To guide ourselves in Folegandros we did not follow a compass. We just trusted our instincts. Which, this summer, pushed us to the Aegean, to a small and calm Cycladic island. With stone, old paths and a living breath of honey. So we took to walking around the map of the Aegean. There, in the south of the Cyclades, our eyes met Folegandros, between the famous Milos and Santorini. As if the small island had some secret magnet, it attracted our attention, explaining the desire of direct acquaintance with it.

APPROACHING THE ISLAND

From minute to minute the outline of Folegandros on the horizon blurs. At 35 knots, the SUPER JET is approaching the island at high speed. Already, details are beginning to emerge: rocky coastline, bare hills not particularly high, ridges carved with long dry stones. This was the picture we had imagined.

We are approaching the eastern end of the island. Between uninhabited islets and islets we enter the natural bay, where the harbour and the settlement of Karavostasis are located. Well sheltered, the harbour is exposed only to the winds of the salmon and lavender.

The boat is easily tied to the pier, with two steps we exit the island. But the approach was not always so simple. Until 1984, when the pier was built, passengers were carried by lance. A photo from 1965 is very characteristic, with the boat full of passengers approaching the boat.  The land background of Karavostasi was sparse behind the boat with few sparsely built houses.

Today Karavostasis has all the characteristics of a modern seaside settlement, with a fairly spacious waterfront, houses built amphitheatrically, hotels and rooms to let, cafes, taverns and various shops. It is a pleasant place, with lively but never disturbing traffic. Nice little buses, seating about 14-15 people, wait for visitors next to each other, with their engines and air conditioning on. Polite people pick us and our luggage up and take us to the hotel “Aspalathras”, very close to the Chora of the island.

THE HEATWAVE DOES NOT STAY HERE

The bus starts the gentle ascent to Chora. The narrow asphalt road crosses a micro-phalange, passing between smooth ridges of hills, rough and stony. We search with our eyes for a trace of green, even a rudimentary one. Impossible. Only brownish-yellow thorns can endure in this rocky landscape

Now and then a stone cairn, a humble extension of the stony ground or a dry-stone fence stands out. We wonder what valuable properties and what grassy pastures are bounded in this ‘cratered place’ of Folegandros.

Suddenly, among the sun-wilted and dull colours of the land, a vivid, all-white touch emerges. It is the chapel of Agioi Panti, built on a gentle slope, half in the depths of the rock and half in the blinding midday light.

A little further up the hill, the little hill ends. At the same time the change of landscape is universal. A wide valley stretches out before us, almost flat. It is tinged with tones of ochre, from field crops, and gradations of green from a wide variety of trees and shrubs. On one side of the valley, to the S-SW, rises a rounded hill, rough and stony. It is the hill of Agios Eleftherios, which, at 416 metres high, is the highest on the island. At the opposite end of the valley, to the north-northeast, the hill of Paleokastro towers, lower than the first but sharp and rugged, aggressive and defiant. At its roots, the Chora of Folegandros stretches lazily. And, further up, at the end of a winding, whitewashed lane, the famous church of Panagia, the pride of the whole island, captures the eye.

Our bus stops at the foot of Agios Eleftherios, a five-minute walk from Chora. Here, at an altitude of 250 meters, is built the hotel “Aspalathras”. Acclimatized for so long in the chill of the air conditioner, we prepare ourselves psychologically to face the temperature shock, which is caused by the hostile July sun. Nothing of the sort is happening. In place of the expected stifling heat, we are greeted by a refreshing breeze, arriving briskly from the Aegean off the north of the island.  Here the heatwave is an intruder and on the rare occasions it attempts to appear, it is immediately driven out by the unruly honeymooners.

An even more pleasant coolness prevails inside our room, which, as it is light and airy, allows the meltemi to move with complete freedom. The air conditioner has a decorative character, even during the hottest hours of the day.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PAST

The elevated position of the hotel ensures us a panoramic view of the Chora. Which, one stride away, invites us to wander through the labyrinth of its narrow streets. Earlier, however, we feel it necessary to take a brief look back in time. A past, however, of which we can know very little, since ‘no excavation or even superficial archaeological research has been carried out’. Nevertheless, the prehistoric occupation of the island can be attested by scattered obsidian blades, as well as by early Cycladic shells, which have been observed on the hill of Panagia and near Karavostasis. Also, on the small rocky peninsula of Kastellos, at the northernmost tip of the island, the remains of a small prehistoric settlement have been found, with walls of rough stones and a more solid wall than the others, built with crockery, which could be considered a defensive wall of the settlement. The pottery found gives a first date of around the middle of the 3rd millennium BC, i.e. the Early Cycladic II period.

But where does the island get its name from? Foreign travellers and Greek scholars attribute the name to Folegandros, son of King Minos of Crete. Strabo, in his Geographics in the 1st century AD, calls Folegandros ‘σιδηρεί’ (‘iron island’), for its rough terrain, echoing a verse by the poet Aratus. Antipater also calls Folegandros ‘αυχμηри’, i.e. ‘furrowed’. Cretans, Carians and Dorians successively inhabited the island. The first written reference to which is found in an inscription of 425 BC found in the Acropolis of Athens. A second reference is found in an inscription of the 4th-3rd century BC at Delphi.

As for the location of the ancient Acropolis, it was on the steep hill of Paleokastro that dominates Chora, a little higher than the iconic temple of Panagia. There we find, among the bushes of phloem bushes, thymes and thorns, remains of ancient walls and house masonry, fragments of pottery from the classical to the Byzantine and modern times, a ruined tank with a hydraulic curasan of exceptional construction. Also at the foot of Paleokastro, as we ascend to the church of Panagia, a part of a 4th century BC wall is preserved in the cemetery of Agios Ioannis, in very good condition. Also prominent in the mausoleum of the Drelia family is the upper part of a statue from Roman times.

More marble architectural elements can be found in the area of the church of Panagia.

Continuing our brief historical review, we mention that during the Venetian occupation of the Aegean islands (13th – 16th century), Folegandros belonged to the Duchy of Naxos. During this period it was called “Polykandros”, a name it would retain until the middle of the 19th century.

During the Middle Ages the island was affected by constant pirate raids. Christoforo Buondelmonti describes Folegandros at the beginning of the 15th century as deserted and uncultivated because of the pirate raids. In 1617 the island passed into the complete possession of the Turks, while in 1828 it was liberated and became part of the newly established Greek state.

In 1816, the island was incorporated into the Greek State and became part of the new State of Greece.

– Before you start your land tours, my father invites you to experience with him the south-west coastline of the island, says Margarita Veniou from the travel agency “DIAPLOUS”. Unfortunately, the meltemi does not allow to get acquainted with the northern beaches.

We accept the invitation with enthusiasm.

From the little square of Pounta, at the entrance of Chora, we take the bus to the port of Karavostasis (ticket price 1,60€). The bus is filled with foreign tourists -mainly- who long to get to know and swim in the most beautiful beaches of the island.

Captain Yannis Venios welcomes us with the crew on “STELLA EXPRESS II”, a wonderful wooden boat with a length of 15,50 meters. Then he gives us a privileged place next to it, on the bridge of the boat. There, apart from the unobstructed view, we can get direct information about all the features of the route.

We set sail at 11 o’clock sharp on a S-SE course. Before we leave the harbour, a small part of the all-white church of Panagia is visible for a while on the slope of Paleokastro. We pass in front of the desert island of Agios Ioannis with the homonymous chapel. Opposite is the beautiful sandy beach of Livadi, with an extensive cluster of tamarisk trees. Rocky shores follow, hardly friendly. Immediately afterwards, we cavort the soupy cape of Vicenzo or Gadara. There’s the little sea cave of Georgitsis.

11:15′. We pass between the beautiful beach of Katergos and the long desert island “Long Katergos”. Lovely, clear waters, several people already enjoying their coolness. I take a look at the captain.

– You wonder why we don’t stop for a swim, don’t you? Don’t worry. We’re saving Katergos for the return trip, as the last pleasant memory of the whole trip.

After Katergos, the narrow pass called “Diapori” is formed. A completely rocky coastline follows, with limestone cliffs several tens of meters high. We are already passing outside the caves of Kokkinos.  It is impressive how salted and inhospitable this coastal part of the island is.

The sites follow one after the other: at first the “Alatsaria”, with its rock cavities, in which small, natural salt ponds are created. Then the ‘Skales’, with the remains of terraces that were once cultivated. Milos looms on the NW horizon and a little further north, the massive and uninhabited Polyaigos. Next in line is the “Lakkos” area with the shoals of Agios Nikolaos, from the homonymous chapel on the Petousis plateau. Next is a rugged area with wild cliffs.

– This is “Kakovola”, the captain explains to me, a place that is difficult to walk on. And this coast with its vertical cliffs is called “Dokaria”.

11:40′. We’re anchoring on the cape of the “Mega”. At the top of the northern land horizon, the white outlines of some houses of Ano Meria, the most isolated and mountainous settlement of the island, stand out.

The coastline finally calms down, we enter the calm waters of the large bay “Vathi”. In its cove is amphitheatrically built the small settlement of “Agkali”.  Here is the most popular and friendly beach of the island, with easy access and exceptionally clean waters. Agkali is also connected to Chora by regular urban routes.

Immediately after Agkali we pass openly by the tiny beach of Galyfou with rooms to let without electricity, ideal for hermits and romantics.  A little bigger is the beach of Agios Nikolaos, with many tamarisks, two tavernas and the chapel of Agios Nikolaos. Very quickly we reach the cape of Aspropountas with the homonymous imposing lighthouse built on the edge of a vertical cliff. With great surprise, we see the familiar outline of the Panagia in Chora on the east of the island.

– Wherever we find ourselves, the Virgin Mary accompanies us, says the Captain.

After the lighthouse, we pass openly through stunning bays with the first one being “Livadaki”. Several passengers are making exclamations of admiration for the wonderful waters. I look at the captain.

– They will soon be compensated for their patience, he says with a smile.

Kyra-Xenis cave, small successive coves and at 12:05′, an hour after our departure, we arrive in front of the mouth of the “Vineyard” cove. The captain reduces the engine speed and the boat stops. We are very close to the northwestern end of the island. We won’t continue, because after the “Kyparissi” cape, the meltemi is lurking. It’s already making its presence felt offshore.

The boat is anchored with an anchor on the bottom and a rope skillfully tied to a rock on the shore. Immediately afterwards, a stop for a 20-minute swim is announced in three languages. The announcement is greeted with shouts of joy and dives from every part of the boat. There is a real pandemonium, but it is very exciting.

– These moments are for me the most beautiful of the trip, says Captain Yannis Venios. Seeing foreigners appreciate and enjoy our beauty.

A wonderful beach is Ambeli, the most remote beach on the island, with a mixed bottom and clear waters. Outside, the coast is rocky. Many of the rocks are green. Three minutes before twelve-thirty the boat horn sounds, informing us that the 20-minute mark is up. Some people complain in the water. They are Greeks, mostly. The foreigners accept the punctuality unquestioningly.

12:30′. We leave Ambeli but in 10 minutes we stop at Livadaki. Here the beauty of the scenery is stunning, a unique combination of a serene pebble and sandy beach surrounded by spectacular rocky cliffs of wild beauty. The waters are green-blue, of incredible transparency. Several tamarisk trees cast their shadows at the mouth of the gorge that leads to the shore, while the trail that reaches here from the end of Ano Meria is also visible. High to the north, on the top of a hill, the all-white, idyllic silhouette of Agioi Anargyroi stands out.

In front of the mouth of the bay, a small island, “Nisaki to Livadaki”, protrudes from the sea. Above the surface of the water the rock is black, turning white at the top. Another feature of the place is the imperceptible path, which, crossing the cliff on the east with a protective wall, continues towards the lighthouse. Its course seems to be very exciting.

– This path was used to transport supplies when lighthouse keepers still lived at the lighthouse, the captain tells me.

After the usual stop for a swim, it’s the equally desirable time for lunch with the captain’s wife’s homemade goodies: cheese and spinach pies, meatballs made from fava beans, tomato, tzatziki and olives. A tasty, thoughtful and light meal. Later fruit and raki.

On board again for a stop, about an hour, at the bay of Ag. Nikolaos.

15:00′. We set off for “Katergos”, the last stop of the excursion. The captain announces a one-hour stop. The place is so attractive that even if the stop would last until the evening, no one would object. Many adventurous people climb up the rocky, long islet “Long Katergos” and dive from above. In the haze of the E-NE horizon, Santorini is faintly visible, and in the distance, even more faintly, the deserted “Christiana”.

How the pleasant moments pass so quickly! It is already 16:30′!

The Castle behind us is unraveling. We set sail for Georgitsis’ cave, having an orca on the grass, which in the heat of the afternoon is wonderfully cool. Shallow and narrow, the cave can only be penetrated by boats. Its walls are solid limestone. After the cave of Vitsentzos, the granite becomes more fresh. But Karavostasis is not far away. In a few minutes we are greeted by the tranquility of the harbour. It’s 5 o’clock in the afternoon. Our six-hour excursion comes to an end.

THE COUNTRY OF FOLEGANDROS

From a distance, the Chora does not show its beauty. It does not resemble the Countries of other islands, climbing full of swagger on steep slopes, such as Serifos and Patmos, Astypalaia, Ios, and so many others. Here in Folegandros, looking at it from the south, Chora looks like a residential extension of the great plateau. A glance, however, from the facing hills of Ano Meria reveals a completely different face: a curvilinear arrangement of houses, balanced daringly on the edge of the vertical cliff, 200 metres above the rocky coast.

For visitors arriving in Chora from the port, the main access is from the SE entrance, at the square of Pounda. A small and picturesque square, Pounta offers unobstructed views of the sea to the north, while to the east and west it overlooks the hills of Agios Eleftherios and Paliokastro. It is the starting and ending point of the city buses and the beginning of the cemented road that ascends to Panagia.

Our walk around Chora is light and relaxing in flat streets and alleys. There are no uphill and no steps here. Everywhere the floor is perfectly paved with local slates in grey-green tones. Rarely have we encountered such meticulous construction. The alley after Punta passes by the castle’s pier, which we will get to know later. Across the road is the Trulloan temple of the Cross.

Immediately afterwards we find ourselves in Dounavi Square, the second in line of Chora, with the Metropolitan Church of St. Nicholas. In the centre of the square stands a large plane tree with dense, shady branches. From the sea side, the cool breezes of the honeymoon arrive. All around are cafes and taverns, a beautiful place to relax. Here, in the café “Ki araxe”, we meet George Lizardo, a great explorer-sailor and a top photographer.

Following on from Dounavi is Kontarini Square, elevated in the centre to create a spacious paved pedestal, filled with tables from the adjacent tavernas. The shade in the square is created by a few large trees around the perimeter: a tuberose tree, pepper tree, olive tree, almond tree, mulberry tree and cucurbit tree. Lunch or dinner in the square is one of the most beautiful moments one can experience in Chora. Equally picturesque are the nightly hours of relaxation and socializing on the beautiful terrace of the church of Agios Antonios by locals, Greeks and foreign visitors of all ages.

Last on our walk next to Kontarini Square we come across the square of Piazza. Here dominates, with its ancient presence, the church of Theoskepasti, which is not open to visitors due to restoration works.

Tavernas, bars and cafes, shops with a wide variety of gifts and products succeed one another, creating a pleasant picture of perpetual mobility and liveliness from the early morning until the last hours of the night.

Various smells, particularly attractive, fill the atmosphere outside the restaurants, grill shops and ouzerias. Fried fish and grilled octopus, grilled meats and gyros, as well as typical stews, invite and invite you to stop by for a tasty meal. At lunchtime but especially in the cooler evenings, the tables are hard to find, filling all the shops to capacity.

The main street with its vertical narrow streets leads us after a while to the southern exit of Chora, to the ring road, where, after so many hours, we see cars again. Here dominates the famous CHORA RESORT a 5* complex, which with its flowers, the pools, the openness and the excellent architecture is a real jewel for Chora and the island.

IN THE CASTLE’S ALLEYS

We penetrate the Castle, either from the narrow, covered “Paraporti”, opposite the chapel of Stavros or from “Loggia”, near the church of Taxiarchis. Before we start our little wanderings, it is worth reminding you that according to the Architect-Engineer of the B’ E.B.A. of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Lina Dematha, “the castle area in the space and in the historical time of the Cyclades, refers as a rule to a form of settlement organization rather than to fortification constructions. They are defensive settlements whose foundation dates back to the Latin occupation and which are still in existence today. The fortification character of a castle of this type consists mainly in its defensive perimeter, the result of the continuous construction of houses in a closed shape. The outer walls of the houses themselves form a continuous perimeter wall with small and small openings”.

We enter the castle from the open-air entrance, the Loggia. We leave a long ‘walk’ covered with fiddles and head left. Immediately pass under a smaller gallery, which like an intermediate balcony connects two opposite castle houses, providing an escape route in case of danger.

Beautiful houses march past us, whitewashed, with orange windows in green and blue. Many flowers add colour and beauty. At the westernmost end of this road, on the edge of the chaotic vertical cliff, stands like a fortress bastion the trident-shaped temple of Christ or Pantanassa. The view of the sea from this point is unique.

Here is a mosaic house with old masonry, relief rosettes and a cross. The name of the square is inscribed on a marble plaque, built into the chapel of Agia Sophia: ‘LILI BEHRAKI’. A neighbouring old house preserves its original wooden door and stone-engraved rosettes, while other stone-engravings near the ground resemble a fishbone.

We penetrate the long walk we had encountered at the beginning. It takes us into an improbable alley less than a metre wide. We turn right and find ourselves in front of a house dated 1751. Beautiful houses, attached to each other, create an enclosed community that is impossible to suspect when you are in the open squares of Chora.

The alleyway ends at the small hotel “CASTRO”. Our wanderings are nearing their end. Going downhill to the right we cross the narrow Paraporti and come out in Chora. Our trek, however, in the area of the castle, had a few more surprises in store for us, unexpected and exciting.

IN THE SANCTUARY OF VENIOS: GOLD IN THE SKY

–By the “Kastro” hotel there is a wide, arched alleyway. Climb the stairs and you will find yourself in front of my home. Come and have a cup of coffee, says Markos Venios, saying good night to us.

Earlier we have the pleasure of clinking glasses with our two first cousins, the photographer George Lizardo and the painter of Folegandros, Markos Venios.

In the early morning hours we again traverse the narrow, shadowy Paraporti, entering the narrow confines of the medieval city of the Castle. Two minutes later we climb the few stone steps to Venios’s terrace. We find him sitting in the shade, enjoying the breezes of the honeymoon. Stepping onto the landing, the change in microclimate is striking and the coolness that prevails is unique.

–Where was all that melting hidden?

–Behind the castle walls and the blocks of houses. But up here in me, he’s got a permanent visa to come and go as he pleases. Welcome, my friends, to my poor house.

It is impossible to imagine a place more beautiful and more privileged than the terrace of Venios, which overlooks to the southwest the hill of Agios Eleftherios, on the horizon of the tramuntana and the maistro the restless – usually – Aegean Sea, and further to the east even the holy hill of Panagia with the pyramid of Paleokastro and the chaotic cliff.

–How can you stand such beauty? I ask Markos.

–I can’t stand it, even after all the years I’ve been looking at it. That’s why I break out my brushes and paints. Maybe I’ll manage to keep a piece of her for myself. But, what do you think, is beauty ever imprisoned, put in the context of nature?

With these words Venios gently pushes open a heavy lulac-coloured door and ushers us into his studio, into the sanctuary of his own space, where he thinks, envisions, inspires, sketches, paints, spreads with religious reverence the delicate, almost transparent sheets of gold in the skies of his works. He feels for hours, days or even weeks the oddities of his “artistic” birth, he is excited, disappointed, approves or rejects, until the moment when he finally comes to terms with himself and signs in the lower right part of the work, in this peculiar way and in red ink: “M. Venios”

We expect to encounter a sweet messiness, so expected and familiar to artists. But our friend’s neatness leaves us surprised.

Folegandros and the Aegean. All around us are Venios’s two great, timeless loves. He has been devoted to them for half a century now, since his early school days. But always unsatisfied, always strict and stressful with himself. As any authentic creator must be. Leaving the workshop for a moment, we go into the living room, with its wonderful handmade antique furniture.  We observe the delicacy, the simplicity of the lines, the finish of the furniture.

–What kind of wood are they made of?, I ask Markos.

-He answers from the wreckage of ships, from voyages that never ended.

Markos’s bedroom is the smallest room in the house. As it is bright, it is a permanent resident of the melemma. The heatwave is a complete stranger here. The iron bed, from the late 19th century, was his parents’ wedding dress. He was born in it, after all. I try to imagine – but without success – what it is like to still sleep in the bed that bears the indelible aura of his parents, the one where he himself first saw the light.

The walls are adorned – among other things – with an engraving by his friend Pheasant and two excellent, large maps of the Cycladic islands.

–I always want to travel, even if only mentally, to the Aegean islands.

Next to the kitchen, which is full of objects and utensils from other eras, is the last room of the house. Here, among objects of sentimental -mainly- value for Markos, is the first work he made for Chora and the hill of Panagia, in his early school years. The sky, of course, of the work is painted blue; Venios had not at that age developed the peculiar technique that later made him famous, that of creating the background of the sky by coating gold or silver leaf.

–Enjoy the honey on the veranda for a while, I won’t be long, says our friend, and disappears into the kitchen. First a delicious Cretan raki arrives. It is accompanied by Folegandros products: tomatoes, capers, olives and dry cucumbers. Then comes the “souroto”, the delicious local cheese. To top off these charming delicacies are frozen prickly pears and a platter filled with black figs.

–I went and picked them at 7am for you, says our friend. In all the years I’ve been reading you, I feel like you’re my people.

Time, however, passes mercilessly the sun’s path grows taller in the sky, the shadow of the house gives way to blinding light. The melemite does its best to cool us, but without much success.

–Tuesday is a difficult time for the porch, Markos observes. And unfortunately, the two palm trees are still too small, they have a weak shade.

–I hope we shall meet again after many years on this terrace, I say to our friend, when your palms will be perfectly able to protect us with their shade.

IN THE ROOFTOPS OF VIRGIN MARY

In the early mornings and late afternoons, when the heat is falling, a caravan of people starts to go up from the square of Punta to the church of the Virgin Mary. Passing first through beautiful houses, with many flowers and trees, the asphalt road quickly turns into a narrow concrete lane, which climbs up the steep slope with constant meandering. In between is the cemetery of St John with its ancient wall and the head of the Roman statue. The landscape then becomes stony and barren, with successive dry stone walls holding back terraces of small fields. The only vegetation is the flamingo and thorn bushes.

With a leisurely walk we cover in less than 15 minutes the altitude difference of 90 meters from Punta (225m) to Panagia (325m). Here, then, ‘below the peak of the ancient “Paliokastro”, the Christian acropolis of the temple dominates’.

The multi-trussed temple, with the alternating shadows on its complex domes, gives us a truly impressive overall picture. To the right of the main entrance is a massive cylindrical base of grey granite, on the top of which traces of the feet of a bronze statue survive. A large part of the cylindrical surface bears an engraved long Roman inscription. The bell tower is also impressive, with a headless and limbless statue trunk embedded in its lower part.

In the courtyard there are scattered sections of columns and a marble iconostasis with beautiful ribbed decoration. The main entrance of the church has a marble lintel and pilasters with various reliefs. A built-in marble plaque bears the inscription and the date ACHPZ (1687), which is probably later than the original construction of the church.

Surprisingly, the frescoes are completely absent from the interior of the one-room church without aisles. The marble iconostasis, made of white and grey marble by stonecutters, is impressive. In the centre of the paved floor there is a funerary monument, as the reliefs of the ecostamps, skull and bicephalic eagle suggest.

We had the opportunity to visit the Virgin Mary at various times from early morning until the last light of the evening. We climbed the uphill path to the top of Paleokastro among the remains of the ancient masonry, moved to the SE of the ridge to the “Vigla”, gazed at the unique goddess from every point of the horizon. Unfortunately, we did not have the time or the instructions of a well-informed local to point out the dangerous access that from ancient times led to the legendary Chrysospilia.

IN ANEMOESSA – PANO PARTIA

Looking at the map of Folegandros we first think that Pano Meria is just the remote settlement on the northwestern mainland of the island. But reading the first sentences from the writings of the architect Stavros Stavridis we can’t wait to get to know the place:  “There are days when in Pano Meria, in the dead of winter, it blows so hard that no one can get out. The children don’t go to school in case the wind blows them away… It’s summer days again when the tame north wind cools the fiery earth, the fiery houses and the fiery faces… This village seems to unravel its life in the wind. Its inhabitants are never quiet, the peace is followed by the roar, the ‘fresh north winds, the panisiades’ the wet south winds’.

It’s been raging since morning, in our hotel’s swimming pool. It’s stirring up seats and tables. Only the big boats are allowed out on the sea. But where it’s beating, the sun is hot.  We decide at noon, in the midday sun, to set off for Pano Meria on the 13:30 bus from Punta. It is probably the most inopportune time to be on the sunny, windswept ridge of the Upper Meria. Or is it the most realistic time to get to know the place? That was to prove to be the case.

Leaving Sikinos with its smallest satellite, Kardiotissa, on our starboard side, we gazed down at the low cliffs of Chora with its foamy shores and headed for the mainland. The bus groans on the steep uphill, the dry landscape and the glare are reminiscent of Mexico. A signboard reminds us that we are already in the territory of the Upper Merida, the appearance of the first houses, sparsely built, lonely in the absolute desert.

The uphill ends, the bus enters the most densely populated part of the settlement, with two small shops and as many taverns. The bus continues to cross the sparsely built long street of Pano Meria. It stops at two strategic points and once it reaches the “outside” of Pano Meria. There, at the height of the church of Taxiarchis, it ends its journey on a plateau of the road. It is the last inhabited point of the settlement, with a few houses and a tavern “the MATSAKI’S SUNSHINE”. The little shop is completely exposed to the rampant attacks of the pundit, the maestro and the garbi. Its large glass panes, though firmly secured against the winds, come and go with violent creaking in their joints.

-Don’t be afraid, they can withstand stronger winds, young Dimitri reassures us. We rest for a while, gazing at the murkiness of the sea and in the afternoon, we start to get to know the Upper Meria. As we emerge into the hills, the heat softens. We recall again the writings of Stavros Stavridis: “Pano Meria was built as if to live with this wind. Not only with its fear but also with the resourcefulness that can make the power of the wind useful, sometimes pleasant, sometimes playful. Every house has its back turned to the north wind, trying by its shape to define a courtyard sheltered. Small windows to the north wind spy on its moods, while sheltering from the cold. On the other side, the larger windows look as far as the position of the plot of land allows them to the street, where everything happens, where everyone necessarily passes through, going to their business and to their “veggies”.

Observing in our tour the structure and arrangement of the houses, we note at every step the accuracy of Stavridis’ words. But we are also impressed by the presence of threshing floors, which in Pano Meria are many. Stavridis mentions this: “The threshing-floor in every homestead is, on the contrary, on the North. The threshing floor needs the summer winds. Often, indeed, a bunch of ears of wheat, tied with a small rope to a piece of wood, make a makeshift weather vane, the ‘pageroli’.

The “little house of Lemonie”

In the Upper Meria we notice something else, which we have never seen before.  It is the famous “Treehouse” or “Lemon House”. Stavridis writes about it: “Perhaps the most peculiar safeguard against the wind is the Panamerican ‘treehouses,’ circular buildings surrounding a valuable tree, usually a lemon-tree. They are made of stone and rise slowly as the tree grows, with only a small doorway to enter and pick the lemons. Observing all these ‘lemon houses’ we notice a wondrous uniformity, as if they were made by the same craftsman. Their walls are made of the ash or ash-green slate stones of the place, which are easily split and cut with a hammer. The masonry is made with great care and with an impeccable circular shape. The presence of all these little lemon trees next to the human houses of the Upper Side is an astonishing and unprecedented, almost touching image. Because it expresses in the most vivid way not only the ingenuity and construction skills of the Panomerians to tame the conditions of the environment where they live, but also an increased sensitivity for the protection of the precious and weak lemon tree in the face of difficult times.

On the main road of Pano Meria, a completely different construction suddenly attracts our attention. It is perhaps the most anthropomorphic scarecrow we have ever seen. It is so realistically made and dressed, that from a distance it gives the impression of a living person with open hands.

-Why was this scarecrow put there?, we ask someone.

–To scare the crows away from the vineyards. In the old days, when there were many crops, we didn’t think much of it, let the birds eat them. But nowadays, the few crops that are produced need protection.

AT THE FOLKLORE ECOMUSEUM OF FOLEGANDROS. A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.

In the first houses of Pano Meria, under the hill with the chapel of Theologos, Markos Venios directs us to the Folklore Ecomuseum of Folegandros.

It is a space, both indoor and outdoor, which would not be an exaggeration if we were to say that it is the most vivid, complete and fascinating depiction of everyday rural life. A life that each family lives in its own territorial territory and in its own settlement, the famous “Themonia” (from the ancient “Themon”, meaning heap).

The location of the complex on the gentle hillside is wonderful and the view is unique. With our guide Markos Venios, one of the pioneers in conceiving the creation of the Museum, we walk around the site. But how did the idea of the Museum come about? Our friend takes a mental leap into the past.

–In 1983, when I was still serving as an art conservator at the Archaeological Service of the Ministry of Culture, I met the archaeologists Tzeli Haritonidou, Maria Theocharis and Liana Parlamas in Folegandros. On our walks to abandoned farms, chapels and stables we walked on shells, watching domestic animals eating in clay museum plates or cups. Then the idea of establishing a Cultural Association and a Folklore Museum to preserve this heritage was born. “You as a Folegandrian ought to participate,” the archaeologists told me. We, who fell in love with Folegandros, will help as much as possible”. So, in February 1984, the Folegandros Cultural Association was founded and four years later, we were celebrating the opening of the Museum.

In the wonderful brochure of the Museum, Archaeologist Angeliki Vavylopoulou Haritonidou states, among other things, the following: “When in the summer of 1983 a group of archaeologists, Maria Theochari, Liana Parlama and the undersigned, first travelled to Folegandros and climbed up to the rural settlement of Pano Meria, our impressions were unexpected. In an incessant flurry, the intense character of the arid rough land, the dry stone structures, the primitive settlements, the presence of a distant, through centuries of austere, hard life, distanced us from any modern reality of our time and culture. The whole settlement was a traditional open-air, ecological folklore museum…”

Then we thought that one of these most peculiar farmhouses with its whole grid of outbuildings and accessories, surrounded by a wall of dry stone, should survive and be preserved, forming a residential unit, a “Themonia” as the locals call it, from the ancient verb meaning to gather.

We founded a Cultural Association in Athens called ¨The Folegandros¨ and with the support of the Directorate of Folk Art of the Ministry of Culture, we bought a dilapidated winter garden that gathered all the elements of the primitive, the improvised but also of perfect functionality. The President of the Association, Markos Venios, a Folegandriot, painter and art conservator, and Vice President Chr. Thliveris, architect, after hiring local craftsmen and workers, with Loukas Marinakis as the master builder, undertook the conservation and restoration of Themonia, following its original form and authentic elements, working with traditional materials and techniques.

Walking through the open-air area, we pass by the beautiful threshing floor, the well-built “Lemon House”, the cisterns of the rainwater, the primitive washing machine for clothes, as well as the primitive wine press carved in solid rock, for pressing the grapes from the adjacent vineyard. In a tiny sponge-box grow lilipotent tomatoes, mint and oregano with a surprising fragrance.

An impressive remnant is the open-air fountain. On a raised circular pedestal stands the heavy stone ‘Cylinder’ which crushes the olives as it is rotated by three men. The pulp is then collected in special hand-knitted sacks by the women and carried to the covered olive press. It is there that the most primitive system of rubbing the olive, the ‘anti’, is preserved. It is a wooden lever, supported by a dent in the wall, which presses the sack of pulp so that the oil flows into a special clay container, the ‘marco’.

The wood-burning oven of the summer burned with thorns, chaff and thyme, since there are no more tree trees on the island. Special mention should be made of the roofs of the buildings in the winter months. To restore them, the traditional technique that has been used for centuries in the Cyclades was followed. The roof is covered with large slates. They are held together by parallel trunks of wild cypress, the well-known “fida” of eternal durability. In those centuries such trees grew in the land of Folegandros , but since the 19th century they have not grown again. On top of the slabs a mud of lime and soil is spread, the so-called “rodening” is done. A thick layer of dried seaweed follows and finally the whole roof is covered with if oily clean soil that becomes waterproof when it dries.

Two visits are devoted to the museum: one in the brisk morning light and another in the soft light of the evening. Both times we are fascinated by the magic of the place, the stunning local stone buildings and the wealth of rare and traditional objects and tools on display in excellent state of preservation. In Greece, probably, there is nothing similar, so innovative and so fascinating.

A SHORT TOUR OF THE ISLAND’S N-NA

The private car is not totally necessary in Folegandros. The distances are short and the public transport routes are quite convenient. One day, however, to save time we needed a car. The hotel management kindly provided us with one.

Arriving at Karavostasis we took the coastal road to the beaches of Latinaki, Vitsentzou and Poundaki. Trees, flowers and significant development with tourist complexes many and well. We are lucky enough to be kept cool at all times by a full-grown grass – tramuntana – which fills the surface of the sea with foamy waves and gives it a wild beauty. Very quickly we reach the wide Livadi bay, with friendly waters, pebbles, sand and a large cluster of tamarisk trees. A little further up are the facilities of the unique CAMPING of Folegandros.

We follow the asphalt road in a south-west direction. For one and a half kilometres we cross a pleasant, long, narrow plain with cereal crops, greenhouses, small vineyards, many low fig and prickly pear trees. An uphill cement road leads to Livadi, a tiny settlement with a few small houses and winter gardens, at an altitude of 70 metres. It’s a rough place, reminiscent of Mexico. The dry stone walls also furrow the slopes of the opposite hill “Viglitsa”. Before the uphill to Livadi, a path leads to the south-east towards the well-known “Katergos”, while another path oriented north-west leads to the settlement of Petousis.

We are not prepared for hiking, so we return to Chora, which is only 6 km from Livadi. Before Chora we climb south towards Petousis. Barren terrain, thorns and rock, occasional small crevasses with meadows arid, hardy and tough as tamarisk. About two and a half kilometres later we reach Petousis, at an altitude of 245 metres. A small settlement with a few houses and winter gardens. Here too, the land is barren, with dry stone fences and a small olive grove. On the hilltop above the settlement, we look out over the sea, the chapel of Prophet Elias on a hilltop and even the Virgin Mary of Chora. Chora itself, however, remains hidden. There is a charming austerity about the place, it could – under certain conditions – host a small ecotourism complex completely traditional.

A good dirt road starts in a northwest direction. It crosses an elongated valley formed between the almost level hills of Chukla Koura and Petali. Cereal crops with dry stone fences create geometric shapes.

In between there are several olive trees, grills, alfalfa bushes and a well-fenced vineyard. There are also several goats trying to shelter from the midday sun in the cramped shade of a dry stone.

A mile and a half after Petousis, the road ends in front of the chapel of Agios Nikolaos, one-roomed, tiny and domed. Next to it there are small houses with a traditional fireplace and a characteristic ceiling made of old fiddles. The olive trees in the area have long had their branches subordinated to the North. Above the chapel the lane ends in a small corral. Behind the corral, wide open to the meadow, we discover a beautiful threshing floor with greenish slabs. A very special place with bucolic charm, bells and the bells of goats grazing on the opposite slope.

ON THE PATHS OF FOLEGANDROS: UPPER MERIA – VINEYARD PARALIA

A study of the hiking map of Folegandros reveals a labyrinthine network of paths, with the density of a cobweb, running through every part of the island.

-To catch up with everything, we shouldn’t have to worry about anything else.

-It’s all right, as much as we can catch up, he says. But let’s get started.

We choose as our first destination the beach of Abelio, in the northwest of the island. As a starting point we have the tavern of Mitsakis, at the end of Pano Meria. Asphalt road slightly downhill, at 400 meters we meet the path to the beach “Livadaki” and 600 meters later (1km. from our starting point) the sign for Ampeli at an altitude of 250 meters.

At the beginning of the route the path is wide, paved or cobbled. A path on the right leads to a small lodge , “Noto”, which overlooks the sea all alone. 10 minutes later we come across the incredibly picturesque chapel of Agios Panteleimon. The coolness of the honeymoon and the view is unique. A good dirt road begins after the chapel. In some dry stone walls, vertical slabs are interspersed at intervals, bringing to mind the famous architecture of the ¨stomas¨ on the fences of Andros. Lower down on the left we see a wonderful ravine, covered with meadows that are constantly revealing themselves in the most remote parts of the island.

On the terraces of dry stone walls a few wells appear now and then, but it is doubtful whether they have a drop of water. A large tamarisk with thick shade marks the end of the dirt road and the beginning of the path. It is downhill and quite rough, sometimes paved and sometimes with steps, natural or man-made. A 10 minute walk later, the trail ends at the gully bed, just 100 metres from the Ampeli. ‘There is an old well in the gully, which is submerged in the thick shade of dense tamarisk trees. A good dirt road reaches here from the height of the chapel of Zoodochos Pigi. It is an alternative road access for those who do not choose the slow, traditional way on foot.

By robbing -unnecessarily- the unseen path, which the map points out through the ravine bed, we take the same route again for the return. Already in the first few minutes, we meet an old Panomerite with 5 mules. As he gazes down at the tourists below, he shouts over and over again: “Mulo, Mulo, Anomeria”. Then he starts to go downhill.

–Do you get people with mules?, I ask him.

–Sure, he replies.

–And what do you want?

–It depends.

-Depends on what?

–Well, it depends on a lot of things, says the wily conductor, and avoids answering.

The chapel of Agios Panteleimon is one of the most picturesque on the island. Magnificent masonry with massive granite stones sticking out of the plaster, a perfectly paved courtyard and wonderful terraces in the shade of eucalyptus trees. The chapel is dated 1838 and the enclosure 1875. We rest in the cool melter and in the shade, gazing at the blue vastness of the Aegean Sea. It is our reward from the nature of Folegandros.

UPPER MERIA -AG. GEORGE: LYGARIA – SERFIOTIKO

Pano Meria attracts us like a magnet. It is, after all, the place where many paths start. One of them leads to the beaches of Agios Georgios and Lygaria, at the northernmost end of the island. We start in front of the tavern “SYNAPSE” next to the chapel of Agios Andreas, from an altitude of 220 meters. We ascend for a while a concrete road that then goes downhill through the northern part of the village. Almost 5 minutes later a cobbled and dirt road begins. A tin sign with the number 2 appears.

All the familiar features of the anthropogenic and natural environment of Folegandros begin to unfold around us: threshing floors, cisterns and wine presses, small lemon houses with plenty of lemon trees, low fig trees, dry stone walls and unseen meadows in ravines. Here are about thirty beehives sheltered from the honeysuckle.

We are perched on the top of a hill with the chapel of St. Sostis and a magnificent view. A large summerhouse is sheltered on the southern counterpane while a cistern and threshing floor are exposed to the north wind. We walk along a cobbled path, very downhill. This strata must once have been very important. Around us are sporadic vineyards, cereal crops, meadows, countless terraces with many kilometres of good dry stone. Here is a donkey and the first two cows we meet on the island.

At some point the path splits. On the map it seems to continue right with a rough route to the beach of Serfiotiko. Continue straight on, following the signpost number 2. We meet a lonely shady tamarisk on the road. After the cobbled road, the last part of the route is a very downhill dirt road, which takes us to the beach of Agios Georgios.

With several microsteps and a relaxed pace, it takes us 1 hour to cover the distance of 2.3 km and the 230 m difference in altitude from the start of the route. At 10:30 in the morning we are all alone on the beautiful coast. Which is further embellished by the chapel of St. George, 8 waterhouses for the boats and the old tamarisks with their thick shade. The beach is stony, with crystal clear waters. The dirt road continues to the adjacent cove of Ligaria, which 8 minutes later, emerges narrow and very spectacular. Tamarisk trees here too, but no sign of wolverine. Obviously the name must have been left over from the past, when there would have been wineries in the place. Meanwhile various wheeled vehicles are constantly going downhill, passing through the wicker and continuing on to Ai-Giorgis. When we return there is an unexpected crush.  Accustomed to the silence, we start the return journey to rediscover the wilderness of the paths.

Noon, hot and the uphill strong. We reach the fork towards Serfiotiko.

-It’s not far, says Anna.

-But the map shows a rough and steep trail.

-It’ll be nice in this heat to take a dip in cool water.

-I wish we could go, says Athena.

The majority rules. Anna leads for a while. When we meet her she has her hands full of figs and grapes. Tiny, tiny, lilipedal figs, all over, from dwarf fig trees that can’t grow a bole because of the north wind. We leave a downhill dead-end path on our left and continue in an E-SE direction. At a bend we face the line of houses of the Upper Meria high above. The countless terraces, the successive grooves and folds create a very impressive relief. The path, however, changes, becoming downhill, rocky and narrow. The worst thing is that, due to disuse, it is covered in many places by dense bushes and thorns. With short trousers Athena has every reason to complain.

At 1 pm we finally arrive at the pebbled shore of Serfiotiko. With several delays in between, we need 1 hour and 15 minutes from the cove of Agios Georgios. Our first move is to get rid of our sweaty clothes and dive into the deep, cool waters. Tramuntana weather creates a lot of waves. In this wilderness, of course, we’re all alone. And there’s no chance of anyone else sharing the precious shade of the tamarisk trees with us either.

Once again, Anna takes over supplying the family with grapes and figs. Athena again tries to fool her hunger by eating barnacles from the rocks, a primal instinct of self-preservation that she has developed since the age of 4.

14:40 We make the difficult decision to part with the coolness of water, shade and honeysuckle. High to the south, some of the edge houses of the Upper Coast beckon us with their dazzling whiteness.

–Don’t worry, it’s close, I tell Athena

-Yes, but also very steep.

Of the two parallel paths we choose the western one. Bad choice. It’s almost vertical, almost rocky and incessantly uphill. The morphology of the terrain is such that it does not allow for meandering. The adversity doesn’t stop here. The melemma has completely stopped, the heat between the ravines is terrible. The main adversary, however, is another: thirst! Of the two cool litres of water in the morning, there is no more than 200ml left.  Who to thirst first! We decide to handle them with the “brotherhood”, from which Anna declares her resignation.

-I don’t sweat like you!

With constant miniaturization we arrive at the first house in the village. It’s as if Paradise had opened its door to us. Here, the weather is amazing. We sit on the terrace, reluctant to get up. Already we are very close to the finish of the route. At 15:20′, 40 minutes after leaving Serfiotiko, we have covered the total distance of 1200 meters from the bay to the tavern “SYNAPSE”.

The first thing we ask for at the tavern is a bottle of ice water. What indescribable happiness! Only strong deprivation produces so much happiness! A group of foreigners next door are trying to fight the heat with cold beers. The women in the shop watch us, flushed, as we pour glass after glass.

-Where have you been all morning?

-St. George’s, Lygia and then Serfiotiko.

-Are you serious? At this hour on the paths of Serfiotiko? And the child with you?

-We’re not done yet, says Anna. We’re stopping now, to rest a bit and get some water.

-And where do you intend to continue?

-To Livadaki, Anna replies.

-And next door to the lighthouse, I add.

The women cross each other.

–You’re probably not well. At least think of the child.

Athena meanwhile, watching this rhyme, looks at us in horror.

–Don’t be afraid, Anna reassures her, it’s downhill.

THE MEADOW AND THE WHITE LIGHTHOUSE

16:40. We depart towards the exit of the Upper Meria. A miserable course, on hot asphalt. Fortunately, the honey comes out again.

16:50. We start the trail to Livadaki from an altitude of 230 meters. It begins on a narrow dirt road, gentle at first and then with a hostile gradient. All motorbikes stop here. Dry stone walls, terraces, lush meadows in the ravines. To the NE we gaze at the charming silhouette of Ag. Panteleimon and the path to Ampeli. We pass a complex of stone-built huts. In the dry land we spot flowering thyme. I rub my fingers, taking some of its scent with me. A hill with a concrete hilltop. At the top is the chapel of Agioi Anargyroi, built in 1965-67. From an altitude of 220 meters the view of the sea and the surrounding islands is unique. Low in the south, Livadaki and Faros appear in a straight line. The hilltop of Ag. Anargyroi is windswept and windswept. A place for relaxation. The surprise, however, is hidden 50 metres further south, in the unseen opposite. It’s a winter wonderland with great views of the pelagic and lighthouse, prickly pear trees, a stone house and a threshing floor. The most beautiful, however, building of the summerhouse, the most desirable and precious to us, is the amazing water well. By right of the toiling and sweating travelers, we borrow a few buckets to wash away the sweat, heat and salt of the day.

Refreshed and cool, we continue on a downhill, rocky, often wide and easy path. We admire the spectacle of the lighthouse, with its steep crags, rocky desert island, deep emerald waters.

18:40. In a two-hour drive from the Upper Meria – with all stops in between and at a leisurely pace – we let our footsteps sink into the soft sand and pebbles of the dreamy coast. Tamarisk trees at Livadaki, waters serene and clear, incredibly attractive. Mother and daughter dive in the moment, enjoying it to the highest degree. I’m putting off happiness for a while. I have a small, informal debt to fulfill first. To my friend Cyriacus, for one. who earlier on the phone had urged me to make it to the Lighthouse. And on the other hand, of course, to myself. I wouldn’t have forgiven him the omission. So at 18:53′, I set off on the built, steep path, carved into the cliff above the water. I see Anna and Athena down below. They wave their hands, waving happily at me. As the sweat drips, I envy them for a moment. Then I photograph them and continue.

Uneven, bumpy at times but the path is obvious. Sometimes it branches off to the east. I go down south, between terraces. At 19:15 I’m a few dozen yards across the street from the lighthouse. I admire its stature, lonely and proud on the edge of the cliff. The afternoon, however, moves on, I must return.

19:30. I arrive at Livadaki, sedentary, a little tired but very satisfied. I fall irrepressibly into the divine water. I let it have a soothing, cleansing effect on me….

20:10 The return journey begins. Livadaki is already submerged in shadow. In the highlands we catch the sun setting over the northernmost tip of Milos.

21:10 With the first darkness of the night we reach the asphalt. It is so pleasant to walk in the dew and drink a raki at Mitsaki’s.

THE SEAWEED AND THORNS: AGIOS NIKOLAOS AND ABOVE

Apnea. From the dawn the heat is still noticeable. Finally, the role of the honeymoon is very catalytic in the Cyclades. The morning hours find us in the area of the three old windmills, between Pano Meria and Chora. Down the road, at the location “Paparemia” we meet George Lizardo, in his still unfinished house. The tranquility is absolute and the view is unique.

–And if you had more days, you still wouldn’t have had time to walk the paths of Folegandros, says George. Today you can go downhill from here to Fira and the neighbouring Agali. There you can swim, have lunch and take the bus to Chora. If your heart tells you again, you can continue on the road to Aghios Nikolaos and then to Pano Meria.

Our friend’s plan looks very interesting. At 12:10 we say goodbye and take the trail south. Opposite us dominates the spectacular peak of Orthonika, with an altitude of 304 meters. The place is overgrown with fennel, that’s why the area is called “Marathies”. A ravine on our left is covered with olive trees. On the opposite slope another parallel path descends, passing by the chapels of the Holy Trinity and the Cross. Turn slightly to the west. The gully develops into a deep, steep ravine lined with greenery of slate and meadows. In five minutes we reach the “Fruudi”. It is the impressive rock that balances on the eyebrow of the cliff, with a top view of Agali and Fira. We make a delightful stop and are lucky enough to spot blooming “Tyvorvoli”, this beautiful amaranth flower of the island, and in early August, with such a drought. The trail descends from Frodi stony path and then enters quite rough and unclear among dense rocks and thorns.

12:45. We arrive at the beach of Fyres, with slate rocks and a unique waterfall, the famous “wire” for boats. The coast does not appeal to us for swimming, so we continue to Agali. The trail climbs steeply up the coast, a steep shore, dotted with large lava rocks. The wild beauty, which alludes to the violent geological past of the area, does not last long. A few minutes later we arrive at the lovely “Agali”, perhaps the most idyllic and popular beach on the island. It is justifiably crowded, we don’t mind. Rewarmed as we are, we dive into the cool watery embrace.

Noon hours. Totally unsuitable for exposure to the sun, but ideal for a light lunch in the shade at the friendly little taverna on the sandy beach. With its thoughtful dishes and very good prices. Relaxation is sweet, accompanied by a creeping drowsiness. Now and then the sirens appear: the bus of the line. We oscillate for a while between the two options, the easy and the difficult one. Then we decide to take the plunge. So we have a coffee at “Pasithea”, a unique view on the beach of Agali and at 17:00 we continue uphill to Agios Nikolaos. Church of Agia Marina, small bay of Galyfou with rentals without electricity, continuous and tiring ups and downs and at 17:15 we reach the heights of St. Nikolaos. Stunning coastline, tamarisks and sandy beach, waters completely transparent in the colour of emerald.

From the little tavern, high above the coast, we can see everything. A second coffee, refueling in cold water and after a long stop we take the uphill at 19:00. A decade later we reach a fork in the road. We bear left for 100 meters and we are at “Marmaro”, a small abandoned settlement. It is the perfect setting of an authentic rural settlement, a stunning set of harvests with wonderful black granite stone, a large built well, a large beautiful threshing floor, an impressive clay pot in excellent condition. Peloric prickly pear trees, top views of the sea and the mountains opposite, in the grooves meadows and further up the chapel of the Cross.

We are left ecstatic by the beauty of the place, at an altitude of only 80 metres above sea level. It’s a pity that the small village has been abandoned. But who, in this day and age, would remain in a place served only by paths?

We return to the fork and continue east. A beautiful path, smooth and easy to walk, with top views all around, a true joy to walk along this route. Far to the east, the so familiar silhouette of the Virgin Mary beckons us in the evening light.

19:45. We arrive at a fork, at the high points of Galyphos and Agali. Ahead of us is winter and a path, which very quickly ends up on asphalt. We discard it and climb north to the Folklore Museum, in Pano Meria.

Winter, reddish colors, cool breeze. Our trail crosses an incredible narrow path, between a natural rock wall and a nice dry stone wall. The place is covered with coarse thyme and the ground is cobbled with intermediate steps of marble stones grey, white and reddish. The ascent is long and continuous but restful and pleasant.

20:20. 1 hour and 20 minutes after our departure from Aghios Nikolaos (with several mini-mountains and detours) we arrive at the Folklore Museum.

At that moment the phone rings. It is Markos Venios, who is coming to pick us up with his car for Chora. There, at the restaurant “Piatsas” of Kontarini Square, George Lizardos and the owner of “Piatsas”, Yannis Sideris, are already waiting for us. Giannis is well known for the quality of his thyme honey and for the “Drones of the Aegean”, one of the most special accommodations of Folegandros, just outside Chora towards Pano Meria.

On the excellent terrace of Piazza with the coolness and the constant traffic of Kontarini square we enjoy the cooking of Mrs. Koula until late: first the famous local pasta, the “matsata” with goat, chickpeas in the oven, pumpkin balls and parsley salad and of course, vlita, tomatoes and dry cucumbers from the garden of Giannis. In Folegandros, in whichever of the many taverns one dines, one is sure to find something to like.

EPILOGUE

-Where will we see the full moon tonight?

-Where else? On the surface of the sea, where it will rise.

With the last light we take the downhill to Karavostasis. We immediately head for the edge of the pier.  It’s about time. We catch the moon at its birth, the moment when it emerges, still colourless, between two clusters of desert moons: the Two Brothers on the right and the Islands on the left.

With each passing minute, the newborn Moon passes through all the stages of adulthood, like a living being. First from infancy and childhood in a still unformed, lifeless form. Then from childhood and adolescence, shy, with a rose and orange colour. Later it stabilizes at an age of maturity, balancing between molten silver and gold.

-Like the skies in your paintings, I say to Venios.