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FRANCESCO: After five weeks
sailing the Mediterranean,
2
00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:24,680
we have docked in Athens for a few
days to rest and refuel the boat.
3
00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:30,160
So, I'm using the time to go
on a road trip.
4
00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,280
I'm heading into Greece's wild west.
5
00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,480
Grazie, ciao.
6
00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,560
It's a long way,
so I need some wheels.
7
00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:11,200
MUSIC: "Born To Be Wild"
by Steppenwolf
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00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,440
Where I'm going people
are tough, really tough.
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00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,120
So I need to look the part.
10
00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:20,760
ENGINE REVS
11
00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,200
I'm half way from Venice
to Istanbul,
12
00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:19,040
following the trading roots
of my ancestors.
13
00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:26,840
We're in Greece and I'm heading
south into the Peloponnese.
14
00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:41,400
The Corinth Canal divides the
Peloponnese from the Greek mainland.
15
00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:00,280
This is a land
steeped in myth and history.
16
00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,520
My first stop is an ancient site
of architectural splendour.
17
00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:23,480
A vast arena built with
just one purpose, to entertain.
18
00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,840
This is Epidaurus,
the mother of all the theatres.
19
00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:53,480
These theatres were the cradle
of all dramatic art today.
20
00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:58,400
Whether Hamlet, Tosca,
or Buffy, The Vampire Slayer.
21
00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,240
Epidaurus was built
2,500 years ago.
22
00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,560
It was the Greeks
who invented theatre.
23
00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:15,840
This place seats 14,000 people.
24
00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:21,120
Although, I'm not so sure how
comfortable those stone benches are.
25
00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,600
It's every Greek actor's dream
to perform here
26
00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,440
and I've got a date
with one who's done it.
27
00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:31,560
Francesco! Artemis!
28
00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:33,120
How's it like to perform here?
29
00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:37,760
Oh, well, it's a great honour
for an actor to perform here.
30
00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:43,400
This is one of the most handsome
theatres in Greece and the most big,
as you can see.
31
00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,480
You feel so, so tiny here, you know,
32
00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:52,880
but when the performance begins,
you have another emotion
that fills you.
33
00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:57,880
And how is it possible to hear you
when you're down there?
34
00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:00,120
Well, the acoustic here is great.
35
00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,680
I'll show you. You stay here...
36
00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:04,600
..and watch. OK.
37
00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:14,120
The acoustics are meant to be
so good that even the smallest
noise can be heard from the stage.
38
00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:18,000
Francesco. Yeah. Hear this.
39
00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:21,680
SOUND OF PAPER TEARING
40
00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,280
Wow. It's fantastic!
41
00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:26,520
Wait!
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00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:28,960
PAPER CRUMPLING
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00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:44,360
Brava!
44
00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,240
It was marvellous. What was it?
45
00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,960
Well, it was a monologue from
Libation Bearers from Aeschylus.
46
00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,800
It's over 2,000 years old.
47
00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:00,240
Thanks.
48
00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:10,360
I'm finding these Greek roads
a little nerve-wracking.
49
00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:22,680
It seems that Greeks have
their own way of dealing
with anxiety and stress.
50
00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,680
They're even more laid back
than us Italians!
51
00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,800
Their secret to keeping calm -
52
00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,680
worry beads, in Greek called,
komboloi.
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00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:40,200
MUSIC: "Don't Worry, Be Happy"
by Bobby McFerrin
54
00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:02,600
So many kombolois here.
55
00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,440
Yes, there are a lot. Wow!
56
00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:09,040
But why do the Greek use a komboloi?
57
00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,160
Because they won't have a company.
58
00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,800
They feel alone. Maybe, maybe.
59
00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,520
Do you have an old one to show me?
60
00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:17,440
Yes.
61
00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,560
They're all the kinds here. Uh-hmm.
62
00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:24,120
This is the oldest.
63
00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:28,400
It's about 400 years in amber.
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00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,680
Amber, it is the most lucky,
or every one is lucky?
65
00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:38,400
Every komboloi can give you good
luck, if you choose with your heart.
66
00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:43,960
I'm doing a trip from
Venice to Istanbul, sailing.
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00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:45,680
I would like to buy one.
68
00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,240
I show you
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00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,120
an olive wood.
70
00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:54,320
People in our country love
very much this material.
71
00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:57,880
This is black coral with silver.
72
00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:01,120
This is a little heavier.
Can I try that one, blue one?
73
00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:02,320
This one?
74
00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,120
Yes, the big one.
75
00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,680
OK. This is blue lagoon, blue coral.
76
00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:12,520
Nice colour. I like it.
77
00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,520
You like it. This is my choice.
78
00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,080
It's very difficult to choose,
but if I have to pick one.
79
00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,120
And now, I don't worry any more.
80
00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,760
I'm heading inland into Arkadhia.
81
00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:55,080
In the ancient world, this was
a safe haven in time of war.
82
00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:06,040
Today, the very word Arkadhia
means earthly paradise.
83
00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:10,160
And seeing the real place,
I'm not disappointed.
84
00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,640
It's so quiet, it's hard
to believe not long ago,
85
00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:24,200
a great city flourished here.
86
00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:28,080
A place of learning,
culture and power.
87
00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:32,000
It was called
the Florence of the East.
88
00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,280
Today, the city of Mystra
lies in ruins.
89
00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,320
Ruins like this never fail
to move me.
90
00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,320
It's a reminder that in the future
91
00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:05,000
people will see what's left of
our homes and lives in the same way -
92
00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:08,080
a humbling thought.
93
00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,960
But some of Mystra's treasures
survive.
94
00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,560
This is the convent
of the Pantanassa.
95
00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:37,400
It's home
to a masterpiece of medieval art.
96
00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:49,360
These frescos
were painted in the 1430s.
97
00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,320
They follow a strict code,
98
00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:04,120
a hierarchy seen in
all Greek churches of the time.
99
00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:10,080
At the top is Christ,
protecting us all.
100
00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:18,600
Beneath him is La Madonna,
the Holy Virgin Mary.
101
00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,200
Then come the Saints.
102
00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,960
The frescos
tell the story of Christ,
103
00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:31,560
his birth...
104
00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:34,960
..His teachings...
105
00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,800
..His entry into Jerusalem.
106
00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:44,760
The colours are not realistic,
but bright and vibrant.
107
00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,880
Other churches in Europe
are a little terrifying,
108
00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:56,000
but here the feeling,
because of the colours, is joy.
109
00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,320
God is not to be feared, but loved.
110
00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:03,400
It is He that gave us
happiness and beauty.
111
00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:19,280
The Ottoman Turks conquered
Mystra in the 15th century.
112
00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:25,960
The city never regained its power
and fell into decline.
113
00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:09,200
I'm entering the Mani, the most
remote part of the Peloponnese.
114
00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:24,520
The inhabitants of this region
are known as Maniates
rather than Greeks.
115
00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:30,160
They are a people apart,
used to doing things their own way.
116
00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:37,200
To understand them, you must see
inside one of their churches.
117
00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:46,040
This church was built hundreds
of years ago
118
00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:48,920
and I'm surprised
it's still standing.
119
00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:55,120
This is, how you say, DIY church.
120
00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:01,640
Locked.
121
00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:06,000
All I need to do now
is find the way to get in.
122
00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,800
SPEAKS GREEK
123
00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,840
This feels like a real
Aladdin's Cave.
124
00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:23,320
Over the centuries, the villagers
have continued to decorate it.
125
00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:28,600
Simple modern icons
are mixed with ancient frescos.
126
00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:42,880
This may not be the most
impressive church I've ever seen,
127
00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,960
but it's definitely
the most intimate.
128
00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:03,320
It's not just the Maniates' churches
which are hard to get into,
129
00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,800
but their hearts too.
130
00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,400
They are tough people
131
00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,840
and this is Greece's frontier land.
132
00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:21,040
Even today, they have a reputation
for being unfriendly.
133
00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,720
I'm a little nervous
about stopping here,
134
00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,240
but it looks like these days,
135
00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:41,440
they've swapped their pistols
for backgammon.
136
00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,560
SPEAKS GREEK
137
00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,640
They went away.
138
00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:19,120
They don't want to play
backgammon with me!
139
00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:30,040
Luckily not everyone in Mani
is quite so hostile.
140
00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,640
George was born and bred here,
141
00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,000
but he's up for a game.
142
00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:41,840
What are the people in the Mani like?
143
00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:48,120
They live...very, very tough life.
144
00:17:48,120 --> 00:17:51,200
It's difficult?
That's why their nature,
145
00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:53,960
because from the morning
to the night,
146
00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,280
they did not know nothing
else except to work,
147
00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,320
that's why they have a tough life.
148
00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,760
That's why they become tough people,
149
00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:04,080
I say.
150
00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:07,240
Three and one.
151
00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:10,520
And six. And six, yeah.
152
00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:12,720
Sixes or fives.
153
00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,200
Ah! We are both double!
154
00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,280
Great, very good!
We drew and we are happy.
155
00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:56,640
You can tell just from the landscape
that life could be hard here.
156
00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:04,640
The problem was, there just wasn't
enough fertile land for everyone.
157
00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:22,200
This is Vathia, a village
full of towers today destroyed.
158
00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:25,840
Each house was a,
how you say, fortezza,
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00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:29,000
a fortress to protect the people.
160
00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,120
Not just from outsiders,
but their neighbours.
161
00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,680
In a charged atmosphere like this,
162
00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:43,000
fights broke out over food
or family honour.
163
00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:48,200
The villagers built their homes
like towers,
164
00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:52,080
so they could defend themselves
from their rooftops.
165
00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:11,560
The vendettas could
last months, even years.
166
00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:16,640
The women could go in and out
of the homes with food and armour.
167
00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:19,720
And when it was harvest,
the men go out.
168
00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,720
They worked together in fields
as if nothing is wrong.
169
00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:29,200
Then they go home, lock their doors
and try to kill each other again.
170
00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,040
It's crazy.
171
00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:41,440
Today, Vathia is uninhabited,
172
00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,880
but not because they
all killed each other.
173
00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:50,160
In the early 20th century,
many villagers emigrated to America.
174
00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,920
Considering what life here was like,
175
00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:58,400
I don't blame them
for wanting to leave.
176
00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:30,720
It's difficult to imagine
anything sweet
177
00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:36,040
coming out of this harsh place, but
the Mani is famous for its honey.
178
00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:53,040
Can I taste some honey?
179
00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,080
Yes. We go?
180
00:21:56,080 --> 00:22:00,000
OK...
181
00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:01,640
This for you. Here.
182
00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,760
I have to admit,
I'm a little scared of bees.
183
00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:17,480
Do you have something for the hands?
No. No.
184
00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:22,000
Apparently bees can smell your fear.
185
00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,600
Fortunately, I'm in good hands.
186
00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:30,200
Sotiris has been looking after bees
for over 30 years
187
00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:35,160
and he's assured me
that smoke calms them down.
188
00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:36,760
I hope he's right!
189
00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:40,560
Wow. Mamma mia!
190
00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:48,360
Whoa!
191
00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:55,480
So many.
192
00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:57,920
And the queen is here?
193
00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:02,000
The queen, yes, is here,
but it's difficult to...
194
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,800
No, no, we don't wake her up!
195
00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:06,040
We leave her quiet.
196
00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,880
It's better. OK, leave it,
no, we don't want to bother her.
197
00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:13,080
Just to know that she's here.
198
00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:14,600
And there is only one queen?
199
00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,040
Yes, only one. Only one.
200
00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:19,640
Oh, this is all honey.
201
00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:21,440
Wow.
202
00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:23,480
Can I taste it?
203
00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:24,520
Oh, my God.
204
00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:27,960
Go away, little one.
205
00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:37,920
Then how I do it?!
206
00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,440
Mmm!
207
00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:48,680
Buono, that's good. Yeah.
208
00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:50,880
Yeah, I like it.
209
00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:08,200
My journey through the Peloponnese
is nearly at an end.
210
00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:10,440
I'm heading for a place
that once
211
00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,480
witnessed a terrible tragedy
for my people.
212
00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:20,000
It goes back to the days when Venice
ruled half of the Mediterranean.
213
00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:39,880
This is the fortress of Methoni.
214
00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:43,000
We call it the Eyes of Venice.
215
00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:47,040
We had 100 fortresses like this
all around the Med.
216
00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:51,440
You see, we couldn't have
a big army in each place.
217
00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,480
So if attacked, we hide in the fort
218
00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:58,000
and wait for the navy
to come rescue us.
219
00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:09,760
Strategically, Methoni was the most
important of all our fortresses.
220
00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:16,680
From here we could prevent Turkish
warships sailing up towards Venice.
221
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:23,120
As long as we had Methoni,
our empire was safe.
222
00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:34,360
All Venetian forts have our logo,
223
00:25:34,360 --> 00:25:38,480
the lion of St Mark,
but the details change.
224
00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:40,920
Sometimes the book is open,
225
00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:45,520
sometimes it's closed
and the lion grips a sword.
226
00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:51,960
It all depends what Venice's
relationship is to that
particular place.
227
00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,880
Here the book is open
without the sword drawn.
228
00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:01,920
Here Venice is the law giver
and the defender of Methoni.
229
00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:15,680
The Turks tried many times
to take Methoni,
230
00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:18,800
but each time we fought them off.
231
00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:23,880
Then, in 1500,
the unthinkable happened.
232
00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:30,560
The sultan himself arrived
with a vast fleet
233
00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:33,000
and laid siege to Methoni.
234
00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:39,760
After a long resistance,
the Turks breached the walls.
235
00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:42,720
In their attack,
they were merciless.
236
00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:50,840
It was a massacre.
237
00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:55,960
The Turks killed the men and sold
the women and children into slavery.
238
00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:06,120
The few men who survived the attack
were taken here to the bourtzi,
239
00:27:06,120 --> 00:27:10,200
the tower that juts out
from the end of the fortress.
240
00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,560
This was the last thing they saw
241
00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:25,040
as they were taken inside
and executed.
242
00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:45,360
The locals say that when the winter
winds hit the bourtzi,
243
00:27:45,360 --> 00:27:48,760
you can still hear the screams
of the dying.
244
00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:05,400
When the ruling councillors
of Venice
245
00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:08,480
heard the news about
the loss of Methoni,
246
00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:10,520
they wept.
247
00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:20,680
Venice was losing her grip
over the Mediterranean.
248
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Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
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