Let our bitter enemies not laugh ironically. Proportionally speaking, our age is equivalent to adolescence in the age of turtles! So, like little turtles, we took our mobile home with us and decided to travel alternatively. Where would our destination be? Without much thought, we chose an equally alternative destination: Samothrace. At three in the afternoon, we loaded our shell, our campervan, nicknamed Telemachus, onto the ferry at the port of Alexandroupolis. Our vehicle was five meters long, and the ferry ticket was expensive, but never mind. Less than two hours into the voyage and… there it was! A mountain in the sea!

The ancients said that the beginning of wisdom is in the names of places, and they were certainly right. According to Strabo, Samos means height, hill by the coast. That is why, apart from Samos in the Aegean, Kefalonia was also called Sami. Samos Thracia, then, is Samothrace. The island is round, in the middle of the Thracian Sea, with no lace-like coastline, no embracing beaches, no coves. We read this in Ion Dragoumis’s book, Samothrace, which will be our guide throughout the journey and a measure of comparison between the past and the present. Dragoumis resided at the consulate of Dedeagats (now Alexandroupoli) from September 1905 to December 1906. During his stay there, he visited Samothrace and kept notes.

“And the island is a living rock surrounded by the sea.”

The island is small, only 178 square kilometers, and you can easily explore it by following the asphalt road from Pachia Ammos to Kipoi. Its mountain is large, 1,611 meters high, and difficult to climb. According to legend, during the great flood, the Black Sea overflowed, breaking the barrier created by the Symplegades Rocks and flooding the surrounding islands and Samothrace. Only the island’s great mountain remained above the waters, and there the terrified people gathered to save themselves. Saos means safe, healthy, savior. Saos was the name given to the mountain that saved the people from the flood. And its peak, which seems to touch the moon, was named Moon. Homer, the lyrical storyteller, tells us that Poseidon, angry with Zeus, came out of the sea and climbed to the top of the island to watch the war between the Trojans and the Achaeans, and the whole island trembled under his divine weight.

…admiring both the war and the battle
from the highest peak of Samos,
Threiki; From there he could see all of Ida,
and the city of Priam and the ships of the Achaeans.
(Homer’s Iliad, Rhapsody N, lines 10-13)

And when the people escaped the flood, they erected altars on the island for the Great Gods, signs and boundaries of salvation. According to another version, the only ones who survived the flood were the Cabeiri, mysterious deities of Phrygian origin, who found refuge on the summit of Mount Saos. Their father was Hephaestus and their mother was Cabeira. The island of Samos Thrace, the wooded Samothrace, is also described by Herodotus, who was, however, extremely reticent about the Mysteries.

And anyone who has been initiated into the Cabeirian orgies, those performed by the Samothracians,
who have taken them from the Pelasgians, understands what I mean.
(Herodotus, Histories, Euterpe Book II, 2.51.1)

Darkness shrouds the Mysteries of antiquity. The mystery religion of the Cabeiri established the island as one of the greatest religious centers of antiquity, even until the end of the 4th century AD, despite the spread of Christianity. Legend has it that Philip met Olympias at the Cabeirian Mysteries and fell in love with her. And from their love there, a man unique in the world was born, Alexander.

All the great heroes passed through the island and stayed to be initiated into the mysteries:
Jason, Dioscuri, Hercules, Orpheus, Odysseus, and Agamemnon.
There were four Great Gods, it seems, the Cabeiri of Samothrace:
Axieros, Axiochersa, Axiochersos, and Kasmilos,
something like Demeter, Persephone, Hades, and Hermes.
(Ion Dragoumis, Samothrace)

Who were the “Great Gods”? Their names are not explicitly mentioned, but Stesimbrotus of Thasos and Herodotus identify them with the Cabeiri and refer to their Pelasgian origin. We can only speculate about the Cabeirian Mysteries, as we do about the Eleusinian Mysteries. How could it be otherwise? They would no longer be Mysteries, nor would there be any Initiates.

But what right do people today have to tear apart the essence
and uncover the mysteries of the great gods?
(Ion Dragoumis, Samothrace)

Palaeopolis

Today’s Palaeopolis was the most important centre of the island, ruled by a king, worshipping Athena as its patron goddess and minting its own silver coins. We entered the ancient mystery site. We felt the awe inspired by sacred places and saw exactly what Dragoumis saw. We hold on to his description:

Marble temples and ruined buildings, collapsed walls,
pieces of stone and marble, large and small, with and without inscriptions,
broken and deformed idols. And everywhere among the ruins grow wild olive trees, prunes, and grasses, as if striving to cover them up.
(Ion Dragoumis, Samothrace)

The archaeological museum of Samothrace is located in Palaiopolis. It houses restored architectural elements of the sanctuary buildings, sculptures, finds from the necropolises, as well as one of the three winged Victories found in the sanctuary complex. However, the museum did not reveal its treasures to us. It is closed for renovation work. Even in the summer, only one room will be open to visitors. The closed or partially closed museums (as well as the opening hours until 3 p.m.) are an issue that should be seriously addressed by the Greek state, as visitors from all over the world are forced to sneak peeks at the antiquities behind railings and locked doors. Outside the museum, the stone-paved path leads to the heart of the celebration of the Cabeirian Mysteries. This is a magnificent temple complex covering an area of approximately 50 acres, with religious and public buildings, where mystery rituals were performed from the 7th century BC. The ancient columns shine in the natural surroundings. You want to go and measure them, embrace them, touch them. The temple of the Great Gods was, is, and will forever be awe-inspiring, even though their religion has faded away.

Samothrace gave birth to wild goats, humans, and the Cabeiroi,
who played secretly with fire and sea storms and created a religion.
(Ion Dragoumis, Samothrace)

Nike (The Winged Victory) of Samothrace

“Sir, we have found a woman!” exclaimed a Greek worker as they dug in a ravine on April 15, 1863, in the north of the island. And so Nike, broken into 118 pieces scattered around the sanctuary, was brought to light again by the French archaeological mission led by Charles Champoiseau, French vice-consul in Adrianople. Champoiseau contacted the French ambassador in Constantinople in order to obtain approval from the Sublime Porte for the transfer of Nike to France. And so today, the winged Nike, 2.75 meters high, is displayed in a prominent position in the Louvre Museum. Not only the sculptor but also the sponsor is unknown. It is believed that the statue was a votive offering by the Rhodians to the Great Gods for a naval victory. The head and left arm of Nike have never been found. Unfortunately, in Samothrace we can only see an exact replica, made of Parian marble. However, the statue’s fame has made Samothrace famous worldwide. The goddess Nike appears in the form of a winged woman descending from the sky, fleshly and lovable, with her dress clinging to her body. Nike always accompanies power and stands by it. The strong and the weak fight, and soon they become the victor and the vanquished. And Nike, winged, flies impatiently between them to see where she will sit. She flaps her wings and brakes on the body of the victor, carries him away and intoxicates him, opening the way to freedom. That is why everyone wants victory; they fight and kill for it. The victor makes his own laws and rules, sometimes ravages the vanquished, and writes history as he sees fit. Victory was always depicted with wings, with the exception of the Wingless Victory in the Parthenon. The Athenians cut off her wings. A wingless Victory would never leave their city. Pious desires of mortals… Victory is winged, her fate is to fly away and always go to the side of the strongest.

Sweet Victory,
in the golden Olympus of Zeus,
you judge the end of the immortal and mortal virtues.

Giver of sweet gifts, Nike,
Zeus placed you at his side to stand on the golden Olympus
and judge mortals and immortals
as to who will receive the prize of manhood.
(Bacchylides, Epinicians)

History

Over time, the island changed hands many times. Athenians, Spartans, Thebans, Macedonians, Persians, Romans, Venetians, Franks, Turks. However, Samothrace always remained either autonomous or self-governing. And always Greek. Perseus, the last king of Macedonia, defeated in the battle of Pydna, sought asylum on the island. During the Roman period, Samothrace had become an international religious center where crowds of pilgrims from all over the Roman world flocked. The Byzantines were the next rulers until 1204. The island was a place of exile and was often raided by pirates. To protect against attacks, the castle of Chora was built, as well as the watchtowers in Palaiopolis and Fonias. Later, the Venetians came as rulers, followed by the Genoese Gattilusi family in 1355. The Gattilusi family re-fortified the ancient city with a moat, a wall, and three towers (one of which survives) to ensure the island’s defense against both the Turks and the Venetians. The conquest by the Turks in 1479 led to a dramatic decline in population, which in the 17th century was reduced to just 800 inhabitants. The 17th-century English traveler Bernard Randolph describes it characteristically:
“All three islands (Thasos, Samothrace, and Imbros) are almost deserted due to frequent pirate raids, and each has no more than two or three villages.”

This lack of security due to pirates prevented the mass settlement of Turks on the island during the Ottoman Empire. So, even though the island belonged to the Sublime Porte, it was basically autonomous and self-governing, with the elders having to pay taxes every year. So, Samothrace always stayed self-governing and Greek. Various foreign conquerors passed through the island like different people passing by in a mirror. Other rulers came and ruled the island, but just as its rocks were made of granite, so its inhabitants remained Greek.

The destruction of Samothrace

Encouraged by their initiation into the Philiki Etaireia and the outbreak of the Revolution in the Peloponnese and elsewhere, the elders of Samothrace refused to pay taxes, the “dosimata.” The Turks sent an Imbrian, Logothetis, to persuade them, but they replied that “they had no taxes to pay, only gunpowder and lead.” The Ottomans, in the midst of revolutionary fever, did not react immediately. The Samothrakians, unskilled in warfare, were completely unprepared. Without equipment or military experience, they began training in marksmanship and weaponry with the help of a Samiot, in order to face the expected Turkish attack. And indeed, on September 1, 1821, the Turkish fleet landed 1,000 (or, according to others, 2,000) soldiers on the island, at the location of Makrylies, to suppress the rebellion. The Samothrakians fled to the mountains, the Turks entered Chora and, using trickery, led the population to surrender, pretending that they would be forgiven. 700 gullible islanders surrendered and were slaughtered like lambs beneath the castle. The carnage, looting, and violence of all kinds lasted three days. The place was completely devastated, and for seven or eight years, “only a few pirates came and plundered it.” From then until today, the Samothracian expression “g’ eisi ap’ tsi iftakos,” meaning “you are one of the seven hundred,” is used when addressing the naive.

After the turmoil of 1821, the island gradually managed to revive itself until its liberation after the Balkan Wars in 1913. However, after the trials of World War II, there was a wave of emigration, with four out of ten inhabitants leaving the island. From the mid-1950s, a large wave of emigration began, mainly to Germany. “After 25 years of intense emigration from Samothrace, in 1975, there were more Samothracians living in Stuttgart than in Thessaloniki,” according to research. However, Samothrace once again got back on its feet and today has a population of about 3,000, most of whom are engaged in tourism, fishing, and livestock farming.

Chora

Chora, 6 kilometers from the port of Kamariotissa, is beautiful, hidden in the mountains among pine trees, watching and observing everything, invisible from the sea and hidden from pirates. And when they arrived, its stone-built houses, cobbled streets, and narrow roads served as a natural fortification. Nothing seems to have changed compared to Dragoumis’s description:

Far from the sea, perched on a high, hidden and sheltered ridge,
as if built by frightened people. It is half-hidden by a steep rock,
on top of which stands the Genoese castle.

Small two-story houses, perched on a dry ridge, close to each other, and one above the other, so as not to block the sun. A small gesture of solidarity between the houses. At the entrance to Chora, there is a monument to those who were massacred, with a winged Mnemosyne crowning them.

In memory of those massacred and enslaved by the Turks ,
approximately ten thousand inhabitants of Samothrace, on September 1, 1821.

200 people live in Chora in winter, and there are 700 houses. Many were purchased by people from Thessaloniki or foreigners, Romanians and Turks. Imbros is right across the way, after all. And all this under the protection and shadow of the castle that dominates the top of a steep, rocky hill. It was built by the Genoese lord Palamidis Gatelouzos, who acquired ownership of Samothrace from John V Palaiologos. Climbing the steps, you see the inscription, a twelve-syllable verse, on a white marble slab. In the middle of the slab is the Gatelouzo family crest, while on the left is the single-headed eagle (emblem of the Genoese family) and on the right is the double-headed eagle and the monogram of the Palaiologos family. The year of construction is dated from the creation of the world, the year 6900!

We were in Chora on Saint Thomas Sunday. However, the day was marked by a triple celebration. Along with Thomas, Saint George was also celebrated throughout Greece, but in Samothrace, the Five Martyrs were also celebrated. The Five are little known throughout Greece: Manuel, George, Michael, Theodore, and George again. They were descendants of Samothrakians who were enslaved and forcibly converted during the destruction. When they returned to their island, they re-embraced Christianity, even though they were denounced to the Turkish authorities. After many threats and persecutions, they were tortured to death on April 6, 1835. On the eve of their feast day, we attended the festive vespers, while the next morning the traditional procession of their icon took place. The Five fustanellas surrounded by daisies. Their honor was impressive. A pleasant surprise was the children’s voices—and not only theirs—under the direction of the charismatic musician Giota Tiganouria, who has made the island a breeding ground for musical sounds, traditional music, and choirs. We listened to them twice. Inside the church on the eve of the Feast of the Five, and the next morning in the square of Chora, at the award ceremony for local schoolchildren and students, ceremoniously and with due solemnity.

The rock pools and Fonias

Rock pools, lagoons, rivers, and waterfalls; it seems as if there is no end to the water on this island. The variety of landscapes, colors, and shapes is impressive. Tree trunks forgotten, who knows since when, carved by the wind, sculpted by the water, resembling mysterious figures, jungle animals, and giant snakes. Large plane trees with hollow trunks that you and your whole family could fit inside. You encounter them on the road to the quarries, the island’s second trademark.

Shall we go to Fonias (the Murderer)? Who would want to meet him? He is the most famous murderer in Samothrace and operates in landscapes of magical beauty. And the beauty is such that you forget the negative connotations of his name, perhaps because he once caused a murder in its rushing waters, or perhaps because a murder was once committed in the tower of the same name at its mouth. In any case, Fonias is the wild ravine that carries water and sweeps away everything in its path, rocks, trees, people, but at the same time forms some of the most beautiful pools in Samothrace. The hiking trail is easy, especially up to the first pool, 45 minutes away. However, the most beautiful and impressive spot in Fonias is Kleidosi. This is a 35-meter-high waterfall whose waters fall with a deafening noise, forming a magical pool between the rocks. The route takes three hours and is suitable for experienced hikers with an experienced guide. There is an uphill path after the Fonias rock pool, with an auxiliary wire rope and wire steps, a small via ferrata, which leads to Kleidosi. Many people camp on the banks of Fonias for days on end. The higher up the pedestals, the fewer people there are and the more beautiful the nature.

The beaches and villages

The island’s road network is limited. The island is almost round, with short distances and only one road that leads east to Kipoi beach and west to Pachia Ammos beach. From there, we set out to explore the island, to circle it. There are rocks on the right, thick sand, as the name suggests, and pebbles in front of the water. It’s a nice, big beach, with two or three trees breaking up the monotony of the sandy landscape. Something like the beach of Xinovrysi in Pelion. If you look up, just above Pachia Ammos, at the edge of the cliff, you can see a small church. It is Panagia Kremniotissa, the lady of the rocks. In such picturesque and otherworldly places, there is always a tradition or legend that explains their choice. According to tradition, some people found the icon near Pachia Ammos and took it to a cave. The next day, however, the icon disappeared and was found at the edge of the cliff. It was then decided to build the chapel of Panagia there, like an eagle’s nest, and to carve fifty steps into the rock, which still lead visitors there today. Hence the name Kremniotissa.

Although most people drive up, we recommend the easy 1.8 km walking route. We climbed up and found the door closed, with a rusty bolt, and the mountains echoed with the creaking of the opening. The chapel, built in 1887, was also locked. Its modern door should be replaced immediately, as the aluminum detracts from the sanctity of the place. The monastery’s comfortable wooden table and bench invite you to rest, while the wooden benches invite you to gaze at the magical view: the Thracian Sea, the bay of Pachia Ammos, Imbros, and the unique sunset!

Driving north, we came across the village of Lakkoma. It takes its name from its location, which is like a large hollow. It is sheltered from the wind and has a warm climate, which is why citrus fruits thrive there. It is covered with olive trees and has two olive mills. Fifteen kilometers east of Kamariotissa is the settlement of Therma. The area is rich in vegetation, with plane trees, chestnut trees, arbutus trees, and myrtles in every corner, as most of the springs that descend from Mount Saos end up there. The area has facilities with hot, sulphurous springs, known since Byzantine times for their therapeutic properties. This is what we read, but we saw the baths in Therma abandoned, almost in ruins. Unjustifiably so. Proof that little has changed in the area is the following description by Dragoumis:

Therma was not far away. And I saw tall, thick plane trees shading some huts, where the few people who come to the island in August from foreign places stay to bathe in the warm baths. And I saw many running waters, hot and cold.

On the road to Kipoi, on the amazing huge beach, our cell phone welcomed us to Turkey. It was reasonable, since Imbros lay lazily in front of us.

The people

What else is a place but its people? On our travels through the villages, we mainly, or only, met men in the cafes. After all, winter had just ended and there were very few visitors. Surely the hordes of tourists change the scene during the summer season. We saw men weathered by the sun, proud people of the land. However, Stavroula’s cafe in Lakkoma, always open, always offering delicious flavors, winter and summer, is a woman’s affair. We sought out handmade mantis, sprinkled with broth, an oriental pasta stuffed with minced meat that is found, with variations in different culinary cultures, in Pontus, Armenia, and Turkey. The famous goat is prepared at the tavern “O Vrachos” in Profitis Ilias. We were impressed by Nikos Vavouras’s estate in Ano Karyotis with its wine, honey, and rock exhibition. His garden is like a magical fairy-tale garden, with the endangered Samothraki fir tree, the fennel-like plant that the goats eat and which makes their milk tasty, and the beautifully trimmed plants. We also saw cats. Cats everywhere. Cats that stand their ground and are not afraid, cats that will not move out of your way unless you move aside. Many foreigners, whether expatriates or not, have chosen to become permanent residents of the island. They stand out from afar. They are like forgotten tourists with an adolescent, carefully unkempt, alternative appearance. Why Samothrace? Because time stands still there. This fact demonstrates the unparalleled charm that Samothrace can exert on everyone, as it emerges as Doric, authentic, and unspoiled. However, in some places there are noticeable signs of neglect, such as old and faded road signs. We were told that the locals are afraid of change. Perhaps they feel safe in their place surrounded by the sea.

The language

Although during the Ottoman occupation the inhabitants spoke only Greek, as they did not know Turkish – except for a few sponge divers and sailors – the Samothraki dialect sounds strange to the uninitiated. The accent is very heavy, especially among men, and difficult to understand. They speak quickly and pronounce the sounds ts, dz, and s thickly, with a Turkish intonation. They say “katsiki” (goat), and you hear a strong ts, like in “keçi.” Perhaps the history of the island, especially the great destruction, may explain some of the local linguistic idiosyncrasies, as after the devastation, people came from the neighboring Aegean islands, the coast of Asia Minor, and Thrace, thus mixing the local dialects. Today, the Samothrakian dialect, like all linguistic dialects, is shrinking. Only older people preserve the local dialect, including those who practice traditional professions, such as that of the kiahagia (shepherd).

The goat

Without a doubt, the goat is the island’s trademark. You will see goats everywhere. By the sea, grazing, climbing on the cliffs, even as pets, rolling around next to their owners. Crazy goats on the rocks, stray or domesticated, countless, with crazy bleats that make you want to bleat back. Don’t be surprised if you find a goat on the hood of your car, chewing leaves from the tree in whose shade you had the idea to park! The goat of Samothrce is synonymous with animal freedom but also with the problems of overgrazing. The goats, omnipresent, make you wonder if they are free or if they belong somewhere. And how do their owners locate them? The marks on their ears are their distinguishing feature, we were told. Stray goats, like the Cretan kri-kri, are called “vagiar’ka.” They belong to no one; they are wild goats. Anyone who dares can catch them.

Local products

As for the island’s cuisine, it is famous for its olive oil, wine, tsipouro, dairy products, anthotyro cheese, mizithra cheese with honey, and kolokythathoi. But the leader of them all is goat. Although it is an island, it is not seafood that takes pride of place in the local cuisine, but the famous wild goats. They are cooked on a spit or stuffed with rice. Shepherds make quick-cooked pilaf or “gourgovaastou” when they shear their animals, but also during celebrations, festivals, and weddings, something like the Cretan gamopilafo. And after the goat, you must try praousti, a spoon sweet that glistens on the plate, something like the plum jam of Glossa, Skopelos. Praoustia – or “peaatka” in the local dialect – is mainly cultivated in Samothrace. It seems that its name comes from August, as it ripens before August. One could say that it is a cross between a quince and a plum. However, its aroma is unlike that of either a quince or a plum. If you find ripe praoustia and try them, you won’t be able to stop. If you pick these yellow balls hanging from the branches of the tree and eat them straight away, your mouth will be flooded with an unforgettable aroma. As for the water, you drink and drink again. Cool and delicious. Nothing like anything you’ve ever tasted before. The unique water of Samothrace, among the best in Europe, can produce good beer, comparable to that of Central Europe. This reasoning led a couple to establish a family microbrewery here six years ago. The taste of “Fonias” beer is unique, as is its label, with an inscription even in Braille on the bottle.

Our mobile home

If you want to feel free and prefer flexibility in planning and implementing a route, your motorhome allows you to go wherever you want, whenever you want, and however you want. You can change your destination without affecting your entire trip. Your home is wherever your heart desires. Do you long for the sea and the coast? Do you want a mountain to watch the sunrise? Or perhaps a peaceful olive grove? Whatever you want can be your home for a night.

We decided to spend our first night in Kamariotissa. It is the island’s port, colorless, with a modern abstract statue of Nike on the waterfront. Around it, the schoolchildren gather and sit in its shade. We looked for a quiet place to park at the end of Kamariotissa, on the left, where the coast ends and disappears into the sea. There, everything slopes down until it disappears. It is the wetland of the lagoon of Agios Andreas. Very green meadows, flat, like continuous fields. Everything slopes downwards, so that behind it the mountain rises ever more majestically. Yellow and purple daisies, nature awakening languidly, and behind it the bare nakedness of the great mountain. Absolute calm and behind it the wildness of the rocks. Birds fly low, people walk, a woman walks briskly and runs with an inseparable companion: her sheep, shaggy to the feet. She hasn’t sheared it yet, because it gets cold at night. The woman is smiling, the sheep is smiling too, running as fast as a sheep can run with such a woolly load on its body. They run and walk to the edge, to the traffic light. Chunky, black-gray pebbles on the shore and washed-up tree trunks, where you can sit and gaze at Kamariotissa in the twilight, glistening and preparing to sleep under the protection of her mountain. That’s where we decided to sleep too.

The images change constantly, especially when you change your place of accommodation. Traveling with your shell, you come into complete contact with nature. Whether next to the shore or under the trees, the lapping of the waves, the rustling of the leaves, the bleating of the animals, the sun and the moon, the silence, calm, and serenity are so generously offered and so easily taken away if you change your mind! No need to make reservations. No bureaucratic procedures. You feel autonomous as you park in one place and have everything with you. Your clothes and shoes, your towels, even your bed. The roof tent allows you to wake up and see the landscape you chose the night before.

Our second home was in a divine place. We parked right outside the Temple of the Great Gods. Perhaps we needed to feel their metaphysical power that transformed the landscape into a field of incomprehensible beauty and vital magic. Suddenly, the trees grow denser, forming clusters, their shadows thickening, water pouring from everywhere. There is no cell phone signal there. It is as if the Great Gods forbid it. Our third house was in an olive grove in Makrylies. It was a hasty choice, as we found our place to spend the night late at night rather than in daylight. We were awakened by goats jumping around and bleating cheerfully.

And some valuable tips for sailors: The lack of space in a motorhome is a factor that must be taken seriously. Everything is ergonomically designed and simply arranged: a folding bed, mini fridge, water tank, portable gas stove, table, and basic cooking utensils. However, everything must be put in its place, assembled, tidied up, and closed. And all this on the beach, in the mountains, at a festival, on a plain, wherever you can imagine. A hotel on wheels. Places next to fountains are ideal, as they solve the problem of water supply and personal hygiene. The limited electricity available requires you to prepare, anticipate, and plan ahead. Ultimately, what you definitely need is flexibility of body and mind. And, of course, planning. Be Prometheus, not Epimetheus.

Bibliography
Ion Dragoumis, Samothraki, ed. Nea Thesis, Athens, 1991

We would like to thank Odyssey Campers for introducing us to life on four wheels. The vehicle Telemachus, along with Circe, Nausicaa, Nestor, and five other motorhomes, await those who are fascinated by road trips and seek something different and beyond the conventional.