock.
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Wow!
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It's got carborundum in it,
magnetite, manganese,
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a little bit of titanium,
but it is just so hard.
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And they've been mining it
for 3,000 years.
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And until about 150 years ago,
it was exclusive to this region.
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And don't look at this right now.
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You look at this mangled mess
of structural steel.
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It used to go
all the way up for 9km.
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And they used to bring this emery
all the way down,
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take it to Ishmi,
and ship it all around the world.
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This rock created this stuff, emery,
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that glass paper
that you normally see.
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And they use it
for all sorts of stuff.
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Today, unfortunately,
they use a silica compound.
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And it's no longer being mined.
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And this is only remnants
of how Naxos relied on this stuff,
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that rock, for thousands of years.
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Wow!
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(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)
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It's a pity
that this rock has been replaced
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by its synthetic brother
and almost long forgotten,
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because the mountain it came from
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was actually the first mortgage
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for the new Greek State's
first loan,
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and it was actually the first time
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that the new Greek State
exported a product
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anywhere in the world, in 1863.
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There are hundreds of them
all over Mount Amomaxis.
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And the oldest of them,
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along with the ground works
that supported the miners,
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are now preserved
by the Ministry of Culture,
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as valuable monuments
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of the modern industrial history
of Greece.
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The scale
of the now dilapidated development
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is a testament to just
how valuable a resource emery was.
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Huge amounts of infrastructure
were built over the years.
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As technology advanced,
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the efficiency with which
they could mine the emery improved,
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but at no point
was it a safe profession.
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The wealth it fostered came
at a huge risk,
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much like it did
for the sponge divers of Kalymnos.
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To learn more about the impact
of emery on Naxos,
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I visited the village of Koronos.
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It's a place that has seen,
in the most extreme ways,
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the boom and bust
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that mining mineral resources
can create.
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The village of Koronos
was one of six
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that were entitled
to exploit the emery from the mines.
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As a result, they needed workers,
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and the population
grew astronomically.
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Here alone, there were 3,000 people
living at one stage.
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Unfortunately, in World War II,
the mines were suspended.
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And in 1956,
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there was
a substitute synthetic material
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that came out for emery.
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The prices of emery
dropped through the floor.
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People left.
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450 people alone in this village
died of starvation.
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Today, there's only
200 people living here.
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And it's a shame, because it's such
a beautiful village.
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The village is split
across two hillsides,
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separated by a stream.
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It's definitely worth a walk down
to the town centre,
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which consists
of a few taverns and shops
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bridging the small waterway.
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While there are still
plenty of people living here,
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the empty buildings
make it abundantly clear
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that the fortunes of the past
are well and truly behind them.
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It's a sad reality
repeated around the world,
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from the gold rush towns
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that led to the westward development
of America
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to the sulphur mines in Sicily
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that largely disappeared
after World War II.
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When it comes to mining,
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the cycle of rapid expansion
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and even faster contraction
is all too common.
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(THEME MUSIC)
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German-born artist,
Ingbert Brunk,
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lives near the port of Moutsouna
and close to the emery mountains.
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He married a Greek woman,
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and together
they decided to call Naxos home.
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Beyond his love for his spouse
and their island paradise,
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he's also very passionate
about the marble
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that comes from the hills
surrounding his studio.
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Unlike most foreigners
that pack their bags
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and relocate to a Greek island,
it wasn't the beaches,
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ancient monuments
and charm of the lifestyle here
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that were
the main motivating factors.
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It was something much simpler.
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And so, it worked out.
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I mean, it's worked out.
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You've been doing it for 42 years,
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so, you didn't make
the wrong decision, did you?
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No, I think I was quite lucky
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that I found so early
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what I like, what I wanted.
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Yes.
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So, immediately,
I just went my way.
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What brought you to Naxos?
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Yeah, actually,
the marble, all the marble.
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OK, you grow up,
there's a big culture of Greece.
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There's a big idea
of Ancient Greece,
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so, it's always something.
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You like to go to Greece.
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But I found here,
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the tradition
and I found the stones,
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and so, I came here.
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You've actually brought back
a tradition that is in Naxos.
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Yeah.
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You are the first sculptor
that I know of that has...
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in 2,500 years,
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that has come to this quarry,
has come where the marble is.
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Because that's what they used to do
2,500 years ago.
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And in the Third Millennium BC,
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the sculptors would come to Naxos
because that's where the marble was.
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Yeah.
That's the case, isn't it?
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You came here.
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I think, it's the best
because then you can find...
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You get the inspiration
of the material.
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You find the material.
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You don't have to think
what I wanna do to order a piece,
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that won't be this,
what you really want.
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So, you see something, say
"Oh, that's nice.
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"That's inspiration."
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Yeah.
And you do it.
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You came to Naxos.
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You could have come to Paros.
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You could have gone to Thassos.
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Why did you pick Naxos?
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It was immediately
this crystalline marble,
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what normally sculptures don't like,
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and I liked it
because it's a very lively material
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and the translucence
and sometimes the colours.
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So, I always liked
very simple forms.
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So, it's an ideal material
to make simple forms.
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Sculpture is a form,
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and just to be able
to understand the energy
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and the light
and whatever of a form,
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and then you can be appreciated.
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00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:13,120
Well, I think
it's time for me to walk around
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and have a good look
at some of your sculptures
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because I'm looking...
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It's hard to pay attention
to the conversation
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while there's all
this beautiful art in this room,
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all these beautiful sculptures.
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So, should we have a walk around?
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Yeah.
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Walking through the studio
with Ingbert,
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you notice that he has
an amazing ability
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to make the marble your focus
rather than the actual sculpture.
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His designs showcase and highlight
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the different qualities and textures
that the raw material has to offer.
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From its wonderful translucence
when honed down
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to the veins of foreign material
that permeate the pale white,
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like, the branches of a river.
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His art is not so much
about the forms he creates,
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but the heart and soul
of the material he uses.
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This is amazing.
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This is why I like
246
00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,960
the Parian and Naxos marble
because the light,
247
00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:10,040
the translucent...
248
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You've got this...
It's a feather, isn't it?
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00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:12,960
It's a feather, yeah. Yeah.
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00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:14,280
The idea's a feather.
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00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,880
And, yeah, I got these ideas
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because to show
the translucence of the marble,
253
00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:21,600
and I got also the idea
to hang the marble...
254
00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:22,680
Yes.
255
00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:24,720
..to be able
to make very thin pieces,
256
00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:26,760
to be safe in the room.
257
00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,440
You don't see
hanging pieces of sculpture a lot,
258
00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:31,520
do you really?
259
00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:32,800
No, no, no.
Not.
260
00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:34,280
No, no.
And this... and this one over here.
261
00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:35,560
And I won't...
262
00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:37,280
You see the...
Yeah, yeah.
263
00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:38,480
This is amazing.
264
00:12:38,560 --> 00:12:40,160
You can see the light
coming through.
265
00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:41,480
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
266
00:12:41,560 --> 00:12:43,200
And this is several centimetres.
267
00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:44,880
This is what?
268
00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:46,120
2, 3cm there?
269
00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:47,360
3, yeah.
3cm.
270
00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:49,640
The rigid saws 3cm that...
271
00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:55,080
I just went in on the one side
and I went in on the other side.
272
00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:58,440
And so, somehow, you can see
what is on the back side,
273
00:12:58,520 --> 00:12:59,800
seeing the front side.
274
00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:00,880
Yeah.
275
00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:02,600
So, it's an interesting idea.
276
00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:06,880
Ingbert is a quiet,
unassuming man.
277
00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:10,160
Despite the immense talent
he obviously possesses,
278
00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:12,880
he expresses himself
not through the flamboyance
279
00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:15,280
or overly verbose descriptions
of his work,
280
00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:17,120
but through the art itself.
281
00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,040
He lets his craft do the talking.
282
00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:22,000
You see, he may be living
in this remote part of Naxos,
283
00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:23,560
chiselling away like a hermit,
284
00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,400
but Ingbert has actually sent
small parts of himself
285
00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:30,640
to art lovers from countless cities
and towns dotted around the globe.
286
00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:35,200
Leaving the studio,
287
00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,400
my journey took me
through the centre of Naxos
288
00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,600
to the village of Halki.
289
00:13:39,680 --> 00:13:42,000
With such long and scenic drives,
290
00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:44,040
it's easy to forget
you're on an island.
291
00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,520
The rolling hills and green valleys
292
00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,880
are punctuated
by the gold of grain farms.
293
00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,120
With so much agriculture
and natural greenery,
294
00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,440
it's clearly a fertile landscape
with decent rainfall.
295
00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:58,480
The abundance
of raw beauty compliments
296
00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:01,840
the wealth
of striking historic architecture.
297
00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,680
Taking a self-guided road trip
isn't something most tourists do.
298
00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,000
So, generally speaking,
it's locals only at most stops,
299
00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:11,400
but occasionally you'll see
some more adventurous travellers
300
00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,920
leaving the beaches for the day
and seeing the heart of the island.
301
00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:17,720
In my opinion, you can't say
you know a Greek island
302
00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:19,400
if you haven't spent some time
303
00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:21,720
walking through the quiet
villages and towns
304
00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:23,440
away from the seaside.
305
00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,440
It's only in these places
that you get a sense
306
00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:27,720
of what normal life is like.
307
00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:28,760
If you're lucky,
308
00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:32,360
you can also find somewhere
to get a taste of the local cuisine.
309
00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:33,880
The flavours of a destination
310
00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,800
are just as important
as the sights and sounds.
311
00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:38,840
(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)
312
00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,880
This is called
the Spitiko Galaktoboureko.
313
00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:49,200
The Shop is basically known
for its custard pie,
314
00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:51,200
which I absolutely adore.
315
00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:52,560
And I'm gonna try it now
because I reckon
316
00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:54,440
it's the best in all of Naxos.
317
00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:56,480
(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)
318
00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,720
Oh, that looks fantastic.
319
00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:06,440
(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)
320
00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:07,560
Wow.
321
00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,920
Let's really test this baby out
and see what it's like.
322
00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:17,400
Oh, not easy.
323
00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:19,760
Got to grab the whole thing.
324
00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:21,880
(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)
325
00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:23,040
She bought a knife.
326
00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:27,080
Wow.
327
00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,280
You can really taste
the egg in this.
328
00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,120
There's nothing better
than visiting a shop
329
00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:40,400
that specialises in only one dish,
particularly when it's a sweet.
330
00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:41,920
Bravo!
331
00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:43,280
Bravo!
332
00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:44,960
And it's a grandmother
that makes it,
333
00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:47,400
not just anybody,
it's a grandmother.
334
00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:48,520
Fantastic.
335
00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,120
I'm gonna order some
for the crew now.
336
00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:55,960
This little store is famous
for its Galaktoboureko,
337
00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,040
a famous Greek dessert.
338
00:15:58,120 --> 00:15:59,280
I love it so much
339
00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:01,760
that I could eat it
any time of the day,
340
00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:03,160
particularly with a coffee.
341
00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:15,120
(THEME MUSIC)
342
00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:25,640
We're in a plantation
of Kitron trees.
343
00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:29,320
Now, Kitron is a citrus varietal.
344
00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:34,640
And here, I see a bunch of trees
that are roughly ten years old,
345
00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:36,320
and you can see it
because of the trunk size.
346
00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:37,440
And you're going, "Wow.
347
00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:38,600
"Why are they so short?"
348
00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:40,000
Well, they keep clipping them down
349
00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:43,600
because they're not growing the tree
for the fruit.
350
00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:46,120
They're growing the leaf.
351
00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:50,320
And the leaf is almost
a lemon verbena type flavour.
352
00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,640
Lemon verbena tea that I love.
353
00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:56,160
And they create a liqueur,
354
00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:00,920
three types, a medium,
a sweet, and a dry.
355
00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,080
It's only done here in Naxos.
356
00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:06,480
There are only two plantations
and distilleries left.
357
00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:10,520
And this one here is from 1875.
358
00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:13,160
It's a fifth generation family
that run it.
359
00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:18,800
I just
can't get over the smell of it.
360
00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:20,240
Anyway, we're gonna go
to the distillery now
361
00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:21,680
and meet the family.
362
00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:27,480
You'd be hard-pressed
to find a business
363
00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,840
that's been in the same family
for five generations,
364
00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,360
let alone one that's producing
something that seems so obscure.
365
00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:39,360
I'll confess, before visiting,
I'd never heard of Kitron Liqueur.
366
00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:41,840
But after spending some time here
and trying it,
367
00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,440
there's now a bottle
in my cupboard at home.
368
00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:48,920
Their place of sale and distillery
are in the centre of Halki,
369
00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:50,240
within this building.
370
00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:52,160
And there are several
adjoining rooms
371
00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:56,760
where you can see some history
about this family's production.
372
00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,440
And there is an old distillery here
as well.
373
00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:02,960
It seems like a museum piece,
but it actually isn't.
374
00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,560
This is the same piece of equipment
375
00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:08,800
they've been distilling with
for over a century.
376
00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:10,000
And today, they're pulling out
377
00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,920
between 10,000 and 15,000 bottles
a year.
378
00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:15,640
Copper still working.
379
00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,520
Anyway,
I think it's time to taste it.
380
00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:20,120
So for me,
this is the important moment.
381
00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,440
I've never tried Kitron before.
382
00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:25,320
I've been to Naxos like five times
and I've never tried it,
383
00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:26,640
so, I'm gonna try it.
384
00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,080
Katerina is the fifth generation,
385
00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:31,440
so, I'm lucky to be here with her.
386
00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:32,920
She can tell me all about it.
387
00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:34,920
Now, what have we got first,
Katerina?
388
00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:37,360
This is the sweetest
and the lightest Kitron.
389
00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:39,960
OK, let's try that
before we try the other two.
390
00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:45,800
Mmm,
391
00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:49,200
the lemony taste is not as strong
as I thought it would be,
392
00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:51,920
but there's a bit of a tang to it,
and it's nice, very light.
393
00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:55,280
What would you be eating or drinking
394
00:18:55,360 --> 00:18:56,520
or what would you be doing
with this?
395
00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:57,560
It's just on its own.
396
00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:00,240
It's nice to drink it
very cold or on ice...
397
00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:01,360
Yep.
398
00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:03,520
..after the meal as a digestive.
399
00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:05,120
OK,
and what have we got next?
400
00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:06,360
This is the medium one.
401
00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:07,520
This is a medium. OK.
402
00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:08,640
Let's try the medium.
403
00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:17,000
Still with a bit of sweetness,
still very light, but not too sweet.
404
00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:18,440
Very similar.
405
00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:19,800
And what's last?
406
00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,560
And the last one
is the strongest and the driest.
407
00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:24,000
The strongest
and the driest.
408
00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:25,720
36% of alcohol.
409
00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:27,280
How much?
36.
410
00:19:27,360 --> 00:19:28,640
36. Is that legal?
411
00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:30,240
I don't know if that's legal. 36%.
412
00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:31,360
Wow.
413
00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:36,680
I can see
that there's 36% alcohol in this.
414
00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:38,120
Yeah.
415
00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:39,320
Maybe not necessarily for me,
416
00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,840
but many people I know
would love this.
417
00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:43,760
My preference is this one.
418
00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:46,160
You like the sweet one.
419
00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:48,760
It's very nice.
420
00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:51,360
This is a taste
I've never had before.
421
00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:52,960
Definitely.
422
00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:54,080
It's definitely original.
423
00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:55,560
Nowhere else in the world
will you see this.
424
00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:57,080
Nowhere else in Greece.
Only in Naxos.
425
00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:58,840
Only on Naxos, yes.
Fantastic.
426
00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,080
It's very nice.
427
00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:05,840
This is the Naxian liqueur,
the green one.
428
00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:07,760
This is the one
that is the Naxian liqueur.
429
00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:09,080
This is the one that is...
430
00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:11,120
(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)
431
00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:14,200
Yes.
432
00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:18,480
Very nice.
433
00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:22,400
What started as an idea
grew into a small business
434
00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:26,480
that served the local community
and eventually, the island of Naxos.
435
00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:27,600
From humble beginnings,
436
00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:28,800
it flourished to a point
437
00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,560
where they were sending cartons
across the Mediterranean
438
00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:33,080
and eventually the world,
439
00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:35,160
and not just to Greeks
living abroad.
440
00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,360
Five generations on
and their tradition continues.
441
00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:40,520
The methods employed
in the distillation process
442
00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:41,760
have changed little.
443
00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:44,280
It's more a case of them
having up scaled everything
444
00:20:44,360 --> 00:20:45,560
to keep up with demand.
445
00:20:48,120 --> 00:20:50,720
Behind me is the town of Halki.
446
00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:56,560
We are in the region of Tragea,
and it's the centre of Naxos.
447
00:20:58,000 --> 00:20:59,680
It's a very special area
448
00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:04,760
because the pirates never bothered
to come this far inland.
449
00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:06,080
As a result,
450
00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,320
much of the religious architecture
hasn't been desecrated.
451
00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:11,200
And I wanna read to you a quote
452
00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:13,840
from probably
one of the best art historians
453
00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:17,680
in all of the Aegean,
Nigel McGilchrist, who says,
454
00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:21,480
"Naxos has a greater concentration
and chronological spread
455
00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:25,680
"of medieval and Byzantine churches
than any other Greek island,
456
00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:27,520
"including Crete and Kythera."
457
00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,320
And what's wonderful is that
there are over 30 churches
458
00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,640
in this one region
that you can come to.
459
00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:36,200
If you wanna come
on a artistic, icon,
460
00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,840
medieval Byzantine
Church pilgrimage,
461
00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:41,160
here's the place to start.
462
00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:42,320
And Agios Georgios
463
00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:44,720
is an 11th century church
and a perfect example
464
00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:45,920
as your first place to go.
465
00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:47,360
And we're only gonna see
the one church.
466
00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,440
Now, I don't wanna talk specifically
about this church,
467
00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:07,680
rather the churches in the region
and give you a couple of hints.
468
00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:10,320
One, they're rural churches,
469
00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,000
so, you can have
a real adventure and experience
470
00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,200
just on the hikes and the walks
and the climbs to get to them.
471
00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,160
Secondly, bring a torch with you
because these churches
472
00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:23,000
are fairly dark and you really need
to bring out the colours
473
00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:25,000
in these beautiful murals.
474
00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:29,000
The icons are yellows, reds, browns.
475
00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:30,080
They're local pigments.
476
00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:31,120
But some of the pigments,
477
00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:32,360
some of the blues are coming from
478
00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:36,720
as far as Afghanistan, Hungary,
and Spain.
479
00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:38,960
And they're painted
in a fresco form,
480
00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:42,840
but there's also
some dry painting done as well.
481
00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,040
And when you look at them,
they are just a wonder and a joy.
482
00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:48,160
They all tell a story.
483
00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:49,960
They're absolutely magnificent.
484
00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:57,600
There are very few islands
throughout the Aegean
485
00:22:57,680 --> 00:22:59,440
where, in such a small area,
486
00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,640
you can find this many churches
487
00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:05,560
adorned with so much
iconic Byzantine art.
488
00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:07,760
What's particularly incredible
is that,
489
00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,920
despite being almost
1,000 years old,
490
00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,240
these frescoes are still so vivid,
491
00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:16,240
retaining
a lot of their detail and colour.
492
00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:19,200
That said, I can only imagine
walking through these spaces
493
00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:20,840
when the works were complete
494
00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,800
and the artworks
in their original vibrance.
495
00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,320
It would've been
a powerful sight for worshipers.
496
00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:38,160
(THEME MUSIC)
497
00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,280
We're all familiar
with the famous Swiss cheese
498
00:23:50,360 --> 00:23:51,960
known as Gruyere.
499
00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:53,400
Even if you haven't tried it,
500
00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:55,760
no doubt
you'd have at least heard of it.
501
00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,200
Well, a similar cheese
made in Greece is known as Graviera.
502
00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:02,560
It's the second most popular cheese
in the country after Feta.
503
00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:04,320
And Naxos is known for it.
504
00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:06,920
However, Graviera is a speciality
that has come about
505
00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:08,640
thanks to the size of Naxos,
506
00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:12,440
and subsequently,
the livestock they're able to farm.
507
00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:14,120
If you've visited a Greek island,
508
00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:17,240
you'll know that the goats
often outnumber the humans.
509
00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:18,960
But here, they have cows,
510
00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,240
which means
different types of dairy projects
511
00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:22,360
can be made.
512
00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:23,520
To learn more about it,
513
00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:25,120
I met with Professor Ioannis
514
00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,800
at the Union
of Agricultural Cooperatives.
515
00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,560
He's not the most animated guy,
but trust me,
516
00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:33,080
he's very passionate
about the subject.
517
00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:35,480
Professor, I understand
that this corporation
518
00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:40,800
is the biggest provider
of hard cheese in all of Greece.
519
00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:41,920
Does that make Naxos
520
00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,200
the biggest provider of cheese
in Greece?
521
00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:47,280
It is the biggest provider
522
00:24:47,360 --> 00:24:48,760
of Graviera cheese.
523
00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:49,920
Graviera cheese.
Yes.
524
00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,000
Right.
525
00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:53,560
And why is that so?
526
00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,560
Why is it Naxos and nowhere else?
527
00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:58,920
Well, you have to take
into account
528
00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:03,400
that Naxos is a unique island
in Greece.
529
00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:05,520
The uniqueness of the island,
530
00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:08,080
therefore, lies mainly in the fact
531
00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:10,440
that it's,
first of all, big, very big.
532
00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:12,160
The other uniqueness is that
533
00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,400
it does not have
only small ruminants.
534
00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:17,840
In other words, sheep and goat.
535
00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,040
It has also cows.
536
00:25:20,120 --> 00:25:22,480
People here, they realise that cows,
537
00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:25,560
they are giving them
a unique advantage.
538
00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:30,160
Small ruminants provide milk,
seasonal milk.
539
00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,920
Therefore, they give them milk
four, five, six months,
540
00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:35,800
the most per year.
541
00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:40,440
On the other hand, cows provide them
with milk 12 months a year.
542
00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:41,720
And therefore,
543
00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:45,880
this is something
that was very helpful
544
00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:51,040
in what I will call self-reliability
545
00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:53,280
all over the year.
546
00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:55,760
The union
of agricultural cooperatives
547
00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:58,200
brings together
the farmers of Naxos,
548
00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:01,640
enabling them to produce
greater quantities of dairy products
549
00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:02,920
of a better quality,
550
00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,560
in a far more efficient manner
than they could
551
00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:08,360
were they
to independently manufacture it.
552
00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:11,080
It's been in operation
for almost 100 years
553
00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:13,760
and has seen
the expansion of this local industry
554
00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:16,000
while maintaining
the traditions of the island.
555
00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:18,720
The economic impact has been huge,
556
00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:20,760
and in turn has helped put Naxos
on the map
557
00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:22,640
as a culinary destination.
558
00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:24,040
Amongst other cheeses,
559
00:26:24,120 --> 00:26:28,440
they output around
1,200 tonnes of Graviera a year.
560
00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,680
Professor, you've worked
all over the world,
561
00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,240
Canada, US, everywhere.
562
00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:36,840
How does the Greek cheese
563
00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,360
compare to other cheeses
around the world?
564
00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,880
Well, the peculiarity
565
00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,720
of the Greek cheese is...
566
00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,120
Overall, Greek cheese is the fact
567
00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,760
that most of the cheese
made in Greece
568
00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:55,640
is made from sheep and goat milk.
569
00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:02,280
Therefore,
this is what is very different.
570
00:27:02,360 --> 00:27:04,080
The uniqueness,
as I told you however,
571
00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:05,640
about Graviera Naxos...
572
00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:09,680
It is that it's not only
small ruminants,
573
00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:13,000
but it's also cows' milk.
574
00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:14,440
Graviera Naxou
575
00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:17,440
is considered a flagship product
of the island,
576
00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:20,680
with potatoes being
the other agricultural mainstay.
577
00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:24,720
To make a kilo of this cheese,
it takes about 11 litres of milk.
578
00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:25,760
Once in the moulds,
579
00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:28,160
the wheels of cheese
eventually find their way
580
00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:30,040
onto these wooden shelves,
581
00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:32,400
where they sit for at least 72 days
582
00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:34,600
before going
through a couple of other processes
583
00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:38,440
and finally being aged for 90 days
or more in the cooling rooms.
584
00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:42,520
So, from farm to fork,
you're looking at about six months.
585
00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:44,960
The final part
of my cheese education
586
00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:46,360
was to try the stuff.
587
00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:50,800
For that, I went to Koufopoulos
Traditional Dairy in Chora Naxos.
588
00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:52,160
It's run by three sisters
589
00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,680
who are fourth generation
cheese makers.
590
00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:57,320
Like the Kitron distillery
I visited earlier,
591
00:27:57,400 --> 00:27:59,560
this is a family owned
and operated business
592
00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:01,920
that has seen valuable skills
passed down
593
00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:03,600
from grandparents to parents,
594
00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:06,320
and then onto their children
and grandchildren.
595
00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:07,800
Look at all this cheese.
596
00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,040
Had Naxos embraced
too much automation
597
00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:11,720
of their cheese manufacture,
598
00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,960
important traditions
would've been lost.
599
00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:16,000
There's a lot of cheeses there,
600
00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:17,440
but I just wanna try
the Naxian ones,
601
00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:19,600
the ones that Naxos is famous for.
602
00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:20,640
Which one should we start?
OK.
603
00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:21,720
So, we should start
604
00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:22,840
from the Graviera one.
605
00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:24,080
From the Graviera.
It's famous.
606
00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:26,000
I mean, it's the biggest producer
of Graviera, isn't it?
607
00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:28,160
Yeah, one of the biggest.
608
00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:30,880
Now,
why is the Graviera different?
609
00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:32,560
What's different about the Graviera?
610
00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,000
It's one of the most famous
of Bries
611
00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:35,480
because it's the way we produce it.
612
00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:38,040
I mean, the climate,
what the animals eat,
613
00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:39,760
so, the milk that they produce.
614
00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,320
So, that's why it's mild,
you know, like a nutty after-taste.
615
00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:43,360
Oh, beautiful taste.
616
00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:44,520
Beautiful taste.
Yeah.
617
00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:46,320
And what else
have we got here?
618
00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:48,880
Now, next,
we have the Arseniko.
619
00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,720
It's the very traditional,
very old cheese of Naxos.
620
00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:52,800
Right.
621
00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:54,120
So here,
you're gonna taste the mild one.
622
00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:55,200
Right.
623
00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:56,720
But we also have
the old version, like,
624
00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:58,120
four years old, so very sharp.
625
00:28:58,200 --> 00:28:59,760
And this is cow's milk
as well?
626
00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:01,720
It's goat and sheep mostly.
627
00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:02,840
And it's called Arseniko
628
00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:04,520
because when it becomes very old,
629
00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:06,960
it's very strong
at the taste like the male.
630
00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:08,600
So, Arseniko is actually male.
631
00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:10,200
Ah, Arseniko is Greek
for male.
632
00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:11,320
Yeah.
OK.
633
00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:12,360
It's rather hard...
634
00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:14,000
Mmm, the old one's very nice.
Yeah.
635
00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:16,040
That would be good
for spaghetti, wouldn't it?
636
00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:18,200
Yeah, it's like parmigiano
actually a little bit.
637
00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:19,920
You know? The texture?
638
00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,920
Mmm, very nice.
639
00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:28,560
So, if there's a male cheese,
Arseniko, is there a female cheese?
640
00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:29,600
Yeah. Right.
641
00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:30,680
Yeah, there is.
642
00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:32,280
So, the female's this one.
643
00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,360
It's called female
because it has the exact
644
00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:36,640
opposite characteristics
of the male.
645
00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:37,680
It's not hard, it's soft.
646
00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:40,320
It's soft, it's white,
it's sweet to taste.
647
00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:41,680
It's supple.
648
00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:44,480
And it was actually produced
after the male, after the Arseniko.
649
00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:46,360
So, that was also played a role
I think.
650
00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:47,760
Oh, OK. So...
Yeah.
651
00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:49,600
So, yeah, that one.
That's this one here.
652
00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:50,920
I'm gonna grab one from the bottom.
Ooh.
653
00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:52,040
It's very soft.
654
00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:55,640
This is like mazithra, right?
655
00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:57,960
Yeah, but we call it female.
656
00:29:58,040 --> 00:29:59,040
Right. OK.
657
00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:00,160
Yeah.
Oh, it's good.
658
00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:02,240
But listen, it's all too good.
659
00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:03,320
I've got to stop,
660
00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:05,160
otherwise I'm gonna eat
everything that's there.
661
00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:06,360
Yeah.
Everything that's there.
662
00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:07,720
I got to... I got to stop.
OK.
663
00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:09,280
Yeah, you got to stop.
Thank you, Irene.
664
00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:10,360
I've got to stop.
665
00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:11,440
Thank you a lot.
666
00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:12,600
No worries.
667
00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:17,400
Greek hospitality didn't allow me
to get off that easily.
668
00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:20,040
Irene insisted
I'd try the taste sensations
669
00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:21,760
of the Naxian condiments
670
00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:25,080
that are made specifically to go
with their cheeses.
671
00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:28,960
The flavour combinations
were so delicious, I couldn't stop.
672
00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:31,040
I've never had that in my life.
673
00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:34,640
Yeah, that's the reaction!
674
00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:36,480
They're all working back
there.
675
00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:37,520
They're all working back there.
676
00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:40,080
They're all saying,
"Hey, give me more",
677
00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:41,800
from every side of my mouth.
678
00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:43,840
The enzymes, everything's been...
That's beautiful.
679
00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:45,880
(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)
680
00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:54,200
(THEME MUSIC)
681
00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:04,440
An early morning saw me
once again heading for the hills.
682
00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:07,920
Only this time, it wasn't
in search of food or an old church,
683
00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:09,960
it was to meet with Tristan Carter,
684
00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:11,040
an archaeologist
685
00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:12,120
who's been working on this dig
686
00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:13,640
for the last eight years
687
00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:16,920
and will likely be here
for at least another five.
688
00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:18,120
There's always more
to find,
689
00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:19,840
but 2019,
690
00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:20,920
we had the big discovery
691
00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,200
that took us in a new direction,
692
00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:25,440
radically
different kind of archaeology.
693
00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:26,720
We'll rewrite what we know
694
00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,320
about Naxos
and the Cyclades more generally
695
00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:31,040
in a completely different vein
696
00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:33,080
to what we were doing
in the first eight years.
697
00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:34,160
Right.
698
00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:38,120
So, Tristan,
what are we looking at now?
699
00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,360
Where I'm bringing you now
is the deepest
700
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:44,200
of our trenches
back into the ice age.
701
00:31:44,280 --> 00:31:46,080
5m deep.
702
00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:48,200
And how long
have you been digging this for?
703
00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:49,880
By hand, since 2015.
704
00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:51,320
So, for the last,
705
00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:54,080
what, seven years
you've been digging this hole.
706
00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:55,960
And you're going all the way
to the ice age.
707
00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:57,760
Well, we pretty much started
in the ice age.
708
00:31:57,840 --> 00:31:59,720
I mean, we're standing here
on the modern soil,
709
00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:02,040
but within a few centimetres
710
00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,880
you are back into like
ice age deposits, you know,
711
00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:06,640
12,000-years-old,
712
00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:09,320
and then all the way down
to about 200,000 at the bottom,
713
00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:10,400
and it's still going.
714
00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:13,600
And what are you finding
at 200,000 years?
715
00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:16,600
We're finding stone tools
throughout the sequence.
716
00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:18,400
I mean, the whole point of them
being here
717
00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:20,800
is to take the local stone,
718
00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:23,200
work it into everyday usable tools
719
00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:25,400
for hunting, craft working,
et cetera.
720
00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:26,640
You have to remember,
this is a period
721
00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:27,720
before the invention of metal,
722
00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:29,160
a long time
before the invention of metal.
723
00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:30,680
So, this is
what they're doing here.
724
00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:32,080
And throughout this sequence,
725
00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,960
we find the tools
and the manufacturing debris
726
00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:36,960
that goes with it
all the way to the bottom.
727
00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:39,240
What is the significance
of finding?
728
00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:41,680
You know, you keep digging,
200,000 year old tools,
729
00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:45,880
what does that really mean
to the common person like me?
730
00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:46,960
It depends on...
731
00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:49,840
Well, to you,
as somebody from Greece,
732
00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:52,240
I can tell you
that this is the oldest site
733
00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:55,240
in the Cyclades
by tens of thousands of years.
734
00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:57,400
Now, that's neat at the local level.
735
00:32:57,480 --> 00:32:59,280
There's a certain gee whiz to that.
736
00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,320
But the bigger picture is,
until we started working here,
737
00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,880
nobody thought that early humans
could or should be here.
738
00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:09,160
The idea was
that these were islands.
739
00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:10,240
You could only get here
740
00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:12,320
if you had the skilled technology
to make a boat,
741
00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:14,800
which we associate
with modern humans.
742
00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:15,840
And the idea was that,
743
00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:17,360
when ancient humans
744
00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:20,240
moved from Africa
through Asia into Europe,
745
00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:23,400
the only way they could do it
was going across the land bridge.
746
00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:27,000
So, that's basically
northwest Turkey, Northern Greece.
747
00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:29,160
And continental Greece
in the islands
748
00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:32,320
were kind of in irrelevance
to the story of early humanity.
749
00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:34,400
So, what we're doing now,
in a very modest way,
750
00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:37,840
is rewriting early human history,
751
00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:40,640
the early history
of European colonisation,
752
00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:42,400
and showing that perhaps
these characters
753
00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:44,520
had greater capabilities
than we originally thought.
754
00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:46,240
It's very difficult imagining,
755
00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:48,040
and it's one of the problems we have
as archaeologists
756
00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:49,440
representing to the public...
757
00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:50,480
Those...
758
00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:52,320
You know, many people are familiar
with the Cyclades
759
00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:54,800
from holidays
and shows like your own.
760
00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:56,440
It would've looked so different.
761
00:33:56,520 --> 00:33:57,800
Yeah. Wow.
762
00:33:57,880 --> 00:33:59,520
Well, I wanna keep looking
at some of the trenches
763
00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:01,280
that your people
are working on, mate.
764
00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:02,480
They start here
early in the morning,
765
00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:03,600
they finish late.
766
00:34:03,680 --> 00:34:04,680
Let's go and check them out, hey?
767
00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:06,760
Yeah, they're all boiling
their silly heads up top.
768
00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:07,920
OK, let's go up there, mate.
769
00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:26,800
You don't see very many
unfit archaeologists, mate,
770
00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:28,360
when you look at this.
771
00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:33,160
Very true, the word here
is like it gets easier,
772
00:34:33,240 --> 00:34:34,600
but it never gets easy.
773
00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:38,880
You do lots of exercises
before you come out here
774
00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:40,680
and then you realise
they're all the wrong ones.
775
00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:43,200
And there's many other muscles
in the body you didn't know about.
776
00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:48,520
You don't normally think
of archaeology as being hard,
777
00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:49,640
physical work.
778
00:34:49,720 --> 00:34:52,480
Typically, you envisage people
with small brushes
779
00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:54,080
sitting in dusty holes,
780
00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:57,600
delicately cleaning dirt
from bones or ancient statues.
781
00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:00,680
But for a lot of them,
it's actually quite demanding.
782
00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:02,280
Take this dig, for example.
783
00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:04,680
Just getting to the site
is tough enough,
784
00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:07,880
let alone the countless hours
spent in the baking sun,
785
00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,920
shovelling rocks and soil,
then going through it all by hand.
786
00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:15,920
But when every bucket load of dirt
could reveal an ancient artefact,
787
00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:17,880
it's easy to keep motivated.
788
00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:20,240
Also, on the plus side,
it keeps them fit.
789
00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:23,440
So, what's this little roped
off area here
790
00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:25,680
that looks like
it's been cleaned out?
791
00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:27,680
This is one of our
archaeological trenches.
792
00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,200
We've decided we wanna see
what's going on here.
793
00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:31,600
There was some weird
794
00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:34,120
non-local stones sticking up
out of the ground.
795
00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:36,160
The only way we're gonna figure out
what was happening in this
796
00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:37,880
is to clean it up, is to excavate.
797
00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:39,280
So, we think it's some kind of bench
798
00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:41,760
where the worshipers
would've gathered
799
00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:43,720
and maybe put offerings here.
800
00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:45,000
And the only way
we're gonna figure out
801
00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:46,880
exactly what they're doing
is by digging it.
802
00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:47,920
So, you've dug out the stuff.
803
00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:49,480
Where's all that stuff gone now?
804
00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:52,840
So, you dig out the soil,
you put it in a bucket,
805
00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:54,440
and you take it over to there,
806
00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:56,120
where we sift through it
807
00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:58,600
and we carefully pick out
all of the artefacts.
808
00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:00,360
Can we head over there?
Absolutely.
809
00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:01,920
It's all done by hand.
810
00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:03,360
Oh, yeah.
811
00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:05,680
No excavators here.
812
00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:06,800
All manual.
813
00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:10,880
So, what's going on here,
Tristan?
814
00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:12,320
So, they bring the earth
815
00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:14,040
that they've dug up
out of the trench.
816
00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,000
They dump it into the screen
817
00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:19,520
and they sift it to get rid
of all the dirt to see what's left.
818
00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:21,560
Now, a lot of this
is just bits of stone,
819
00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:23,800
but amongst this
are all the archaeological artefacts
820
00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:25,800
that are gonna tell us the story
of what was happening here.
821
00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:28,240
And do we have
any archaeological artefacts there?
822
00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:29,920
We have
some pottery that's...
823
00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:31,720
Oh, wow.
824
00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:34,280
It's all a bit scrappy
on the face of it,
825
00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:36,360
but these are fragments
of the little cups
826
00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:38,440
that the worshipers
were drinking out of,
827
00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:39,600
that they brought up to the hill,
828
00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:41,920
and they left here dedicated
to the gods and the goddesses.
829
00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:43,000
Wow.
830
00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:44,920
This is like sifting for gold,
isn't it?
831
00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:46,800
It's the same thing,
but it's archaeological artefacts
832
00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:48,160
that nobody else really cares about.
833
00:36:48,240 --> 00:36:49,280
We do.
834
00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:50,440
We do.
We do.
835
00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:57,040
To a certain extent,
archaeology isn't an exact science.
836
00:36:57,120 --> 00:37:00,040
It's a process of putting together
a jigsaw puzzle
837
00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:03,040
where you never really know
what the final picture looks like.
838
00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:04,240
There's a certain amount
839
00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:06,880
of calculated guessing
and theorising,
840
00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:09,960
which often involves
a little bit of creativity.
841
00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:12,040
So, what Tristan and his team
are penning
842
00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,320
into the annals of time right now
may well be rewritten
843
00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:17,840
by future generations
of archaeologists.
844
00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:19,000
But in the meantime,
845
00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:21,320
the work they're doing
is not only therapeutic
846
00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:23,720
and at times highly rewarding,
847
00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:26,720
but their office
is also pretty spectacular too,
848
00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:29,840
when they get to spend their days
enjoying a setting like this.
849
00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:31,880
(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)
850
00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:44,240
(THEME MUSIC)
851
00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:54,520
My final afternoon in Naxos
852
00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:57,120
was spent
enjoying some time at the beach,
853
00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:00,440
along with what seemed like
every other tourist in Greece.
854
00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:03,560
The crowds were quite the contrast
to the peace of the hills,
855
00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:07,040
but that mix of experiences
is what this island is all about.
856
00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:10,320
You can get your fix of history
by checking out an ancient ruin
857
00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:11,360
and then indulge
858
00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:13,800
in a little bit of retail therapy
in town.
859
00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:17,040
You can have a lively conversation
at a bar with a foreign tourist
860
00:38:17,120 --> 00:38:19,280
and then sit idle at a village cafe,
861
00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:22,520
sipping on a coffee
and watching the world pass by.
862
00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:24,120
It sounds like a cliche,
863
00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:26,080
but Naxos has something
for everybody,
864
00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:27,720
whether you're young or old,
865
00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:29,960
a solo traveller
or here with a family.
866
00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:32,680
If you come with an open mind
and do your research,
867
00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:34,880
there's plenty
to keep you entertained.
868
00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:37,600
And then, when you think
you've spent enough time here
869
00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:41,560
and wanna see somewhere new,
Naxos is the hub of the Cyclades.
870
00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:44,240
And there is an abundance
of regular ferry services
871
00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:48,000
that can whisk you away
to 22 other islands.
872
00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:51,120
My travels would see Mia Zoi
leaving the main port of Naxos
873
00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:53,080
and heading
across the north of the island
874
00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:55,360
before turning Eastwood to Donoussa.
875
00:38:55,440 --> 00:38:56,720
It's a short journey that takes you
876
00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:59,120
from one of the most
popular islands in Greece
877
00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:00,600
to one of the lesser known,
878
00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:03,320
but don't let that fact deter you
from coming here.
879
00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:08,080
For me, it's the off the beaten
path destinations that are the best.
880
00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:09,240
Backing up to the port,
881
00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:12,720
it was abundantly clear
that we had left the tourist masses.
882
00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:15,040
This place is so obscure,
883
00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:17,320
there are almost no foreigners
to be seen.
884
00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:19,320
There aren't
too many big boats coming here,
885
00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:23,120
so, today was a bit of a novelty
that brought out most of the locals.
886
00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:26,000
I felt as though we had spoiled
the serenity of the port.
887
00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:28,760
So, we quickly docked
and went about settling in,
888
00:39:28,840 --> 00:39:30,400
which for me meant taking a stroll
889
00:39:30,480 --> 00:39:32,200
on the beach I could see
from the stern,
890
00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:33,720
while captain and Kiriako
891
00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:36,920
had a coffee and a chat
at the nearest harbour side cafe.
892
00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:42,840
We're in the port of Stavros
here on the island of Donoussa.
893
00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:44,040
Yes, that's what I said.
894
00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:45,080
It's a port.
895
00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:48,600
It is the main port
and the beach is right opposite.
896
00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:51,280
And you won't find
many beaches in Greece
897
00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:54,520
looking better than this,
especially, at a port.
898
00:39:54,600 --> 00:39:56,920
I think, there's some sort of
conspiracy going on here
899
00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:59,280
because all I see
is Greeks everywhere.
900
00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,920
And they call it the lesser
Cycladic group of islands,
901
00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:07,520
Schoinoussa, Donoussa,
Koufonisia, Keros, all...
902
00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:08,760
and Irakleia,
903
00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:13,400
all in this one group
between Patmos, Amorgos, and Naxos.
904
00:40:14,480 --> 00:40:18,640
I can't understand
why they call it the lesser group.
905
00:40:18,720 --> 00:40:20,200
It diminishes the value
of these islands,
906
00:40:20,280 --> 00:40:23,400
but I think it is a conspiracy
because there's only Greeks here.
907
00:40:23,480 --> 00:40:25,040
They've kept it to themselves.
908
00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:26,440
They don't want you to know
about it.
909
00:40:27,880 --> 00:40:30,440
The ferry that gets here is tiny,
can't fit too many people.
910
00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:31,960
You can't hire a car here.
911
00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:33,920
There's only one taxi here.
912
00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:35,360
People are walking
from place to place.
913
00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:38,640
It's just making it
too hard for tourists to get here.
914
00:40:38,720 --> 00:40:42,160
And let me tell you
what an awesome, awesome island.
915
00:40:42,240 --> 00:40:45,880
This reminds me of the Greece
of old, of 40 or 50 years ago.
916
00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:49,120
This is the thing you see
in '40s and '50s movies.
917
00:40:49,200 --> 00:40:50,520
You see stuff like this.
918
00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:53,040
And I'm being looked at the moment
by these Greeks and they're...
919
00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:56,160
I think, they're a little bit
pissed off with me
920
00:40:56,240 --> 00:40:58,080
'cause they wanna keep it
to themselves.
921
00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:04,520
The greatest challenge
to exploring these smaller islands
922
00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:06,680
is that it can be difficult
to get around.
923
00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:09,040
Sometimes,
there's no public transport
924
00:41:09,120 --> 00:41:10,520
and you need
a bit of local knowledge
925
00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:12,360
to find the best spots.
926
00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:14,760
It might mean
hitching a ride on a fishing boat
927
00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:17,080
or taking a hike along a goat track.
928
00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:19,040
Thankfully, we have the tender,
929
00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:22,320
which means we can quickly look
around the coastal areas.
930
00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:25,560
In this instance, Yanni was keen
to find a safe anchorage
931
00:41:25,640 --> 00:41:28,200
somewhere secluded
for an overnight stay.
932
00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:31,000
So, I went along to see
what else we could find.
933
00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:33,880
I'd read about hidden coves
and little beaches
934
00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:35,200
dotted around the coast,
935
00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:36,240
but it was a cave
936
00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:38,480
that I was most interested
in checking out.
937
00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:39,840
So, that's the cave
over there, Yanni.
938
00:41:39,920 --> 00:41:41,080
Yes, that's it.
939
00:41:41,160 --> 00:41:43,240
Now, I think it's called
Spilia tou Tichou, right?
940
00:41:43,320 --> 00:41:44,320
Spilia tou Tichou.
941
00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:48,680
Spilia tou Ticho,
which means cave of the wall.
942
00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:51,320
I think,
that's not a bad description,
943
00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:53,320
cave of the wall.
944
00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:54,800
And we're just gonna
come around to it
945
00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:57,640
and see how deep that cave is.
946
00:41:57,720 --> 00:42:00,240
This isn't exactly a hidden gem,
947
00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:03,120
but without a watercraft
of some description,
948
00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:04,840
you'd never be able to find it.
949
00:42:04,920 --> 00:42:06,280
How many metres
do you think that is, Yanni?
950
00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:07,600
How high?
951
00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:08,960
(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)
952
00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:10,000
At 20m?
953
00:42:10,080 --> 00:42:11,800
Nai, nai.
954
00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:13,400
20.
955
00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:15,120
That's...
956
00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:19,080
And you can see
some stalactites starting to form.
957
00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:22,960
So, this is a relatively new cave
when you think about it,
958
00:42:23,040 --> 00:42:24,440
or the stalactite
are just getting blown off
959
00:42:24,520 --> 00:42:27,200
by the heavy weather
of the Meltemia.
960
00:42:27,280 --> 00:42:28,920
Look at this.
It goes further in.
961
00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:30,360
Can we go in there, Yanni?
We'll try.
962
00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:32,440
It's still pretty deep here,
isn't it?
963
00:42:32,520 --> 00:42:36,040
Boy, look what Mother Nature does.
964
00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:38,120
It is just amazing.
965
00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:39,480
We can go right in here.
966
00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:43,200
I mean, it is huge.
967
00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:44,440
Look at the cavern, Yanni.
968
00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:46,480
It's massive.
969
00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:49,440
This is as a result
of the heavy Meltemia,
970
00:42:49,520 --> 00:42:53,960
the big weather that comes through
constantly, constantly, constantly.
971
00:42:54,040 --> 00:42:56,960
Day after day, month after month,
year after year,
972
00:42:57,040 --> 00:42:59,720
decade after decade,
it's just pounding this.
973
00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:05,800
OK,
let's go and find the beaches.
974
00:43:05,880 --> 00:43:07,280
Pame.
Pame.
975
00:43:09,200 --> 00:43:12,520
And they're pulling out
some nets over there, the fishermen.
976
00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:14,000
They add them, add them.
977
00:43:14,080 --> 00:43:15,080
They're putting the nets out.
Yeah.
978
00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:16,480
Right. OK.
979
00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:18,120
(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)
980
00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:29,280
Tiny little boat.
981
00:43:31,560 --> 00:43:35,000
Very seldom they have
the opportunity to fish in here.
982
00:43:35,080 --> 00:43:36,720
That's right. That's right.
983
00:43:36,800 --> 00:43:37,800
Yanni's spot on,
984
00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:41,440
because this is very freak
flat weather on the north side.
985
00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:42,960
So, they've seen the opportunity.
986
00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:45,280
And bang, they're putting their nets
out on the north side.
987
00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:47,000
They'll definitely catch something.
988
00:43:47,080 --> 00:43:48,840
Maybe in the morning, Yanni.
Maybe.
989
00:43:48,920 --> 00:43:50,440
Maybe there's something for us
in the morning.
990
00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:55,600
The rugged beauty of the coast
is never lost on me.
991
00:43:55,680 --> 00:43:58,080
There's a raw
and powerful presence to it
992
00:43:58,160 --> 00:44:01,720
that constantly evolves
as Mother Nature reshapes things.
993
00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:03,480
There's the shifting light
of the day that,
994
00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:06,320
late in the afternoon,
softens the hard edges.
995
00:44:06,400 --> 00:44:09,160
On a still afternoon,
it has a calming effect.
996
00:44:09,240 --> 00:44:12,480
But when the weather's wild,
it becomes dramatic and exciting.
997
00:44:12,560 --> 00:44:14,920
No two days are ever the same.
998
00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:18,120
In the next episode, I'm exploring
the island of Donoussa.
999
00:44:18,200 --> 00:44:21,600
It's often missed by travellers
who spend their time at the nearby,
1000
00:44:21,680 --> 00:44:23,280
more famed locations.
1001
00:44:23,360 --> 00:44:24,360
But as you'll see,
1002
00:44:24,440 --> 00:44:27,200
it's a fantastic destination
in its own right,
1003
00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:28,240
giving tourists
1004
00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:29,320
an authentic experience
1005
00:44:29,400 --> 00:44:31,240
in a quiet corner of Greece.
1006
00:44:31,320 --> 00:44:32,960
From there, I'm off to Koufonisia,
1007
00:44:33,040 --> 00:44:34,040
which also has
1008
00:44:34,120 --> 00:44:35,680
plenty of old world charm.
1009
00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:37,120
However, it's on the cusp
1010
00:44:37,200 --> 00:44:38,760
of becoming one of the must-visit
1011
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islands in the Cyclades.
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(THEME MUSIC)
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Captioned by Ai-Media
ai-media.tv
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