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(upbeat exotic music)
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- In the first series, I began unravelling
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the story of this spectacular
of this historic nation,
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by travelling from Athens,
around the Peloponnese,
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and up to the Ionian islands.
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It took in parts of the country
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that lots of tourists know well,
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but in amongst the popular
places were hidden gems,
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undiscovered by the holiday masses.
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So far this series, I've been back aboard
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my beautiful boat, Mia Zoi,
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and travelled through a region of Greece
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I haven't spent much time in.
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We've skipped between the islands,
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taking in the sights
of the Northern Aegean.
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It's been a journey of discovery,
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where I've dug deeper into the fabric
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that makes Greece so unique,
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and immersed myself in
a centuries-old culture
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unlike anywhere else on Earth.
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The second leg of the
journey sees me headed south,
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into the Cyclades,
which is where I am now.
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And in this episode,
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I'm exploring the island of Kythnos.
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Most people haven't heard of this place.
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Kythnos isn't exactly on
everyone's must-see list,
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but hopefully after you've
watched this episode,
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I might just change your mind.
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It's about as quiet as
a Greek island gets.
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For some, that's a turn-off.
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They're after bars, resorts and nightlife,
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which is perfectly fine.
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Others, though, like to do
nothing but sit on a beach,
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read a good book, mix with the locals,
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and enjoy tavern food
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that reminds you of simple home cooking.
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They're the travellers
that Kythnos is made for.
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See those white caps?
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We just left them behind.
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The weather back there is like
seven Beaufort, really heavy.
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And we came into this
protected bay of Kolones.
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That isthmus down there
is an awesome beach.
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It's one of about 90 beaches
on this island of Kythnos.
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And there's only 1500 people here.
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No tourists, the only tourists
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are those sailing boats down there
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that use these little
alcoves as protection
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on their way to the central Cycladic.
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But right now, I'm gonna head
down to a thermal spring.
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It's known for its thermal springs here.
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There's one right behind me as well.
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I'm going down there right now.
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(gentle acoustic music)
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For years, experienced yacht captains
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have kept this little secret
isthmus to themselves,
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and very rarely do you
see people come down here
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from anywhere other than a boat!
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For most yachting flotillas
travelling out of Athens,
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it's the first stop over,
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so at times, you'll find this
really fills up with boats.
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That said, it's always peaceful,
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as many of the sailors keep to themselves
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aboard their vessels.
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It's a sailor's delight,
providing alternate anchorages
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regardless of the prevailing weather.
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It's always a heavenly swim.
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So I was definitely in
the good books with Helen!
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(gentle acoustic music)
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(laughs)
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(splashing)
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I can see why this is
so popular with sailors,
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because the water's warm enough out there,
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it's like 22 or 23 degrees.
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But in here, I reckon it's
between 35 and 38 degrees.
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Just gotta get more of my body in here.
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(exhales)
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Now, I'd like to say,
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"After a day of hard
work, this is awesome,"
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but I've actually done nothing today.
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(waves lapping)
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From here to Pireas Marina in Athens,
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it's only about 100
kilometres as the crow flies.
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However, you couldn't find a place
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that's in greater contrast.
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There, you've got a chaotic and busy city,
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but here, you're lucky to cross paths
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with a handful of people
on your morning walk!
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In fact, Kythnos is a popular
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weekend walk for Athenians year-round.
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It's this relative isolation
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that makes it such an
attractive place to visit.
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(gentle acoustic music)
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On the west of the island
is Merichas village.
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It's the main port of Kythnos,
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and where the ferries from Pereas arrive.
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For this reason, it's
one of the busiest hubs.
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In peak season, tourists,
the majority being Greek,
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disembark here before making
their way around the island
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to the prettier and more tranquil spots.
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Not far inland are the
two biggest settlements
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of Messaria and Dryopida,
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which I'll be checking out later.
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For now, my travels took me to
the very north of the island,
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not far from the town of Loutra.
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Having spent a day
wakeboarding and relaxing
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in nature's hot tub,
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it was time to burn some energy,
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so I met with Katerina Filippa,
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for a hike up to Orias Castle.
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It's a place with a dramatic past,
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matched by the ruggedly beautiful scenery.
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So Katerina, we've been travelling
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for what, about an hour now.
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How far have we come?
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- We're near to the castle now.
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From the point that we start from Loutra,
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it's almost three kilometres.
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- So we've done three
kilometres in about an hour.
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And it was basically mule trails,
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00:05:06,280 --> 00:05:07,520
but this is not a mule trail, is it?
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- No, it's a goat trail.
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- So we've gone from a
mule trail to a goat trail.
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But I tell you what, it's
spectacular isn't it?
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It's beautiful.
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- It's beautiful, and it's
gonna be better up there.
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- Well, let's get going!
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- Yeah!
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- It's hard to believe
that anything can survive
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on these rocky hillsides.
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It's a barren landscape,
weathered by dry winds
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and a scorching sun.
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But goats seem perfectly at home,
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and believe it or not, centuries ago,
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so too did people.
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This now-abandoned hilltop
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was once a thriving settlement.
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But as is the case with a
lot of the towns in Greece,
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invasion changed everything.
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A walk like this is not only great
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for burning a few calories,
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but also to get an appreciation
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of how life was in ancient times.
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The harsh environment
meant nothing came easy.
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To grow crops would have been a challenge,
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and other than goats,
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you'd only have chickens for protein.
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Plus, going to port to trade
with fishermen and merchants
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meant for a long journey by foot.
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And if you look around,
there doesn't appear
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to be any sources of fresh water.
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Katerina, I see these little
buildings along the way.
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What are they?
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- There are cell but for
the animals, for the goats.
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- Right.
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- And there are several of
them all over the island.
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- Hundreds, I would think.
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- They are very old.
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- How old do you think these are?
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- Maybe 200 years.
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- (whistles) Wow.
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Now, I notice that the walk
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looks pretty treacherous and dangerous.
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- It's not dangerous at all,
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and it's very impressive.
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- These stone shelters sure
have been built to last.
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The herders regularly maintain them
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because apart from providing
protection for their goats,
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during storms, they're
also a safe haven for them.
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(relaxing exotic music)
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The walk looks difficult, Katerina,
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but it's actually easy as
you're talking and you're going.
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It's not a difficult walk, is it?
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- [Katerina] No, it's not.
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- [Peter] Yeah.
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Not far to go.
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- [Katerina] There is the gate.
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- [Peter] Oh, fantastic!
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Don't let my heavy breathing put you off.
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I've been on the boat for several weeks,
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and thanks to Kyriako's cooking,
I've put on a few kilos.
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Katerina was barely sweating.
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You can tell she's done this
walk more than a few times.
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- [Katerina] You see
how thick is the wall.
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It's almost one metre and more.
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- [Peter] Wow.
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You know what, I look
at this, I look at that,
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I look at that, I can understand now
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why it took them 12 years to
finally get through the Turks
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to get through and attack the fort.
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- Yes, but finally they
did it by fooling them.
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They weren't capable to do that.
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- [Peter] So there was a trick, was there?
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00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:02,840
- [Katerina] Yeah.
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00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,400
- [Peter] Let's hear about
it when we get to the top,
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I'm a bit hammered.
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(gentle exotic music)
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(upbeat exotic music)
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The terrain here is perfect
for building a fort.
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On three sides you have coastal cliffs,
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making an attack from sea near-impossible.
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To invade by land
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would mean your forces to
have to climb the rocky trail
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in single file.
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It's no wonder the Kythnians
chose this location to settle.
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Wow.
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Look at this.
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It's one metre thick!
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- [Katerina] Yeah, and
more than one metre!
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00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,040
- [Peter] They weren't tall
people either, were they?
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00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:56,720
- [Katerina] No!
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(gentle music)
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- [Peter] Once through the gate,
213
00:09:03,560 --> 00:09:06,120
there's still quite a way
to go to reach the citadel.
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00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,080
It's a steep, but narrow climb,
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00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:11,120
adding to the challenges enemies
would have had to overcome.
216
00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,120
You could imagine
soldiers ducking for cover
217
00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,000
as rocks and arrows
rained down from above.
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00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,440
There was little shelter,
and one wrong step
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00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:20,120
would see you fall from the edge.
220
00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,200
The castle was built around 500 AD,
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00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:30,680
and inhabited for over 1,000 years.
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00:09:30,680 --> 00:09:33,320
The Ottomans spent 12
years laying siege to it,
223
00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,080
but couldn't breach the walls.
224
00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,640
Legend has it that it
was only through trickery
225
00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:39,280
that they managed to get in.
226
00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,080
The story goes that they dressed a soldier
227
00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:43,840
as a pregnant woman,
who was seeking refuge.
228
00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:45,720
They opened the gate to allow her in,
229
00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,760
only to have Turkish
soldiers follow close behind.
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00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:50,920
The princess of the castle
was the one who gave the order
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00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:52,480
for the gate to be opened.
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00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,440
Upon seeing the carnage and
destruction that followed,
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00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:57,720
her fatal error, she took her own life
234
00:09:57,720 --> 00:09:59,320
by leaping from the cliff.
235
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It's a harrowing tale, that
may have been embellished
236
00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,120
a little over the years.
237
00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:08,840
- Since they opened the gate,
238
00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:12,680
all the Turkish get inside and kill them.
239
00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:13,520
- Wow.
240
00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:15,680
- And the blood was so much
241
00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:20,440
that the sea was full of blood until Kea.
242
00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:21,800
- 'Til the island of Kea?
243
00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:22,720
- Yeah.
244
00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,000
- And I understand that the princess,
245
00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,080
she then realised the mistake she made--
246
00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:29,400
- [Katerina] Yes, and she suicide.
247
00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:30,800
- [Peter] And she jumped off the cliff.
248
00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:31,800
- [Katerina] Yeah.
- Amazing.
249
00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:33,120
And I look at this church,
250
00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,760
and this is one of only two
churches still standing,
251
00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:36,600
is that right?
252
00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:37,640
- [Katerina] It's the
only one that's standing.
253
00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:38,480
- [Peter] Only one.
254
00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:40,280
How many churches were here?
255
00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:42,800
- [Katerina] They say that
there were about 100 churches.
256
00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:44,400
- [Peter] So I can just picture that time
257
00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:45,840
Barbarossa came here
258
00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,480
and everybody here, maybe 500 people
259
00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:51,640
were in these churches
praying for their lives,
260
00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:52,720
and they were slaughtered.
261
00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:54,120
- It's a very...
262
00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:54,960
- Yeah.
263
00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:56,520
And for you especially,
because you're Kythnian.
264
00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:57,360
You're from Kythnos.
265
00:10:57,360 --> 00:10:58,960
- Yes, I'm from Kythnos, and--
266
00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:00,880
- These are your forefathers.
267
00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,200
- If you think about this,
268
00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,880
it's getting you tingly.
269
00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:07,760
- Yeah, of course.
270
00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:10,840
And this must be 600, 700
years old, maybe older.
271
00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:15,400
- If you imagine that they
abandoned the castle in 1573,
272
00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:18,600
so this must be older.
273
00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,240
- I can see from the murals on the wall
274
00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:22,200
that they're still here.
275
00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:23,680
Anybody can come up here.
276
00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:25,600
This last bit of the journey's
a little bit difficult,
277
00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:26,440
a little bit dangerous, isn't it?
278
00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,520
- Yes, at the end here, between the ruins.
279
00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:30,880
- But anybody can come up here,
280
00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:32,600
and it's very serene.
281
00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:35,400
The frescoes are a tangible link
282
00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:37,240
to the people that once lived here.
283
00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,880
It's awesome to think that
someone sat here centuries ago,
284
00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:42,960
and painted these walls
with brilliant images
285
00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:44,280
relating to their faith.
286
00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,240
Nowadays, anyone adventurous
enough to make the hike up
287
00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,080
can see these remnants of the past,
288
00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:51,360
and get a feel for the
history of the island.
289
00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:54,680
The modern towns are no longer enclosed
290
00:11:54,680 --> 00:11:56,720
by walls and fortifications.
291
00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,400
In their place are vines and fig trees.
292
00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:01,440
More importantly, the
inhabitants don't live
293
00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:03,120
in fear of invasion.
294
00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:05,560
The whitewashed homes
with terracotta roofs
295
00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:07,320
create a picturesque setting.
296
00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:09,120
But it's hard to imagine there being much
297
00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:10,320
in the way of work.
298
00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:12,240
To learn a little bit
more about life here,
299
00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:14,080
I met with the deputy mayor of Kythnos,
300
00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:15,480
Gianna Filippa.
301
00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:17,480
So here at night, there'd
be a lot of people.
302
00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:20,080
How many people would
gather around here at night?
303
00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,920
- As many as the place for.
304
00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:24,280
- [Peter] Well, this
is the town square also
305
00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:25,120
for the people that live here.
306
00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,440
There's 700 people live
here, is that right, 700?
307
00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:28,280
In Dryopida?
308
00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:29,080
- [Gianna] Yeah.
309
00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:29,920
- [Peter] You're a Kythnian,
you were born here,
310
00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:31,520
you've raised here all your life.
311
00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:32,640
Why did you stay in Kythnos,
312
00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,320
what's so special about Kythnos?
313
00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,640
- The quality of life is better
here if you have a family.
314
00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,520
It's easier for kids to
go out, to play around,
315
00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:46,520
there is not the crazy
rhythm of the big city.
316
00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:49,960
The pace of life is easier.
317
00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:53,560
- [Peter] It sounds like
an idyllic way of life,
318
00:12:53,560 --> 00:12:56,120
one that's built around
family and community,
319
00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:57,960
without the stresses of urban living
320
00:12:57,960 --> 00:12:59,920
that most of us endure.
321
00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:02,000
Gianna, Kythnos doesn't get a lot of rain,
322
00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:03,480
summer or winter.
323
00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:04,720
- [Gianna] No, it doesn't.
324
00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:06,680
- But yet I see so much greenery here,
325
00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:07,880
it's amazing!
326
00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:09,080
- They are grapes.
327
00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,480
Every house has its own wine industry.
328
00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:14,760
There are many varieties of grapes.
329
00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,240
They all have very good quality of wine.
330
00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,240
- [Peter] Each household has its own wine?
331
00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,040
- [Gianna] Every house has its own wine.
332
00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:22,520
- Yeah, my neighbours like that, too.
333
00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:23,600
- Oh, really?
334
00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,680
- [Peter] So this is the ekklisia.
335
00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:32,920
(relaxing music)
336
00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:34,280
Gianna, I love this.
337
00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:36,360
I see this and I see that,
338
00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:38,760
much like the small villages
in islands like this,
339
00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:39,600
they really look after
340
00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,920
the public areas like this, don't they?
341
00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,000
- Yes, the local ladies
take care of them all.
342
00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:48,400
And they plant and water these plants.
343
00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,200
- [Peter] These quiet hamlets
provide an environment
344
00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:52,680
that's safe and healthy.
345
00:13:52,680 --> 00:13:55,360
I'd love to let my son run
around all day on his own,
346
00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,040
without fear for his safety,
347
00:13:57,040 --> 00:13:59,080
but back home, it's not like that.
348
00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:02,080
Here though, I lost him and
his cousin on many occasions,
349
00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:03,120
and when that occurred,
350
00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:05,840
Helen and I barely batted an eyelid.
351
00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:07,600
- [Gianna] Opposite is
the most traditional
352
00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:09,280
neighbourhood of Dryopida, Galatas.
353
00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:12,120
- [Peter] Galatas?
354
00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:13,280
- [Gianna] Mm.
355
00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:14,600
- [Peter] While some leave for Athens
356
00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,880
in search of work or a different life,
357
00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,480
others remain in peace and serenity.
358
00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:21,800
As much as I would like
to think I'd stay put,
359
00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,440
something tells me I'd
quickly get itchy feet
360
00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,120
and head for the city.
361
00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:29,320
(gentle exotic music)
362
00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:33,520
(upbeat exotic music)
363
00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:44,720
(romantic exotic music)
364
00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:49,320
No matter where I am in Greece,
365
00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:52,080
there's one thing I can always find,
366
00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,720
and that's the best local delicacies.
367
00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:56,560
In this case, my nose led me
368
00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,240
to a traditional suite
that Kythnos is famed for.
369
00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:06,000
Pastelli is a sweet that
is given out at weddings.
370
00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:11,360
And it's the provincial dish,
371
00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:13,680
the most provincial dish of Kythnos.
372
00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,400
And she's actually preparing this Pastelli
373
00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:18,400
for a wedding that's occurring tomorrow.
374
00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,360
I love that, I love that.
375
00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:38,360
I love that.
376
00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:44,600
She's not gonna let me talk at all.
377
00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:46,560
When you love something a lot,
378
00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:47,440
there's no work in it.
379
00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:49,680
It's always gonna be fantastic, you know?
380
00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,320
Whatever you do.
381
00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:53,680
Whatever you do with love,
382
00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:55,200
it's gonna be fantastic, eh!
383
00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:58,200
In Pastelli, there's basically
two main ingredients,
384
00:15:58,200 --> 00:15:59,720
sesame seeds and honey.
385
00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,160
Eirini includes one special addition,
386
00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:03,640
Ouzo, and lots of it.
387
00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,440
The sesame goes in,
388
00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:06,680
and I'm holding the dish down
389
00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:08,200
because she's stirring it,
390
00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,600
and it's gonna become a solid mass.
391
00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:17,920
She's not letting it...
392
00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:22,920
She's telling me to hold it down.
393
00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:24,760
This thing's about to burn my hands.
394
00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:29,520
I thought my wife was hard on me, man!
395
00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,880
(gentle acoustic music)
396
00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:39,640
More Ouzo on top!
397
00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:43,120
Now we're gonna roll the Pastelli.
398
00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:46,520
I got a real workout on that, you know.
399
00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:58,280
Oh, the tool!
400
00:16:58,280 --> 00:16:59,480
Look at that, wow!
401
00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:04,880
So she's just getting the length right.
402
00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:05,880
That's it, good.
403
00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,080
The whole, everything's done by hand.
404
00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:25,240
Nothing by machine here.
405
00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:39,640
You're not scared.
406
00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:41,040
No problems.
407
00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:42,240
You're not in a concrete jungle
408
00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:44,160
with the fumes and the flames
409
00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:45,760
and the pain of the city!
410
00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:48,840
I'm coming to Kythnos!
411
00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:49,760
I'm coming to Kythnos!
412
00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:51,880
You know, it sounds fantastic here.
413
00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:53,760
Today, I learned two things:
414
00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:55,160
how to make Pastelli,
415
00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:57,520
and what life is like for a Kythnian.
416
00:17:57,520 --> 00:17:59,200
And I sure like both of them!
417
00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:01,200
And now, after all that hard work,
418
00:18:02,120 --> 00:18:03,280
I'm gonna actually try.
419
00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:07,320
Thank you.
420
00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:08,720
It's normally a little harder than this.
421
00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:11,800
Fantastic.
422
00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:16,160
Thank you darling.
423
00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:17,000
She's a gem.
424
00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,480
See ya!
425
00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,080
In life, you never stop learning.
426
00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:34,520
It's just a shame that many
of the more important lessons
427
00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:36,680
come in your later years.
428
00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:39,000
If there's one thing I'd
take away from being here,
429
00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,160
it's that there's so
much truth to the saying,
430
00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:43,840
"The simple things in
life are often the best."
431
00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:46,080
There's nothing complicated
about finding joy
432
00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,280
in cooking or eating delicious food.
433
00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:50,880
It doesn't take wealth or years of toil
434
00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:52,960
to see the beauty in nature.
435
00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,440
And greatest of all, it's not
hard to appreciate family,
436
00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:58,320
friends and community.
437
00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:00,920
For many of us, all
these things are there,
438
00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:02,560
right in front of our eyes,
439
00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:03,840
but we find ourselves caught up
440
00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,560
in the western world's
culture of consumption,
441
00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:09,280
seeking joy from objects and assets
442
00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:10,640
that come at a high cost,
443
00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:13,720
rather than experiences
that are largely free.
444
00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:17,120
I'm not immune to this, but
as I get older and wiser,
445
00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:18,800
I'm seeing the light.
446
00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:22,480
Many people say that you've
seen one Greek island,
447
00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:23,320
you've seen them all.
448
00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:24,480
Well, it's not the case.
449
00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,520
Each island has its little idiosyncrasies
450
00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,560
that separate it from the others.
451
00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:33,200
Kythnos has these walls.
452
00:19:34,120 --> 00:19:36,240
They're not just any stone wall,
453
00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:39,480
but they've got these
big pieces every so often
454
00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:40,560
that come in there.
455
00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:43,560
Now, the reason for them being there,
456
00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:46,440
I have absolutely no idea.
457
00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:50,800
But the other thing about
Kythnos is the number of bays.
458
00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:53,400
There's all these alcoves
right around the island.
459
00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,160
They've been chiselled out
by the geography of time,
460
00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:02,160
and they've created 92
spectacular beaches,
461
00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,080
many that aren't accessible, only by boat,
462
00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:07,440
but many that are still
accessible by road.
463
00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:08,280
You've gotta come here
and have a look at them,
464
00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:09,920
they're absolutely magnificent!
465
00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:15,000
(gentle exotic music)
466
00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:17,240
Since visiting, I did some research,
467
00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:18,800
and it turns out the stones are believed
468
00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:20,200
to have been placed in the walls
469
00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,840
to save on building materials,
and allow effective drainage.
470
00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,200
Apart from making the
build process quicker,
471
00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,280
they added ornamental appeal.
472
00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,280
It's a style known only
to the island of Kythnos.
473
00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:35,520
(gentle exotic music)
474
00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,640
These little points of interest
are there to be revealed
475
00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:42,960
around every corner on the islands.
476
00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:44,600
You just have to be observant,
477
00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:46,560
and you'll see all sorts of treasures
478
00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:48,920
emerging from the hillside and farmland.
479
00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:50,880
What may look like a dilapidated barn
480
00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,480
may well turn out to be
a centuries-old church.
481
00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:56,000
A pile of rocks overgrown with vines
482
00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:57,880
could reveal a fortress wall.
483
00:20:57,880 --> 00:20:59,920
It's a place where the harder you look,
484
00:20:59,920 --> 00:21:01,440
the more you discover.
485
00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,240
Just don't get too inquisitive,
486
00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,080
because it can become an obsession,
487
00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:06,280
and before you know it,
488
00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:08,600
you'll be dreaming of
life as an archaeologist.
489
00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,840
My road trip had brought me to Loutra,
490
00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:15,600
the second port of Kythnos.
491
00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:17,040
It's on the north of the island,
492
00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:18,920
and while being a much smaller harbour,
493
00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,560
it seems the homes here
are on the larger side.
494
00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:22,840
But the best bit of real estate
495
00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:24,480
was left for the tiny church,
496
00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,480
perched on a hill, overlooking
the rugged coastline.
497
00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:30,680
It's a perfect place to
stop and enjoy the scenery,
498
00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:32,560
before continuing the drive.
499
00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:34,680
Mind you, it was so nice,
500
00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:36,680
I could have stayed here the night.
501
00:21:40,360 --> 00:21:43,520
(upbeat exotic music)
502
00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:10,000
Kythnos has 100 kilometres of coastline.
503
00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:14,800
That's a beach for every single kilometre.
504
00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:16,280
There is no better way of seeing it
505
00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:18,920
than leaving Dryopida,
506
00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:20,680
and then coming across here
507
00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:24,120
and starting your beach crawl at Lefkes,
508
00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:27,440
and then just head south
along the southwest coast.
509
00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:29,680
There's beach after beach after beach,
510
00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:30,960
it's absolutely awesome!
511
00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:32,400
I've got my swimmers on, too!
512
00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:36,640
(gentle acoustic music)
513
00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,360
It's hard to believe that this bay,
514
00:22:52,360 --> 00:22:54,080
this beach of Lefkes,
515
00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:57,560
was once used for the
unloading of iron ore
516
00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,880
onto ships going to other
islands on the mainland.
517
00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,400
But it's absolutely
pristine and beautiful.
518
00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,640
The water is velvety, it's 25 degrees,
519
00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:07,920
and there's very few people here.
520
00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:09,760
Couple of villas, one taverna,
521
00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,040
all the beaches are like that here!
522
00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:11,880
It's awesome!
523
00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:16,680
What a way to spend the day.
524
00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,960
Swimming, sightseeing,
525
00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,560
and essentially doing very little else.
526
00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,720
Touring doesn't get much better than this.
527
00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:29,680
The beaches might have been quiet,
528
00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:31,560
but the roads were even more so.
529
00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,760
I don't think I passed another
car for the whole time.
530
00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,120
The only traffic was the occasional goat.
531
00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:40,080
Mind you, the hard part is not
stopping every five minutes
532
00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:41,640
for photos or a swim.
533
00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:43,240
It's a good thing I didn't have any plans
534
00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:44,840
or anyone waiting for me.
535
00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:47,760
It meant I could take my
time and absorb it all,
536
00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,080
free from worrying about appointments.
537
00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:51,760
Our film schedule usually doesn't allow
538
00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:53,280
for this type of thing,
539
00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,320
so I'm taking advantage of every minute.
540
00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,880
(gentle acoustic music)
541
00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:02,400
We just came down here to Kalo Livadi.
542
00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:04,760
Beautiful little beach, 20 houses.
543
00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:06,880
And I walked down to the last house here,
544
00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:07,720
and met Tryfonas.
545
00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:08,560
And I said, "Tryfonas,
546
00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:10,800
"is there a coffee shop here somewhere?"
547
00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,560
And he said, "No, how about
I make you a cup of coffee?"
548
00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:17,440
This is what I love about
the small islands of Greece.
549
00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:19,360
We call it "philotimo," and I don't know
550
00:24:19,360 --> 00:24:22,760
how to translate that into English,
551
00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,320
but it's the neighbourly
thing of these people.
552
00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:26,160
They're wonderful people.
553
00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:28,120
And I've been talking to him
554
00:24:28,120 --> 00:24:30,600
for half an hour, 45
minutes about his story.
555
00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:39,440
He does five, six months a year
556
00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:41,440
of summer and spring here.
557
00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,280
So there's 18 to 20 houses.
558
00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:57,440
There actually is no
taverna on this beach.
559
00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:05,040
And he loves it because
there's no taverna here,
560
00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:06,840
because not many people come down here,
561
00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:08,720
and it's peaceful and serene.
562
00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:10,640
And I actually feel like
going for a sleep right now,
563
00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:12,320
even though he made me a beautiful coffee.
564
00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:13,560
Is there a better life?
565
00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:23,400
Ah, what a life.
566
00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:27,720
Bidding Tryfonas farewell,
567
00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,840
it was back into the car for
the last stretch of the drive.
568
00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:35,120
As much as I wanted to sit,
drink coffee, and talk all day,
569
00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:37,080
there was still more to see.
570
00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,240
Further down the road, there
was yet another bay to explore.
571
00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,760
There were more beaches
to leave my footprints on,
572
00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:44,360
villages to stroll through,
573
00:25:44,360 --> 00:25:46,400
and other ruins to discover.
574
00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,200
I'd also heard there was a
nice little seaside location
575
00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:50,640
where you can get a massage,
576
00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:53,520
with sounds of lapping
water to lull you to sleep.
577
00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,480
As if things couldn't
get any more chilled!
578
00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:58,200
I'd better not tell Helen
about this discovery,
579
00:25:58,200 --> 00:25:59,360
otherwise I might be in trouble
580
00:25:59,360 --> 00:26:01,520
for not bringing her along too!
581
00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,880
(gentle acoustic music)
582
00:26:11,360 --> 00:26:14,080
It's been hard work travelling
through all these beaches,
583
00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:15,480
doing the beach-hopping.
584
00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:18,560
And I just had to stop and get a massage,
585
00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:20,040
'cause it was available.
586
00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,600
If I have more time, I'll
come back and do yoga,
587
00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:24,480
but we've gotta see more
beaches, and I need to eat.
588
00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:25,680
I tell you what,
589
00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:28,480
the food in that taverna
over there smells good,
590
00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,240
and the water over
there looks even better.
591
00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:33,840
So after this massage, go for a swim,
592
00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:36,880
and then eat.
593
00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:40,800
Anyway, for the moment,
I'm just going to relax.
594
00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,480
(waves lapping)
595
00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:47,360
There was one more swim on the agenda.
596
00:26:47,360 --> 00:26:49,040
I'd felt the warm waters of the Aegean
597
00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,120
in at least half a dozen places today,
598
00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:52,640
and it never grows old.
599
00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:54,040
Nor do the views here.
600
00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:55,960
It's an ever-changing canvas,
601
00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,880
with colours that vary
with the hours of the day.
602
00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:01,240
Sunset is always a favourite time,
603
00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:03,680
because apart from the hues of the sky,
604
00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:05,880
the atmosphere becomes even more peaceful.
605
00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,480
It's hard to believe
things could be more serene
606
00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:10,360
than these stress-free days.
607
00:27:10,360 --> 00:27:11,880
But with the setting of the sun,
608
00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:13,560
everything goes down another gear.
609
00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:18,720
(gentle acoustic music)
610
00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,280
This really is the cliched "Our World"
611
00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:22,920
Mediterranean island you read about
612
00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,200
in travel guides from the 1950s.
613
00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,200
You know, the places with
sleepy fishing villages
614
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:29,840
where everyone knows each other,
615
00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:32,560
and you're the only
English-speaking tourist in town.
616
00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:35,080
It's an island you can
quickly fall in love with.
617
00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:36,760
The way of life is carefree,
618
00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:38,520
or so it seems on the surface.
619
00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:41,440
No doubt the locals have
their stressed and worries.
620
00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:45,280
After all, no life is
without its ups and downs.
621
00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,280
But I like to think their
concerns aren't the trivial things
622
00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:51,240
we in the city get caught
up with on a daily basis.
623
00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:53,840
Or maybe I'm just being a bit naive.
624
00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:57,160
(gentle acoustic music)
625
00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:02,480
(upbeat exotic music)
626
00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:13,800
We're at the site of the
ancient city of Vryokastro.
627
00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:18,120
These hills were once a thriving town
628
00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:20,880
that was around 10th century BC,
629
00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:23,200
right through to, I
think, seventh century AD.
630
00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:25,280
We're gonna meet an archaeologist,
631
00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,120
Alexandros Mazarakis,
632
00:28:27,120 --> 00:28:28,200
who did the dig here.
633
00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,080
He's coming out
specifically to talk to us.
634
00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:33,120
My understanding, though, is it thrived
635
00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:37,600
as a result of the metallurgy
and the Bronze Age.
636
00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:39,600
I'm really looking
forward to going up there
637
00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:42,320
on land, and walking through
with Professor Mazarakis.
638
00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:47,120
(gentle exotic music)
639
00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:48,280
There are few people in the country
640
00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,120
that know as much about ancient Greece
641
00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:52,720
as Professor Alexandros Mazarakis.
642
00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:54,240
He's the Head of Classical Archaeology
643
00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:55,760
at the University of Thessaly,
644
00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,840
and leads the excavations
at this remarkable site.
645
00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:00,360
As far as credentials go,
646
00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:02,600
he has a record that reads
like a shopping list,
647
00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:04,600
so I couldn't have been in better hands.
648
00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:09,600
- When I started here in 1990, the survey,
649
00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:14,600
and it took us roughly five
years to complete this survey.
650
00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,520
We returned one year in 2001,
651
00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:22,600
and then we started excavating
2002 to the present day.
652
00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:26,520
So, another 20 years of
excavation since then.
653
00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:27,360
- [Peter] Wow.
654
00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:28,200
- Yes.
655
00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:32,560
A total of 30 years of work on this site.
656
00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,320
- This is a lot of your
life you spent on this!
657
00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:36,760
- Yes.
- Wow.
658
00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:39,800
- But it's something I like a lot,
659
00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:43,960
and I would not exchange it for anything.
660
00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:45,040
- [Peter] Yes.
- Yes.
661
00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,880
So, this is where we've been digging
662
00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,760
for the past 20 years,
663
00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,320
in this specific area the last years,
664
00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:00,600
but this is a big plateau
665
00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:02,640
with sanctuaries and cult buildings,
666
00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:07,480
and it's the public, let's say, area
667
00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:09,480
of the ancient town.
668
00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:11,240
Next to the fortification wall.
669
00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:12,160
- [Peter] Let's go and have a look.
670
00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:13,160
- [Alexandros] Okay.
671
00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,600
- Professor Mazarakis has
given much of his life
672
00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:20,600
to exhuming the past of Greece.
673
00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:22,680
The discoveries that
he and others like him
674
00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:25,840
have made over the last 30
years have rewritten history,
675
00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,280
and as more ruins and relics are found,
676
00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:30,440
the story keeps evolving.
677
00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:32,240
In another half-century from now,
678
00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:34,760
who knows what might have been unearthed!
679
00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:36,800
What's the special thing about this town?
680
00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:39,600
- The special thing about this town
681
00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:41,680
is that it is one of the best-preserved
682
00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:45,120
ancient towns of the Aegean.
683
00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:48,440
Because nothing disturbed this place
684
00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:51,360
after its abandonment in the 7th century.
685
00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:54,480
We have the luck to be able to investigate
686
00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:57,360
a series of public sanctuaries,
687
00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:02,120
and to understand all
these public, let's say,
688
00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:05,040
activity taking place in an ancient town
689
00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:07,720
from its beginning, from its birth,
690
00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:08,920
to its abandonment.
691
00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:10,000
- Excellent.
692
00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:11,440
So, Professor, tell me,
693
00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:14,000
this is a massive city, a huge town.
694
00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:16,760
A port, a military port as well.
695
00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:18,200
What was it that they had?
696
00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,000
Was it the mines here that
was their major trade?
697
00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,120
- Kythnos was not renowned in antiquity,
698
00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:25,560
we don't hear much about Kythnos.
699
00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,000
It was not a very rich town,
700
00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,320
at least if we read the sources.
701
00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:33,840
The excavations have
shown something different.
702
00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:37,920
Also, we know from Herodotus,
the ancient historian,
703
00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,920
that the Kythnians were
among the few islanders
704
00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,520
who participated in the
naval Battle of Salamis
705
00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:45,280
against the Persians in 480.
706
00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:51,320
So this means that the town was
quite confident of its power
707
00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:53,200
in the beginning of the 5th century.
708
00:31:55,680 --> 00:31:57,880
- [Peter] It always amazes
me how much they can learn
709
00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:00,760
about the ancient world
from what seems like rubble
710
00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:03,120
and a few scattered writings in history.
711
00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:06,760
It takes painstaking
research and years of toil
712
00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:09,480
to piece together the
story of sites like this,
713
00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:11,280
but once the picture becomes clear,
714
00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:13,360
the hard work all becomes worthwhile.
715
00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:17,040
So, Professor, where are we now?
716
00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:18,840
- Well, this is
717
00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,880
the sanctuary of Apollo
718
00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:26,160
and Artemis, as we believe,
719
00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:31,160
excavated between 2002 and 2006.
720
00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:35,880
The temple and the two
altars of the two divinities.
721
00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:40,880
So this is a very intriguing
sanctuary for two reasons.
722
00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:44,920
First, from the conditions
of the discovery,
723
00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:47,720
and second, due to the finds
724
00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:49,480
made during the excavation.
725
00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,240
The conditions of the discovery were that
726
00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:55,080
during the last year of serve in 2001,
727
00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:59,240
we fell upon some precious jewels
728
00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:04,040
which were scattered
all over on the ceiling
729
00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:06,360
of this modern animal pen.
730
00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:07,200
- [Peter] Right.
731
00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,720
- The owner of the field
had taken earth from nearby
732
00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:15,720
to spread over and repair the
ceiling of the animal pen.
733
00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:20,600
And this revealed the presence
of an important secret place.
734
00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:21,880
- [Peter] Did he know that he had jewels?
735
00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:24,560
- No no, he didn't realise this.
736
00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:26,720
And nothing was visible.
737
00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:28,800
There was earth covering all this area,
738
00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:31,800
and you couldn't see anything.
739
00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:36,440
So this allowed us to
start excavating here
740
00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:38,880
with some expectations.
741
00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:42,120
Not many, because one corner
of this temple was visible,
742
00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:45,800
and it was clear that illegal diggers
743
00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:47,240
had come before us.
744
00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:49,760
But the illegal diggers, like us,
745
00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,200
didn't realise that they had missed
746
00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:54,440
the back chamber of the temple.
747
00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:55,520
And this back chamber,
748
00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,960
which is very small, two by three metres,
749
00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:00,440
was packed with votive offerings,
750
00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:05,000
mostly precious jewels
of gold, silver, bronze,
751
00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:11,520
rock crystal, corals and ivory,
752
00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:14,760
and semi-precious stones,
753
00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:17,200
and a lot of vases.
754
00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:18,760
And bronze offerings--
755
00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:20,680
- I suppose you were excited
when you found this, eh?
756
00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:24,000
- That was the first
year of excavation here,
757
00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,400
and we didn't expect much, as I said,
758
00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:29,400
but it was really a revelation for us.
759
00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:30,720
- You struck gold, as we say!
760
00:34:30,720 --> 00:34:31,840
You struck gold!
761
00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:33,000
- That's it, exactly.
762
00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:36,920
I think that it's the
most incredible experience
763
00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:39,840
in my career as an excavation,
764
00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:41,640
that year in 2002.
765
00:34:41,640 --> 00:34:44,960
- [Peter] Is that unusual
to see votive jewellery
766
00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:46,760
buried in these buildings?
767
00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:49,000
- Yes, it's very unusual,
768
00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:53,120
because usually temples were
abandoned in late antiquity,
769
00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:56,280
and all their offerings scattered,
770
00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:59,960
so we find them usually without any,
771
00:34:59,960 --> 00:35:01,440
rarely with the votives.
772
00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:03,640
Now, this is an exception because
773
00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:06,880
the temple was destroyed,
as the excavation showed,
774
00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:08,440
by an earthquake,
775
00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:13,160
around the first century
BC, and never reoccupied.
776
00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:17,240
So they didn't come in
to recover the votives.
777
00:35:17,240 --> 00:35:19,480
The site was abandoned completely,
778
00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:22,280
and never revisited here.
779
00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:23,360
This is very exceptional.
780
00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:27,520
I mean, you don't find
the votive offerings
781
00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:31,440
inside the temple, and
especially in the back chamber,
782
00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:33,200
the adyton, of a temple.
783
00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:38,280
(relaxing exotic music)
784
00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:44,160
- Exciting discoveries like this
785
00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:47,320
are what motivates people
like Professor Mazarakis.
786
00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:49,520
You never know what you
might find on a dig,
787
00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:52,760
from pottery and tools
to coins and jewellery.
788
00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:55,080
It's like being a treasure hunter,
789
00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:56,920
only your reward isn't fortune,
790
00:35:56,920 --> 00:35:58,560
it's the rewriting of history.
791
00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:09,600
(upbeat exotic music)
792
00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:20,080
I couldn't believe my luck
when the professor asked me
793
00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:21,960
if I wanted to see the treasure trove
794
00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:23,920
that was discovered in 2002
795
00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:25,840
on the site in Vryokastro.
796
00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:28,160
They keep it locked up in a
secure site on the island,
797
00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:32,040
and we the first people to
film this priceless collection.
798
00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:35,440
One day, it will likely end
up on display in a museum.
799
00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:37,080
For now, though, it's being studied,
800
00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:40,640
and slowly, secrets are
revealing themselves.
801
00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:42,320
Looks like some exceptional pieces here.
802
00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:43,960
That one looks like it's
come from Disneyland,
803
00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:44,920
can I grab it?
804
00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:45,720
- [Alexandros] Yes.
805
00:36:45,720 --> 00:36:47,600
- This one here, what is it?
806
00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:49,280
It looks like Mickey Mouse.
807
00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:55,320
- [Alexandros] It belongs to
some kind of pendant, perhaps.
808
00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:59,240
It is of glass based, and
that's why it's coloured.
809
00:36:59,240 --> 00:37:03,240
And this is unique, because
it looks like a bear as well.
810
00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:07,280
- But it almost looks like
a caricature of a bear.
811
00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:11,720
So these guys, they're not
just replicating animals,
812
00:37:11,720 --> 00:37:13,320
they're making of them a bit, as well.
813
00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:14,120
- Yes.
814
00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:16,880
This look like Phoenician,
815
00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:18,960
these could be a Phoenician.
- Oh right, okay.
816
00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:19,960
I'm gonna put that back.
817
00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:24,360
- But we have finds like these,
which are Carnelian beads,
818
00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:27,080
dozens of them, which come from Crete,
819
00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,320
so they are already 1,000 year old
820
00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:33,280
when they were dedicated
to this sanctuary,
821
00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:34,640
so they're heirlooms.
822
00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:35,560
- [Peter] Wow.
823
00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:38,800
(calming exotic music)
824
00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:55,040
I think, looking at what you've done here,
825
00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:57,040
finding what you've found here,
826
00:37:57,040 --> 00:37:58,840
which is very rare to find in a temple,
827
00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,120
to find all this product in one temple,
828
00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:04,240
because generally they've
been pillaged at some stage.
829
00:38:04,240 --> 00:38:06,800
So from this, you've
discovered a lot about Kythnos.
830
00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:08,960
You've discovered a
lot about the Cyclades.
831
00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:11,800
It's amazing, it must have
been a great experience,
832
00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:12,960
the last 20 years, for you.
833
00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,720
- Yes, it was a great experience
834
00:38:15,720 --> 00:38:19,520
and continues to be a great experience,
835
00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:22,200
despite the fact that, let's say,
836
00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:26,520
most of these finds that we
are simply looking at today
837
00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:30,760
were found in one
excavation season in 2002.
838
00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:36,080
Of course, we continue, but it's rare,
839
00:38:36,080 --> 00:38:38,760
and it shows the rarity
of such discoveries.
840
00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:42,320
It's rare to find such groups of objects
841
00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:44,560
all together in an excavation,
842
00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:46,520
and sometimes, in a lifetime,
843
00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:48,320
you don't fall upon such a group.
844
00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:50,520
- You've been digging for 20 years.
845
00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:52,400
You're still digging, there's 50 people
846
00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:54,760
digging from all over the world.
847
00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:56,320
How much longer do you
think you'll be digging for
848
00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:58,720
to really expose and exploit
849
00:38:58,720 --> 00:39:01,160
everything that's come
out of the ground here?
850
00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:03,440
- Well, my aim is to continue digging
851
00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:08,280
as long as my feet will
take me up to Vryokastro.
852
00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:09,120
(laughing)
853
00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:14,120
There's no age limit for an
excavator and an archaeologist,
854
00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:18,040
so I think until the end of my days,
855
00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:19,600
I will be digging on Kythnos.
856
00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:20,800
- Wow.
857
00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:22,240
(upbeat exotic music)
858
00:39:22,240 --> 00:39:25,080
Doing what we love until
the end of your days.
859
00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:27,320
Now, that's something
we should all aspire to.
860
00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:30,040
I can only imagine what
incredible discoveries
861
00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:33,200
Professor Mazarakis will
make in years to come.
862
00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:35,560
His legacy will be penned
in the history books,
863
00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:38,480
studied by future generations
of archaeologists.
864
00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:40,760
(rattling)
865
00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:44,800
So we're leaving Kythnos.
866
00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:47,960
I'm a bit sad, because
it's been a special island.
867
00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:51,680
It's so close to the
mainland, it's easy to get to.
868
00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:54,200
Most people that come here
come to Kolones, the beach,
869
00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:56,080
and then they go, it's all these sailors.
870
00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:57,680
But they don't see the rest of the island!
871
00:39:57,680 --> 00:39:59,280
It's like they're window-shopping,
872
00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:01,320
and they don't enter the shop.
873
00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:02,960
You come here, you gotta enter the shop.
874
00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:04,440
The people are fantastic,
875
00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:06,520
they'll give you the shirt off their back.
876
00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:07,400
They're awesome.
877
00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:10,080
It's not for everybody, though.
878
00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:12,280
It's for people that like a quiet island.
879
00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:14,520
Hard to communicate here,
880
00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:16,680
'cause they don't speak much English,
881
00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:19,200
but where there's no communication,
882
00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:23,600
there's the generosity, the
friendship, the philotimo.
883
00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:24,920
You gotta come to Kythnos,
884
00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:26,520
it's absolutely magnificent.
885
00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:29,040
Anyway, we're going.
886
00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:31,960
Let's go, Gene!
887
00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:36,200
The odyssey continues,
888
00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:38,600
taking me from the hidden gem of Kythnos
889
00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:40,000
to another of the lesser-known
890
00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:43,000
islands in the Cyclades, Serifos.
891
00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:44,680
From upping anchor to arriving in port,
892
00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:46,880
it's about 50 kilometres
of steady cruising.
893
00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:51,280
Immediately upon arrival,
894
00:40:51,280 --> 00:40:53,600
you can see the difference
between the two islands.
895
00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:57,080
In Serifos, the mountains
loom over the port below.
896
00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:58,920
And being smaller than its neighbour,
897
00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:00,760
the populations might be similar,
898
00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:02,640
but here, they're more condensed.
899
00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:05,040
It makes the place feel
a little less rural.
900
00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:07,320
In reality, though, it's
just as chilled out.
901
00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:14,480
Like Kythnos, Serifos is a
place for the active traveller.
902
00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:15,400
Not so much the ones
903
00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:18,160
that are after excitement,
night life and shopping,
904
00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:20,480
but those that are happy
to hike mountain trails,
905
00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:21,920
or in this case, willing to walk
906
00:41:21,920 --> 00:41:24,360
1,000 steps up a hillside.
907
00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:25,960
(panting)
908
00:41:25,960 --> 00:41:27,600
It's a long way up.
909
00:41:27,600 --> 00:41:28,800
I hope I'm almost there.
910
00:41:30,520 --> 00:41:32,400
This Medusa better be worth it.
911
00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:35,120
You'll know what I mean
when I get to the top.
912
00:41:35,120 --> 00:41:37,520
Climb up the steps from the port
913
00:41:37,520 --> 00:41:40,200
to the top of this mountain at Serifos.
914
00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:42,520
Absolutely magnificent,
915
00:41:42,520 --> 00:41:44,720
and there's a wonderful view down there,
916
00:41:44,720 --> 00:41:46,280
but that's not why I'm up here.
917
00:41:46,280 --> 00:41:47,200
I came up here to see
918
00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:49,680
that little church down there, St John,
919
00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:51,520
which is built on the Temple of Athena.
920
00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:54,920
You can see a couple of columns
next to it that prove that.
921
00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:57,480
And in popular mythology, apparently,
922
00:41:57,480 --> 00:41:59,400
Perseus came to this island
923
00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:02,040
with his beautiful mother, Danae.
924
00:42:02,040 --> 00:42:05,840
And the King of Serifos fell
in love with his mother.
925
00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:06,720
He wanted to marry her.
926
00:42:06,720 --> 00:42:08,680
Perseus said he didn't want
927
00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:10,800
the King of Serifos for his mother.
928
00:42:10,800 --> 00:42:13,040
King of Serifos then said to Perseus,
929
00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:15,400
"If you can find Medusa
and bring her here,
930
00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:17,640
"cut her head off, then
I won't marry her."
931
00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:18,480
Guess what he did?
932
00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:20,440
He got on Pegasus, went
out there, found her,
933
00:42:20,440 --> 00:42:21,320
cut her head off,
934
00:42:21,320 --> 00:42:23,920
didn't get stoned up
like he was supposed to,
935
00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:26,240
and the marriage never happened.
936
00:42:26,240 --> 00:42:28,600
Anyway, we know that's mythology.
937
00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:30,360
Could be true, who knows.
938
00:42:30,360 --> 00:42:32,360
But what a view, eh?
939
00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:34,440
It's worth the view at least, anyway!
940
00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:35,800
And the walk, I'm hammered.
941
00:42:37,240 --> 00:42:38,440
Gotta walk down now.
942
00:42:38,440 --> 00:42:39,400
Ciao!
943
00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,240
(gentle exotic music)
944
00:42:42,240 --> 00:42:44,360
In the next episode of My Greek Odyssey,
945
00:42:44,360 --> 00:42:46,800
I'll be taking on a
journey across Serifos,
946
00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:50,320
and experiencing everything
this little island has to offer.
947
00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:52,640
While it might not have
the resorts and bars
948
00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:55,360
of its more famous neighbours
to the south and east,
949
00:42:55,360 --> 00:42:57,640
it's a place where you can
make your own adventure,
950
00:42:57,640 --> 00:42:59,360
and enjoy a taste of Greek culture,
951
00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:02,920
only found in these
off-the-beaten-path destinations.
952
00:43:02,920 --> 00:43:04,400
We'll eat like a local,
953
00:43:04,400 --> 00:43:06,560
learn about the island's ancient past,
954
00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:08,800
and explore every inch of the place,
955
00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:10,600
from the hilltops and bays
956
00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:13,400
to the seafloor, and even underground.
957
00:43:13,400 --> 00:43:14,520
The beauty of an island like this
958
00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:16,960
is that it's easy to
fully immerse yourself
959
00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:18,600
in all that it has to offer.
960
00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:20,560
Plus, everything is easy to access.
961
00:43:20,560 --> 00:43:22,280
There's no traffic or crowds,
962
00:43:22,280 --> 00:43:25,680
and best of all, there's
no rush to get things done.
963
00:43:25,680 --> 00:43:27,760
Can't see Medusa's head!
964
00:43:27,760 --> 00:43:30,960
(gentle exotic music)
965
00:44:02,200 --> 00:44:04,880
(flame roaring)
72839
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