Greek A to Ω – Ξ (Xi) is for Xεnία or Hospitality

Antonia and Vangelis – Homer’s Inn Hotel

The theme of hospitality is very important and prevalent in the Greek culture and Philoxenia is an important point of pride for Greeks and is something rooted in ancient times and in mythology.

In a famous story Zeus was said to have disguised himself as a poor man, dressing himself in rags, so that he could visit the homes of Greeks and see how they treated strangers, revealing himself at a certain point as the god he really was, the point of the story being that it’s a good idea to treat strangers or visitors well, because they could turn out to be gods.

We have always enjoyed exceptional hospitality in Greece and I suppose this is one of the reasons for continually going back.  Everywhere we have been Greek people have been welcoming and friendly and I would gladly return to every place I have been or stayed but one place that deserves a special effort to return to is Homer’s Inn on the island of Ios and the home of Vangelis and Antonia and their son Panos where there is always a special welcome.

Robin, Panos (Homer’s Inn Boss), Martin and Lisa

We have been visiting Ios since 2006 (missing only 2010 when we went to the Dodecanese islands instead) but that is no achievement at all compared with Martin, Lisa and Robin who have been returning to Homer’s Inn every year for nearly a quarter of a century.

Robin, being a solo traveller, is not surprisingly more adventurous than most and one morning he entertained us with his tales of his various ways of getting himself to the island. Ferries of course from mainland or nearby islands and flying, but by a variety of alternative routes and different carriers including on one occasion, a seaplane into the harbour; by train and part way on the Orient Express via Sarajevo, and bravest (or maybe daftest) of all by car, driving through central Europe and the Balkans, through Serbia, Kosovo and Bulgaria.

Antonia, Andrew, Kim, Lisa and Robin (photography by Martin)

Philoxenia consists of three basic elements:

1. The respect from host to guest. The host must be hospitable to the guest and provide them with food and drink and a bath, if required.
2. The respect from guest to host. The guest must be courteous to their host and not be a burden.
3. The parting gift (xenion, ξεινήιον) from host to guest. The parting gift is to show the host’s honour at receiving the guest.

In 2008 when we left at the end of our five days there Vangelis presented us with a tea mug each, which represented our acceptance as Homer’s special guests.  How nice was that?  I look forward to going back again soon.

My Favourite Pictures of the Greek Islands – 13

Baptism Decorations on the Island of Ios

Later we returned to the church to see the baptism ceremony of the little girl into the Christian Orthodox Church, which is a major event in the life of any Greek family because of the numerous rites, which accompany it, many of which go back to the earliest centuries of Christianity.  A Greek baptism is a sacred and religious rite that is performed on a baby to cleanse the soul and renounce Satan. The baptism is a complex initiation that starts with an exorcism and officially ends forty days later when the baby is presented to the congregation to receive Holy Communion.

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My Favourite Pictures of the Greek Islands – 12

Fisherman on the Island of Ios

The road out of the village runs past the business end of the harbour and there were some brightly painted boats that had just landed their overnight catch and were negotiating sales with local people and restaurant owners in a babble of animated activity.  It looked like a good nights work and the trading was brisk.

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Greek A to Ω – I (Iota) is for Iος or Ios

In my last blog I included Ios in my top five Greek islands and this might be surprising because the island has a reputation for night clubs, dancing, music and high spirits and we do none of these things.

It is true that Ios is more lively and noisy than my other favourite islands but this doesn’t really matter because the clubbers live in a parallel dimension where they sleep all day and don’t go out until after midnight by which time we are usually enjoying a final drink of the day on the balcony of the apartment.

On a visit in 2009 we walked as usual to our favourite beach about a kilometre and a half from the village and over and around a rocky headland.  The road out of the port runs past the business end of the harbour and there were some brightly painted fishing boats that had just landed their overnight catch and were negotiating sales with local people and restaurant owners in a babble of animated activity.  It looked like a good night’s work and the trading was brisk.

The fish looked interesting and on closer examination of the produce it soon becomes clear why we have to put up with stock shortages whilst the most of the rest of Europe have such an abundance of choice – we are just far too fussy about what we will eat and our preference for fish is restricted to two or three species that we have fished into crisis and near extinction whilst in Greece they will eat a much greater variety of sea food.

We like to buy our fish in little blue polystyrene trays without heads, tails or entrails and ready for the frying pan but here the trays were brimming with fish so fresh that it was still alive and flapping about and winking at the prospective purchasers who were examining it.  The colours were amazing, sparkling silver, gleaming green and radiant red and I looked forward to being reacquainted with one later on my dinner plate.

The little beach at Valmas is delightful where a shabby taverna with a shaded terrace overlooks the shore and the little bay and it is run by an old lady who probably should have retired years ago and who has a limited but interesting menu with the sort of prices that suit my budget.   Going to the beach and the taverna is part of the Ios routine and every day we do the same things as the day before, walk along the same path, go for a swim, then to the taverna and sit at the same table and stare out to sea.  Ios is where we choose to take a break from the hectic island hopping schedule and unwind for a few days.

It is that sort of place…

The walk there and back to Valmas is interesting because of the derelict terraces and dry stone walls that separate the hillside into individual plots of land.  Ios is just one large inhospitable rock that has been baked into submission by the sun but as recently as only fifty years ago people here were scraping away at the thin soil and the stones to try and make a living or to feed the family by growing fruit and vegetables.

There is very little useful land on Ios so this must have been almost unimaginatively difficult.  Then in the 1960s visitors started to arrive and the enterprising islanders realised that there was more money to be made renting out the back room and this was also a lot easier than a twelve-hour day toiling under a hot sun.  The terraces are all abandoned now to thistles and what other few plants can survive in a hostile environment and they are unlikely ever to be cultivated again.  There is no one to look after them or protect the heritage now and soon they will be gone altogether and that will be a sad day.

The path passes by an immaculate blue domed white church where there were preparations for a wedding and a christening and later Kim returned to see the wedding and I joined her later for the baptism to see the ceremony of a little girl being accepted into the Christian Orthodox Church, which is a major event in the life of any Greek family.

A Greek baptism is a sacred and religious rite that is performed to cleanse the soul and renounce Satan. The baptism is a complex initiation that starts with an exorcism and officially ends forty days later when the baby is presented to the congregation to receive Holy Communion.

Unfortunately we weren’t able to stop for the full forty days and we began to feel a bit like intruders on a private family event so before it was all over we left the church and returned to the harbour where we ate next to the fishing boats that were being prepared for another night at sea at a place called the Octopus where, at pavement tables next to the fishermen, we were served excellent food and when they served the fish I am certain one of them winked at me in recognition.

 

Greece 2011, Ios to Antiparos

Although we were travelling to Antiparos today the ferry wasn’t due to leave until very late afternoon so we had most of the day ahead of us to spend on Ios.  After our final breakfast with more delicious figs we packed our bags in preparation for later departure and then walked to the harbour.

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Greece 2011, Ios, Friends, Travel Tales and Weather Forecasts

Antonia and Vangelis – Homer’s Inn Hotel

If one thing was an absolute certainty it was that day twelve of the holiday was going to be very similar to day eleven but without the rugby football in the middle of it.  Martin was going to watch the grand prix but not being a big fan of formula one racing and with Kim not being a big fan of sport of any kind we declined the opportunity to join him. To be honest, I considered myself fortunate to have watched the match the day before and I didn’t want to push my luck!

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Greece 2011, Ios – Snakes, Fishing and a Baptism

I wouldn’t normally watch TV while on holiday but was prepared to make an exception today because England were playing Argentina in the Rugby World Cup and it was being shown at a bar in the village at eleven o’clock so we made arrangements to meet Martin and Lisa there and then went for a walk to the village for an hour or so before it started.

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Greece 2011, Koufonisia to Ios

If we had taken any notice of the Canadian lady’s story about gales and worried about it at all then we needn’t have done because when we woke to our last day in Koufonisia there was no wind at all, the sun was shining and the prospects were good for a perfect day.

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Greece 2011, The Ferry Journeys

My friend Dai Woosnam has suggested that I illustrate the blog with some maps and I am always happy to oblige and fulfil a request!

Island Hopping 2006, Fiftieth Birthday and the Boss Bar Santorini

On arrival first impressions were disappointing. It was noisy and busy and I couldn’t find our transport.  The place was full of pushy, impatient taxi drivers who all wanted to take us to the town.  It was clear to me already that we are now on an island with an airport and the ambiance was quite different.

One driver even nearly convinced me that he was our lift but he wanted 10 euros so I knew that it wasn’t right.  Sally and Charlotte climbed aboard a taxi van full of beefy Australians and were disappointed when I eventually found our arranged transport and they had to pick up their packs and get off again. I think the beefy Australians were disappointed too!  Now that we had our lift things were looking up.

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