All language subtitles for m.g.o.s06e10.1080p.hdtv.h264-cbfm_track3_[eng]

(COUNTRY MUSIC)

Well, I can't believe
we're already into series six,

and this year, we're travelling
to the central Cyclades,

the most popular islands in Greece.

And if we're lucky,
we'll see some of these beasts

that have been hibernating
for the winter.

These guys, they can't
get into the nooks and crannies

that we can get to.

So, Mia Zoi is gonna take us
right into those lovely islands

and we'll see
the famous one, Mykonos,

but also the tiny ones
that you know nothing about.

I'm really looking forward to this.

I'm about to jump out of my skin.

PETER VOICEOVER:
This time on My Greek Odyssey,

I'm exploring the island of Tinos.

It might be known as a place
for religious pilgrims,

but as I'll be showing you,

there's a whole lot more
to be experienced.

From the marble artisans
and quiet mountain villages,

to the beautiful beaches
and local basket weaving.

If you want to see
a real mix of the old world and new,

Tinos is the island for you.

We arrived here
from a very different island

in Andros.

It was like going
from a sleepy fishing village

to a bustling city.

Within eyesight of Mykonos,

Greece's modern day
capital of hedonism,

Tinos couldn't be
any more diametrically opposed.

Here they celebrate the dove

with over a 1,000 pigeon houses

dotted all over the island.

And with the third most important
ecclesiastical institution

in all of the Greek world,

pilgrims come from everywhere
to start at the port,

crawling on their hands and knees
for 500m

all the way up to the church
of Evangelistria.

And yet, there are more Catholics
on this island

than any other in the Aegean.

So, when you've finished
exploiting your body

over in Mykonos,

hop over to Tinos
and purify the soul.

At a little under 200sqkm,
Tinos is a decent sized island.

Big enough to offer
plenty of diversity

of things to see and do,

but suitably small that you can
explore the four corners

with relative ease
and in just a handful of days.

That's not to say that
to really immerse yourself

in the local culture,

you shouldn't spend
a little more time here.

(SINGS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

The 9,000 inhabitants

are spread across
some 50 or more villages,

which are dotted about the coast

and through the mountainous heart
of the island.

The largest of them
is Tinos Township,

which is the first port of call

for pretty much
everyone that visits.

But go beyond the major centres

and explore some
of the smaller mountain villages,

and you'll see
a very different side of the island.

In terms of climate and geography,

Tinos is typical
of other land masses

in the Cyclades.

It's dry, relatively windy
for much of the year,

and covered in hills.

It's quite the dramatic landscape
made even more picturesque

by the ruins, churches
and white-walled villages.

Exomvourgo is one of the most
well-known landmarks on the island.

It combines both the

raw natural beauty of the mountain

with the wonder
of a ruined Venetian castle.

The fortress was located here
for its excellent views out to sea,

enabling them
to keep a lookout for invaders,

but was also central on the island,

allowing the surrounding villagers

to easily access it
for shelter and trade.

When completed in 1538,

the fortress had 600m long ramparts
and towers

facing in all directions.

It was considered unconquerable

and withstood several
Ottoman invasions.

It wasn't until 1715
that it was finally captured.

Today, where once
there would've lived a 1,000 people,

there's little more than
a handful of goats

grazing on the rugged hillsides

and finding shade
amongst the crumbling ruins.

(BIRD CHIRPS)

To really understand
Tinos and its people,

you have to spend a bit of time
away from the major centres.

Like, most islands

it's only when you leave
the tourist hubs

and spend some time
in the quiet corners

that the real story of a destination
starts to unfold.

I began my time on Tinos
at Isternia Bay.

It's on the northwest coast,
about 20km from the main port.

Just a handful of tourists managed
to find their way here.

So, not only is it peaceful,

but it has retained
the village charm.

There's a pebble beach
with some shaded deck chairs,

a few small tavernas
and limited accommodation.

One thing it does have in abundance
is serenity.

It's a sleepy port

where you'll hear little more
than lapping water,

seagulls
and the occasional boat engine.

But despite being
off the beaten path,

we discovered there's
fantastic dining to be enjoyed

at a tavern called Thalassaki.

We got into Tinos this morning
and we thought we'd come here

and have some lunch
in this small village,

this fishing village,

and what we found
was this beautiful cuisine.

Lucky, we brought the camera.

And Alex takes it
wherever he goes, our producer.

He just doesn't let up,
24 kilos of stuff.

Anyway, look at it.

So, elegantly presented that is.

Tinos is getting this reputation

that you would only hear
from maybe Mykonos

of collaboration
between restaurant owners

to produce this culinary delight
that is basically local produce.

How long did it take to do all this?
Look at this! Look at this!

Look at this! Look at this here.

I don't want to touch it, but I am.
Look at this.

Look at that.
Look what's underneath there.

Ooh!

The taste buds.
They're having a ball in there.

Ooh.

When I first started
coming to Greece,

the food was quite basic

and what most
would consider agricultural.

I'm not saying it wasn't delicious,

but it certainly wasn't as diverse

and sophisticated
as what you'll find now.

There's no doubting the more
rustic dishes can be amazing,

but for those with refined tastes,

Greece has developed
its culinary prowess,

and today,
you'll find world-class dining

in many places, even outside
of the more popular destinations.

Restaurants like this have taken

the traditional flavours
of the Mediterranean

and added some flair.

All the staples are here,

but they've taken on
a fresh contemporary life

embracing the broad range
of ingredients

readily available
in modern day Greece.

Adding to the experience

is the appreciation
of the aesthetic,

not just the flavours.

The presentation is meticulous

with vibrant colours
and plating that looks as

much like a work of art
as it does a meal.

Mind you, by the end of proceedings,

I made the dishes look like
a two-year-old's finger painting.

And before you say anything,

all the food on the table
wasn't just for me.

The crew had some too.

And just a little bit.

It's that good.

When I stop talking
for more than a few minutes,

you know, the food must be good.

(THEME MUSIC)

Across much of the world,

the last 50 years or so

has seen an increased
focus on science,

technology, engineering,
and economics.

The emphasis
of our education systems

has been on professions
that generate wealth

and offer practical skills.

Creative pursuits
have been set aside,

much to the detriment of society.

But here on Tinos,

there's a place
that's bucking the trend

and keeping alive
one of the oldest crafts of all.

With the privatisation
of universities

and technical colleges,

government money really doesn't come
into these institutions

much these days,

and as a result,
the arts are suffering.

Here on Tinos,

I'm coming to a school
that is very rare in Europe,

and what's special about it

is it's supported by the Church
of Evangelistria Panagia.

I'm gonna go in
and check it out now.

This school has been in operation
for over 75 years.

And while you might think
it's strange

that you would find
such a highly regarded institution

on the island of Tinos,

it actually makes perfect sense

because nearby
are the famed marble islands

of Paros and Naxos.

So, the material
the artisans work from

is not only amongst
the best in the world,

but it comes
from relatively local quarries.

Greece has a plethora
of ancient history,

and with that comes
a number of monuments

and statues that are anywhere
from a 1,000, 1,500 years

to sometimes 6,000 years old.

And these monuments,

buildings, statues,
need repair and maintenance.

These students, 15 in every year,
over three years,

learn to become
professional sculptors the old way,

in the ancient way.

The professor that runs it,

the teacher, has been doing it
for 42 years.

His director, Halepas,

just happens to be a descendant

of one of the greatest sculptors
in recent history,

in the last 200 or 300 years.

And as you can see,
the work is absolutely wonderful.

I walk around here

and I see the passion behind
the work that they do,

they are so focused.

These young students,
they're all Greek,

but if there's a bit of room,

they're willing to take students
from elsewhere in Europe.

A percentage of these students
will go and work

for their parents in their business,

but the majority will go and work
on monuments,

buildings, statues.

I just love watching them.

It's incredible to think
that the somewhat brutal process

of hammering and chiselling
away at marble

can yield such refined
and beautiful results.

Such is their skill,

these young sculptors
can take a slab of stone

and turn it into works
that rival the best you'll see

at any museum or gallery.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

There's a subtlety
in the human touch

that a machine will never replicate.

There's the ability
to adjust the direction of a work

as the artist is inspired
by thoughts and dreams.

And as strange as it might sound,

the tiny imperfections that arise
from being handmade

rather than laser cut
add texture and personality.

But perhaps most importantly of all

is knowing the passion, creativity,
skill, and hard work

that has gone into
the creation of a piece.

When you gaze upon
something beautiful

that has been shaped by human hands,

you have a far greater
appreciation for it.

This goes for all of the arts

and even engineering
and construction.

For example, the stunning churches
you see on most islands,

the architects and builders
responsible for them

are in many ways artists themselves.

The largest village in all of Tinos,

Pyrgos is not only home
to the school of sculptors,

but it's home
to almost everything marble.

It's surrounded by
a couple of marble quarries.

There are two marble museums here.

Every street and square and path

is either paved in marble
or there's columns in marble,

or there's transoms
and headers in marble.

Even the electricity metre
covers are in marble.

The bus shelter is in marble.

It's everything marble here,

and it's a nice little
quaint village.

It's the largest village,
but it's a nice quaint village

to walk through
and have a cup of coffee

or have something to eat.

There's no doubting
the enduring beauty of marble

in all its various forms
and colours.

In my mind,

it's the most versatile material
in the world.

There's nothing else like it.

Marble has been used in columns
and beams to hold structures up,

as flooring and wall facings,
indoors and out.

There's the artistic applications
like sculptures and statues

and the aesthetic,

yet practical uses
in kitchen and bathroom tops,

and of course, there's tombstones.

It's hard wearing,
yet can be soft on the eye.

It's strong, yet able to be shaped
into the most delicate of artworks.

How's that for versatility?

Here on Tinos, marble is on display
in all its many forms and functions.

Take a walk and you'll see columns

that have stood
for countless generations,

statues that have endured
the forces of Mother Nature

for centuries.

And most likely,

the paths you'll be stepping on
will be made from it too.

For thousands of years,

they've been quarrying marble
on the Greek Islands.

In ancient times

the quality of it was famed
across the Mediterranean

and it created great wealth

for several places such
as Naxos and Paros.

What's remarkable
is that it didn't come and go

as a fad or a passing trend.

As you'll see here at the museum,

marble's beauty
has always been appreciated.

The Museum of Marble Craft
is something quite unique to Tinos.

I don't think I've seen it
anywhere else in the world.

And here they take marble

from ancient times
right up to recent times.

They talk about transportation.
They talk about the quarries.

They talk about sculpting statues
and these massive columns.

What's wonderful
is you can be eight years old

and understand

the short descriptions
that they have everywhere,

right through this whole museum.

It's quite modern actually.

What's also very special to me,

early in the morning
I can have a coffee on the way out?

Since industrialisation

the method for the extraction
of marble

has become a lot faster and easier.

Prior to that, it was quarried in
much the same way for millennia.

However, the shaping of marble
into works of art

has changed very little.

It's still hands-on manual labour.

Machines might be good
for making bench tops and tiles,

but sculpting a detailed statue

is still best done
with the human hand.

These amazing works are a testament

to the incredible skill
of the ancient craftsmen.

Their work was done
with the most basic of tools,

using simple techniques
to turn slabs of marble

into beautiful pieces of art.

(THEME MUSIC)

Head to the south of Tinos

and you can escape
the prevailing winds

that batter the northern coast.

Here the beaches are more protected
and a lot quieter,

and as you can see,

the landscape
is that little bit more arid.

You don't see too many tourists
around these parts,

just the more intrepid type.

The quiet roads are not only perfect
for touring on a bicycle,

but also taking a slow scenic drive
with the occasional stop for a swim.

The south is the sleepy part
of the island

where you go to escape the crowds

and find a patch of sand
for yourself.

I can imagine it's the ideal spot
for a rider or artist

looking for a place
where there are few distractions.

While it has its charms

and makes
for a nice part of the island

to spend a day relaxing,

personally I find that

sometimes it's nice to have
a bit of energy around you

and take in some people watching.

In a few years from now,

these beaches
will properly become busy

as more people discover them.

With the crowds
will come deckchairs,

umbrellas, taverns, and bars.

Though I'm not too sure
that's necessarily a good thing.

There are other beaches
on the island,

if that's what you're after.

Leaving the south and making my way
back to the northern end of Tinos,

things take on
a different personality.

This part of the island
is where you'll find

some of the only flat ground.

There's a meadow that stretches

from the village of Komi
down to the beach,

but thanks to those

previously mentioned
prevailing winds,

it gets pummelled by the weather.

So, to protect the crops

and provide some shelter
from the gales,

they plant the boundaries with cane.

From ground level

it makes the landscape
look lush and green,

but from above,
it creates a tapestry-like effect.

Farmers like Lefteti here

also use the cane
as a building material

for fencing and basket weaving.

These traditional practises
are gradually being lost,

replaced by modern,
inexpensive alternatives

that don't require
the same level of physical labour.

A short distance
from the fields of cane

is Kolibithra Beach,

which is home to
one of the best beach bars in Tinos.

Throughout the warmer months,

the bar also doubles
as the Tinos Surf School.

One plus of all that wind
is the abundance of waves.

The bar is housed inside the shell
of an old Volkswagen kombi,

which itself
has become one of the island's

much loved characters.

The shaded sitting area
is protected by a wall of cane

and makes for a great spot

to sit with a cold beverage
between swims.

Come winter, this is all packed away

and once again Kolibithra Beach
looks like a deserted oasis.

Even in peak season
it's a quiet location,

particularly early in the day.

We practically had the place
to ourselves.

One thing
that's synonymous with Tinos

is their famed ale.

Since this microbrewery
was started in 2012,

it has rapidly grown

and is now one of the biggest
in the country.

The term microbrewery

makes it sound
like a small operation.

In actual fact,

it's quite the industrial
scale production line.

Yet despite the rapid growth,

they've maintained
the quality and authenticity

that made this beer
popular across the country.

I'm not a big beer drinker,

so, whether I say it's good or not,

please don't take that as...

Can I join you?

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.

Don't take that as a guarantee

that it's a good beer, you know.

Cheers.

But there is a big explosion

since you've started
your microbrewery

of beers in Greece,
microbreweries in Greece.

What happened? What happened?

Well, it looks like
we got people excited.

And I think...
Wow, this is good.

And this is...

I understand this is like,
gluten-free, is it?

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

This is both gluten-free
and organic.

Right.

So, it's certified organic
and it's gluten-free as well.

Wow. Helen will love that.

Well, not that she's a beer drinker.
Sorry, you were saying.

It's a perfect beer
for the beach, you know.

Yeah. OK.

So, you're saying
about the explosion?

I think what Nissos did
is we managed to get people,

not the beer guys,

but people, everybody,
excited in small alternative beers,

you know, not big manufacturer,
you know...

'Cause the big guys,

they're all owned
by international brands.

Absolutely. Absolutely.
So, they're not Greek, are they?

The Greek beers, the big ones,

and I don't want to mention
who they are,

there's seven or eight of them.

They're not actually Greek beers,
are they?

Exactly. Exactly. Exactly.

So, they're just like every beer
you find all over the world,

they're just mass-produced beers.

And we started-started
getting people excited

in something which tastes different,
has more flavour and everything.

And I should say that

I'm quite thrilled
on the process of making beer,

so, I have enough knowledge
myself to...

I must say, Alexandros,
that on the boat there are...

I've got probably half
a dozen different types of beers,

all Greek beers on the boat.

Everybody loves the Greek beer.
It's not well known.

What is it about
the Greek beer generally?

I men, your beer is good,

but what is it about Greek beers

that makes it different
to these other beers?

It's sort of coming up in the world
for some reason.

Absolutely.

There's an evolution happening
in Greece right now.

I mean, small breweries,

experimental breweries,
quality breweries,

we have managed to capture
people's attention and hearts,

and I think
that the level of the beers

that you can find
in the country is amazing.

Yeah. Fantastic.

Well, all I can say is cheers,
and thank you very much.

You've been an absolute good host
and 7% beer, alcohol content.

I've had two glasses now,
and I think I'm...

We have a few more for you.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

I'm not a beer drinker.
I've got to tell you.

And I'm a bit hammered
at the moment after what?

We'll sensor that.
We'll sensor that.

No, problem.
No, worries.

Yamas!

Yamas!
Yamas! Yamas!

I actually like it.

You know, it's good.
See?

Greece has long relied on tourism
to bring money to the islands,

and much of the produce
has remained within the country.

But over the last decade or so,

there's been a seismic shift
in the economy

that has seen
small to medium businesses

bring cash into the system,
creating jobs,

and also exporting world-class goods
across Europe.

This provides greater stability
for the economy

and means that revenue

isn't just limited
to the holiday season.

If the last decade
is anything to go by,

in the years to come,

this brewery will only become
bigger and better.

The success they've had
is a testament

to not only the quality
of what they're producing,

but the hard work
of the people behind the scenes.

If you come to Tinos,
make sure you give Nissos a try,

even if you're not a beer drinker.

(THEME MUSIC)

Driving around the island
you see these little structures,

some in better condition
than others.

If you're anything like me,

you immediately start wondering
what they are.

Could they be a small house
or are they some sort of temple?

They're literally all over Tinos.

You come across them on roadsides,

in paddocks amongst olive trees
or in people's backyards.

Clearly they've been building them
for centuries.

To learn more about them

and also take in
some of the back country locations,

I met up with Manthos.

He's your typical, passionate local,

full of knowledge about his home
and keen to share it.

He's both, a guide and an author,

and loves to put on the hiking boots

and take visitors
to special parts of the island

that most never explore.

Manthos, I'm looking
at these little white castles,

they look like little white castles.

They're the dovecotes, aren't they?

Yes.

That's another word
for it would be pigeon houses.

Is that right?
Exactly. Yes, as I said.

And the island is dotted

all over with these pigeon houses.

I can see one, two, three,
four, five, six, seven, eight,

here in this small area.

What are they here for?

It was said that
the Venetians brought

the dovecotes here at Tinos.

Because as you know,

the Venetians were here
from the 13th century

until 18th century.

Right.

For 500 years,
the Venetians were here in Tinos.

So, when they came here at Tinos,

they brought also the dovecotes

because until then,

the dovecotes
were everywhere in Europe.

And is there any value
in having the dovecote?

I mean, what does it do?

Having lots of doves.
What does that do?

The reason they built
the dovecotes was for the meat.

For the meat.

They were eating the small pigeons,

because at the old times,
the island was poor,

so they had the need for protein.

Right.

Of course, they had the chickens
and sheep and goats,

but also, they had the meat
of the pigeons.

But how much meat could you get
out of one of these small dovecotes,

the pigeon house?

Uh, from when...

Dovecotes?
Yeah.

Because we have small dovecotes,
bigger dovecotes.

From an average dovecote

the quantity was about
150 kilos for...

Wow.
..for a family.

The annual quantity of a family.
Can we go and have a look at one?

Yes, of course.
Let's go.

Let's go.

These structures are more than

just a simple coop
for housing doves.

Of course,
there's the practical elements

of the design,

such as individual boxes
for the birds

with perches out the front.

Then you've got
the strategic positioning

that takes into account
prevailing winds

and access to food and water.

But there's no doubting,

there's a certain amount of pride
that goes into the aesthetic.

Manthos, they're a lot bigger than
what they look when you're far away.

It's almost the size of a house.
Yes.

You see, how beautiful are they?
Yeah.

They use a special decoration
for these buildings.

They used geometric shapes

to decorate all the holes
of the dovecotes.

How many pigeons
do you reckon you can get in there?

How many pigeons
would they get in there?

There were about 200 doves inside.

Wow. That's a lot of doves.
Yes.

About 100 pairs of doves.

What happens
to all the poo in there?

Who cleans out the poo?
OK.

The owner of the dovecote

use the poo
as a fertiliser for his land.

So, it's not only,

you know, they're not
only attracting doves

to the island,
which are beautiful to see,

but they're getting the meat
from them,

they're getting fertiliser
from them.

They're getting architectural beauty
from them.

It's amazing.

How many of these
are there on the island?

There are about
1,000 of dovecotes at Tinos.

Wow.
Yes.

The exact number is 924.
Wow.

That is the number because
I had the project four years ago,

it took me about four to five years,

and I counted
all the dovecotes of Tinos.

You've counted all the dovecotes.
The coordinates of each one.

Photos of each one.

Yes.
That's impressive.

That's really impressive.
Yes.

It's impressive

that the island of Tinos
to have about 1,000 of dovecotes.

It is.

And I understand that's more
than any other island in Greece.

Yes.

I think it's the only island
which has so many dovecotes.

It's so beautiful, dovecotes.

Yeah, they are. They're beautiful.
Very impressive, mate.

Yes.
I also like looking at it.

It's very impressive.

The dovecotes take the form
of decorative landscape features

and are as much a work of art

as they are a mini fortress
for the doves.

It's a beautiful example
of taking a practical necessity

and turning it
into a feature of the landscape.

Manthos and I spent

a little while hiking
through the fields

looking at the different dovecotes

before making our way
to the village of Volax.

This isolated town is at one
of the highest points of the island

in the middle of nowhere.

There's almost nothing here.

However, it's surrounded by
a very unique geological phenomenon

that I've only seen
on one other island.

More on that in a moment.

Coming to this sleepy hamlet,

you get the feeling
that they're a proud community.

It's a very well-kept village
that's predominantly Catholic.

It's been here
since the 14th century.

Defying the odds that has seen

many of these little mountain
towns disappear

as people leave in search of work
and an easier life.

So, Manthos not only has a bit of
a craziness with pigeon houses

and written a book about
a 1,000 pigeon houses.

Or what do we call them?
Dovecotes in Tinos.

But he's also a boulderer,

probably the chief boulderer
on Tinos.

And what's bouldering?

Bouldering
is when you climb boulders.

As you can see,
he's not doing a bad job.

I'd be up there with him right now,

right behind him,
or probably in front of him

but I have a bit of an injury.

You've noticed that
I've been limping lately

from one of those long hikes
that we did,

and I don't want
to make it any worse.

Now, he's doing very...
Look at that.

And he's got...

What's this orange thing
down here, mate?

It's called a crash pad.

A crash pad.
Crash pad.

Very, very safe, I'm just going
to put it underneath you.

Don't know what that's
gonna actually do if he falls.

But I'm here to catch you.

Fantastic. You made it to the top.

Very good, Manthos. Very, very good.
Thank you. Thank you.

Now, obviously
there's a lot of bouldering to do.

If you follow me around here,

there's 22sqkm of bouldering to do

here in Volax, here in Tinos.

Have a look at all those boulders.

Now, it's a geological phenomenon
that I'm still trying to understand.

Everybody tells me

they're lifting up
out of the ground.

I don't believe any of that crap.

But anyway,
I'm not going to go into that

because I've been arguing
with the director, the cameraman.

I've been arguing
with Manthos about it.

I'm not gonna argue anymore,
but have a look at it.

I mean, just for a walk out here,

you don't need to come out here
and boulder.

You can come for a walk.

And I've got to tell you,

the town is absolutely wonderful
to walk through.

The nice little museum.
It's beautiful.

Come to Volax and boulder
with Manthos,

it'll be awesome.

As soon as it's better,
I'm going up there.

And I'm not gonna do an easy one,

I want to do a hard one,
one like, one like that.

OK? I'll come back sometime.

Maybe not this year,
but I'll come back.

It's only natural his interest
in the active lifestyle

would lead Manthos
to taking up a hobby like this.

He scrambled up and over
these giant boulders with ease.

At times, I was nervous watching

as he put himself
into the most precarious positions

on the sheer rock faces,

but his feet stuck to them
like glue.

(THEME MUSIC)

The Greek word Volax
translates to rock or ball.

The village got the name

because of the field
of giant boulders

that encircle it.

The harsh environment

and isolation
from the rest of the island

meant this village never really grew
much beyond what you see here today.

But being such a pretty,
traditional town,

it attracts a lot of tourists,
albeit mostly Greeks.

Being surrounded by rocks,

Volax was actually
a very poor village.

And the way it brought up
its wealth,

the minimal wealth that it had,

was by basket weaving

and we're just about to go
and see a basket weaver.

However, there are some
other things about Volax

that are really unique.

There's graffiti all over the place,
but it's poetry.

Just have a look at this stuff.

It's there. It's here.
It's beautiful.

And if you read Greek,
you'll enjoy it.

But there's also
this beautiful white render

that is very unique.

It's got these folds in it.

It's beautiful.

Anyway, I better go
and see the basket weaver.

This style of render
is unique to this village.

Apparently it helps
keep the homes cool

by preventing the sun

from beating down
on 100% of the wall.

I'm told that the tiny ridges
create some shade

that across a large scale
has quite an impact.

Throughout the town,
there are all sorts of quirks

that give it decorative character,
like this poetry

that adorns the doors and windows
of this quaint little home.

Who wrote it?
Who or what was their muse?

Perhaps they were inspired

by the old world charm
of the village.

One of the other
distinctive features of Volax

is the ancient art
of basket weaving.

Cane is plentiful on the island

and for generations
there was a thriving industry here.

As industrialisation made it cheaper

and easier to use
other alternatives,

the craft died off.

And today
there are just a pair of brothers

who continue the practice
to this high standard.

Basket weaving is a tradition

that's been here for decades.

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

Wow, It's been going on
for his grandfather,

his great-grandfather's
been going on forever.

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

'Cause there's only two of you left.

Him and his brother are left...

They'll live forever.
You'll live forever.

But what they use is this cane.
They use this cane to create.

They split it apart

and they create beautiful baskets
like this.

But the cane is actually picked
at a certain time of the year.

It can only be picked in January
at the full moon.

And I've asked Loudovikos
why that happens

and he just told me,
"That's what my dad said.

"That's what my grandfather said,
etc, etc.

"We don't know why,
but that happens.

"If you don't,
it becomes soft and it's not good."

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

Show me. Let's go.
Let's go. Let's have a look.

He cuts into like,

eight pieces or nine or 10.

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

Eight.
He's gonna make eight piece. Wow.

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

He's splitting it.

So, this is almost like a material,

they're gathering it from the field
and they're getting it...

They're preparing,

and then they make these wonderful,
beautiful baskets.

And the colours are pretty natural.

It's like they're getting
different types of reeds,

different times of the year.

This one comes in June.

The other one, I'm not too sure,
but they're beautiful.

And they reckon

these are the best baskets
in all of Greece.

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

Oh, shit. That hurt.
It's my sore knee.

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

But look at that. Look at that!
Look, how strong it is.

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

Now, we're going for number two.

This is the number two,
so, there's...

He's cut it in half,
now it's in quarters,

and then there's one more cut
and he gets into eight.

Look at that. Look at that. Amazing.

Sitting here watching Loudovikos
as he weaved his magic,

I was quite honestly mesmerised

by the almost hypnotic motion
of his fingers on the cane.

It takes strength to twist

and bend the dry material
into shape,

yet you need to have soft hands

and be subtle in your movements
to prevent breaking it.

It's a slow and methodical process
that he's been carrying out

almost every day of his life
for decades.

The end result of that
lifetime of experience

and hours of work

is something quite special
beyond just a simple basket

and almost a piece of art.

There was once 30 of these guys
in the village,

but now it's only him
and his brother.

Before you know it,

there'll be no one left
to continue this art form

that was previously a mainstay
and unique attribute of Tinos.

In the short time
I spent with Loudovikos,

we came to develop
somewhat of a bond.

I think he could sense
my keen interest

and appreciation for his work.

We spent a couple of hours
talking about life on the island

and how things have changed

before he got the ouzo out
and broke into song.

(SINGS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

These types of connections
don't often arise so quickly,

but through sharing our stories,

two very different people
came to a common understanding.

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

It was quite a special moment.

(THEME MUSIC)

I often pinch myself

because of how fortunate
I am to travel around

making a show about this
incredible part of the world.

Well, the next person
I'm gonna be meeting

has done similar,

only not just in Greece,
but all over the planet.

Her name is Maya Tsoclis.

She's a journalist,
and for many years,

hosted a TV travel show.

Maya, you're a famous
travel journalist

that's been all around the world

to more countries
than most people

would know about

and you chose to settle in Tinos,

here in this small little village.

Why?
Yeah.

Can't you see why?

Well, it's beautiful.

I mean,
it's a beautiful Greek village.

Yeah.

But, you know, I've seen
a lot of beautiful Greek villages.

What's Tinos got that...
OK.

And what's this village
got that nowhere else has?

I'll go a little bit back in time.

OK, we first came to Tinos
30 years ago.

No, family relation here.

We were a family
with no village actually.

Neither from my mother's
or from my father's side.

So, we wanted to create

a new patrina,
a new village for us.

And we chose Tinos exactly,

because it's a very,
and at the time even more,

a very authentic place, you know.

Yeah.
Tinos is this.

Tinos is the inland.

What you can see,
it's a place made by hand,

made by everything
that these people,

the villagers of Tinos,

have created
to live in this barren land.

A very difficult land.
You see how it is?

So, everything. Look at the...
Look at the walls, the stone walls.

Look at the terraces.

Everything is handmade here.

And of course, the villages.

In Tinos, you have
around 40, 45 villages

that are so well-kept,
you wouldn't believe it.

It's like an open-air museum
of traditional architecture.

And as you see, this is Koumaros.
It's a very, very small village, OK?

And you have
lots of them everywhere.

OK, so, you can imagine
the history here.

We're under Saburo.
You see this rock over there?

Yes.
OK. It's called Exomvourgo.

So, up there
was the Venetian castle.

So, you go back in time,
you go back in 1207,

you know, where
the Venetians conquer the area.

OK, and they created,

they built this wonderful
castle up there.

That all sounds very poetic.

And look, it's almost
like you've rehearsed it,

but you love this place so much.

But I've seen terrace walls,
I've seen villages,

I've seen castles,
in all other islands.

No, you have not seen that many.

Castles you've seen better,
that's true.

Yeah.

I mean, it's just to remember
it's of a castle...

But what's the difference
between your villages

and the villages elsewhere in...

I'll tell you,
the number and their authenticity.

Well, take me
and show me some villages.

I'll show you some.

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)
Come on. Let's go now.

OK!
Let's go.

The entertainment business
can be hectic with limited privacy.

For many, the limelight
is something they thrive on.

However, Maya is one of the few
that prefers to keep a low profile.

She likes to lead a normal life
in a quiet corner of Greece

where she's just another face
amongst the crowd.

Or should I say,

amidst the peaceful laneways
of Tinos.

Maya, your father's a living legend
in his 90s,

one of the most famous artists
in Greece.

You've done so much.

You've been brought up in Paris,
you've lived in Germany,

you've been in fashion,
you've been on TV.

You've done so much.

Look at the way you dress.
You don't rest like a normal Greek.

I don't?
No. No.

You like it though?

So, what is it?

How do you fit into all this?
I mean, how do you fit into Tinos?

Oh, I don't know,
I think I've lived...

I was lucky, I guess.

One of the things
that I wanted to do in life

was to live many lives.

Right.

My mother died
when I was very young,

so, I understood
that things can change

from one day to the other.

And so I really...I really live

for different experiences,
you know.

And Tinos is another experience.
It's another life.

And with everything
I've been through,

I think that it's a wonderful place
to relax, think,

and recreate a new path, let's say.

So, you've lived a lot of lives
like in one life, a lot of lives.

So, it's a lot of culture.

Do you think
you're a bit of an outlier

amongst the people in Tinos?

Oh, no.
God, look at what surrounds you.

Yeah.
Tinos is culture.

Our walk took us
to the Ursulines Monastery,

which is in the village of Loutra.

It was founded in 1862,

and for 130 years

operated as a female
education centre.

Today, it's a folklore museum
but throughout the many years,

it has had various roles.

Acting as an orphanage, university,

French-speaking high school
and a boarding house

but it's best known
as being a place of education.

Countless school children
have passed through these halls,

arriving as simple country girls

and emerging
as educated young adults

ready to face the modern world.

While the core ideals of convents

lie in the conservative values
of religious conviction,

they're also a sanctuary
for those in need

and places of learning.

It looks like
they're just about to have lunch.

Yes, it's true.
That nothing's changed.

Absolutely nothing.

The displays depict
what life was like in the convent

at a time when the last nun
finally left in 1991.

Although it does look like
they were trapped in the 1950s.

Everything you see

had been used
by the students and nuns

as they went about
their simple existence.

They lived at a time when almost
everything was done by hand.

It was like stepping back in time.

(LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

I know.

What are you doing?
Where do I bring you?

You got to remember,
I've got a sore knee.

So, take it easy on me, right?

Don't worry.

Thank you. Thank you.
It's fine. You are on holy ground.

Yeah, that's right. That's right.
Nothing had happened to you.

(LAUGHTER)

The closing of the convent
came at a time

when Tinos was rapidly moving
into the modern era.

It coincided with the decline
of traditional practices

like basket weaving,

and during a period
where tourism was on the rise.

Thankfully,

some of the cultural activities
of the past

survived this transition
to modernity.

One such example is winemaking.

Somehow over years of toil,

they cleared the boulders

from their terraced fields
and planted grapes.

Today, they harvest a decent crop

that enables them
to produce enough wine

to sell at local bars and taverns.

For me, it was a chance
to have one final sunset drink

before calling an end
to another Greek summer.

The next series will bring an end
to my odyssey

as I'll finally be fulfilling
my dream of stepping foot

on all the inhabited Greek islands.

The final instalment will see me
visiting Euboea, Skiathos, Skopelos,

Alonnisos,
Kea, Makronisos,

Poros,
Agistri and Aegina.

So, as much
as it saddened me

to be saying goodbye
to Tinos,

I was excited
to think that

in the weeks to come

I'll be researching

where I'm headed
to next summer.

(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

Captioned by AI-Media
ai-media.tv